He was born in 1825/26, in Monmouth, Wales. [sources: date: 2 (35 in 1861), 6 (33 in 1860), 8 (38 at death in 1864), 11 (30 in 1861). place: 2, 6, 8]
On 10 October 1850, he married Sarah Ann Quinn. She was born in 1827/28, in Albany, New York; she was apparently descended from Elizabeth Quinn. Reverend Orson Douglas married them; the marriage record was held by the Mariner's Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They apparently had at least three children:
[sources: 6, 11, 13]
In 1860, he was living in ward 1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with Sarah (presumably his wife), and with John and Edward (presumably their children), Elizabeth Quinn, and with one other person. He was a bricklayer, and owned $100 in personal property. [source: 6]
When he enlisted, he was a bricklayer. [sources: 2, 11]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 6-1/2 inches tall, had a dark complexion, dark eyes, and dark hair. [source: 2, 11 (5'6", dark complexion, black eyes, black hair)]
He enlisted and was mustered into service for three years in company E on 6 September 1861, at Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He was enlisted by Captain Lentz, and mustered into service by Captain Starr. [sources: 1, 2, 11 (mustered in on 9 September), 15]
In the 1861 election, he was part of a group taken to vote by Alderman Lentz, apparently on Dickerson Street, between Seventh and Eighth, in the Eighth Precinct, First Ward. [source: 5]
On 12 April 1862, he was quartered in a large house opposite the capital, in a room with Henry Mathers (E) and Francis Harrigan (E) (14).
In September-October 1862, he (allegedly) contracted heart disease, from three days and nights service on picket duty, after the Battle of Antietam. [source: 11]
He was discharged on 24 November 1862 on surgeon's certificate of disability, at Camp near Sharpsburg, Maryland. He had been unfit for duty fifty days of the last two months. He was discharged 'because of valvular disease of the heart which materially interferes with marching and prevents anything like violent exercise', according to John Young, assistant surgeon in charge of the 91st Pennsylvania. He was a private, in company E. [sources: 1, 2, 3, 11 (22 or 23 Nov), 15]
On 17 December 1864, he died, of hypertrophy of heart. The death occurred suddenly; according to his physician the symptoms were mainly catarrh. His physician said his heart disease was 'greatly aggravated, if not originally produced, by hardship & exposure in the army'. He died at, or was buried from, his late residence, 125 Siegle Street, ward 1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was married. He was a soldier. On 21 December 1864, he was buried, at Mutual Ground. Members of the Southern Lodge, Number 41, International Order of Odd Fellows, were invited to attend the funeral. [sources: 8, 10 (Wednesday), 11]
On 20 March 1869, his widow, Sarah A Williams, successfully applied from Pennsylvania for a pension, under the Act of 14 July 1862 and the Act of 25 July 1866. Her post office address was 125 Seigel Street, Philadelphia. Her application was accepted in May 1869, and a certificate dated 24 May 1869 was issued for $8 per month, retroactive to 17 December 1864, and $2 per month for each child under sixteen, retroactive to 25 July 1866. John L Graham testified supporting her application. [sources: 4, 9, 11]
In 1870, his widow, Sarah Williams, was living in ward 1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was living with John and Joseph (presumably her children), and with Elizabeth Quinn. [source: 7]
On 15 December 1875, the Pension Bureau instructed the pension agent to suspend payment, presumably because of the problems with execution of documents that led other pensions to be suspended (and which we know affected Francis Register's clients). On 24 January 1876, they instructed the pension agent to resume payment. [source: 11]
In 1880, his widow, Sarah Williams, was living at 1425 Rye, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was living with her greatgrandmother Elizabeth Quinn, her son John and his wife and child, and (probably) her son Joseph. [source: 12]
On 3 November 1898, his widow, Sarah A Williams, died, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She died of uraemia. She died at, or was buried from, 624 Mountain Street, ward 1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 6 November 1898, she was buried, at Mutual Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 13]
On 31 December 1901, Sarah A Williams was dropped from the pension rolls. She had last been paid through 4 August 1898, at $12 per month. [source: 11]
Contact [email protected] if you have information about James Williams!
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster)
2 descriptive roll, company E, entry 80 (James Williams)
3 company E, register of men discharged, number 12 (James Williams)
4 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company E (James Williams)
5 'The Sheriff contested election case', Philadelphia Press Monday 23 June 1862 page 4 (James Williams)
6 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 1, precinct 8, microfilm series M653, film 1151, page 392 = 132 handwritten (James Williams)
7 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 1, division 10, microfilm series M593, film 1387, page 407 = 128 handwritten (Sarah Williams)
8 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 17 December 1864 (James Williams)
9 pension index by name (James Williams)
10 death notice, Public Ledger 20 December 1864 page 2 (James Williams)
11 widow's pension certificate file, certificate WC 129,558, Sarah Ann Quinn widow of James Williams, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15 (Sarah Ann Quinn widow of James Williams)
12 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, enumeration district 12, microfilm series T9, film 1166, page 165 = 9 A handwritten FamilySearch (Sarah Williams)
13 death certificate, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 3 November 1898 (Sarah A Williams)
14 letter, Henry Mathers to his mother, 12 April 1862, in her pension certificate file (Williams)
15 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (James Williams)
| line | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| Dwelling number | 958 | |||||
| Family number | 1090 | |||||
| Name | James Williams | Sarah G " | John " | Edward " | Elizabeth Quinn | Ellen Smith |
| Age | 33 | 32 | 8 | 3/12 | 73 | 19 |
| Sex | m | f | m | m | f | f |
| Color | ||||||
| Occupation | Bricklayer | |||||
| Value of real estate owned | ||||||
| Value of personal estate | 100 | |||||
| Place of birth | Wales | N. York | Penna | " | Ireland | England |
| Married within year | ||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | |||||
| Cannot read & write | 1 | |||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 |
| Dwelling-house number | 349 | |||
| Family number | 359 | |||
| Name | Williams Sarah | - John | - Joseph | Quinn Elizabeth |
| Age | 41 | 18 | 6 | 82 |
| Sex | F | M | M | F |
| Color | W | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Keeping House | Laborer | At School | Retired |
| Real estate value | ||||
| Personal estate value | ||||
| Birthplace | New York | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Ireland |
| Father foreign born | 1 | 1 | ||
| Mother foreign born | 1 | 1 | ||
| Birth month if born within year | ||||
| Marriage month if married within year | ||||
| Attended school past year | 1 | |||
| Can't read | ||||
| Can't write | ||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | ||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | ||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
| line | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| street name | Rye | |||||
| house number | 1425 | |||||
| dwelling visit # | 71 | |||||
| family visit # | 71 | |||||
| name | Quinn Elizab | Williams Sarah | " John A | " Mary Z | " Josephine | " James B |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | F | F | M | F | F | M |
| [in line 29, 'F' is written above a crossed-out 'M'] | ||||||
| age | 100 | 50 | 28 | 29 | 16 | 4 |
| month born if born in year | ||||||
| relationship | G Grand mother | Son | Daughter in law | Son | ||
| [in line 29, 'Son' is crossed out] | ||||||
| single | 1 | |||||
| married | 1 | 1 | ||||
| widowed/divorced | 1 | 1 | ||||
| married during year | ||||||
| occupation | Housewife | Stevedore | Housewife | |||
| months unemployed | ||||||
| currently ill? | ||||||
| blind | ||||||
| deaf/dumb | ||||||
| idiotic | ||||||
| insane | ||||||
| disabled | ||||||
| school this year | ||||||
| can't read | 1 | |||||
| can't write | 1 | |||||
| birthplace | Ireland | N. York | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| father's birthplace | Ireland | Ireland | Wales | Penna | Wales | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Ireland | Ireland | N. York | Penna | N. York | Penna |
WILLIAMS--On the 17th instant, Mr. JAMES WILLIAMS, aged 38 [??] years
The relatives and friends of the family, also the members of Southern Lodge, No 41, I O of O F, are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, from his late residence, No 125 [?] Seigel [sic] street, on Wednesday afternoon the 21st [?] inst, at 2 o'clock