DAVID POWELL WILLIAMS
County and City Shocked By His
Untimely Death D. Powell Williams, Johnson County Jailer, died at the
Paintsville Hospital at 5:30 o’clock Tuesday afternoon soon after
having been stuck by a train near his home at West Van Lear.
Mr.
Williams, who celebrated his 55th birthday on St Valentine’s Day last
month, was one of the county’s most prominent and beloved public
officials, the accident, which took his life, occurred while he was
taking his cow across the railroad tracks to a watering place on the
property of Scott Duncan, a neighbor. The train, which struck him,
consisted of only an engine and caboose. Mr. Williams was knocked
several yards by the impact of the engine, and was thrown onto a
track parallel with that on which the train was traveling. His
glasses were found in pieces where Mr. Williams was picked up by the
train crew. The frames of the glasses were found on the cowcatcher
of the engine. The blow which caused his death was at the base of his
skull. He had other bruise on his forehead. He was taken by the
train crew to the depot at West Van Lear from where an ambulance
removed him to the hospital. He was rendered unconscious by the blow
and died without regaining his senses.
A native of Johnson County,
Mr. Williams was born on Rush Fork of Tom’s Creek.
He was the son of
Mr. And Mrs. John Williams.
His father, known, as “Blind John
Williams:” died about a year ago His mother, who was Miss Malissa
Tackett before her marriage, died some ten years ago. Only last
summer Mr. Williams had moved his family from his Turner Branch farm
to the Capt. John Duncan farm at West Van Lear. After his election
to the office of jailer he bought the place and was planning to make
it into a beautiful home where he would spend the rest of his days.
Mr. Williams had lived in this county all his life except a few years
when he was connected with the North East Coal Company store at
Auxier. He worked for the Consolidation Coal Company at Van Lear
and, with K. B. Williams had operated the grocery store on College
Street. At the time of his death was a partner in the Paintsville-
Van Lear Bus Company with Charley Williams. He had been Chief of
Police of Paintsville, and in 1933 made the race for County Jailer,
Defeated by a small majority in that race he entered the race for
sheriff in 1937 and lost by less than 100 votes Mr. Williams was one
of the most beloved public men in the Big Sandy Valley. He had a
pleasant smile and a friendly handshake for everyone he met and
perhaps had not a single enemy among his acquaintance. He was a
member of the Christian Church and a Mason. His entire family, whom,
he loved devotedly, is broken with grief Mr. Williams married Miss
Malta Stambaugh, daughter of the late Troy Stambaugh and Mary Witten
Stambaugh.
Beside his wife, Mr. Williams is survived by three
daughters, Nina Williams at home, Mrs. Henry Strickline, Paintsville,
and Mrs. Bacon R. Sherman, Thealka, and a son David Powell Williams,
Jr. at home; brothers Frank Williams, Floyd County and Cecil
Williams, Sitka.
Funeral Services are to be held at the Mayo Memorial
Church at 1 o’clock Friday afternoon.
Burial is to be in the family
cemetery at Stambaugh on Tom’s Creek.
Paintsville Herald
Thursday
3-5-1942
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LARGE CROWD ATTEND FUNERAL RITE FOR D. POWELL WILLIAMS
Funeral
services for David Powell Williams Jailer of Johnson County were held
in the Mayo Methodist Church in Paintsville, Ky., on March 7, 1942,
at 1:30 P.M. with Reverend C. S. Honeycutt minister of the Church of
Christ. Officiating.
The funeral was the largest ever attended in
this city and the beautiful floral offering were many and an evidence
that Powell was loved and respected by his kinsmen and friends. Some
one has truly said, “ if you wish to have friends, first be friendly,
and in this virtue we think no one excelled more than Brother Powell.
After the funeral service, the body was taken to the Stambaugh
Cemetery at Stambaugh, Ky., and interment was made there.
Surviving
Mr. Williams are his wife, Mrs. Malta Williams, three daughters, Nina
Williams, Mrs. Henry Stricklin and Mrs. Clarence Sherman, also one
son, David Powell Williams, Jr., and two grandsons, Forest Roger
Williams and David Lee Stricklin. Active pallbearer were Lowell
Phillips, Oakley Sparks, Russell Dobbins, Herbert Conley, John Fred
Williams, Roy Melvin, Clarence (Slick), Melvin, Ernest Meek and
Clarence Preston.
Honorary pallbearer were: W. J. Ward, Don C. Van
Hoose, Lonza Reed, Randall Daniel, Judge J. F. Bailey, J H. Cooper,
Lester Adam, W B. Bailey, W. H. McKenzie, J. Douglas Turner, Ray
Turner, M O Wheeler, H M Howard, Herbert Ward, D H. Dorton, W. M.
Burgess, Frank Chandler, J. H. Frail, M. M. Minix, Chas. W. Williams,
V. S. Williams, O. F. Williams and G. C. Wells.
Paintsville Herald
Thursday
3-12-1942
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JUDGE WARD TO APPOINT JAILER’S WIDOW
Judge W. J. Ward
announced Wednesday that he will appoint Mrs. Malta Williams, widow
of Powell Williams, as jailer of Johnson County.
Paintsville Herald
Thursday
3-12-1942