THOMAS WILLIAMS was born about 1758 in Georgia or Tennessee, and died June 05, 1835 in Williams Settlement, Rusk County, Texas, Coahuila, Mexico.  He married MARY (MARIA) PRISCILLA BROOKS about 1778 in Georgia or Tennessee.  She was born about 1756 in Georgia or Tennessee, and died July 07, 1834 in Williams Settlement, Rusk County, Texas, Coahuila, Mexico.

Notes for THOMAS WILLIAMS:

TAKEN FROM OLD NORTHWEST TEXAS, HISTORICAL-STATISTICAL-BIOGRAPHICAL, NAVARRO COUNTY, TEXAS 1846-1860 COMPILED BY NANCY SAMUELS AND BARBARA KNOX, PUBLISHED BY THE FORT WORTH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY.

"Thomas and Priscilla Williams, ages 77 and 79, respectively were enumerated on the Mexican census of the Municipality of Nacogdoches, presumably about 1835.  A census of the municipalities was begun in 1829 and continued for 7 years, and some members of this Williams family appear on more than one census, their ages varying somewhat.  Thomas Williams, age 73, and a child, William Williams, age 10, appear on the 1835 Williams Settlement census.  This settlement was probably on the Angelina River, in present Rusk County, where Thomas Williams, 2 sons, and a son-in-law located land certificates.  Thomas and Priscilla Williams are said to have been parents of at least three children, perhaps others:  1.  Leonard H. Williams,  2.  William Williams, and 3.  Mary "Polly" Williams.

Thomas and Priscilla Williams are said to have been in Red River County by about 1819 and in Nacogdoches Municipality by about 1822.  In the Bexar Archives (January 8, 1822) is a memorandum of the household of families 'who have passed this place (Nacogdoches) with their families since October 16, 1821.  Included are the names of Brooks Williams, Leodard (sic) Williams, William Williams, and Thomas Williams.  Was Brooks Williams another son of Thomas and Priscilla?

 References:  Marion Day Mullins 'First Census of Texas', op. cit, 1, 5, 6, 14, 16, 17, 19.  Guillermo Goen (on this census) was of no relation; he was a runaway slave, William Goyens; see 'Frontier Times' (June 1931), p. 416.  Other censuses:  1850 Rusk and Caldwell Counties, 1860 Hill and Limestone, 1870 Hill, 1880 Eastland.  RC&NCTxR1s; HCCCM; Mgs:  Hill, Nacogdoches, and Rusk Counties; 1855 School Census Limestone County; Cawyer and Hudson, 'Eastland County Cemetary Records', op. cit; photo of Thomas and Mary E. Williams tombstone, Merriman Cemetary, Eastland County, owned by compiler NTS; Pitts Cemetary and Historical Markers near Mount Calm, Hill County; Central Texas Genealogical Society 'McLennan County Cemetary Records, I: pp 99-100; II: 124, A.Y. Kirkpatrick, op. cit., pp. 15, 34-35; Indian Papers, op. cit., I: 136-137, 139, 174-175, 245-46, II: 117-21, 139, 270, 348, and many other references, III:24-26, 28, 34-35; HT, op.cit., 1:597, 643, 2:76, 914 (mention made that John S. Ford reported in 1846 that Leonard H. Williams had been killed by Comanches--an error); Bexar Archives (MSS., printed) University of Texas Library; 'Citizens of the Republic of Texas, op. cit., 195 (Hardwick information of Mrs. C.T. Henderson, Route 1, Box 980, Zavalla, Texas 75980); Williams family information for Dan Williams, 4212 Timbercrest, Waco, Texas 76705, also in 'Citizens of the Republic of Texas, pp. 479-480."

 FROM INFORMATION PROVIDED ME BY FLOYD SMITH

 According to Floyd Smith, Thomas Williams' will dated July 16, 1834 and codicil of June 5, 1835 is currently in the Nacogdoches Archieves.  Also his information on the Thomas Williams family came from family descendant Anita Jones Adler.  His death date is supposedly from William Elliott's diary which says he died July 3, 1835.

 "Thomas Williams, with his wife and 6 children, came to Texas in 1821 and settled on the west bank of the Angelina River about the present north line of Nacogdoches County, the league and labor surrounding his old home was granted to him by the Mexican Government, and around his old ranch home there grew up, with his family as a nucleus, what became known more than 100 years ago as "The Williams Settlement", the "Road to the Williams Settlement" leaving the northern end of North Street in Nacogdoches in a northwest direction.  The wife of Thomas Williams died there, and for a short time, he made his home with his son-in-law, William Elliott who then lived on the Williams League.  The children of Thomas Williams and his wife were:  John Williams, Brooks Williams, Leonard Williams, William Williams, Naoma Williams and Mary (Polly) Williams.  In 1827, Thomas Wiliams enlisted in the company raised by Peter Ellis Bean, then Indian Agent among the Cherokee for the Mexican government, with the title of colonel, for the purpose of quelling the Fredonian Rebellion headed by Martin Parmer and Hayden Edwards, in Nacogdoches.  According to Bean's testimony given in the application for the Thomas Williams League to the Mexican Government, Williams accompanied Bean in his chase of the fugitives to the Sabine River.

 On May 16, 1831, Thomas Williams , the father, sold his home on the Angelina River to his son-in-law, William Elliott, and one week later, May 23, 1831, he purchased from his son, Leonard Williams, 100 acres with a house, where he lived until his death, June 5, 1835.  Thomas Williams' will and Codicil were orignially filed in the Nacogdoches Archieves, and it is now on file among the probate papers in the Estate of Thomas Williams, deceased.

 FROM CENTRAL TEXAS GENEALOGICAL QUARTERLY, WACO, TEXAS, 1972, VOL. 15, NO. 1, JANUARY 1972

 WILLIAMS FAMILY RECORDS - SUBMITTED BY DAN WILLIAMS OF WACO, TEXAS

 These marriage, birth and death records were taken from Mexican Census of 1829-1835, Mexican land grant deeds, Yoakum's History of Texas, Texas State Archives, etc.

 Thomas Williams m. Priscilla Brooks in Georgia or Tenn 1780.

 BIRTHS

John Williams (Cherokee John) b. Tenn/Ga area

Brooks Williams b. Tenn/Ga area

William (Bill) Williams b. Tenn 1788

Leonard Williams b. Ga 1798

Mary Polly Williams b. Tenn 1802

Dorcas Williams b. Ga 1790

 MARRIAGES

Bill Williams and Mary Isaacs, 1818 (Cherokee 1/2 breed)

Leonard Williams and Nancy Isaacs, 1818 (Cherokee 1/2 breed)

Mary Polly Williams and William Elliott

Dorcas Williams and Henry Stockman

Bill Williams and Lucinda Bean (2nd wife)

Leonard Williams and Jane Ware, 1836 (2nd wife)

 DEATHS

Nancy Isaacs Williams d. 1835, Chief Bowles Cherokee Village

Leonard Williams d. 1854 buried in Mt. Calm Pitts Cemetery

Bill Williams d. 1892 Ranger, Texas

John Williams d. 1820s, killed by Indians, Nacogdoches area (see Jim Bowie and Big Mush, Cherokee Chief and Yoakum's History of Texas)

Brooks Williams, killed and scalped by the Indians on the east bank of Neches River east of Ft. Houston, April 1836 (see "Never Again by Wms.)

Thomas and Priscilla Brooks Williams died before 1850 in Nacogdoches area (burial place unknown).

 Col. Leonard Williams and Nancy Isaacs, 1818

B. 1798 Georgia             B.  1798 Tennessee

 BIRTHS

Sallie Williams b. 1819 Coah.-Texas, Mexico

Thomas Williams b. 1821 Coah. -Texas, Mexico

Priscilla Williams b. 1823 Coah. -Texas, Mexico

Polly Williams b. 1825 Coah. -Texas, Mexico

Leonard Houston Williams b. December 10, 1828 Coah. -Texas, Mexico

Melinda Williams b. 1832 Coah. -Texas, Mexico

Nancy Williams b. 1835 Coah. -Texas, Mexico

 Leonard Williams and Jane Ware (2nd wife) b. Arkansas, married 1828 (should be 1838)

 BIRTHS

Geo. W. Williams b. 1849 Republic of Texas

Hardy Brooks Williams b. 1847 Texas, U.S.A.

Katherine Williams b. 1849 Texas, U.S.A.

 MARRIAGES

Sallie Williams and Geo. Wilson

Thomas Williams and Mary Elizabeth Davis Ware, 1839

Priscilla Williams and Green Berry Hardwick 1840

Polly Williams and Henry Jeffrey, Oct. 10, 1837

Leonard H. Williams and Narcissus Jane Estes, Oct. 26, 1854

Melinda Williams and Job Crabtree 1848

Nancy Williams and Nathan Middleton 1850

Hardy Brooks Williams and Jane Richardson ?

Katherine Williams and W.H. Stockman, 1865

 DEATHS

Thomas WIlliams d. Mar 29, 1889, Ranger, Texas

Mary Ware Williams d. Nov. 21, 1886, Ranger, Texas

Priscilla Hardwick d. 1854, Hardwick Cem. Gholson

Green Berry Hardwick d. 1865, Hardwick Cem. Gholson

Polly Williams Jeffrey d. ?

Melinda Williams Crabtree d. 1852, Pitts Cem. Mt. Calm, Texas

Nancy Williams Middleton d. 1850 Pitts Cem. Mt. Calm, Texas (first white burial in the area)

Nathan Middleton d. Nov. 30, 1870 Pitts Cem. Mt. Calm, Texas

Job Crabtree d. 1850's Pitts Cem. Mt. Calm, Texas

Geo. W. Williams d. 1864 (Killed in Battle of Atlanta) - NOTE:  I dispute the fact he died at Atlanta, I believe instead he died at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee Nov. 30, 1864 and is buried at the McGavock Cem., Franklin, Tenneesse - currently under restoration and will be re-dedicated June 1996.

Hardy Brooks Williams d. 1925 Old Mt. Calm Cem.

Jane Richardson Williams d. ?, Dallas

Leonard Houston Williams d. March 1920, Old Mt. Calm Cem.

Narcissus J. Estes Williams d. 1916, Old Mt. Calm Cem.

Geo. Wilson, d. ?

Sallie Williams Wilson d. ?

W.H. Stockman d. ?

Katherine Williams Stockman d. ?

 Leonard H. Williams b. in Chief Bowles' Cherokee Indian Village near Nacogdoches, Coahuila-Texas, Mexico Oct. 28, 1828, married Narcissus Jane Estes b. Newton Co. Missouri Aug. 16, 1839

 Family Bible in possession of Mrs. Tant Williams, Mt. Calm, Texas, states as follows:  "It is not good that man should be alone.  I will make an helpmate for him.  This certifies that L.H. Williams and N.J. Estes were solemnly united by me in Holy Bonds of Matrimony at McLennan Co. on the 26th day of October, 1854.  What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.  In presence of J.C. Blackburn, Thos. Williams.  Signed by Wm. Blackburn, H.C. Night

 BIRTHS

Texana E. Williams b. Hill Co. Oct. 10, 1855

Aaron Estes Williams b. Hill Co. Oct. 23, 1858

Mollie Ellen Williams b. Hill Co. Aug. 30, 1864

Thomas G. Williams b. Hill Co. Mar. 21, 1867

Nancy Alice Williams b. Hill Co. Dec. 10, 1871

Ephrain Wilson Tant Williams b. Hill Co. Oct. 5, 1882

 MARRIAGES

Texana Ellen Williams and W.L. (Jip) Powell, Sept. 17, 1881

Molly E. Williams and Charles A. Zachary, Apr. 18, 1889

Nancy Alice Williams and James H. Caldwell, Dec. 10, 1890

E.W. (Tant) Williams and Lela Stanfield, Nov. 13, 1904

 DEATHS

Aaron Estes Williams d. Mar. 1869, Pitts Cem, Mt. Calm, Texas

Thomas G. Williams d. Oct. 13, 1886, Terrell, Texas

Texana E. Williams Powell d. Oct. 31, 1889, Powell Family Cem. Hubbard, TX

Pembroke (Tobe) Estes d. 1869 (killed Old Mt. Calm) Mt. Antioch Cem.

Green Berry Estes d. 1889 (killed Old Mexico by Martin Brigman-buried at Carritos Ranch, Chihuahua, Mexico)

Narcisus Jane Estes Williams d. 1916, Old Mt. Calm Cem.

Leonard H. Williams d. 1920, Old Mt. Calm Cem.

Nancy Alice Williams Caldwell d. 1955, Old Mt. Calm Cem.

Mollie Ellen Williams Zachary d. 1935, Old Mt. Calm Cem.

E.W. (Tant) Williams d. June 24, 1954, Old Mt. Calm Cem.

 From the Family Bible in possession of Mrs. Tant Williams, Mt. Calm, Texas

 E.W. (Tant) Williams and Lela Ann Stanfield m. Nov. 13, 1904 at Waco, Texas, Tant-b. Oct. 5, 1882, Hill Co, Texas and Lela b. Aug. 11, 1886, Hill Co., Texas

 BIRTHS

Maurice Ashby (Dick) Williams b. Mar 1906, Mt. Calm, Texas

Weldon Ray (Dan) Williams b. Jan. 30, 1910 Mt. Calm, Texas

Tant Williams, Jr. b. April 20, 1920 Mt. Calm, Texas

 MARRIAGES

Dick Williams and Cora Lee Fant, Waco, Texas 1924

Dick Williams and Hattie (Billie) Potter, Waco, Texas, 1927

Dan Williams and Mary Irene White, Marlin, Texas Oct. 24, 1931

Dick Williams and Bobbie Parsons, Dallas, Texas, 1937

Tant Williams Jr. and Doris Ozell Jones, Yuma, Arizona, 1941

 DEATHS

Cora Lee Fant Williams d. 1925, Old Mt. Calm Cem.

E.W. (Tant) Williams d. June 24, 1954, Old Mt. Calm Cem.

 From the Family Bible in possession of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Williams, 4212 Timbercrest, Waco, Texas

 Dan Williams b. Jan. 30, 1910, Hill Co, Texas and Mary Irene White, b. McLennan Co. Texas August 17, 1911, were married by Presiding Elder Ingran, Marlin, Texas Oct. 24, 1931

Family information from Anita Jones Adler.  Death death for Mary from William Elliot's diary.

From land deeds in Lawrence County, Arkansas, it appears the family was living in or around Cherokee lands along the White River from October 1813 until at least 1818 when they sold their land and moved to Pecan Point, along the Red River in Texas prior to settling in the Nacogdoches area.

NOTE: I do not know if Mr. Winfrey had Leonard's father mistaken for his brother or whether indeed there was another child, Thomas. As this is referenced, I believe it is a possibility, as thus far Thomas had no son Thomas, and during this time, most families had a son with the father's namesake.     

He was killed by the Cherokees for stealing horses he had previously sold them, according to information from Dan Williams (Williams family descendant) provided to Floyd Smith.  He is also mentioned in the papers concerned Robertson's Colony in Texas, Vol. XI, p. 252 - Malcolm McLean gives his death as 1835.  It is thought that he might have had a child but no records of a marriage have been found to date.

BROOKS WILLIAMS  was born about. 1791 in Georgia or Tennessee, and died April 07, 1836 in Coahuilia (Alto, Cherokee County, Texas), Mexico.  He married MARY ANN (POLLY) ELLIS before 1818. 

Notes for BROOKS WILLIAMS:

TAKEN FROM INFORMATION GIVEN TO ME BY FLOYD SMITH (PERHAPS WRITTEN BY DAN WILLIAMS, A WILLIAMS DESCENDANT)

"The second son of Thomas Williams was named Brooks Williams, who in his young manhood was rather wild, and had the reputation of being a gambler, and was at one time chased out of Stephen F. Austin's colony because of his gambling proclivities (Austin Papers, American Historical Association).  However, he settled down, obtained his headright league south of the San Antonio Road, near Fort Lacy, in Cherokee County, and there lived with his wife, Mary, and 7 children.  The children of Brooks and Mary Williams were:  Robert Williams, James Williams, Miranda Williams, Elizabeth Williams, Scithey Williams, Reynaldo Williams and Nancy Williams.

On April 7, 1836, Brooks Williams, who was then living a short distance from Fort Lacy, and a few miles from Chief Bowles' Village, was killed by the Cherokee and scalped in his cornfield, leaving his wife, Mary Williams, and their 7 children, the endest of which was Robert Williams, then 18 years of age.  They were left helpless and neighborless among the the savage Cherokee, at the time of the Runaway Scrape, when panic seized the inhabitants of Texas, between the time of the fall of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto, while Sam Houston and his army was retreating before the advance of Santa Anna.

This murder of Brooks Williams, Zaccheus Gibbs and others in that section was proof that the "runaway scrape" was not based merely upon wild rumor and fear, without foundation in fact, and shortly after the Battle of San Jacinto, Michael Costley, founder of the town of Douglass, became the captain of the First Company of Texas Rangers, by authority of President Sam Houston.  Among the privates of that company was the 18 year old son of Brooks and Mary Williams, Robert Williams, who enlisted in the service to avenge the death of his father at the hands of the savages.

Captain Michael Costley, in his discharge of Robert Williams, says: 'Robert Williams, a citizen of Texas and private in my company of Rangers, having completed a term of 3 months service in person and having strictly performed his duties in every respect as private aforesaid, is hereby honorably discharged.'  This is dated December 11, 1836.

On October, 1840, Mary Williams petitioned the Probate Court of Nacogdoches County for permission to sell a portion of the land of Brooks Williams 'which has been heretofore occupied by the family of said Williams, but owing to recent depredations committed upon them by the Indians, they have been compelled to abandon.  your petitioner futher represents that they cannot return unless they are permitted to make sale of a portion of said lands in order that they may procure neighbors to settle in the vicinity.'  Mary Williams afterwards married Henry Jeffery.

In 1838, Robert Williams made application before the Nacogdoches County Board of Land Commissioners for his league and labor of land, the witnesses used being 3 of this companions under Captain Costley:  Beverly Pool, Henry Jeffrey and Henry Myers.  Robert Williams was married to Vianna Ashworth on June 3, 1849."

MARY NAOMI WILLIAMS was born about 1797 in Georgia or Tennessee, and died before May 01, 1848 in Cherokee County, Texas.  She married    She married (1) JOHN WILLIAM WARE January 24, 1811 in  Arkansas, son of HARDY WARE and DRUCILLA HOUSE. He died 1834 in Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches, Republic of Texas.  She married (2) JAMES BRADSHAW.   She married (3) WILLIAM BURTON.