WI BIO - Green Lake Co - WILLIAMS, Griffith J. & John 

Portrait and Biographical Album: Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, 
Wisconsin.. Chicago: Acme, 1890, pp 349-350, 506-507

Biography of Griffith J. WILLIAMS - pp 506-507 (son of John)

Griffith J. WILLIAMS, resident of Manchester Green Lake County, Wisconsin, 
was born 09 January 1830 in Wales [to John and Guenn (GRIFFITHS) WILLIAMS; 
see also the biography of John WILLIAMS]. He acquired his education in the 
common schools, and at the age of nineteen accompanied his parents to 
America; landed in the New World in May 1849, and continued his journey until 
reaching Green Lake County, where he assisted his father in developing a farm 
from the wild and unbroken prairie. He remained at home upon the farm until 
1860.

On 09 June 1860 he [Griffith J. WILLIAMS] married Miss Jane WILLIAMS, 
daughter of John and Elizabeth (OWENS) WILLIAMS, who were also natives of 
Wales, the date of their emigration to America being 1844. They [John and 
Elizabeth (OWENS) WILLIAMS] first located in Racine [Racine County], 
Wisconsin, but two years later came to Green Lake County, where Mrs. 
[Elizabeth] WILLIAMS is still living. They were the parents of a large 
family, numbering fourteen children.

To our subject and his wife [Griffith J. and Jane (WILLIAMS) WILLIAMS] have 
been [p 350] born three children: (1) John, who married Miss Jane ROBERTS, 
and is living in Green Lake County; (2) Winnie, now the wife of Richard 
THOMAS, a machinist of Chicago; and (3) Richard, who is still with his 
parents. Mr. WILLIAMS is a Republican; has never sought public office. Both 
he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Few have so 
long been residents of Green Lake County as this couple. 

Biography of John WILLIAMS - pp 349-350 (father of Griffith J.)

John WILLIAMS, deceased, who was among the pioneer settlers of Green Lake 
County, Wisconsin, was born in Wales in April 1794, and in that community 
passed his boyhood and youth. On attaining his majority, he married Guenn 
GRIFFITHS, who was a native of the same county as he. They [John and Guenn 
(GRIFFITHS) WILLIAMS] were the parents of nine children, but several died 
previous to the emigration of the family to the new world. (1) William died 
at the age of fourteen years; (2) Laura died in infancy; (3) the third 
child, also named Laura, became the wife of William CARTER, one of the early 
settlers of this county and died in 1867; (4) Hugh died in Wales when an 
infant; (5) Hugh, the second of that name, is now a contractor and builder 
in Chicago [Cook County, Illinois]; (6) Griffith J. makes his home in Green 
Lake County; (7) Richard is a also a resident of Green Lake County; (8) 
William is now Superintendent of a large mine owned by a New York company and 
has his headquarters at Sunshine [Boulder County], Colorado; and (9) Jane, 
the youngest, is deceased.

In the early spring of 1849, Mr. [John] WILLIAMS, accompanied by his family, 
left his native land and sailed for America. On reaching New York, he went 
by canal to Buffalo [Erie County] and thence by steamer to Milwaukee. Two 
months had elapsed from the time when he embarked until he reached his 
destination. He first located on Section 28 in [p 350] the Town of 
Manchester, where he purchased 224 acres of wild land. Not a furrow had been 
turned or an improvement made. He at once erected a log cabin, which was 
known as "The Castle," as it was the highest building in the state at that 
time. He then devoted his entire energies to the development of a farm and 
in the course of time the broad acres paid a golden tribute to his care and 
cultivation. He made many excellent improvements, erected all the necessary 
buildings and in a few short years had a comfortable house for himself and 
family.

He [John WILLIAMS] continued to engage in farming until his death, which 
occurred in 1874. He survived his wife about fourteen years, she [Guenn 
(GRIFFITHS) WILLIAMS] having been called home in 1860, aged sixty-five years. 
Mr. WILLIAMS is was ever ready to support the interests of the community 
which tended to promote the general welfare, and the cause of education found 
in him a warm friend. He was an earnest Christian gentleman, a member of the 
Calvanistic Church, and was respected by all who knew him. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly