Excepted from ``A HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA,'' Vol. 2,
WILLIAM F. WILLIAMS
Prominent among the extensive and well-to-do agriculturists of Grady county is William F. Williams, of Minco, who
for many years was actively identified with the cattle interests of the Canadian country. A son of William T. Williams, he
was born, June 8, 1858, in Montgomery county, Missouri, where he spent the days of his boyhood and youth.
The son of an Irishman direct from the Emerald Isle, William T. Williams settled in Missouri when it was a frontier
state, and during his active career was employed in tilling the soil, although as a young man he worked as a carpenter
and a machinist. During the Civil war he fought on the Union side, and a few years after its close moved with his family
to Texas, becoming a pioneer of Goliad county. He married Dorcas White, who died in that county, leaving eight
children, namely: James G., of Snyder, Oklahoma; David H., of Richado, New Mexico; John H., of Hamilton county,
Texas; Margaret, who married R. H. Barnes, and died in DeWitt county, Texas; William F., of this sketch; Walter C.,
of Richado, New Mexico; Annie, wife of L. F. Webb, of San Antonio, Texas; and Richard O., of Minco, Oklahoma.
William F. Williams had but limited educational advantages when young, Goliad county, Texas, being too new
when, in 1870, the Williams family located there, public schools having not at that time been very extensively
established in that section. Becoming of age, he wisely choose that for his future calling for which he was best adapted
both by nature and by experience, and from 1880 until 1889 was employed in agricultural pursuits in Bosque county,
Texas. During the summer of that year, Mr. Williams came into the Chickasaw Nation, having proved up in 1888, with
the intention of establishing his right to citizenship and to take up land. Bringing with him a few cattle, he fed them along
the old Chisholm trail, which was an exceedingly popular pathway, passing as it did through a rich grazing country,
while around its intersection with the Canadian river quite a settlement of white men were living. Silver City was then
the metropolis of this part of the Territory, and, while the cattle industry held sway, had good prospects for a future.
Almost identical, however, with the coming of the first railroad train, the grass began to grow over the once famous trail,
and it was lost to sight. Giving up the stock business soon after the arrival of the allotment committee of the
government to parcel out and set off the Indian farms, Mr. Williams turned his entire attention to farming, and in the
prosecution of his independent calling met with excellent success. Clearing and improving a quarter section at Minco,
Mr. Williams resided there until the summer of 1908, when he retired from the active cares of business. Since then he
has occupied the palatial home which he erected on his allotments, adjoining the village of Tuttle, this being the very
spot where once he ranged his cattle.
In Bosque county, Texas, October 2, 1882, Mr. Williams married Mollie Foster, a daughter of Ephraim Foster, a
quarter Choctaw. Mr. Foster was born in Mississippi, and is now a resident of Newcastle, Oklahoma. He married
Amanda Paints (sic, Prince), and they became the parents of eight children, namely: David; William F.; Abe;
Ephraim; Caledonia, wife of William Paul; Mollie, born in Montague county, Texas, February 8, 1866, is now the wife
of Mr. Williams; Alice, wife of J. F. Thomas, of Tuttle; Edna married first Zack Reynolds, and married second Frank
Henley; Ida is the wife of Robert L. Park, of Tuttle. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Williams five children have been born,
namely: Lula, Ollie, Athel, Lottie and Margaret. Aside from the selection of competent men for public positions, Mr.
Williams has but little use for the political franchise, although he supports the principles of the Democratic party at the
polls. Both he and his wife are faithful members of the Disciples of Christ Church.. and have brought up their family to
revere the Master, and to realize the duties of Christian citizenship.
by Luther Hill (published 1908)