Rutland County VT Archives Obituaries.....Williams, D.F. August 1929
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The Poultney, Vt. Journal
, August 16 1929 

D. F. Williams Dies At "Brookdale" 
Article Text: 
The Poultney Journal August 16, 1929 
D. F. Williams Dies At "Brookdale"
Had Been Ill For Several Weeks. 
The death of David F. Williams occurred at his home, "Brookdale", in Raceville, on
Wednesday, after an illness of several weeks. He was born in Caernarvonshire, North
Wales, September 6, 1846, the youngest of a family of eleven children born to John
and Catherine Peters Williams. His parents died within two Weeks of each other when
he Was two years old, leaving an infant to be eared for here and there and
practically on his own resources at an age when -he should have been starting in
school. This forbade him an education, and he never attended school for a single
day, yet, by his own persistence under the most difficult and discouraging
circumstances, he pushed on and on until became a man of much value in the business
world. Near Festiniog, when a mere boy, he was "set out" to a slate quarry, where
all alone he "smegged", and built him a stone shanty where he lived and by
perseverance during stormy weather practiced writing and ciphering on slates, and
learned to read, sufficiently so that he worked out Sunday - school lessons and
studied music. Music came naturally to him and through the influence of the good
church people he became a member the choir of 50 in the church which he eventually
joined, and was promoted to the position of assistant- choir director age of 15. In
those days there was no instrument of any kind in church, and all of their
practicing and singing -at service was done -with the aid of a tuning fork. - - He
was 14 days crossing the ocean when he came to America at the age of 17. He went
immediately to Pennsylvania with his brother, Richard J Williams where he had
employment, coming from there to Middle Granville, then to Canada. On June 6, 1870,
he married Miss Alice Farwell at the farm in Raceville where she is still living,
and his only survivor. Their only child, Leon, died when a young man at their home
on June 17, 1891. After marrying, Mr. and Mrs. Williams came to Poultney, remaining
here about two years, going from here to Plattsburgh, N. Y., and after ten years
they located in Albany, N. Y., where Mr. Williams became associated with the Albany
Brass & Iron Works. Shortly after, the Spanish-American war broke out, and Mr.
Williams was made inspector o guns at the Watervliet arsenal, and his proficiency
brought him into prominence with government officials; so much so that an order was
issued by the Commander that no guns should be sent out of the arsenal unless they
were stamped with the initials "D. F. W." While at Albany Mr. Williams was a member
of the choir in one of the city's largest churches, and in music he was also very
proficient. He had an especially pleasing voice, was an exceptionally fine cornet
player in his earlier days, and had composed several pieces of music. For fourteen
years he was superintendent of the Ruggles Machine plant in this village, and
designed the building which was erected during his superintendency and which is now
used as the Gray Foundry. He had a very inventive mind, and while here secured
patents on the Ruggles Gasoline engine and also an ensilage cutter and blower. Then
there was the Ruggles carrier, many of which are used on quarries hereabouts at the
present time, and saw machines for cutting slate, marble, soapstone, etc. Coupled
with his strong business mind, Mr. Williams was a most genial man socially. He was a
great reader and kept posted on all current and national affairs, and was very
conversant on any topic. As a penman, he was superior. His handwriting up to a short
time before he passed away was like that of a young person, and would shame much of
the penmanship that we see today. The last rites were largely attended at his home
on Friday afternoon, being conducted by Rev. J. C. Elliot, pastor of the Raceville
church, and Rev. F. R. Tarling, former pastor. A quartet comprising Mrs. Grace
Wilson Harris and Mrs. W. Harry Williams, and C. W. Humphrey and George H Norton
sang two of Mr. Williams favorite hymns, - "Lead Kindly Light", and "Softly Now the
Light of Day", to the tune of Gottschalk's "Last Hope". The latter has a little
touch of especial interest, for Mr. Williams gave many renditions of it in earlier
days and especially for the son who frequently requested his father to sing it for
him. And Mrs. Williams' brother, George H. Farwell, now deceased, and who was
stationed at Havana, Cuba, was privileged while here to play on the great organ in
the Cathedral there which Gottschalk used when he composed "The Last Hope". The
remains were laid at rest in Poultney cemetery, - Morning Star Lodge No 27, F. & A.
M., of which deceased had been a member for 61 years, having charge of the services
to the grave. The bearers were: Francis Osteyee of Springfield, Mass., Herbert
Osteyee of Mount Vernon, N. V., -John Williams and Arthur Williams of Raceville, N.
Y., David Jones of Granville, N. Y., and Russell I. Williams of this place. 


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