Names: Williams, Partlow, Ballinger, Anderson, Thompson, Michael, Hauser, Stout, Lutz

This posting is transcribed from the book cited as: Evans, Lyle S., "A Standard History of Ross County, Ohio," (Chicage: Lewis Publishing Company, 1917, 2 vol., 1006 pages - Joseph Williams sketch, vol. 2, pages 584 - 586.

Page 584: "JOSEPH Williams. Especially worthy of mention in a work of this character is Joseph Williams, a veteran of the Civil War, and a highly respected resident of Chillicothe, who, having accomplished a satisfactory work as a farmer, is now living retired from active business. A son of ROBERT LEE CARTER Williams, he was born April 23, 1842, in Springfield Township, Ross County, Ohio. His paternal grandfather, JOHN Williams, was of English ancestry, and a life-long resident of Virginia, where he followed the trade of carpenter. One of his sons, JAMES Williams, settled permanently in Gainsboro, Tennessee; another son served for a long period in the United States navy; and another son was a sailor, engaged in the merchant marine service.

Born and reared in Orange County, Virginia, ROBERT LEE CARTER Williams learned the shoemaker's trade at a time when all footwear was made to order, by hand, before the establishment of shoe factories. Leaving his native state in 1830, he and his two brothers-in-law, WASHINGTON PEECHER and SAMUEL Partlow came with their families to Ohio, making the entire journey overland, with teams, and bringing all of their worldly goods with them. The party forded the river at Galliopolis, and for a time after coming to Ohio, ROBERT L. C. WILLIAMS lived near Schooley's Station. Removing to Springfield Township, Ross County, he located on land belonging to his father-in-law, and there in addition to farming he worked at his trade to some extent, making shoes to order, living there until 1857. Going in that year to Pickaway County, he resided in the vaccinate of Kinderhook for a time, and on his return to Ross County settled in Union Township, where his death occurred in the seventy-third year of his age. The maiden name of his wife was NANCY Partlow, a native of Virginia, born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, a daughter of JOHN Partlow, a native of Virginia, born of English ancestry. The owner of a large plantation, which he operated many years with slave labor, JOHN Partlow sold his landed estate in 1834, and, coming to Ohio,
Page 585: freed his slaves. Purchasing several tracts of land in Ross County, he subsequently resided here until his death, making his home with his children. Mr. Partlow married MILDRED Ballinger, who spent her entire life in Virginia, dying in 1833. She reared tow sons, DANIEL Partlow and SAMUEL Partlow, and three daughters.

Mrs. NANCY (Partlow) Williams died November 19, 1879, aged seventy-six years. To her and her husband, seven children were born, as follows: JOHN M WILLIAMS; SARAH WILLIAMS; USRULA WILLIAMS; JOSEPH Williams, the subject of this brief personal narrative; ORLAND WILLIAMS; DAVID M. WILLIAMS; and JEREMIAH Williams. JOHN M. enlisted twice for service in the Civil War; he first joined the Seventy-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and while scouting in Virginia was severely wounded, and honorably discharged from service. Recovering his strength, he enlisted in the Twelfth Ohio Cavalry, and continued with his company until the close of the war. ORLAND enlisted for a period of three months in an independent company.

As a boy and youth JOSEPH Williams attended the rural schools when opportunity offered, between sessions assisting in the care of the farm, being thus engaged when the tocsin of war rang throughout the land. In 1862 he enlisted in Company G, Sixtieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and continued with his regiment in all of its engagements until honorably discharged from the service, March 10, 1864. Mr. Williams again enlisted, in June, 1864, in Company H, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and with his command went first to Kentucky, and thence to Knoxville, Tennessee. In the fall of 1864, he was sent out with a foraging party into Powell Valley, in Southwest Virginia, and there being captured by the enemy was held a prisoner-of-war for three days and nights. Mr. Williams and two of his companions dug under the cabin walls, and made their escape. They separated immediately after getting out of their prison, and Mr. Williams never again heard from the other. He, however, made his way through the darkness to a small cabin occupied by a Negro, who gave him some corn bread, the first morsel of food which he had tasted since his capture. The Negro then piloted him across the mountains, and at daybreak, Mr. Williams hid in the top of a tree, where the Negro left him, promising to send him another guide. About nine o'clock he heard firing, which he felt sure was from his own side of the army, and starting in the direction from which the sound came he reached a Union camp in about two hours. Mr. Williams was then sent to Knoxville by train, and subsequently remained with his command, which he there rejoined, until after the close of the war, receiving his honorable discharge in June 1865.

Returning home, Mr. Williams worked as a farm hand for two years. In 1867, desirous of establishing himself as an independent farmer, he bought a team and some agricultural implements, rented a tract of land, and began work on his own account. Very successful in his undertakings, he bought, in 1875, a farm lying near Andersonville, and for more than thirty-five years managed it with the same systematic skill and enterprise that he had previously shown in his work, making many and valuable improvements on the place. This farm, which he still owns, he [page 586] occupied until 1911, when he removed to Chillicothe, where he is now living, retired from active labor.

Mr. Williams married first, in 1872, MARY E. THOMPSON, who was born in Ross County, a daughter of JOHN and MARIA (Anderson) Thompson. She died in 1879, leaving one daughter, VIOLA Williams, wife of JACOB PALST. In 1886, Mr. Williams married for his second wife NORA C. MICHAEL, who was born in Union Township, Ross County, a daughter of JOHN and CATHERINE (Hauser) MICHAEL. Of this union two children have been born, namely: SELORA Williams and JOSEPH C. WILLIAMS. Selora married GROVER C. STOUT, and they have two children, GEORGE Williams Stout and BERNICE CATHERINE Stout. Completing the course of study in the dist4rict schools of Union Township, and in the public schools of Chillicothe, Joseph was graduated from the Chillicothe Business College, and has now a position as bookkeeper.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams are both members of the Union Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church at Andersonville. Mr. Williams was a charter member of the W. H. LUTZ Post, No. 338, Grand Army of the Republic, of which there are now but four surviving members, and served as chaplain during the existence of the organization. Although not a politician in the accepted sense of the term, he has filled various offices of trust and responsibility in the township, having been supervisor of roads, a member of the school board, and for a number of years was justice of the peace." end

I have additional information and am willing to share.

Marc Partlow
mpart74960@aol.com