WI BIO - Wood Co - WILLIAMS, George L. 

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, vol II, p 
1207 

George L. WILLIAMS, Grand Rapids, Wisconsin [Grand Rapids and Centralia, on 
opposite banks of the Wisconsin River, merged in 1920 to become Wisconsin 
Rapids, until 1848 in Portage County, but now in Wood County], was born 24 
May 1848 at Homer, Cortland County, New York, son of Orris and Ann WILLIAMS. 
His father was from Connecticut, and his mother from England. His father 
moved to Whitewater [Walworth County], Wisconsin, in 1855, where he [Orris 
WILLIAMS] died the same year. George L. continued to make his home with his 
mother until 1868, meanwhile he attended Milton Academy [Milton, Rock County, 
Wisconsin] in the spring and fall of 1865, and taught his first school in 
the fall of 1867. He entered Appleton University in 1868, and was graduated 
in the scientific course in 1873. He was mail route agent between Appleton 
[Outagamie County, Wisconsin] and Manitowoc [Manitowoc County, Wisconsin] on 
the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western Railroad [in existence from 1872-1893; 
became part of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway in 1893] for three and a 
half years, and studied law with H. G. & W. F. Turner, of Manitowoc, and was 
admitted to the Bar in 1875. 

George L. WILLIAMS came to Grand Rapids [now Wisconsin Rapids] in May 1877, 
and was elected County Superintendent of Schools for Wood County in November 
1877, serving one term. He then resumed the practice of law, and was elected 
District Attorney for Wood County in the fall of 1880.

In October 1873 he [George L. WILLIAMS] was married to Miss Edith J. WEST, 
daughter of Edward WEST, of Appleton [Outagamie County, Wisconsin], who is 
said to have taught the first public school in the State of Wisconsin, at 
Milwaukee. [Wisconsin became a State on 29 May 1848. The first public 
school taught (the first school where students did not have to pay to enroll) 
in what became the State of Wisconsin was taught by Electa Quinney in 1828 in 
Kaukauna, now in Outagamie County, then in Michigan Territory.]

George L. WILLIAMS is also City Superintendent of Schools at the present time 
[1881]. Mr. WILLIAMS had brain fever when he was four years old, at which 
time the muscles of his lower limbs became paralyzed, from which he has never 
but partially recovered, necessitating a lifelong struggle with this physical 
infirmity. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly