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History

Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co. 1893. p. 253.

S. R. WILLIAMS

An enterprising resident of Eugene, was born in Greenbrier county, West Virginia, September 14, 1839. His parents, Elijah and Elizabeth (Hedrick) Williams, were natives of the same county, and there their ancestors had resided since the early settlement of the country. Mr. Williams received his earliest instruction in Virginia, and completed his education in Ohio, where he took the place of an educator at the age of eighteen years.

He enlisted in the service of the United States at Haymersville, Ohio, in January, 1862, becoming a member of Company I, Forty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Sullivan in command; the regiment was sent to the Department of Tennessee, and the first engagement was at Shiloh; after this battle Mr. Williams was taken seriously ill, and was honorably discharged in December, after which he returned to his home. He was married at Haymersville, Ohio, October 8, 1863, to Miss Sarah E. Thompson, and with the partial recovery of his health he resumed school teaching; he followed the profession in the public schools of Ohio, Iowa and Nebraska until the spring of 1880. At this period he took up agricultural pursuits in Fremont county, Iowa, but four years later removed to Dawson county, Nebraska, where he continued the same occupation until 1887. He next embarked in the mercantile trade at Cozad, Nebraska, and operated a store until 1889, selling out in that year. Soon after making this change he came to Oregon, and surveying the country from Puget sound to Sacramento, he located at Eugene where he built a factory and engaged in the manufacture of shingles; after one year, however, he sold out, and began to establish a real-estate business, handling all classes of insurance, loaning money, and performing the duties of a Notary Public, having been appointed to this office in 1890.

Mr. Williams resides at the corner of Twelfth and Hilliard streets, where he purchased a home in 1889. He and his wife have reared a family of four children: Carrie, John E., James A. and Nellie F.

For twenty-two years Mr. Williams has been a member of the Masonic order, first joining Bethel Lodge, No. 61, at Bethel, Ohio; now a member of Eugene City Lodge, No. 11, A. F. & A. M.; he is also a member of J. W. Geary Post, No. 7, G. A. R., and at the present time fills the office of Commander. This is the second Post in the State in point of numbers outside the city of Portland, having 111 members in good standing. Politically, our subject is identified with the Republican party, having cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. In his religious faith he has been a consistent Methodist since his fourteenth year.