WI BIO - Winnebago Co - WILLIAMS, P. R. 

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, 
vol II, p 1179 

P. R. WILLIAMS, retired from business, was born in Exeter [Otsego County], 
New York, 15 April 1808. Mr. WILLIAMS went to Upton [Worcester County], 
Massachusetts, and engaged in sash and blind business, he being the first 
party to engage in that business at that place. He was there until 1834, then 
went to Honesdale, Pennsylvania, and engaged in the same business until he 
went to Wisconsin. He first engaged in mercantile business under firm name 
of Crane, Williams & Robinson, all of whom formerly came from Honesdale, 
Wayne County, Pennsylvania. They continued in company about three years, 
then Mr. WILLIAMS bought wheat for several years. Then bought the same 
product in Oshkosh [Winnebago County, Wisconsin], shipped to Green Bay [Brown 
County, Wisconsin], and sold there to large wheat dealers. He continued in 
this business several years, he then went into the grocery, boot and shoe 
business as a silent partner. He also engaged in sale of house furnaces, and 
assisting in improving and completing the same and putting them up, etc. Mr. 
WILLIAMS settled in Neenah in 1856. 

On 30 October 1834 he [P. R. WILLIAMS] was married in Amherst [Hampshire 
County], Massachusetts, to Miss Almira D. THAYER, who was born 29 June 1808 
in Dresden, Massachusetts [Dresden Washington County, New York?]. They have 
two children living. [The children of P. R. and Almira D. (THAYER) WILLIAMS 
given in this biography are]: (1) Mary E. was married to Alex K. MOORE, who 
established the foundry business in Neenah, Wisconsin, and died 24 January 
1873. (2) Willis H. died 16 November 1874 at Neenah [Juneau County], 
Wisconsin. Maria S. died 09 October 1867. (4) Elbridge T. married on 10 
May 1871, and is a traveling salesman for the Neenah Stove Works. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly