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Williams, Rev. John Edward

Male 1863 - 1948  (84 years)


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  • Name Williams, John Edward 
    Prefix Rev. 
    Born 14 Aug 1863  New Haven, Gallatin County, Illinois, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3] 
    Gender Male 
    Occupation a cowboy  [4] 
    • In his youth, John was employed by some large cattle operations in Denver, Dodge, Cheyenne, and Montana.
    Occupation minister  [5] 
    • John was a pastor in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He frequently traveled long distances on horseback to serve his charges. Often working in rural or remote areas, John continued to farm and ranch, as did many itinerant preachers in the M. E. Church.
    Died 19 Jun 1948  Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [6, 7, 8, 9] 

    • The following is a transcription of an obituary for Rev. John E. Williams published on 20 June 1948 in the Oregon Statesman, of Salem, Oregon..

           "Funeral Set Tuesday for Rev. Williams--Funeral services for the Rev. John E. Williams, pioneer Methodist minister and Salem resident for eight years, who died in a local hospital Saturday, will be held at the First Methodist church Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.
           "Dr. Edward Wolfe, pastor of the Sunnyside Methodist church in Portland, will officiate and interment will be in the Jason Lee cemetery. Services will be under the direction of the W. T. Rigdon company.
           "Williams, a resident of 1112 Mill st., was born in Galliton [sic] county, Ill., Aug. 14, 1863, and spent his boyhood in that state. He was married to Lillian A. Minden, at Preston, Kan., in 1888, and the couple moved to Dayton, Wash. His widow survives.
           "Moving to Walla Walla, Wash., Williams served as a minister and farmed in the valley until 1892 when he joined the old Columbia River Methodist conference at The Dalles. The conference later merged with the Puget Sound Methodist conference to form the Pacific Northwest conference.
           "While a member of the Columbia River conference, Williams served his first pastorate with the Covella circuit in Washington. He came to Oregon in 1911, serving as pastor at Prineville. As a member of the Pacific Coast conference, Williams served churches in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Indiana and Kentucky. Before coming to Salem he was pastor at Banks, Ore.
           "Surviving beside his widow are three daughters, Mrs. A. A. Segersten of Lewiston, Idaho, Ethel L. Williams of Fossil, Ore., and Mrs. Frances L. Arant of Forest Grove; three sisters, Mrs. Jeff Triplett and Mrs. John Black of Lewiston and Mrs. O. E. Carter of Portland; a brother, Low Williams of Myrtle, Idaho; three grandchildren, William E. Durand of Tacoma, Wash., Mrs. R. L. Ettinger of Washington, D.C., and Mrs. C. A. Weaver of Stockton, Calif., and three great-grandchildren."
    Buried 22 Jun 1948  Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [10, 11] 
    • John was buried in the Lee Mission Cemetery (Section A, Block 28, Lot 02, Grave 08). He and his wife share a gravestone.
    Person ID I5514  Fiegenbaum
    Last Modified 11 Aug 2009 

    Father Williams, Mathew Souder,   b. 11 Nov 1830, Wood County, Virginia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Sep 1900, Lewiston, Nez Perce County, Idaho, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 69 years) 
    Mother Luther, Elizabeth Putnam,   b. 11 Oct 1835, Gallatin County, Illinois, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Mar 1900, Gifford, Nez Perce County, Idaho, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 64 years) 
    Married Gallatin County, Illinois, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [12] 
    • Details of the marriage are not known at this time.
    Family ID F2106  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Minden, Lillian Amelia,   b. 6 Apr 1870, Wapello, Louisa County, Iowa, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Oct 1948, Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years) 
    Married 20 Dec 1888  Preston, Pratt County, Kansas, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [13, 14, 15] 

    • The following is a transcription supplied by Sharon Lemkuil of a portion of a diary written by John E. Williams. Sharon has also supplied the editorial notes.

           "It was revealed to me in a dream one night who my bride should be. It made a profound impression on me. I had known the dear girl for years; we lived as neighbors. I knew that she was a perfect little Queen. But that she and I would ever wed, had never entered my thoughts before the dream vision. One beautiful June Sunday morning, when the flowers were blooming and the birds were sweetly singing, and all nature was clothed in her most beautiful garments, I was sitting in my Sunday school class, when suddenly my dream came to me like a flash, when a young lady of eighteen years, with a beautiful and perfect form, and oh such a lovely sweet face, and the loveliest beautiful brown eyes, she was the loveliest creature I had ever seen, entered the church. I looked up into her face, and oh such a captivating smile, it captured my heart and soul. She was the girl presented to me in my dream. I was almost overcome with the thought; could it be true that such a lovely girl was to become my wife? I hoped so. Was it just an ordinary dream? I hoped not. When the preacher began his sermon, I looked not at him but at her, and she smiled so beautifully. I remember nothing about the sermon. Not one word.
           "When the services were over I lost no time in getting to her pew, shook hands with her, and told her I was glad to see her. I was. Then she smiled a heart captivating smile, I was almost overcome. Such winning manners could not be described. It was her beautiful character, as well as her beautiful face, and form which gave her such magnetic charm.
           "I asked her if I might have the pleasure of her company to the song service which met at the church at three o'clock p.m. She accepted and it sent a thrill of joy all over me. At two-thirty I was at her home, buggy shining, I had two fine speedy horses, all slicked up. I drove at a two forty gate going up. But in coming back gave them plenty of time. She seemed to rather enjoy the slow driving. She said that she did not believe in driving horse hard; neither did I then. And I drove very slowly all the way back to her home. I did not want to offend her.
           "I asked to come again the next Sunday, and was accepted. I went, but it was my last time, at least for the present.
           "Her good parents objected for her to keep company with young men. I think that they knew what would happen if we continued to keep company together."

      Note: John had recently returned home and had become converted. Before that he had led the life of a true hardened cowboy, for three years never having been at a meal made by the hands of a woman. He worked Cheyenne, Dodge, Denver and Montana, almost dying in a blizzard which is when he decided to return home to his parents in Kansas.

           "But I determined to win her at any cost. So we began a correspondence until my dream became true. After we were engaged for quite a while, I met her one day coming to town on a mule, and while riding as close as I could to the mule with my horse, I attempted to kiss her, she being perfectly willing. It was more than an attempt. But I almost pulled her off the mule. It was a very narrow escape, and I do not recommend such tactics to others. It takes an expert to do it."

      Note: At this point John goes to see his family in Socorro, New Mexico where they had moved to from the Haynesville, Pratt County KS farm which John was working, but they didn't like it there. John went on to Dayton, Washington and recommended the country to his father who took the family there. Meanwhile, John returned to Kansas, asked Lillie to marry him immediately and to move to Washington, which they did.

           "I insisted that we get married as soon as possible. To this she agreed and on December the 20th 1888 we drove to Pratt Center, secured our license and drove back to Preston, went to the home of the Rev. J. W. Lowe, and were married about four o'clock. And lo my dream came true. And from that good day to the present, 1907, she has been as perfect a wife as any one could be. During all these years she has never shown bad temper nor spoke an unkind word to her most unworthy mate."

      Note: John's youngest brother was named Luther Lowe Williams, Luther for his mother's maiden name (they were of the same family as Martin Luther the Reformer, the line is from Martin Luther's first cousin), and Lowe most likely after this Rev. J. W. Lowe.
    Children 
     1. Williams, Blanche Elizabeth,   b. 1889,   d. Yes, date unknown
     2. Williams, Florence Willard,   b. 1891,   d. 1891  (Age 0 years)
     3. Williams, Ethel Lydia,   b. 13 Jun 1892,   d. Oct 1981  (Age 89 years)
     4. Williams, Frances Lillian,   b. 27 Dec 1893,   d. 1985, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 91 years)
    Last Modified 6 Aug 2018 
    Family ID F1780  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Sources 
    1. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), p. 110.
      John E. Williams was born in 1863. No place given.

    2. [S200] Sharon Lemkuil, Genealogical research, Email on 15 September 2008 to J. Mark Fiegenbaum.
      John Edwards Williams, son of Mathew Souder Williams and Elizabeth Putnam Luther, was born on 14 August 1863 at New Haven, Gallatin County, Illinois (confirmed in John E. Williams' diary).

    3. [S113] Web site, Lee Mission Cemetery. Burials. Revised 2006.
      (http://www.oregonpioneers.com/marion/Lee_W.html). Accessed in September 2008. Burial information and a transcription of the inscription on the gravestone for John E. Williams: WILLIAMS, John E. Rev.; b. 14 Aug 1863.

    4. [S200] Sharon Lemkuil, Genealogical research, Correspondence on 25 August 2008 to J. Mark Fiegenbaum.
      "John E. Williams was a pioneer homesteader in reservation country, Nez Perce County ID. ... In his early years he was a true cowboy, riding for the huge cattle concerns in Denver, Cheyenne and Montana."

    5. [S200] Sharon Lemkuil, Genealogical research, Correspondence on 25 August 2008 to J. Mark Fiegenbaum.
      "He was also a Methodist Episcopal Minister who had many congregations and traveled on horseback to reach more remote areas for meetings. He built churches. His daughter Ethel never married and was also an M. E. minister."
           See also a transcription of John E. Williams' obituary supplied by Sharon Lemkuil.

    6. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), p. 110.
      John E. Williams died in 1948. No place given.

    7. [S200] Sharon Lemkuil, Genealogical research, Email on 15 September 2008 to J. Mark Fiegenbaum.
      Rev. John Edwards Williams died on 19 June 1948 at Salem, Oregon.

    8. [S113] Web site, Lee Mission Cemetery. Burials. Revised 2006.
      (http://www.oregonpioneers.com/marion/Lee_W.html). Accessed in September 2008. A transcription of an obituary for Rev. John E. Williams published on 20 June 1948 in the Oregon Statesman, of Salem, Oregon.

    9. [S113] Web site, Lee Mission Cemetery. Burials. Revised 2006.
      (http://www.oregonpioneers.com/marion/Lee_W.html). Accessed in September 2008. Burial information and a transcription of the inscription on the gravestone for John E. Williams: WILLIAMS, John E. Rev.; d. 19 Jun 1948.

    10. [S113] Web site, Lee Mission Cemetery. Burials. Revised 2006.
      (http://www.oregonpioneers.com/marion/Lee_W.html). Accessed in September 2008. A transcription of an obituary for Rev. John E. Williams published on 20 June 1948 in the Oregon Statesman, of Salem, Oregon.
           "Funeral services for the Rev. John E. Williams, pioneer Methodist minister and Salem resident for eight years, who died in a local hospital Saturday, will be held at the First Methodist church Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.
           "Dr. Edward Wolfe, pastor of the Sunnyside Methodist church in Portland, will officiate and interment will be in the Jason Lee cemetery. Services will be under the direction of the W. T. Rigdon company."

    11. [S113] Web site, Lee Mission Cemetery. Burials. Revised 2006.
      (http://www.oregonpioneers.com/marion/Lee_W.html). Accessed in September 2008. Burial information and a transcription of the inscription on the gravestone for John E. Williams:
           WILLIAMS, John E. Rev.
           b. 14 Aug 1863
           d. 19 Jun 1948
           on headstone: "38 years a Methodist Minister"
           on marker with Lillie A. Williams
           location of grave: Section A, Block 28, Lot 02, Grave 08

    12. [S200] Sharon Lemkuil, Genealogical research, Email on 15 September 2008 to J. Mark Fiegenbaum.
      "Mathew’s father dies when he is "a lad" and at 20 years old he travels down the Ohio River by home-made houseboat with his sister and brother-in-law (names unknown) to Shawneetown, Gallatin County IL, where he works to buy 140 acres of government opened land. The Luther’s are also buying land here. He meets and marries Elizabeth Putman Luther, a daughter of Solomon Luther who can be traced back to the Luther family of Strasbourg Germany...."

    13. [S175] Frances Gretchen (Klein) Leenerts, Descendants of Father Fiegenbaum (Chinook, Washington: F. Leenerts, 2002), p. 110.
      John E. Williams and Lillie Amelia Minden were married. No date or place given.

    14. [S200] Sharon Lemkuil, Genealogical research, Email on 15 September 2008 to J. Mark Fiegenbaum.
      John Edwards Williams and Lillian "Lillie" Amelia Minden were married on 20 December 1888 at Preston, Pratt County, Kansas.

    15. [S200] Sharon Lemkuil, Genealogical research, Email on 15 September 2008 to J. Mark Fiegenbaum.
      A transcription supplied by Sharon Lemkuil of a porton of a diary written by Rev. John E. Williams. Sharon also supplied editorial comments.


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