Photo: Eva and Will Williams /
I never knew my paternal great-grandfather, William Lafayette “Will” Williams (1888-1962), because he died the year before I was born. Although I had seen several photos of him, one of my first cousins, Donna Williams Taylor, recently posted several more photos on Facebook. The photographs belonged to one of Will’s daughters-in-law, Mary Shealy Williams.
Will was born in Haywood County, Tennessee, on Feb. 13, 1888, to George Dempsey Williams (1847-1919) and Martha Jane Watridge Williams (1852-1888). Martha Jane died Dec. 22, 1888, when Will was only about 10 months old, so he never had an opportunity to know his mother.
In the 1900 census, 12-year-old Will was living with his maternal aunt and uncle, George W. Castellaw and Mary Emily Watridge Castellaw (1848-1910). Mary and Will’s mother were sisters. Will’s father was not far away. George was living next door with his third wife, Virginia Estelle “Essie” Cobb Williams (1861-1919), and his 15-year-old daughter, Elberta.
Essie was a daughter of John Charles Warren Cobb (1830-1914) and Penelope Trottman White Cobb (1831-1879). Living nearby were George’s brother, John Nowell Williams (1851-1928), and his wife, Mary Katherine “Mollie” Cobb Williams (1857-1938).
The Williams, Castellaw, Watridge, Cobb and White families were among several interconnected families whose members migrated from Bertie County, North Carolina, to Haywood County during the early 19th century.
Back row: Janie Williamson Williams, Jessie Williamson, Nannie Williamson; Front row: Jo Williamson Reed, Joe Williamson, Mai Williamson Shelton
On Feb. 6, 1910, Will married Janie Elizabeth Williamson Williams (1887-1914). Their first child, Jesse Lloyd “Bo” Williams, my grandfather, was born Nov. 27, 1910. Their second child, Janie Ruth Williams (1914-1914), was born Aug. 2, 1914. Janie died Aug. 19, only 17 days after giving birth. Ruth also died sometime that year, although the exact date is unknown.
I remember looking at the photograph above when I was a young boy and feeling sorry for Janie. She was the only one of my eight great-grandparents to die at a young age. According to family stories, Will was so distraught over his young wife’s death that he had difficulty caring for himself and his young son, Bo. Janie’s relatives reportedly threatened to take Bo and raise him themselves unless Will pulled himself together.
Will and Eva Williams with their children. From left: Bo, Ladonia and Mary “Blue Eyes” Williams.
On Feb. 28, 1915, Will married 18-year-old Eva Iris Overton Williams (1896-1970). In marrying Eva, Will provided Bo with a stable home and a stepmother. Bo eventually had eight half siblings: Martha Ladonia, Mary “Blue Eyes,” Douglas, W.L. Jr., Dempsey, Betty and twins Billy and Bobby.
Photo courtesy of Mary S. Williams
Will Williams, upper left, with Billy Chandler, Douglas, Dempsey, Jesse, my father, Bob, and Billy and Bobby Williams. Photo credit: Mary S. Williams
Although my grandfather was close to his stepmother, he never forgot his mother.
I’ve heard the old saying that no one is truly dead until the last person alive who knew them says their name out loud for the last time. For Janie, that person might have been my grandfather.
Photo courtesy of Mary S. Williams
Will and Eva Williams, photo credit: Mary S. Williams
One of the last times my wife and I visited my grandfather at his house, she asked what he remembered about his mother.
“I told my father I would never forget my mother, so I would call his new wife Mrs. Eva,” he said. “All these years later, I never forgot my mother and still think about her from time to time.”
Sharing these photographs also provided a good opportunity to take another look at Eva’s family tree.
Photo courtesy of Mary S. Williams
Will and Eva Williams; Photo credit: Mary S. Williams
Eva was born July 29, 1896, to Robert Hardy Overton (1872-1931) and Ladonia Jones Overton (1874-1899). Her paternal grandparents were John M. Overton (1842-1905) and Parthenia Ann Chambers Overton (1842-1907). Her maternal grandparents were Joseph D. Jones, who was born about 1850, and Zenobia Caroline Stanfield Jones (1853-1891).
Available records indicate that Eva’s parents and grandparents spent their lives in Haywood or Madison counties.
Will Williams in his den. I was immediately drawn to the photograph of my father and uncle in the upper-right corner. Will and Eva’s twin sons, Douglass and Dempsey, are in the photos in the opposite corner.
On Eva’s maternal side, her second great-grandfather, Ephraim Alpheus Stanfield (1785-1846), was among the first members of the Stanfield family to settle in Madison County, Tennessee. The July 20, 1899, obituary of another early settler, Alfred Bunn Joyner (1810-1899), described the Stanfield family’s arrival:
“Another family from Bedford County, Middle Tennessee, preceded the Joyners, coming in the winter of 1824-25. This was the Stanfield family. Ephraim A. Stanfield, Esq., and his wife, Sarah, brought a large family of children, all of whom, except for Dr. C.A. Stanfield of Toledo, Ark., have, with the Joyners, passed over the river to rest under the shadow of the trees.
This family settled north of Wellwood and was noted in many respects. Ten sons and three daughters — the boys grew to manhood remarkable for their unusual physical and mental development. Above medium size, erect, strong, active, healthy and intelligent, all except one lived to raise families, many of whose descendants are filling positions of trust and honor in Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, etc. These two families were among the first settlers of this section.
I imagine that the writer and many of those who read the obituary had spent long days working in the cotton fields of West Tennessee. To them, the image of resting beneath the shade of the trees must have seemed like a relief.
Ephraim and his wife, Sarah Priscilla Powell Stanfield (about 1785-1860), had 13 children. Many members of the family are buried at Providence Methodist Church Cemetery in Madison County.
As I mentioned earlier, Will died before I was born. Eva lived until Sept. 5, 1970.
I was 7 years old and at my grandparents’ house when my grandmother, Elizabeth Castellaw Williams (1915-1998), received the telephone call telling her that Eva had died. Her reaction made a strong impression on me and is something I have never forgotten. I have since heard from many people that Eva was a generous, kindhearted woman. I think those qualities come through in the photographs.
Eva Overton Williams’ Obituary
Funeral services were held at 5 p.m. Tuesday for Mrs. W.L. Williams. Mrs. Williams, the former Eva Overton, was 74 and died suddenly Saturday at her home after suffering a heart attack. Services were held at Brownsville Funeral Home, with the Rev. H.K. Sorrell officiating. Burial was in Haywood County Memorial Gardens.
She leaves five sons, Lloyd Williams, Douglass Williams and Dempsey Williams, all of Brownsville; Billy Williams of Miami; and Bobby Williams of Orlando, Florida; three daughters, Mrs. Sidney Hudgings and Mrs. Ray Robinson, both of Memphis, and Mrs. Billy Chandler of Brownsville; a brother, Marshall Overton of Florida; a sister, Mrs. Eunice Campbell of Bells; 20 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.1
For more of my genealogy research, visit rscottwilliams.info.
- The States-Graphic, Brownsville, Tennessee, Sept. 11, 1970. ↩︎
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