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194 |
Pioneer Recollections |
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Williamsburg |
Located on the west bank of Old Mans Creek, the little village whose Post Office was
named Stellapolis, was laid out as a town May 26, 1866. Situated in the south- west quarter of section 10 and the
southeast quarter of section 9, township 79, range 10, it was called Williams- burg in honor of its founder, Richard
Williams.
Mr. Williams gave several tracts of land to the town including the town park and the sites for the two
school buildings. He had four children, one son. John M. Wil- liams of Paso Robles, California; and three daughters,
Mrs. Lizzie Baxter, Mrs. Jennie Jones, and Mrs. Ed H. Jones. The latter was the mother of O. E. Jones and Charles Jones
of the Farmers Trust and Savings Bank of Williamsburg. Mrs. T. E. Lewis also of Williamsburg, Francis Jones and Ambrose
Jones residing in Idaho. Mr. Williams also had three step-children as Mrs. Wil- liams was married before
and had three children by her marriage to Mr. Pugh. These children were Richard Pugh, David Pugh, and Mrs. T. E.
Gittins.
The first store building was built by Page and Supple and they, with Roger Jones, W. R. Evans, J. E.
Jones George Fletcher, W. E. Evans, C. R. King, W. W. Hast- ings, W. M. Williams and Richard Williams were among the
first business men.
The first churches were the Welsh Congregational and the American Congregational. The Welch Congre-
gational was founded on October, 26, 1856, at the home of William Evans and the original members were: Mr. and
Mrs. Richard Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Levi H. Wil- liams, Mr. and Mrs. William Rowland, Mrs. John Wat- kins, Hugh C.
Evans and David H. Williams. Their first church, was a frame structure, built at a cost of about $1000.00. It was
dedicated in the fall of 1859 by the Rev. Evan J. Evans.
The American Congregational Church was organized in 1857, by the Rev. W. P. Gale, with seventeen
mem- bers. The building was constructed in 1871 at a cost of $1200.00 and Rev. Gale remained its pastor until 1862,
followed by Rev. B. T. Jones, Rev. W. A. Patten, and Rev. H. S. Clarke, who was in charge when the new building was
completed and until his death in 1873.
W. R. Evans was elected the first mayor of Williams- burg at an election held soon after it
was incorporated in 1885. The other officers were: E. M. Long, recorder; C. A. Tylor, assessor; Benjamin Harris,
J.E. Jones, W.G. |
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