MR. PETER WILLIAMS. CAMBRIA, COLUMBIA COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Source: The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin, An Account of Its Settlement, Growth, Development and Resources (1880) transcribed by Mary Saggio.PETER WILLIAMS, Postmaster, Cambria; was born Dec. 17, 1831, in Carnarvonshire, North Wales; he learned the tailor's trade in Wales, and came to America in the spring of 1849; he came to Courtland, where his stepfather, Owen Richards, had located in 1847 and worked two and one-half years on the farm, when they had to haul wheat to Milwaukee with ox teams, taking ten to twelve days to make the round trip, and were only able to haul about thirty bushels to a load; in the fall of 1851, he went to Beaver Dam to get employment, and arrived there with only 25 cents in his pocket, and Saturday night at that; he soon engaged to work for Hiram Booth at his trade for $8 per month; he stayed there about six weeks, then worked in Fox Lake till the next July, at $10 per month; the next move was to Dodgeville, Wis., to drive team in the lead mines, but, failing to get employment, only stayed eight days, and returned home penniless; he then worked for his stepfather through harvest without pay, and soon after started for Beaver Dam again without a cent; he worked on a farm for Judge Green seven weeks at $10 per month, then worked for Booth again till March 25, 1853; he then came back to Columbia Co., and opened the first tailor-shop in Cambria, and has carried on the business most of the time since, except one year in Beaver Dam and one year in Berlin, clerking for Forbes.
He was married in Cambria in 1856, to Ellen Owens; has two children living - Jennie M., now Mrs. R. A. Sanderson, of Columbus, and Owen C., at home; have lost six - Grace Ellen, Clara, Thomas Grant, and three died in infancy. Methodist and Republican; has been Postmaster at Cambria since Jan. 1, 1879; cast his first Presidential vote for John C. Fremont.
Peter and Eleanor Williams had many children that died young. There are 6 infant children (unnamed) that are buried near this grave along with their daughter, Grace Williams. Only 2 (Jane Williams Sanderson and Owen Caradoc Williams) survived to adulthood.
Wisconsin County Histories and Find a Grave.
MR. PETER WILLIAMS. CAMBRIA, COLUMBIA COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Peter Williams is one of the best-known citizens of Cambria, having been a resident of that place nearly all the time for more than half a century. During the greater part of this period he has served the people in some official or business capacity and his conduct of these affairs has been such as to merit and receive the approbation of his associates.Mr. Williams is a native of Wales, born to Thomas and Jane (Andrew) Williams at Penmachno, Caernarvonshire, on the 17th day of December, 1831. At the age of fourteen years, his father having died, he was apprenticed to learn the tailor's trade. Having served three years thereat, in 1849 he crossed the ocean and came to Wisconsin. In the meantime his mother had married Mr. Owen R. Roberts and the family had settled in Columbia county in 1847.
After spending a few years with them upon a farm in the town of Courtland, Peter started out to seek his fortune. Tailoring had never been congenial to his tastes and he endeavored to find some other work, but as his entire cash capital consisted of twenty-five cents, he was constrained to accept employment in a tailor shop at Beaver Dam at the princely salary of eight dollars per month, though his services soon commanded better remuneration.
During the next few years he visited various places in Wisconsin and wvorked at several different pursuits without materially improving his circumstances, but acquiring some useful experience. In the spring of 1854 he opened the first tailor shop in Cambria and conducted the same for twenty-five years or more, receiving the patronage of the best citizens of that village.
In the meantime he devoted his intervals of leisure to reading law and in 1880 he was admitted to the bar. He began practice in partnership with A. Scott Sloan, then secretary of state for Wisconsin, who was for many years an intimate friend of Mr. Williams. Since that time he has devoted most of his attention to this profession though simultaneously filling one or more official positions almost constantly. For many years he has been a justice of the peace, and it should be mentioned to his credit that it has been his policy to discourage rather than to promote litigation among a people who are naturally inclined to preserve order and harmony in their relations one to another. He has also served as town clerk, president of the village, postmaster and member of the county board of supervisors.
In 1888 he was elected clerk of the court for Columbia county. Two years later he was re-elected by the popular vote, but was unable to hold the office, owing to a technicality. He has been a promoter of many useful measures calculated to advance the interests of the town and county, and has conscientiously discharged every trust reposed in him by the people. He has been a consistent supporter of Repubhcan principles from the inception of that party, having cast his first presidential ballot for John C. Fremont in 1856.
In 1895 Governor Upham appointed him agent for the Wisconsin School for Dependent Children, at Sparta, which position he filled for eighteen months. Mr. Williams has erected two of the most substantial and attractive brick buildings upon the main street of Cambria, and is a stockholder of Cambria Music Hall.
While he has been too liberal and honest to accumulate a fortune, he has been reasonably successful in a business way and there is probably no man in Cambria who enjoys a greater degree of the public confidence. An honored member of the Masonic fraternity, he has filled the principal chairs in Cambria Lodge, and is connected with Fort Winnebago Chapter at Portage.
November 24th, 1856, he secured a help-mate upon life's journey in the person of Miss Eleanor Owens, daughter of Owen S. and Grace (Jones) Owens. This estimable lady was born at Bethesda, Caernarvonshire, Wales, and came to Columbia county with her parents in 1847, settling in the town of Springvale. Evan Jones, maternal grandfather of Mrs. Williams, was a harper and attained remarkable skill in that profession. During the greater part of his life he was employed to play in an inn at Caergybi, near the foot of Snowdon, which was frequented by tourists from England and other parts of Europe.
Of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Williams, but two survived the period of infancy, but eight grandchildren delight their hearts. Their only son, Owen Caradoc, is a well-known business man of Cambria, and their daughter, Jennie, is the wife of Thomas A. Sanderson, of Minneapolis.