HUGH WILLIAMS. MIDDLE GRANVILLE, WASHINGTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Friday morning, a tired traveller entered into rest, and our village lost one of its oldest and best citizens. When the news came that Hugh Williams had left us, many hearts were saddened, feeling a personal loss.Hugh Williams, was born in Bethesda, Carnarvonshire, North Wales, October 27th, 1836. He came to this country in November, 1857, in company with his brother, the late Edward Williams, and three sisters who have also preceeded him to the better land.
His early education was in the schools of North Wales and Dublin, Ireland. After coming to this country he graduated from the Troy Conferences academy of Poultney, afterward taking a course in a business college in New York City.
In May 1867 he was united in marriage with Miss Jane Davies of Middle Granville, who for the nearly fifty years of their married life has been his faithful and devoted companion.
Mr. Williams has been one of the leading businessmen of the town and a pioneer of the slate industry in this valley; for about twenty-five years he was superintendent and general manager of the Penrhyn Slate Company in this village and also an operator of slate quarries in the town of Granville. He was president of the board of education of Union school, trustee of the Elmwood Cemetery Association, director of Washington County National Bank of Granville, a member of the republican town committee, and of the town board of auditors.
But while such a busy man among men he was not unfaithful to the higher life. For fifty-nine years he was a faithful member of the Welsh C. M. Church of this village and for over thirty years a deacon and secretary of that church, where his wise counsels and generous help will be sadly missed.
Hugh Williams was a man of unusual ability but at the same time modest, almost to a fault. Of a kind and deeply sympathetic nature he was ready in his quiet way to help all who needed his assistance. In his home he was the genial host and the devoted husband and father. To him no place was like home, and to the dear ones there, was revealed the sweetness and beauty of his life and there will the loss be most keenly felt.
The deceased is survived by a wife and two sons, Hugh and Sumner. These sorrowing ones have the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community. The funeral services were held from the church where the deceased was for so many years a faithful member. The pastor, Rev. W. D. Thomas and rev. W. O. Williams of Granville, and rev. J. W. Morris of Poultney officiated, the church being filled to overflowing with those who had known and loved the deceased, many of them during their entire lives.
The bearers were the nephews, William, Edward, Ellis and Hugh Williams, David D. Thomas and Edward H. Pritchard.
The internment was in Elmwood Cemetery. The floral tributes were many and beautiful. The Board of Education and faculty of the Union school, also the directors of the Washington County Bank, attended in a body. The out of town friends were Miss Mary Davies of Philiadelphia, Edward H. Pritchard of Boston, David Roberts of New York City; Pierce Davies of Hoylake, Massachusetts, D. E. Williams of Bangor, Pennsylvania, Edward Williams of Ilion, New York, J. H. Williams of Albany, Hugh Williams of Brandon, W. D. Thomas and wife of Hoosick Falls, besides friends from Fair Haven, Poultney, Pawlet and Granville.