Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Use Restrictions

Physical characteristics and conditions affect use of this material. Photocopying of materials is not permitted.

Preferred Citation

Williams Family Papers, 1819-1993 (M 010), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Harrison Williams III, Fairfax Station, VA and Constance deBordenave, Heathsville, VA.

Alternative Form Available

None

Accruals

2003.0023, 2005.0109, 2005.0183, 2011.0160

Processing Information

Processed by Stephanie Adams Hunter, 24 July 2009

Updated by Elizabeth Preston, 20 March 2011

Biographical Information

The Williams Family Papers contain materials from five families: Pearce, Wilson, Harrison, Williams, and Winslow. The families are related through marriage. Individuals appearing in the scope and content note as subseries are highlighted in boldface to aid researchers.

Pearce Family (Series I)

George Pearce (1792-7 August 1822) was born in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. There is little information available about his early life. He joined the US Navy on 20 June 1806 as midshipman, leaving from Petersburg, Virginia. He was commissioned a lieutenant on 24 July 1813, during the War of 1812. Pearce joined Lieutenant Thomas MacDonough on 14 August 1813 in the northern lakes theater at Lake Champlain, and took command of one of the sloops. Pearce and his sailors later assisted Lieutenant Colonel George Mitchell at a battle in Oswego Falls, New York in May of 1814. In a letter to his commander Mitchell commented on the bravery and tenacity shown by Pearce and his men.

Pearce married Eliza Lacey Stephens (ca. 1798-20 May 1860) in Erie, Pennsylvania 11 November 1819. She was also a native of Dinwiddie; little information is available about her early life. They had one child, Mary Wilson Pearce, born in Petersburg, Virginia on 8 July 1820. Pearce continued his service in the Navy, and the couple spent much of their marriage apart while he was at sea. George Pearce contracted yellow fever while aboard the Macedonian at Craney Island in the West Indies. Although it first appeared he would recover fully, he died of the disease on 7 August 1822.

After her husband's death, Eliza depended on Navy Pension Fund monies for which she was eligible as his widow. The pension fund was established by Congress in 1800 as an autonomous source of money for disabled naval veterans. In 1813 benefits were extended to widows and orphans of naval personnel who died in service, which expanded to include those who died or were disabled from service-related injury or disease. Administration of the fund was complicated by Congress deciding eligibility for awards and the amount each received. Pensions were awarded for five year periods, and could be renewed. Eliza's brother, W.J.N. Stephens (n.d.), who lived in Hardy County, Virginia (now West Virginia) and later her son-in-law, James C. Harrison (14 December 1819-21 November 1882), corresponded over the years with members of Congress and the Navy Department to help obtain her widow's pension payments.

Eliza resided in several locations during their marriage and after Pearce's death. Correspondence was directed to her in Erie, Pennsylvania, Brooklyn, New York, and New London, Connecticut where she resided for a time with her brother Clement Stephens (n.d.). By 1823 she had returned to Erie, where she remained until the end of her life; she appears to have lived with her daughter and son-in-law in Buffalo, New York for a period time around 1850. Eliza Pearce died 20 May 1860.

Wilson Family (Series II)

Little information is available about the Wilson family . Mary Wilson (n.d.) and her daughter Jane (n.d.) corresponded with Eliza Pearce, and appear to be related to her.

Harrison Family (Series III)

Jonas Harrison , son of William (n.d.) and Elizabeth (n.d.) Harrison, was born in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, on 11 October 1777. There is little information available about the first 30 years of his life. He was admitted to the bar in Michigan Territory in 1807. By 1809 he lived in Lewiston, New York where he opened a law office and taught school. Harrison also served as Collector of Customs and Collector of Internal Revenue for the Niagara District, and Master of Chancery for New York. He married Betsey Cooke , one of his students, in 1811. Betsey Cooke Harrison was born 30 June 1795 in Wallingford, Connecticut to Lemuel (17 March 1762-?) and Betsey (?-1821) Cooke, who moved to Lewiston when she was two years old. Her brother Bates Cooke (1787-1841) read law with Harrison.

The Harrisons fled Lewiston along with the rest of the inhabitants when British and Native American allies burned the village in December of 1813, during the War of 1812. They took refuge in Batavia with other residents. Harrison and two other men wrote about the attack on Lewiston and observed that Fort Niagara appeared to be under fire in a letter published in the Ontario Messenger on 18 December 1813.

In 1815 the Harrisons settled in Buffalo Creek (present day Buffalo), New York residing there with their three children, Jonas (?-26 March 1836), Rachel (ca. 1818-?), and James Cooke Harrison (14 December 1819-21 November 1882). Harrison was an influential and, at least outwardly, wealthy man. He built a mansion often described as one of the finest in the city. He practiced law, was a founder of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and served as a director for the Bank of Niagara. He was one of the original trustees when the village was incorporated in 1816, and served again in 1817. However, the country had fallen into financial crisis in the wake of the war, and Harrison's personal financial situation became increasingly dire. In 1814, he was nominated as a candidate for senator representing Niagara but declined, citing his deteriorating financial affairs which required all of his attention. Harrison was ruined in the panic of 1819, the first major financial crisis in United States history. The sale of his house was not enough to settle his debts, and his remaining property was sold by the New York attorney general. He left Buffalo for Detroit, Michigan in 1819, ostensibly on a prospecting trip. Notice of his arrival there was the last his family in Buffalo heard of him.

Harrison reappeared in Georgia in 1820 where he met Ellender Shannon (ca. 1803-28 August 1877), daughter of Owen (ca. 1762-1839) and Margaret Montgomery (1773-1854) Shannon. Shannon served in the American Revolution and received a bounty grant of land in Franklin County, Georgia. They had six children, most of whom later settled in Texas. The Shannons moved to Texas in 1821 as part of the Old Three Hundred, the first organized group of Anglo-American immigrants who settled in the colony established by Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836).

Harrison married Ellender on 26 June 1820; they moved to Texas in December of that year and settled in Shelby County. Jonas and Ellender Harrison had 8 children: Margaret, Jonas (ca. 1823-?), Jacob (ca. 1826-1867), John (ca. 1830-?), DeWitt Clinton (5 December 1827-6 March 1902), Thomas Jefferson (ca. 1834-1868), William Henry (27 September 1833-?), and Almira (ca. 1836-?).

In the beginning, Harrison presented himself as a frontiersman, taking no part in political or legal affairs and cultivating a rough and illiterate persona. He emerged from seclusion sometime prior to 1827, unexpectedly appearing in court on behalf of a man accused of a capital crime. His appearance and eloquent handling of the case surprised onlookers, and the story soon became legend. Author Edward Eggleston (1837-1902) created a rough-hewn character called Jonas Harrison in his book, The End of the World, A Love Story , based on tales about Harrison.

By 1827 Harrison had established a law practice and was taking part in community activities. One of his most famous clients was Sam Houston (1793-1863); he represented Houston in his divorce from Eliza Allen (ca. 1810-3 Mar 1861). Harrison was made Alcalde (municipal magistrate) of the district of Tenehaw in 1828, a position he held for at least three years.

As tensions grew between Texas Anglo-American settlers and the Mexican government in the late 1820's, Harrison initially supported the Mexican government. However, by the early 1830s he was corresponding with Stephen F. Austin, who led the revolutionary movement. He served as a delegate to the 1832 Convention, where the colonists lobbied the Mexican government for a number of changes and reforms. He also helped draft the San Augustine Resolutions advocating Texas' independence from Mexico. In 1835 he adopted the title "major" and actively recruited for the armies of Texas in spite of failing health. He died 6 August 1836. Harrison County, established in 1839, was named in his honor. Ellender did not re-marry. Their children and descendents settled throughout Texas. Ellender Harrison died 28 August 1877 near Arlington, Texas.

Betsey Cooke Harrison and her children returned to Lewiston in 1820 after being abandoned by Jonas. She was left with nothing, and her brothers helped provide for Betsey and her family until the children grew up. Bates Cooke took in James and raised him with his son, Joshua (1821-1908), sending James to the same schools. Jonas Harrison II moved to Erie, Pennsylvania where he worked in a store he co-owned, Tracy & Harrison. He died unmarried on 26 March 1836. Rachel married Moses Hall Fitts (1 January 1808-?), a teacher and member of the New York State Board of Education, with whom she had eight children. They later moved to California. Betsey Cooke Harrison died in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County, New York 25 June 1872.

At the age of 14, James Cooke Harrison moved to Erie where he worked at his brother's store as a clerk. After Jonas' death in 1836, Harrison went to work at a store owned by Aaron Kellogg. In 1838 he joined Charles Manning Reed (1803-1871) in Reed's Erie steamboat business. Reed built and ran passenger steamships, and his operation was one of the biggest on the Great Lakes. Prior to the development of the railroad, emigration and trade to the west depended on steamers, and ship traffic on the lakes was substantial. Harrison started working for Reed as a clerk on the ship Erie . The Erie burned in July 1841, a year after he gave up the clerkship. It was one of the worst Great Lakes shipping disasters; over 200 people died, many of them Swiss and German immigrants. Harrison assisted with the recovery and burial of victims of the fire.

Harrison relocated to Buffalo in 1840, where he opened an office and managed Reed's Buffalo port interests. By the early 1840's grain shipments from the west had vastly increased, and the need for more grain elevators at the port to store and move the shipments became acute. Harrison and Reed built Reed Elevator in 1847, which they operated in conjunction with their transportation business. It burned and was rebuilt in 1859, and again in 1874. As the number of grain elevators proliferated owners became concerned about continuing to be profitable; Western Elevating Company was formed in 1859 to direct the industry. Harrison served as president of the organization in the early 1860's.

In addition to his work in the shipping industry, Harrison pursued other business interests in Buffalo. He was one of the first trustees of Erie County Savings Bank when it incorporated in 1854. It grew from a small operation, with around $600,000 in deposits, to over $11 million in deposits by 1883. Harrison was made vice-president in 1876, and succeeded the bank's first president, William A. Bird (1797-1878), upon his death in 1878. He was also a member of the board of directors for Buffalo & Erie Railroad, a company in which he was a large shareholder.

Harrison was a Whig and served on the Buffalo Common Council twice. In 1853 he was the Whig candidate for mayor, running against Democrat Eli Cook (1814-1865), who won in a close election. Harrison joined the Republican party after the Whig party collapsed in 1856. Although he did not continue to pursue a political career he remained a strong supporter of the Republicans. A long-time art lover and collector, Harrison was a life member of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, which was established as a public fine arts gallery in 1862. He was also a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, where he served as a vestryman. Harrison died unexpectedly on 21 November 1882. He had been ill, but was optimistic he would recover. He died instantly while getting up from bed.

James Cooke Harrison married Mary Wilson Pearce (8 July 1820-11 June 1891), daughter of George and Eliza Pearce. Although the parish register shows they married 16 July 1842, Mary insisted the correct date was 25 August 1842 and they celebrated their anniversary on that day. They had two children. Lilly was born around 1846, and died in August of 1848 after a long illness. Mary Pearce Harrison was born in Erie on 12 November 1849. She attended private schools in Buffalo and a select girls' school in New York City, Mrs. Ogden Hoffman's French and English Boarding and Day School, from 1864-1868.

Williams Family (Series IV)

William Williams was born in Bolton, Connecticut to Samuel (8 February 1785-5 July 1876) and Sarah White Williams (1787-22 August 1849) on 6 September 1815. He was one of nine children. He grew up in Bolton and attended local schools. At the age of 17 Williams moved to Georgia where he was involved in commercial business between New England, the West Indies and ports in the southern United States. He soon became ill and returned to Bolton. From there he went to work for one of his maternal uncles at a bank in Norwich, Connecticut and then moved to Windham, Connecticut where he clerked at another uncle's bank, Bank of Windham.

Williams met Lovisa Kirkland Stedman (11 September 1815-27 September 1895), while living in Windham. Lovisa Kirkland Stedman was the daughter of Griffin (27 September 1770-?) and Elizabeth Gordon (?-1822) Stedman, a wealthy and influential family in Hartford, Connecticut. They married 9 October 1838. The Williams had three children: Catherine Stedman (4 August 1839-17 January 1841), Griffin Stedman (11 September 1841-7 March 1911), and Charles Gordon (23 December 1847-6 September 1897).

After marrying Williams took a cashier job at Bank of Sandusky in Sandusky, Ohio. Deciding Sandusky did not offer the opportunities he desired, he and his wife settled in Buffalo in 1839. His uncle George C. White (28 November 1804-30 May 1869) made Williams a partner in his banking business, and they opened a branch in Buffalo called White and Williams. The bank prospered, and reorganized in 1844 as White's Bank of Buffalo. Williams continued to clerk there for 12 years. In 1856 Williams and some friends founded Clinton Bank of Buffalo. It survived the panic of 1857, but closed four years later as the financial markets faced continued uncertainty.

The late 1840's and early 1850's saw tremendous growth in railroads. Around 1851 a railroad was proposed from Buffalo to Erie and State Line Railroad Company was formed to construct it. Williams, by then a prominent financier, served as one of the original directors and later as president of the company. In the period after the Civil War he was actively engaged in promoting and financing the growth of the railroads. As president of Buffalo and Erie Railroad, Williams helped orchestrate its consolidation with other railroads to form Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad Company in 1869. He was elected first vice president of the new corporation. He served as a director of Michigan Southern Railroad Company and in 1873 was elected a director of Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railroad Co., where he had considerable control of the railroad's business affairs. In addition to his involvement with the railroads, Williams financed a number of other industrial concerns such as mining and canals.

Williams also played a role in Buffalo's social and cultural affairs. He was one of the incorporators of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy in 1862. He also helped establish the Buffalo Club, an exclusive men's club, which organized in 1867.

Williams started his political career in 1841, when he was elected City Treasurer of Buffalo. In 1845 he was elected to the city's Common Council. During the Civil War while loyal to the Union cause, he was opposed to President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). He gave money to help raise troops and was a member of the Union Continentals, a home guard of men age 45 and over organized by former president Millard Fillmore (1800-1874). In 1866 Williams was elected to the New York Assembly on the Democratic ticket; he was re-elected the following year.

In 1870 Williams accepted the 30th New York District Democratic nomination for the Forty-second Congress on the condition that Grover Cleveland (1837-1908), a young lawyer in his personal attorney's office, would be nominated for sheriff of Erie County. Williams helped finance both campaigns, and both men were elected. He served from 1871-1873, but was unsuccessful in his attempt to be re-elected to the Forty-third Congress in 1872.

Williams withdrew from politics and business as his health deteriorated in 1874. He suffered severe financial losses during the panic of 1873, which his family believed hastened his decline. He died at home 10 September 1876. Lovisa returned to Connecticut where she lived with their son, Charles. She died in Windsor, Connecticut 27 September 1895.

Charles Gordon Williams attended public and private schools in Buffalo, and later Cheshire Academy in Cheshire, Connecticut. After finishing school in 1868, his parents sent him on a year of travel in Europe. Upon his return he worked in the oil business in and around Bradford, Pennsylvania for several years. He married Georgiana Metcalfe (15 February 1852-20 July 1930), daughter of George H. (ca. 1827-?) and Matilda (ca. 1827-?) Metcalfe, on 20 January 1874 and they settled in Brookfield Centre, Connecticut, where they lived the rest of their lives.

Griffin Stedman Williams , called Sted by family and friends, attended schools in Buffalo and Ohio, and completed his education at Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Reed (ca. 1810-?)'s Walnut Hill School in Geneva, New York in 1859. His parents wanted Williams to go to Yale University, an institution to which both of their families had ties, but he decided to enter into business.

In 1859 he took a clerkship in Clinton Bank of Buffalo, and later went to work for James C. Harrison. His early business career was disrupted with the outbreak of the Civil War. He was eager to join the army although his parents objected strongly to the idea. Williams finally convinced his parents to let him join, and his father obtained a commission for him in 1862 as a first lieutenant in the 132nd New York Volunteers. He was assigned as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Francis Barretto Spinola (1821-1891) and served around Suffolk, Virginia and Newbern, North Carolina. In 1863 Williams served with the Army of the Potomac, and then followed Spinola north. Williams contracted a severe case of camp fever while in the field that disabled him, and he received an honorable discharge 10 February 1864.

Williams returned to Buffalo to recuperate in his parents' home. His father arranged for a year of travel and Williams set sail in May 1864 for the British Isles, Europe, and Middle East. He spent another year travelling in 1869, sailing from San Francisco for Japan and Europe. His ship passed through the Suez Canal, which was in its first year of existence, and returned to the United States in 1870.

Williams grew up socializing with the family of James C. Harrison. He married Mary Pearce Harrison on 20 December 1871 in Buffalo. The Williams had three children: Harrison (28 February 1873-9 June 1946), Mary Stedman (5 February 1875- ?), and Gordon (1 September 1876-4 October 1925).

On 9 September 1885 Williams was appointed Consul of the United States at Nottingham, England by President Grover Cleveland, and he sailed for England in October. His family joined him in 1886, and Williams held the consulate post until 1890. The family spent that year in Europe before returning to Buffalo in 1891. Following his wife's death in 1909, Stedman Williams moved to New York City to be near his sons, Harrison and Gordon. He died 8 March 1911 after a long illness.

Mary Stedman Williams was educated in Buffalo and Europe. She attended St. Margaret's School in Buffalo, Bois de Fey School in Switzerland, and schools in England and France. On 1 October 1902 she married Frederick Bradlee Winslow (27 July 1873-1937), son of Walter Thatcher (1843-1909) and Sarah Louise Sears (ca. 1845-?) Winslow, in Buffalo. Walter Winslow was an architect and partner at Winslow & Wetherall, a noted and prolific Boston architectural firm. Frederick and Mary resided in Boston, where he was a prominent physician. Mary was known for her expertise in classical Greek.

Gordon Williams was educated in England, Europe, and Buffalo. While his father was posted in England from 1886-1890, Williams attended University School in Nottingham, and from 1890-1891 he attended Chateau de Lancy School near Geneva, Switzerland. He completed his education in local schools when the family returned to Buffalo in 1891.

Williams joined the 65th Infantry Regiment of the New York State National Guard, which was federalized in May of 1898 for service in the Spanish-American War. The regiment was sent in sections to Camp Alger near Falls Church, Virginia, arriving by 21 May. Williams caught typhoid fever in the camp and returned to his parents' home in Buffalo to recover.

He was employed briefly as a reporter for the Buffalo Express , and in 1900 went to work for American Telegraph & Telephone Co. He was transferred to the company's New York City general offices and later became a Wall Street broker. In 1914 he became the American representative for a British company with oil interests in Venezuela, where he lived during the winter of 1914-1915.

In February of 1917 he was asked by Anne Morgan (25 July 1873-29 January 1952) to go to France and carry out an independent study of the work of the American Fund for French Wounded prior to the United States' entry into World War I. The American Fund for French Wounded, established by Morgan, was the largest relief agency operating in Europe, providing hospital aid and ambulance services behind the Allied front. Williams returned to the United States in June and volunteered for officer's training camp. After graduating in December of 1917 he was commissioned a first lieutenant in the army.

He felt it was his duty to serve on the front lines and was anxious to be sent to Europe, but he met resistance from army officials because of his age. First assigned harbor duty in New Jersey, Williams was then sent to Camp Mills on Long Island, New York to assist with troop training. While at Camp Mills, Williams met up with an old friend, Brigadier-General Munroe McFarland (28 June 1867-1924), who was commander of the 162nd Infantry Brigade, 81st Division of the American Expeditionary Force. McFarland asked Williams to join him as his aide-de-camp, and they sailed for France 30 July 1918. Williams applied for a transfer to the front lines, and on 8 November 1918 he joined the 323rd Infantry in the trenches. He received a citation for his work rescuing troops stranded in an exposed position during operations November 9-11, 1918.

Gordon Williams returned to the United States in 1919 after serving with the Army of Occupation, and took a job as a stock broker at Wade, Templeton & Co. He left the brokerage house in October of 1923 when United Sugar Company hired him as Resident Vice-President of its holdings in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. He died there of fever on 4 October 1925. His body was returned to the United States and buried next to his parents in Buffalo.

While his father was posted in England from 1886-1890, Harrison Williams attended University School in Nottingham, and from 1890-1891 he attended Chateau de Lancy School near Geneva, Switzerland. Following the family's return to Buffalo in 1891, Harrison Williams read law at Sprague, Morey, Sprague & Brownell, one of the city's leading law firms. Williams joined the 65th Regiment of Infantry of the New York National Guard and served from 1891-1892. He attended law school at University of Buffalo, graduating in 1893, and was admitted to the bar the following year. Williams practiced law until 1897, when he accepted a job as tax agent for the Erie Railroad Company in New York City. He retained ties to Buffalo, although he resided most of his time in New York City. In 1902 he became head of the tax department, and in 1907 was named head of the General Land and Tax Department of the Erie Railroad System, specializing in tax law.

On 8 May 1901, he married Jane Kirby Abbott (4 March 1875-22 May 1909) in Marshalltown, Iowa. She was the daughter of Albert Cutler (10 October 1836-7 January 1903) and Mary Watson (15 August 1840-?) Abbott. In 1890 Abbott and his family moved from Marshalltown to Chicago where Jane attended Dearborn Seminary, graduating in June 1894. In September 1894 Abbott was made vice-president of National Linseed Oil Company and moved his family to Buffalo. He and his wife moved back to Marshalltown after he suffered paralysis in1897.

Harrison and Jane Williams had one child, Harrison Jr ., born in New York City on 6 February 1904. By 1907 Jane had become seriously ill and moved back to Marshalltown to stay with her mother. It was hoped that retiring to the country would help her recover, but she died in 1909. Harrison Jr. stayed with Jane's sister and brother-in-law, Albert G. (1861-?) and Helen A. (1864-?) Glick in Marshalltown while his father worked in New York City.

Harrison Williams married a second time in 1910. He and Pauline Marechal Winslow (1 July 1872-29 November 1933) wed December 29, and departed soon after on a six month trip to Europe. Pauline, daughter of William Grandy (14 April 1845-17 September 1910) and Ida Stone (14 May 1847-16 June 1896) Winslow, was born and educated in Buffalo. She later studied art in Dresden for several years. Pauline was a descendent of Kenelm Winslow (1599-1672), one of the early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. Her husband's brother-in-law, Frederick Bradlee Winslow, was also a descendent of Kenelm Winslow, making them distant cousins.

Harrison and Pauline Williams' son Winslow was born in New York City on 10 February 1913. When Williams retired from practicing law later that year, the family moved to Williamsted, a farm Williams had purchased several years before located outside of Leesburg, Virginia. He had built a large residence on the property which he used as a vacation home. Williams sold the farm in 1920, and in 1923 he bought another piece of Loudoun County property on which he built a house he called Roxbury Hall, named for an ancestral home in Massachusetts.

Harrison Jr. joined his family at Williamsted in 1913. He was enrolled in Episcopal High School near Alexandra, Virginia in 1918, graduating in 1922. He entered University of Virginia (UVA), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering in 1928. While at UVA, he was active in a number of clubs and organizations. After graduating he took a job as a junior engineer in the Virginia State Highway Department. On 22 July 1928 Williams was thrown from the back of a motorcycle he was riding with a friend on a trip from Danville, Virginia to visit friends in North Carolina. He was taken to a hospital in Danville where he died of his injuries the same day. His father described his death as a crushing blow to family and friends.

Harrison Williams Sr. was widowed a second time in 1933 when Pauline died at Roxbury Hall on November 29 after a long illness. Williams continued to live in Loudoun County, as did their son Winslow. Williams enjoyed traveling, and made a number of trips abroad.

Harrison Williams met Joan Stafford-Allen (1907-2003) during a transatlantic voyage from England in 1937. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Stafford-Allen (n.d.) of Long Melford, Suffolk, England. The two became friends during the journey, and Williams invited her to visit Roxbury Hall when they arrived in the US. After she returned to England they continued to correspond. He surprised her with a visit to her home, where he proposed, in 1938. They were married on 17 August 1938 in the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. After they returned from a two-week wedding trip the couple settled in the new home Williams built on West Market St. in Leesburg next to Thomas Balch Library. The Williams both were involved with Thomas Balch Library, and Harrison Williams served as president of the library from 1925 until his death.

Williams had a life-long interest in writing. He wrote poetry as a child, and in his retirement pursued historical research and writing. He undertook a project to write a book about important individuals and places in Loudoun County's history, Legends of Loudoun: An Account of the History and Homes of a Border County of Virginia's Northern Neck , published in 1938. He also wrote articles about local history. During World War II, Harrison was asked to serve as Loudoun chairman for Virginia's War History Committee in 1943. The committee was organized by Virginia Conservation Commission's Division of History and Archeology in 1942 and used local correspondents to collect newspaper clippings and reports about war efforts from localities around the state. The Commission produced Virginia in War Time, 1942-1943 , a sketch of people's activities and attitudes.

An avid genealogist, Williams spent many years researching his family history. In October of 1932 he received a letter from Samuel Asbury (1872-1962), an amateur historian in Texas who was researching the life of Jonas Harrison. Williams was astonished to learn of Harrison's life after he disappeared from Buffalo in 1819. He and Asbury subsequently corresponded regularly to update one another on their research. Williams published his work, The Life, Ancestors and Descendants of Robert Williams of Roxbury: In His Majesty's Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1607-1693 , which traces the family back to its earliest American forebears in Massachusetts in 1934. He was able to assist Asbury with information he needed for the article on which he was working, "Jonas Harrison, Legendary and Historical," published in Southwestern Historical Quarterly in 1942.

After her husband's death in 1946, Joan Williams went back to her family home in Suffolk to care for her mother. She returned to Leesburg when her mother died, and worked at Loudoun Hospital caring for premature babies. She was also active in other community activities, continuing her interest in Thomas Balch Library and in Oatlands Plantation, where she served as a docent for 24 years. Joan Williams died 27 September 2003.

Winslow Williams attended school in Leesburg until 1929 when he was enrolled in Episcopal High School, where he stayed until 1931. He also attended Shenandoah Valley Academy, a preparatory school for boys in Winchester, Virginia. After graduating, he lived at Roxbury Hall with his father.

Williams married Helen Constance Moore (3 September 1918-10 September 1991) on 6 February 1937. They had three children, Winslow Jr., Harrison III, and Constance. A keen outdoorsman, Williams was a strong supporter of the Boys Scouts and served as a scoutmaster in the 1950s. He enjoyed bird watching, and frequently took his camera with him when he was outdoors.

He operated a real estate business, Winslow Williams Real Estate, in Leesburg and was one of the founding members of Loudoun County Board of Realtors. Helen Williams also worked in the real estate business. Williams was an avid photographer, and took pictures both for pleasure and for the Loudoun Times Mirror . For a time Williams operated a photography studio in Leesburg; he closed it in the 1950s. In 1991he donated his collection of nearly 10,000 negatives to Thomas Balch Library. Helen Williams died 10 September 1991 after a long illness. Winslow Williams died on 19 February 1993.

Winslow Family (Series V)

Richard Winslow was born in Falmouth, Maine 6 September 1769. Little information is available about his life prior to his arrival in Ocracoke, North Carolina in 1812, where he engaged in land and marine commerce. He married Mary Nash Grandy (June 1788-18 October 1858) of Camden, North Carolina. They had eleven children: Nathan Crane (10 December 1812-9 June 1880), Richard Grandy (23 September 1814-20 May 1854), Hezekiah Jones (8 December 1815-31 December 1883), Rufus King (15 September 1817- 7 October 1892), Henry Knox (31 March 1819-30 September 1826), Cyrus Homer (12 December 1820-2 September 1824), Lydia Jane (28 July 1822-13 September 1824), Edwin Newton (26 February 1824-?), Caroline Susan (7 April 1826-8 April 1832), Harriet Williams (28 March 1828-13 April 1832), and Mary Jane (30 January 1831-13 April 1832).

The family moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1830. Winslow predicted there would be business possibilities in Cleveland with the completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal, and he bought a piece of property on the river for a warehouse. Later in 1830 he traveled to the east coast and purchased groceries and other goods which he sent back to Cleveland with Nathan to open a store. Winslow had a considerable amount of capital which he invested to develop his shipping interests. He built his business into a sizeable enterprise, becoming one of the largest operators on the Great Lakes with a fleet numbering around 40 vessels.

In 1832, Richard Winslow purchased a lot on Euclid Avenue at the southeast corner of the public square and contracted master builder and architect Levi Johnson (1786-1871) to build a house. Many of Cleveland's wealthiest families lived on Euclid Avenue, and by the middle of the 19th century the street was lined with mansions on expansive lawns. The family lived there until Richard Winslow's death in 1857, when the house was torn down.

Three of Richard Winslow's sons married three sisters, the daughters of Dr. Welcome Arnold (25 April 1792-?) and Mary (ca. 1800-?) Clarke. Hezekiah Winslow married Helen Clarke (2 September 1825-?) in 1846. They lived in New York City and Cleveland, and had two children, Richard (26 September 1848-11 April 1896) and Helen Brighty (26 September 1850-15 December 1867). Richard Winslow married Mary Aphia (?-July 1933); they lived in Buffalo, New York and Paris, France. Little information is available about them.

Rufus K. Winslow joined the family business around 1852. After his brothers Nathan and Hezekiah left Cleveland, Rufus Winslow controlled the Cleveland operations. He married Lucy Clarke (12 June 1820-?) in 1852. In addition to his business interests, Winslow also spent time engaged in scientific research and became a well regarded amateur ornithologist. The couple had one daughter, Annie Clark Winslow (?-19 April 1926). Annie married John Chadwick (n.d.) and spent most of her life in Paris, France.

Nathan Winslow married Mary Anne Clarke (1 October 1815-10 March 1885) in 1839, and joined his father's shipping business. The Winslows had four children, Caroline (23 September 1839-?), Henry (23 December 1840-14 Dec ember 1876), George (January-July 1843), and William G. (14 April 1845-17 September 1910). Nathan Winslow relocated to Buffalo in 1862, where he established a business with his son Henry and son-in-law John Williams (25 December 1837-?). After her husband's death in 1880, Mary Anne Winslow spent most of her time travelling in Europe. She died at her daughter's home in Baltimore, Maryland in 1885.

William G. Winslow married Mary Ida Stone (14 May 1847-16 January 1896) in 1868. They had six children - Mary S. (n.d.), Helen Brightie (1870-?), Pauline Marechal (who married Harrison Williams), Marie Louise (1875-?), Henry Clarke (1877-?), and William Gaston (24 September 1882-?). The family lived in Buffalo, and also spent a number of years abroad. Marie married Frederick B. Ussher (1 September 1863-?) in 1901; they lived in Buffalo.

Scope and Content

The Williams Family Papers includes materials from five families: Pearce, Wilson, Harrison, Williams, and Winslow. The papers comprise approximately six cubic feet, with five oversized boxes housing documents and artifacts. Inclusive dates are 1819-1993, with the bulk of the material dating from 1850-1945. The collection is arranged in series by family name, with the papers of individual family members as subseries. While in most cases the papers are in very good condition, for preservation purposes photocopying is not permitted.

Series I: Pearce Family, 1819-1859

Subseries I: George Pearce, 1819-1822

George Pearce's papers consist of correspondence from his wife, Eliza. They show the difficulties the couple faced being separated for long periods of time while he was deployed.

Subseries II: Eliza Pearce, 1819-1859

Eliza Pearce's correspondence is largely from family and friends including George Pearce, her mother-in-law, Rebecca Pearce (n.d.), and Jane and Mary Wilson. Her husband wrote about his concerns for her well-being and that of their daughter while he was at sea. In the years after her husband's death, letters illustrate her difficulties in obtaining pension payments. Of interest are three autographed letters signed (ALS) from Benjamin Watkins Leigh on 28 March 1829, 5 July 1833, and 24 March 1834 regarding Eliza Pearce's pension claim. Copies of congressional bills in the collection regarding the Navy Pension Fund demonstrate the process of extending payments to widows. Eliza Pearce's papers also include receipts and bills related to housekeeping.

Series II: Wilson Family, 1831, 1848

The Wilson Family materials consist of three letters. Two are to Jane Wilson, and there is also a letter to Jane from her mother, Mary Wilson.

Series III: Harrison Family, 1842-1911

Subseries I: Betsey Cooke Harrison, 1872, n.d.

There are three items related to Betsey Cooke Harrison: a lock of hair, her obituary, and an undated carte de visite.

Subseries II: James C. Harrison, 1842-1882

James C. Harrison's papers include correspondence from his wife and daughter, including letters from Mary while she was at school and from both on their trip abroad after Mary finished her studies. Other letters relate to business and his efforts on behalf of Eliza Pearce. Papers from Harrison's estate include obituaries, letters testamentary, and a resolution by Erie County Savings Bank board of directors recognizing his death.

Subseries III: Mary Wilson Pearce Harrison, 1833-1911

Mary Wilson Pearce Harrison's papers include letters from her mother, Eliza Pearce, while she was at school, and letters from Mary and Jane Wilson. Later correspondence includes letters from her husband James Harrison and daughter Mary. Of interest are letters from 1863-1864 written by Mary while she was in school in New York City which discuss unrest during the Civil War, particularly the attempt to burn the city in 1864. Other materials include receipts and a prescription from 1870. Mary Wilson Pearce Harrison's estate papers include correspondence, copies of wills and other legal documents, and receipts.

Series IV: Williams Family, 1862-1993

Subseries I: William Williams, 1862-1876

William Williams' papers contain correspondence; business records such as checks, legal agreements, bills, and stock certificates; and miscellaneous items such as brochures from Walnut Hill School, certificate from his election to Congress, and the Civil War Commission for his son Griffin Stedman Williams from 1862. Of interest in Williams' correspondence are an ALS from Samuel J. Tilden from 13 May 1867 regarding a business agreement; ALS from Schuyler Colfax about an offer of a railroad ticket dated 10 April 1871; and an ALS from William W. Belknap to A.M. Clapp, 5 June 1872 with a denial of request for clemency.

Subseries II: Lovisa Stedman Williams, n.d.

There is one item for Lovisa Stedman Williams, an undated letter.

Subseries III: Griffin Stedman Williams, 1853-1911

Griffin Stedman Williams' papers contain correspondence, with the bulk from his friend Horatio Seymour, mostly during the 1860's, and son Harrison Williams. Other correspondents include his mother, father, and brother. Also of interest are two ALS from sculptor Hiram Powers (1805-1873) regarding Williams' purchase of a marble bust of Proserpine. Other materials include Williams' Civil War orders, with one document signed by Brigadier General F.B. Spinola; cards of introduction and other mementos from his trips abroad; and a handwritten bet with Joseph Ely on the 1860 presidential election. Later records include receipts for Williams' care as his health declined and papers from his estate.

Subseries IV: Griffin Stedman and Mary Harrison Williams, 1871-1895

There is a small number of letters to Griffin Stedman and Mary Harrison Williams from Harrison Williams, mostly written while he was at school at Chateau de Lancey in Geneva. There is also correspondence about both estates, which were handled by Harrison Williams as executor, regarding insurance, storage of belongings, and bills.

Subseries V: Mary Harrison Williams, 1864-1910

Mary Harrison Williams' correspondence includes letters from her father and mother while she was at school in New York City with news about family, friends, social happenings, and the family's pets. There are additional letters from her schoolmates, as well as from her husband-to-be Griffin Stedman Williams. Other items in her papers include bank books, cancelled checks, and a stamp collection. Mary Harrison Williams' estate papers include a copy of her will, inventories, and bills and receipts.

Subseries VI: Gordon Williams, 1896-1922

Gordon Williams' papers consist of four letters, which include an invitation to his brother Harrison's wedding and a letter from the Department of the Navy with information about the service record of George Pearce.

Subseries VII: Harrison Williams, 1882-1946

Harrison Williams' papers include a large number of letters received throughout his life. Early correspondence is largely from his parents, particularly his mother, while he attended school, and contains news from home. There are letters from his first wife, Jane (also called Jennie), and following her death from Harrison Jr. after he went to live with her sister and brother-in-law, Helen and A.D. Glick, in Marshalltown, Iowa from 1909-1913. Helen Glick also wrote to Harrison Williams Sr. with news about his son. During World War I, Williams' brother Gordon wrote describing his attempts to enlist and finally his deployment to Europe. A large portion of the letters concern Williams' genealogy research. From 1932 until his death in 1946 he exchanged frequent letters with Samuel Asbury regarding Jonas Harrison. There are also some handwritten copies of Williams' outgoing letters.

The papers contain research notes from several writing projects, including Legends of Loudoun and The Life, Ancestors and Descendents of Robert Williams of Roxbury, 1607-1693 . The papers also contain typed and manuscript drafts of Legends of Loudoun . There are notes and reports from Williams' service as Loudoun chairman for Virginia's War History Committee in 1943. A copy of the Committee's publication, Virginia in War Time, 1942-1943, is also in the collection. Other items include receipts, cancelled checks, club memberships, an oath of attorney from 1904, and World War II memorabilia. Included in the artifacts is a book of poetry written by Williams as a boy.

Subseries VIII: Harrison and Jane Williams, 1901, 1904

There is a small amount of material for Harrison and Jane Williams: a set of place cards made by Jane in watercolor and pencil for their wedding breakfast, and correspondence about the birth of their son, Harrison Jr.

Subseries IX: Jane Abbott Williams, 1903-1904, n.d.

Jane Abbott Williams' papers contain a small number of letters from family and friends in 1904, mostly cards and letters of congratulations on the birth of Harrison Jr. There is also one letter from Harrison in 1903. Jane is often referred to as Jenny or Jen.

Subseries X: Harrison and Pauline Williams, 1910-1920

Harrison and Pauline Williams' papers include correspondence. Letters from 1917-1920 are mostly from Harrison's brother Gordon about his efforts to get in the army and his experiences during the World War I. A small number of German postcards from February 1919 are included. There are also letters to the Williams from Helen Glick about Harrison Jr. while he was living with her and her husband in Marshalltown; some include letters from Harrison Jr. as enclosures. Much of the correspondence from 1929-1930 is from Winslow while he was away at school.

Subseries XI: Pauline Marechal Winslow Williams, 1910-1935

Pauline Marechal Winslow Williams' papers consist of correspondence, financial records, and memorabilia. There are letters from friends and family, brother Gaston. The bulk of the correspondence dates between 1929 and 1930, with a large number of letters from Winslow while he was at school with news of school, plans for visits, and requests for various items. The papers include a number of items related to Pauline's financial affairs, such as bank books, stock purchases, cancelled checks and receipts. Other items such as lists of wedding gifts, a confirmation card, and gift tag from Winslow's first Christmas are also in the collection.

Pauline Winslow Williams' estate was complicated due in large part to her interests as a legatee in real estate in Buffalo and Cleveland. The papers include a number of legal documents and correspondence regarding the Euclid Avenue property (often referred to as the Cleveland property) originally owned by Richard Winslow. His heirs retained ownership of the Euclid Avenue property on which the family house had stood. In 1907 May Company signed a 50-year lease at $32,000 per year with the heirs, to commence in 1909. The company built its flagship Cleveland store on the site. By the early twentieth century, ownership of the property had become increasingly complex. As one generation of heirs died additional legatees were created, making a complicated system of fractionalized interests in the property. In addition, some of the heirs sold their interests to Nathan L. Dauby (31 May 1873-17 May 1964), vice-president of May Company.

Dauby filed a partition lawsuit in 1934 to force sale of the property and divide the proceeds among the owners. He argued that ownership had become so complicated it was no longer an attractive investment for him. Harrison Williams, representing the interests of his wife Pauline's estate and their son Winslow, contended that Dauby sought to buy the property at a depreciated price. At a meeting in June of 1934, legal representatives for the heirs decided to allow the partition suit to proceed, and sale of the property to May Company went forward in 1935.

Additional materials in the estate papers document the management of property in Buffalo. There is correspondence with the Marine Trust Co. of Buffalo about multiple mortgages and transfers of securities in the early 1930s. Other estate papers include accounts and inventories.

Subseries XII: Harrison and Joan Stafford-Allen Williams, 1937

There is one item for Harrison and Joan Stafford-Allen Williams, the passenger list from the S.S. Penland , the ship on which they met in 1937. Joan Stafford-Allen Williams' correspondence contains three letters from 1946 about Harrison Williams' death.

Subseries XIII: Harrison Williams Jr., 1904-1928

Harrison Williams Jr.'s collection is comprised of a small number of cards, a letter from his uncle, Gordon, enclosing postcards from Germany during World War II, his obituary, and undated bookplates.

Subseries XIV: Winslow Williams, 1913-1993

Winslow Williams' papers contain a small amount of correspondence from his family, particularly as a boy and young man. There are a number of letters in 1933 concerning the death of his mother, Pauline. There is a gap until the later part of his life when he began to correspond with newly discovered relatives, the Texas descendents of Jonas Harrison, in the 1980s. Other materials include financial papers such as a farm account book, which also has information about his photography business, two items regarding property from the Nathan Winslow estate, and a debarkation card from a trip at sea with his father aboard the S.S. President Garfield from 1935-1936.

Subseries XV: Winslow and Constance Williams, 1936-1937

Winslow and Constance Williams' shared collection includes telegrams on the occasion of their marriage in 1937, and memorabilia from their honeymoon trip to South America such as postcards and a ship's menu.

Subseries XVI: Helen Constance Moore Williams, 1937-1991

Helen Constance Moore Williams' papers contain a small number of items including clippings about her engagement and marriage to Winslow, a birthday card made by her daughter Constance, and the memorial from her funeral in 1991.

Series V: Winslow Family, 1880-1937

Subseries I: Nathan Winslow, 1880

There is one item each for Nathan Winslow, a copy of his will showing divisions of his interest in properties in Ohio and Illinois.

Subseries II: Mary A. Winslow, 1885

There is one item for Mary Winslow, a copy of her will which further divided percentage interests by the heirs in the Ohio and Illinois properties.

Subseries III: Richard Winslow Estate, 1901-1937

Richard Winslow estate papers contain copies of legal documents. Winslow left two wills, one in Cuyahoga County, OH and one in France regarding property he owned in that country. Winslow's estate was complicated by his residual interest in the Euclid Ave. property and because all trustees and executors had died by 1915. Harrison Williams appears to have acquired copies of records in his capacity as legal counsel for Pauline.

Subseries IV: William G. Winslow, 1903-1934

William G. Winslow estate papers contain copies of legal documents such inventories, accountings, decrees, and agreements. There are some duplicate copies and transcribed copies, the latter of which includes three letters. The documents appear to have been acquired by Harrison Williams.

Subseries V: William Gaston Winslow, 1903-1911

William Gaston Winslow's papers consist of three letters, including two from M. Marechal (n.d.) in Lancey, Switzerland written in French. There is a note on one of the envelopes reading "keep these always for my sake, Pauline, Father."

Subseries VI: Annie Chadwick Estate, 1924-1927

Annie Chadwick's estate papers contain a small number of legal documents. Her estate was complicated by the fact that she left real property in Paris and in Montreuil-sur-Mer in France in addition to her interests in the Euclid Ave. property.

Series VI: Miscellaneous, photographs, oversized documents, and artifacts

There are a small number of miscellaneous items. Of interest are a collection of 30 Civil War envelopes featuring pro-Union propaganda images and slogans, an embroidery pattern book, an almanac from 1848, and postcards from Woodrow Wilson's inauguration in 1917.

Visual materials in the collection include photographs, photograph albums, cartes de visite, and negatives. Most of the photographs are identified, and include portraits of family members and scenic views. A few of the images are photographs of portraits in oil, including James C. Harrison and Griffin Stedman Williams. The negatives were taken by Winslow Williams of people and scenes; many are undated but probably originate from the late 1940s to 1950s. Numbers associated with many of the negatives reflect his practice with photographs in his business. Seven albums of photographs belonging to Winslow Williams contain pictures from vacations and other events, and have been re-housed for preservation purposes. There are also photograph albums, tintypes, cased daguerreotypes, and color stereo slides housed with the artifact collection.

Oversized documents include a series of letters from Samuel Asbury to Harrison Williams. Removal sheets have been placed in the collection with the location and date of each oversized letter. Other items include receipts, Griffin Stedman Williams' appointment as commercial agent for the United States at Nottingham England and his Special Passport, and Gordon Williams' passport for his trip on behalf of the American Fund for French Wounded.

Photographic material in the artifact collection includes a photograph album of Harrison and Pauline Williams' wedding trip to Europe 1911, two albums belonging to Winslow Williams, and an 1862-1869 album belonging to Griffin Stedman Williams. There is also a scrapbook kept by Winslow Williams with photographs and memorabilia, which is in fragile condition. Other photographs include a small number of daguerreotypes and tintypes, most of which are not identified or dated.

The collection contains a variety of artifacts such as a stamp moistener, calling card plates, a Valentine's Day memento from Harrison Williams to Pauline, wedding books, and a notebook containing poetry written by Harrison Williams as a boy. Other items include a pair of slippers worn by Mary Harrison Williams at her wedding, a series of cards strung together on a string with Asian writing, and a piece of wedding cake from Harrison and Pauline Williams' wedding. Also of interest is a collection of railroad passes from 20 different railroads from the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Related Material

The Life, Ancestors and Descendents of Robert Williams of Roxbury, 1607-1693 , VREF 929.2 WILLIAMS; Legends of Loudoun: An Account of the History and Homes of a Border County of Virginia's Northern Neck , VREF 975.528 WIL; The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion , VREF 921 WILLIAMS JOHN; The End of the World: A Love Story , VREF Fiction EGG; Winslow Williams Photograph Collection (VC 003), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA; Biography File: Williams Family, Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Separated Material

Loudoun Museum in Leesburg, VA has the following Williams family items: a photograph of Mary Pearce Harrison, photograph of the Loudoun County courthouse by Winslow Williams, a wedding gown, and acetate and glass plate negatives donated by Winslow Williams.

Approximately 26 letters written by Griffin Stedman Williams to his parents during his service in the Civil War are held in the Southern Historical Collection at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Griffin Stedman Williams Papers, #1155-z, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Other Finding Aid

None

Technical Requirements

None