1837 - 1917

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• Birth	27 Aug 1837	Ledyard, Connecticut
  Gender	Male
  Died	16 Mar 1917	Chicago, Cook, Illinois   [1, 2]
  Person ID	I44620	Brainard (Brainerd) / Foster / Fish
  Last Modified	19 Apr 2005 00:00:00
  Father	Seth WILLIAMS, b. 25 Jan 1802, Ledyard, New London, Connecticut
  Mother	Lucy Ann NOYES, b. 21 Nov 1805, Stonington, New London, Connecticut
  Family ID	F19501	Group Sheet
  Family	Emma M. PINE, b. Abt 1847, Salem, New Jersey
  Married	4 Oct 1865	Chicago, Cook, Illinois   [3, 4]
  Children	1. Elsie WILLIAMS, b. ABT. 1867, Chicago, Cook, Illinois   2. John W. WILLIAMS, b. ABT. 1869, Chicago, Cook, Illinois   3. Edwin L. WILLIAMS, b. ABT. 1871, Chicago, Cook, Illinois   4. Anna Burton WILLIAMS, b. 22 Jan 1872, Chicago, Cook, Illinois   5. George Joseph WILLIAMS, b. ABT. 1875, Chicago, Cook, Illinois   6. Marie Louise WILLIAMS, b. 12 Apr 1880, Chicago, Cook, Illinois   7. Gurdon WILLIAMS, b. 2 Oct 1881 > 8. David Smith WILLIAMS, b. 26 Apr 1884, Chicago, Cook, Il
  Family ID	F3504	Group Sheet

• Notes

  A Genealogy of Williams Families shows Joseph's date of birth as May 27, 1837; and married Eunice M. Pine. I believe this information is in error. Grave marker, census records, and her death certificate, show her name as Emma, as does Richard Wheeler's History of Stonington, CT. Joseph last appears with his family in Ledyard, Connecticut in the 1850 census when he was 12 years old. He was not quite 17 years old when his father died (still a minor under the law). His guardian was Edmund Spicer, who was guardian of Joseph's brother William and sister Abby E. Erasmus avery was Guardian to Benjamin F. and Orrin, all of the town of Ledyard. The Guardians made application before the Probate court on January 23, 1956, to sell part of the real estate devised to the minor children by the will of their father. By 1860-61, he was in Chicago, Illinois, as shown in the City Directory for that year. He worked at Bates, Williams & Company, and boarded at the Matteson House. The following year, 1861-62, the City Directory shows Joseph and his brother Gurdon both with Bates, Williams & Co. - Harry B. Bates, Gurdon Williams, & Joseph W. Williams, owners. Their business was hats, caps and furs. Their business was at 39 and 41 Lake, Chicago, Illinois. They both boarded at 4 Knights Block. It should be noted that Benjamin Pine, father of the woman who would marry Joseph Warren in 1865, lived at #3 Knights Block. Two of Emma Pine's sisters were already married: Mollie (Mary) and Elizabeth K. (Lizzie). Mollie married George Satchell on December 31, 1862 and Lizzie married Caleb Hammill on August 14, 1860. An entry in the 1871 City Directory shows that George was a bookkeeper for T. F. Gilliland, residing at 247 Illinois, Ward 20, and that he was born in England. In 1862-3, Joseph was still boarding at 4 Knights Block, "Harrison Corner Thirday, SD". The 1864-65 City Directory shows Joseph W. and Gurdon, both boarding at the Orient House with offices at 228 Lake. The next directory found, 1866, shows Joseph and Gurdon with offices at 19 LaSalle, Chicago, and residence in Waukegan. The same work and residence addresses are shown in the 1867-68 City Directory. In 1868-69, his address is shown as' boards 328 Wabash'; Gurdon is not shown in this year or any subsequent year found through 1878. 1869-70 shows Joseph's business still at 19 LaSalle, 'boards 806 Wabash'. I could not find Joseph listed in the city directories for 1870; however he is found in the 1870 Federal Census. By 1871, Joseph was into the Real Estate business at 804 Wabash Avenue, Ward 4. This directory shows that he was born in Connecticut. One can only imagine what it was like for Joseph and Emma, their family, friends, and business associates, to have lived through the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Joseph's name could not be found in the Chicago City Directory from 1872 until 1877-78, where his business is shown as Real Estate at 168 Washington; house at #38, 35th. In 1872 he is shown at 368 Superior, his home as supported by the 1880 Federal Census. By 1893, his residence was 3512 Lake Avenue, Chicago, 32nd Ward. Family lore has it that Joseph owned many theaters throughout the city. Joseph's name appears on the Merchant's Chicago Census Report, 1871, as: Williams, Joseph W., Real Estate, residence 804 Wabash Av., Ward 4, born in Connecticut. No other family information is shown. In this same Merchant's Census, a R. C. Hammill is shown who was a commission merchant and justice of the peace at 20 Ulich Block, residence 15 St. Clair, ward 20. The family consisted of one male, 3 females, born in NY. All other Hammills in Chicago on this Census were born in Ireland. Caleb Wild Hammill was a cousin of Joseph's children, meaning that Caleb (called Wild) was Joseph's nephew. C. Wild Hammill was founder of Shearson-Hammill (now part of the Smith-Barney group). He had a home on Long Island which my grandfather, David S. Williams, visited with my grandmother. Wild would send a car (a city-block long limo with driver) to pick them up. It is said that residents along the street would be hanging out of their windows to see who the car was picking up. Wild died in Paris, France of a heart attack. His obituary appeared in the New York Times. (See notes for C. W. Hammill) Joseph is found in the 1870, 1880, and 1900 census records. Copies/abstracts are in the Williams family file.

• Sources

  [S486] Cemetery Records. Buried at Graceland Cemetery, northside Chicago. Marker gives dates 1837-1917. Joseph was buried March 18. 1917. His age was given as 79 years, 6 months, and 18 days, and date of death as March 16 , 1917. [S504] Cemetery records.. [S2027] Norwich Morning Bulletin, Norwich, Conn., Wednesday, October 18, 1865, page 3. [S2027] Norwich Morning Bulletin, Norwich, Conn., Wednesday, October 18, 1865, page 3. "Married. In Grace Church, Chicago, Ill., Oct. 4th, by Rev. Dr. Lock, Mr. J. W. williams, formerly of Ledyard, Conn., and Miss Emma M. Pine of Chicago."