William Hastings Williams
William Hastings Williams | |
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| Born | February 24, 1776 |
| Died | December 9, 1866 (aged 90) |
| Resting place | Williamsville Old Cemetery |
| Other names | Captain Bill |
| Occupation | Merchant |
| Known for | Founder of Williamsville, Vermont |
| Spouse | Abigail Robinson m.1802-1821 Rosanna Miller m.1826-1866 |
| Children |
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| Parents |
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William Hastings "Captain Bill"Williams (1776-1866) was born in Chester, Massachusetts, as the latest generation of a somewhat prominent military family, dating back to mid 17th century Marlborough.
Contents
Throughout his life he was a miller - operating grist and sawmills - merchant, manufacturer, and member of the Masonic lodge.
He eventually settled and lived out his life outside of Newfane, Vermont, in Williamsville, which bears his namesake.
Biography
Early life
Williams was the eighth child of Larkin Williams and Anne Warren - Larkin died in 1781, when young William was only five years old. As a young man, he went on to learn and work in cloth dressing, in Chester and beyond.
Time in Vermont
Williams moved from Massachusetts to Newfane in October, 1797. Soon after, he began working at the oil and textile works of Darius and Thomas Wheeler. In 1801, he purchased the operations from the Wheelers and began to expand, milling corn and wheat.
It was in Newfane where he met his first wife, Abigail Robinson. The two would be married in 1802 and remained so until her death in 1821.
War of 1812
During this time, Williams saw his wealth grow considerably as he was engaged to produce potash and woolen cloth to support the War efforts. Consequently, he began to expand operations in now Williamsville, erecting a sawmill, flour mill, carding machine, and general store.
Legacy
Williams, his wives, and five generations of descendants are buried in Williamsville Cemetery [1] . A number of living descendants also live full or part-time in the area.
The building which housed the general store still stands, now renovated and repurposed as a restaurant [2] . Remains of the grist mill and mill pond along the Rock River can still be seen, though each suffered extensive damage following hurricanes in 1938 and Hurricane Irene [3] [4] , respectively.
Williams' former home remains and is located near the intersection of Dover and Depot Road.
References
- ↑ "William Hastings "Capt Bill" Williams (1776-1866)..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
- ↑ Pollak, Sally. "The Williamsville Eatery Brings a 19th-Century General Store Back to Life". Seven Days. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
- ↑ Goodnough, Abby (2011-08-31). "Town Draws Together in the Midst of Losses". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved 2025-06-25.
- ↑ Potter, Jeff; Peters, Olga; Galloway, Anne (2011-08-30). "Irene causes worst flooding in decades in southern Vermont". VTDigger. Retrieved 2025-06-25.