| Thomas Williams Family History as told to Cladys Chavers by Charles M Brewer |
Thomas Williams was born March 6, 1812 in Glamorganshire, South Wales, Swansea
seas-coast. He was the son of Robert and Lucy Williams, brother of Amelia and Phillip.
Robert’s wife Lucy died in Wales, and in 1818 Robert and his brother Jenkin, and the three
children emigrated to Canada. They settled in Leeds County, (then Furnace Falls), Ontario.
This was near Lyndhurst, 12 miles from the St. Lawrence. There Thomas grew up and in
1836 married Elizabeth Abernathy, of Philadelphia. Two daughters, Eliza, born in 1839, and
Laura (no date) were born in Prescott Canada. Eliza married C Platt Hamm, and lived in
Cedar Falls, Iowa. They had one daughter, Jessie (Mrs. Jack Lear) with who Eliza made
her home in later years in Lynwood, Calif. Eliza died in December, 1934 in Lynwood. Jessie
died Aug 9, 1955.
Laura Williams married Sam _iltsie and had four children, Ida, Lee, Minnie, and Leslie.
They operated a book binding business in St. Paul for many years.
After the death of his first wife, Elizabeth, Thomas married Mary (Polly) Grippen in 1847.
She was a French Canadian, born in May 4 1831, and was 16 years of age at the time of
the marriage. Eight children were born: Robert J. 1848, Anna Feb 24, 1849, Millie, Hattie,
Phillip, July 13, 1856, Almira (Myra), Llewellyn, and Theodore.
In 1864 the family moved to Iowa, and lived in Blackhawk Co., near Cedar Falls. Thomas
died in January, 1866, age 55, on a farm near Parkersburg, where he is buried. The family
was left in very poor circumstances. Robert, the oldest, worked as a carpenter and lather,
and made his home in Charles City. He assumed part of the responsibility of raising some
of the children. He was married Oct 8, 1866 to Elizabeth (Libby) Conley. They had one son,
Byron, who became famous as a writer, newspaper editor (Woman’s World), and publisher.
He wrote a syndicated column known as “Uncle Bye’s Corner”, and published two books of
poems, “Down Country Lanes,” and “Barefoot Days.” Byron married Anna O’Connel. He
died in Newaygo, Michigan. There were no children.
After the death of Thomas, Polly Williams married an Irishman, Mr. Conville. A daughter,
Emma Laverne was born who grew up in Charles City at the home of her half brother
Robert. Mr. Conville went to Chicago and never came back, so he was presumed dead by
the family. Mother Williams spent the last 30 years of her life at the home of her son,
Robert, and died at age 71, Dec. 8, 1902, in Charles City. LaVerne was married to Frank
O. Hansell, a railroad man, and was living in Marshall Wash. At the time of her death in
1943.
Anna Williams left Iowa in 1870, and was married April 4, 1872, in Cottonwood Falls,
Kansas to Charles M Brewer. He had a homestead in Mattfield Green, Kansas. Charles
was born in Boswell, England neer Leicestershire in 1840, and came to the U. S. when a
young man.
Four children were born: Violet May, Feb 17, 1874, Charles Arthur, Jan 19, 1877, Clifton
Wilis, who died at age 2, and Gretta Louise, June 14, 1884. the family moved to Iowa in
1885, and lived on a farm near Charles City, where the children grew up. Charles and Anna
remained on the farm until March 11, 1911 when they moved to Wessington Springs, S. D.
Anna died March 2, 1914, at age 65. Charles died in 1924 at age 84.
Violet was a school teacher for may years near Charles City, and on March 29, 1900 she
was married to Ora C. Wetherbee of Charles City. Six children were born, Doris Marsha,
Dec 15, 1900, Gladys Mae, Feb 12, 1902, Clifford Brewer, Sept 4, 1903, Harold Dale, May
31, 1905, Wayne William, Dec 16, 1906, Cleone Violet, Nov 18, 1908. the family lived on
farms near Nashua, and Clarksville, Iowa. In March 1916 they moved to Wessington
Springs, S.D. In 1936 Ora and Violet moved to Santa Monica, Calif. Ora died Dec 9, 1949,
and Violet died June 9, 1952. Harold died Aug 17, 1940 at March Field, Calif. Charles
Brewer married Edith Baskin July 31, 1907. they lived on farms near Cedar Falls, and
Janesville moving to Lynwood, Calif. in 1945. Edith died in Nov 1949, and Charles died in
May 1963 at the age of 86.
Gretta Brewer went to South Dakota in 19-- where she taught school in Jerauld Co. near
Wessington Springs. She met William Kieser and they were married Dec. 25, 1907 at her
home in Charles City. They made their home on a farm in Viola Township. Five children
were born, Byron Robert, LuluMae, James Arthur, Helen Gretta, and Marjorie Evelyn.
Millie Wiliams went west to Paso Robles, married Sam Linder - - one daughter Effie.
Hattie Williams – married Mr. Reetz of Montana – no more information.
Phillip and Myra were taken to south Dakota by Mr. and Mrs Chas, Walters and raised by
them.
Phillip was born July 13, 1856 – died April 12, 1939? Married to Emma Goodwin May
1872.
Myra married Lew Jonker – two sons, Clifford and Ralph. Myra died in 1942, Ralph died
1936.
Llewellyn went west to Paso Robles. Married Alice Orr, 1879 – two daughters Myra and
Alice. Llewellyn died 1918, Alice died in 1952. Their daughter Alice was born Sept 1905
and lives in Los Gatos, Calif. – Mrs. Norman Knapp. The daughter Myra had one daughter,
Beverly who lives in Fresno.
Theodore Williams went west – never married. Worked for Fairbanks Morse Co. and went
from mine to mine in Montana inspecting mine machinery. He disappeared, and the family
were never able to trace him. He was presumed dead after many years had passed, but no
particulars of the death were ever revealed.
seas-coast. He was the son of Robert and Lucy Williams, brother of Amelia and Phillip.
Robert’s wife Lucy died in Wales, and in 1818 Robert and his brother Jenkin, and the three
children emigrated to Canada. They settled in Leeds County, (then Furnace Falls), Ontario.
This was near Lyndhurst, 12 miles from the St. Lawrence. There Thomas grew up and in
1836 married Elizabeth Abernathy, of Philadelphia. Two daughters, Eliza, born in 1839, and
Laura (no date) were born in Prescott Canada. Eliza married C Platt Hamm, and lived in
Cedar Falls, Iowa. They had one daughter, Jessie (Mrs. Jack Lear) with who Eliza made
her home in later years in Lynwood, Calif. Eliza died in December, 1934 in Lynwood. Jessie
died Aug 9, 1955.
Laura Williams married Sam _iltsie and had four children, Ida, Lee, Minnie, and Leslie.
They operated a book binding business in St. Paul for many years.
After the death of his first wife, Elizabeth, Thomas married Mary (Polly) Grippen in 1847.
She was a French Canadian, born in May 4 1831, and was 16 years of age at the time of
the marriage. Eight children were born: Robert J. 1848, Anna Feb 24, 1849, Millie, Hattie,
Phillip, July 13, 1856, Almira (Myra), Llewellyn, and Theodore.
In 1864 the family moved to Iowa, and lived in Blackhawk Co., near Cedar Falls. Thomas
died in January, 1866, age 55, on a farm near Parkersburg, where he is buried. The family
was left in very poor circumstances. Robert, the oldest, worked as a carpenter and lather,
and made his home in Charles City. He assumed part of the responsibility of raising some
of the children. He was married Oct 8, 1866 to Elizabeth (Libby) Conley. They had one son,
Byron, who became famous as a writer, newspaper editor (Woman’s World), and publisher.
He wrote a syndicated column known as “Uncle Bye’s Corner”, and published two books of
poems, “Down Country Lanes,” and “Barefoot Days.” Byron married Anna O’Connel. He
died in Newaygo, Michigan. There were no children.
After the death of Thomas, Polly Williams married an Irishman, Mr. Conville. A daughter,
Emma Laverne was born who grew up in Charles City at the home of her half brother
Robert. Mr. Conville went to Chicago and never came back, so he was presumed dead by
the family. Mother Williams spent the last 30 years of her life at the home of her son,
Robert, and died at age 71, Dec. 8, 1902, in Charles City. LaVerne was married to Frank
O. Hansell, a railroad man, and was living in Marshall Wash. At the time of her death in
1943.
Anna Williams left Iowa in 1870, and was married April 4, 1872, in Cottonwood Falls,
Kansas to Charles M Brewer. He had a homestead in Mattfield Green, Kansas. Charles
was born in Boswell, England neer Leicestershire in 1840, and came to the U. S. when a
young man.
Four children were born: Violet May, Feb 17, 1874, Charles Arthur, Jan 19, 1877, Clifton
Wilis, who died at age 2, and Gretta Louise, June 14, 1884. the family moved to Iowa in
1885, and lived on a farm near Charles City, where the children grew up. Charles and Anna
remained on the farm until March 11, 1911 when they moved to Wessington Springs, S. D.
Anna died March 2, 1914, at age 65. Charles died in 1924 at age 84.
Violet was a school teacher for may years near Charles City, and on March 29, 1900 she
was married to Ora C. Wetherbee of Charles City. Six children were born, Doris Marsha,
Dec 15, 1900, Gladys Mae, Feb 12, 1902, Clifford Brewer, Sept 4, 1903, Harold Dale, May
31, 1905, Wayne William, Dec 16, 1906, Cleone Violet, Nov 18, 1908. the family lived on
farms near Nashua, and Clarksville, Iowa. In March 1916 they moved to Wessington
Springs, S.D. In 1936 Ora and Violet moved to Santa Monica, Calif. Ora died Dec 9, 1949,
and Violet died June 9, 1952. Harold died Aug 17, 1940 at March Field, Calif. Charles
Brewer married Edith Baskin July 31, 1907. they lived on farms near Cedar Falls, and
Janesville moving to Lynwood, Calif. in 1945. Edith died in Nov 1949, and Charles died in
May 1963 at the age of 86.
Gretta Brewer went to South Dakota in 19-- where she taught school in Jerauld Co. near
Wessington Springs. She met William Kieser and they were married Dec. 25, 1907 at her
home in Charles City. They made their home on a farm in Viola Township. Five children
were born, Byron Robert, LuluMae, James Arthur, Helen Gretta, and Marjorie Evelyn.
Millie Wiliams went west to Paso Robles, married Sam Linder - - one daughter Effie.
Hattie Williams – married Mr. Reetz of Montana – no more information.
Phillip and Myra were taken to south Dakota by Mr. and Mrs Chas, Walters and raised by
them.
Phillip was born July 13, 1856 – died April 12, 1939? Married to Emma Goodwin May
1872.
Myra married Lew Jonker – two sons, Clifford and Ralph. Myra died in 1942, Ralph died
1936.
Llewellyn went west to Paso Robles. Married Alice Orr, 1879 – two daughters Myra and
Alice. Llewellyn died 1918, Alice died in 1952. Their daughter Alice was born Sept 1905
and lives in Los Gatos, Calif. – Mrs. Norman Knapp. The daughter Myra had one daughter,
Beverly who lives in Fresno.
Theodore Williams went west – never married. Worked for Fairbanks Morse Co. and went
from mine to mine in Montana inspecting mine machinery. He disappeared, and the family
were never able to trace him. He was presumed dead after many years had passed, but no
particulars of the death were ever revealed.