BIOGRAPHY OF PERRY C WILLIAMS, HARRISON CO,
WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted by Valerie Crook
(vfcrook@earthlink.net)


The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II,
pg. 598
Harrison

PERRY C. WILLIAMS. Until he was well on toward middle
age Mr. Williams kept his energies concentrated upon his
farming and stock-raising enterprise. For over twenty years
he has been a resident of Clarksburg, and though a man of
ample means has never been satisfied with a career of leisure.
His activities and interests make him an associate of some
of the busiest and most influential men in that city.

This is one of the oldest of Harrison County families, and
descendants of the original settler are numerously represented
here. In the different generations, covering more than a
century, the people of this name have taken an important
part in the development of both town and country and in
public affairs.

The original settler in this county was William Williams.
One of his descendants, George W. Williams, of Harrison
County, has made some investigation as to the family lines
and has concluded that William Williams was not, as some
have thought, born in Wales, but that his father was a native
of that country and came to America in 1740, settling near
Philadelphia. William Williams was born April 10, 1772,
probably in Pennsylvania, and as a young man removed to
Maryland, where on August 22, 1797, he married Sophia
Freshour, who was of German lineage. For a time they
lived in the vicinity of Baltimore, and in 1799 William Wil-
liams crossed the mountains by wagon and settled in Harrison
County, near the present site of Wilsonburg. He arrived
early enough to take some part in the development of what
was essentially a pioneer district, and lived there the rest of
his life. The children of William and Sophia Williams were:
Mark, John, Jeremiah, Thomas, Isaac, William and three
daughters.

Mark Williams, grandfather of Perry C. Williams, was
born October 22, 1798, and was about a year old when the
family came to Harrison County. He, therefore, lived in
this county practically all his life, and died here March 25,
1847. He married Jane Tate, who was born August 13,
1803, and died October 10, 1856. Their children were:
Anna, William J., Isaac, Thomas, Margaret, Sophia, Jane
and Hugh. Of these the only survivor at this time is Hugh.

William J. Williams was born in Harrison County, August
6, 1826, and devoted all his active years to the farm. He
was a man of fine intelligence and possessed sterling qualities
of both heart and mind. He died November 21, 1901, at
the age of seventy-six. William J. Williams married Eliza-
beth Jane Riley, who was born in Taylor County, September
8, 1825, and died November 12, 1895. Her father, Freeland
Riley, came from Ireland. The children of these parents
were Margaret Ellen, Riley M., Jahuh, Sarah Ann, Mark,
John T., Isaac, Polly, Perry C., James E., Thompson H.,
Alice, Andrew J. and Ida May. The parents were Baptists,
and the father was a democrat in politics.

Perry C. Williams, who was born on the old homestead
farm in Harrison County, February 2, 1861, spent his youth
in a rural environment, and when not in school was helping
his father carry on the work of an extensive farm. Later,
by purchase, he acquired two hundred acres of the old home-
stead, and with that he continued his own successful efforts
as a farmer and stock man until thirty-nine years of age.
Mr. Williams inherited a strong constitution, and he put it
into effective service through hard work and good manage-
ment, and laid the basis of his prosperity while on the farm.
After leaving the country he lived for a brief time in Salem,
and in 1901 came to Clarksburg, where he completed his
beautiful and dignified residence on East Main Street.

During the past twenty years Mr. Williams has handled
a considerable volume of real estate transactions, buying
chiefly with his own capital. More important still has been
his effort and the use of his capital in developing vacant
property in the city. He was also one of the organizers of
the Empire National Bank of Clarksburg, was for a time
vice president and is still on the Board of Directors.

Mr. Williams acquired a good common-school education
as a boy, and for six years he was engaged in teaching, for a
period from 1881 to 1887. While on the farm he also served
four years, 1892-96, as justice of the peace. He is a demo-
crat and a member of the Baptist Church.

On October 21, 1886, Mr. Williams married Miss Rosa B.
Randolph, who was born at Salem, Harrison County, No-
vember 3, 1861, daughter of Lloyd F. and Elizabeth (Davis)
Randolph. The Randolphs were another early and promi-
nent family of Harrison County, coming here from the State
of New Jersey. Their original settlement was at Salem.
Mrs. William's great-grandfather was a soldier in the Ameri-
can Revolution, and by virtue of her direct descent she has
membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams have reared four sons, all now
progressive young men in the business life of Clarksburg.
Their names are Warren Lee, Lloyd W., Harvey C. and
Jesse D.