Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

The collection is without restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

James Lawrence Basil William Papers, 1895-1995, Accession #11206, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was made a gift to the Library by James Lawrence Basil Williams of "Huntlands," Middleburg, Virginia, on September 20, 1995. There are no restrictions.

Biographical/Historical Information

James Lawrence Basil Williams (March 1, 1914- ) was born in Colonial Beach, Virginia to Hiram Walter Basil and Clara (Denmead) Williams. He obtained his undergraduate and graduate education at Randolph-Macon Academy, Randolph-Macon College, and the University of Virginia. He later studied at the University of Minnesota, the Virginia Theological Seminary, Frederick Wilhelm University in Bonn, Germany, American University, American Bible Institute in Kansas City, Missouri, and New York University. Williams was minister-in-charge at Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, Virginia Theological Seminary, in Alexandria, Virginia, 1947- 1953; minister of Henry Stimson Chapel in Bad Godesberg, Germany, 1953-1954; rector at Cunningham Chapel Parish in Millwood, Virginia, 1954-1958, Grace Parish, Oklahoma, 1958, St. Basil Church in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Bethesda by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida; associate rector at St. Thomas Church in New York City, Church of Holy Spirit in Nice, France; and founder and dean of the American Center for Theological Studies in Boyce, Virginia, 1958--.

Other activities and memberships included thoroughbred bloodstock agent, Stallion Service, Inc.; chairman, White House Conference Committee on Aging, Oklahoma, 1960; member, Bishop and Council Diocese of Oklahoma, Ecumenical Commission, Episcopal Church, 1960; board member, Overseas Mission Society, Bethel Memorial Association, James Monroe Birthplace Association; served from ensign to lieutenant commander in the United States Naval Reserve, 1941-1947; member, Society of Cincinnati, Sons of the Revolution, Society of Colonial Wars, Order Lafayette, Chaplain Flag Institute, Welsh-American Society, Society of the Descendants of Colonial Clergy, Brecknock Society, National Trust Historical Preservation, Virginia Breeders Association, Sertoma, Ruritan, American Legion, Phi Delta Theta, Alpha Kappa Psi, and Sigma Upsilon. Williams was also a member of the following clubs: Chevy Chase; Metropolitan; Army-Navy-Country (Boyce, Virginia); and, American (Nice, France). Authored works include An Economic and Social Survey of Westmoreland County, Virginia , 1935; Minister without Portfolio , 1954; Contemporary Virginia , and Williams of Upshot in Virginia , 1613-1976. He also produced two television documentaries, This World and the Next and A Dead Certainty . [ Who's Who in the South and Southeast , 1973-1974 edition, F208.W64].

Lawrence Williams married Jean Rowell McCardell (October 1, 1905 ? January 16, 1977) on September 13, 1941, and had children Judith Lawrence Barcroft Williams, who married Wisner Washam, and Ian Rowell Denmead Williams, who married Debora Anne Wornom. Grandchildren are Amy Lawrence Washam, Ian Miller Washam, Aubrey Lee Williams, and Ashton Boyce Denmead Williams. Jean Rowell McCardell Williams was the daughter of Wilfred S. McCardell and Annabelle Rowell. Jean Williams was a direct descendant of Captain Peter Humrickhouse of the Philadelphia Regiment who served in the Revolution and as a special aide to General George Washington. She was a granddaughter of Ambrose E. Rowell of Falls Church and was the first granddaughter of the Princeton University Class of 1877. Mrs. Williams was educated at Western High School and Wilson Teachers College in Washington and the University of Maryland. She was active in social service organizations. In the 1930s, she served as chairman of the curriculum committee and textbook committees of the District of Columbia school system and was a demonstration teacher at Brightwood School. She also served as a fashion consultant in New York and a wedding consultant for the Old Tailored Woman shop on Fifth Street. After her marriage to Reverend Williams, she became active in church social work and helped her husband establish new parishes, including Episcopal parishes in Millwood, Virginia and among Indians in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She was also active in church work in Alexandria; Bonn, Germany; Palm Beach, Florida; Nice, France; Rome, Italy; London, England, and Geneva, Switzerland. While in France, she founded the Woman?s Club of the Riviera and was named Woman of the Year in 1970 by the organization. In 1970, Princess Grace of Monaco presented her with a medallion honoring her hospitality work with American Servicemen in the Sixth Fleet and with tourists and international students there. [obituaries, 1977, in collection]

Jean Williams passed away in January 1977; Lawrence Williams was remarried to Griselda Higginson Hewitt Cunningham (January 6, 1915 ? September 30, 1994) on August 27, 1977. She had a daughter, Camilla Cooper Hewitt. Griselda Williams was the daughter of international banker, Francis Lee Higginson and Mehitable Coolidge Sargent. She was the great, great, great granddaughter of Thomas Jefferson and a descendant of Pocahontas. She was educated at the Winsor School in Boston and subsequently studied in Paris and at Columbia University in New York. During her first marriage to Abram Hewitt, she became involved in the thoroughbred horse industry and was later active in the shorthorn cattle business at their plantation, "Montana Hall" in White Post, Virginia. She was especially active in the work of 4-H Clubs and was honored by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute for her work and support. She served as a member of the 4-H Center near Front Royal, Virginia, and was board member of the Grafton School for students with special needs, as well as a charter member of the Friends of Blandy, Virginia State Arboretum. Her philanthropies centered on education for minorities, particularly African-Americans and Native Americans. She was also a member of the Chilton Club in Boston and of the Royal Society of Saint George. A lifelong Episcopalian, Mrs. Williams assisted her husband as chaplain to Sicily, being active in the Anglican communities of Palermo and Taormina; in Oslo, Norway and at Gustavia, Saint Barthelemy in the Antilles. [memorials, 1994, in collection]

Scope and Content Information

This collection consists of ca. 10,800 items, ca. 1895-1995, pertaining to James Lawrence Basil Williams, his religious career, and his family. Included are correspondence, papers, printed material, photographs, manuscripts, diplomas, and memorabilia. There is substantial material concerning Williams' clerical activities at various American churches and parishes as well as overseas. The majority of this material may be found under "Bethesda by-the-Sea" and "Church?"; there is also related religious material under "American Center for Theological Studies," "Diocese of Virginia," "Ordination?" and other specific categories in the "Alphabetical/Topical" series. There are papers related to religious associations and congregations and historical societies, Williams' naval career, and the Williams' family home, "Upshot," Boyce, Virginia. Prominent correspondents in "Autographs" include Lloyd Millard Bentsen; Harry Flood Byrd; Harry Flood Byrd, Jr.; Hubert Horatio Humphrey; Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.; Frederick William Neve; Prince Louis H. M. Bertrand Rainier III; Princess Grace of Monaco; Harry S. Truman; and, Thornton (Niven) Wilder. There is also a letter, May 20, 1937, from Cordell Hull, concerning "Alexis Sommaripa."

Represented among the "Family Correspondence and Papers" are Judith Barcroft Williams Washam (July 6, 1942--), her husband Wisner M. Washam, and their children, Amy Lawrence and Ian Miller; Ian Rowell Denmead Williams, his wife Deborah Anne (Wornom), and their children Anne McCardell, and Ashton Boyce Denmead. Papers of Judith Barcroft and Wisner Washam pertain chiefly to personal matters but also refer to her acting career in theatre and daytime television, and his writing career in daytime television, including All My Children and Guiding Light . Among the family papers, there are personal letters, schools papers, printed material, children's drawings and photographs. There are also papers of Williams' parents, Hiram Walter Basil Williams and Clara Lipscomb (Denmead), including correspondence and printed material. In addition to some photographs contained in individuals' folders, there is a separate folder of photographs at the end of the series.

Other series in this collection are: "Papers of Jean Rowell McCardell Williams" and "Papers of Griselda Higginson Hewitt Cunningham Williams." Jean Williams' papers consist chiefly of correspondence with Lawrence Williams. There is also material concerning her illness and death. Griselda Williams' papers include letters to her father while studying in Paris, France and traveling abroad, papers from her marriages to Abram Hewitt and Robert N. Cunningham, and papers re her marriage to Lawrence Williams and her death. There are correspondence, papers, legal papers, printed material, and photographs concerning Jean Williams and Griselda Williams.