Harlow Wheaton WILLIAMS

1826 - 1909  (82 years)

• Name	Harlow Wheaton WILLIAMS  [2]
  	"History and Biographical Record of Branch County, Michigan": HARLOW W. WILLIAMS From the age of ten years harlow W. Williams has been a resident of Coldwater. Almost seventy years have come and gone since that time and great changes have occurred within this period as the county has emerged from pioneer conditions to take its place as the center of an advanced civilization. Log cabins have given place to commodious and attractive homes, churches and schools have been built, business enterprises introduced and the land has been converted from a wild tract into richly productive fields. Mr. Williams has not only witnessed all this change, but has taken an active part in the development of the county, and his labors have resulted beneficially for the community. A native of the Empire state, Mr. Williams was born in Royalton township, Niagara county, New York, April 16, 1826. His father, Elisha Williams, was a native of Massachusetts and was there reared. In early life he learned the trade of a hatter, cooper and carpenter and joiner and shoemaker and he was naturally a mechanic, so that he was well qualified to do various kinds of labor. He was married in Massachusetts to Siba Parmalee, a native of Connecticut, and they located in Victor, Ontario county, New York, whence they afterward removed to Royalton, Niagara county, and later to Erie county. The year 1836 witnessed their removal to Coldwater. They reached their destination on the 11th of October, and Mr. Williams assisted largely in building up the town. Being a carpenter and joiner, he erected some of the first houses in this place and contributed in substantial measure to the growth and development of the city. He lived to be eighty-three years of age, while his wife passed away when about fifty-five years of age. They were the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters, all of whom reached adult age, married and reared families of their own. Harlow W. Williams, the youngest of the family and the only one now living, was but ten years of age when he came to Branch county, locating with his parents in Coldwater. Here he was reared, acquiring his education in the pioneer schools of te village. His mother died when he was but fifteen years of age, and he then started out in life on his own account, working at anything which he could get to do. He followed both carpentering and coopering, also did painting and other work, for he seemed to have inherited his father's natural mechanical ingenuity, and was also instructed by him in various branches of labor. He began contracting when a young man, and his life of intense activity continued through many years, but now he is enjoying a well earned rest. On the 11th of August, 1846, Mr. Williams was united in marriage to Mss Loisa Carter, a daughter of Benoni and Hannah (Mansfield) Carter, and a native of Monroe county, New York. Her birth occurred in Penfield, October 28, 1830. In the year in which their marriage occurred, Mr. and Mrs. Williams located in Quincy, where he engaged in carpentering as a contractor and builder. He lived in that city for about fifteen years, and in Butler for ten years, making his home on the farm and at the same time continuing his building operations. In 1872 he became overseer of the county farm, which position he filled until 1877, when he was appointed superintendent of the poor by the board of supervisors, and acted in tat capacity for three years. he was chairman of the board, and in the discharge of his official duties he was ever prompt, faithful and reliable. In 1877 he took up his abode again in Coldwater, where he now resides, living retired at the present time. He has contributed in large measure, however, to the substantial improvement of the county, which he has seen developed from its primitive condition. He has erected many school houses and residences and has built many bridges. He has put up a number of houses in Coldwater for himself, selling them on the installment plan, and at one time he was also engaged in the livery business here. He has likewise had other interests, and in the control of his varied business affairs he has shown keen discrimination, strong executive ability and unbounded perseverance. Now in possession of a handsome competence, acquired through his well directed labors, he is enjoying a rest which is richly merited. In his political views Mr. Williams has always been a staunch Republican since the organization of the party, and has held a number of local offices. He was supervisor of Butler township until he resigned , and was treasurer of Quincy township for about two years. He has always been interested in public affairs, and his labors have been resultant factors in promoting the welfare and growth of this part of the state, where he has now lived for a period of sixty-nine years. His acquaintance is wide and he enjoys the respect of young and old, rich and poor. [1]
  Birth	16 Apr 1826	Royalton, Niagara Co., New York   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Census	1850	Living in Quincy, Branch Co., Michigan   [3]
  Census	1860	Living in Coldwater, Branch Co., Michigan   [4]
  Census	1870	Living in Butler, Branch Co., Michigan   [5]
  Census	1880	Living in Coldwater, Branch co., Michigan   [6]
  Census	1900	Living in Coldwater, Branch Co., Michigan   [7]
  Death	19 Mar 1909	Coldwater, Branch Co., Michigan   [2]
  Burial	21 Mar 1909	Oak Grove Cemetery, Coldwater, Branch Co., Michigan   [2]
  Person ID	I72670	Main Tree
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2013

  
  

  Father	Elisha WILLIAMS,   b. 26 Aug 1773, Stonington, New London, Connecticut, USA d. Nov 1855, Quincy, Branch Co., Michigan (Age 82 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Siba PARMELEE,   b. 26 Jan 1783, Killingworth, Middlesex Co., Connecticut d. 3 Aug 1841, Quincy, Branch Co., Michigan (Age 58 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Marriage	18 Aug 1799	Massachusetts
  Family ID	F29409	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Lousia Desire CARTER,   b. 28 Oct 1829, Penfield, Monroe Co., New York d. 31 Dec 1905, Coldwater, Branch Co., Michigan (Age 76 years)
  Marriage	11 Aug 1846	Quincy, Branch Co., Michigan   [2]
  Family ID	F29415	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	20 Jul 2013

  
  

• Event Map

  Census - 1860 - Living in Coldwater, Branch Co., Michigan Census - 1880 - Living in Coldwater, Branch Co., Michigan Census - 1900 - Living in Coldwater, Branch Co., Michigan  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S5628] Rev. Henry P. Collin, M.A., "A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Branch County, Michigan", (The Lewis Publishing Company - New York: Chicago - 1906). [S5612] Charles E. Sibre, "Register for Elisha Williams III" 2012-03-23. [S5322] 1850 Census Quincy, Branch County, Michigan. [S5624] 1860 Census Coldwater, Branch County, Michigan. [S5626] 1870 Census Butler, Branch County, Michigan. [S5627] 1880 Census Coldwater, Branch County, Michigan. [S00825] 1900 Census Coldwater, Branch County, Michigan.