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m. 21 Jun 1877
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| Born |
Est 1857 |
Pittsylvania County, Virginia  |
| Died |
Yes, date unknown |
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| Buried |
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| Father |
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| Mother |
|
| Born |
1878 |
Pittsylvania County, Virginia |
| Died |
13 Dec 1932 |
Pittsylvania County, Virgiia |
| Buried |
|
Chatham, Virginia |
| Born |
3 Mar 1893 |
Virginia |
| Died |
4 Nov 1964 |
Chatham, Virginia |
| Buried |
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Chatham Burial Park, Chatham, Virginia |
| Born |
25 Sep 1881 |
Virginia |
| Died |
22 Oct 1961 |
Alexandria, Virginia |
| Buried |
|
Holy Cross Cemetery, Lynchburg, Virginia |
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| Sources |
- [S126] United States Archives, http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/pittsylvania/obits/1914/w4520000.txt.
THOMAS NEAL WILLIAMS
Thomas Neal Williams was born on April 11, 1854 at "Homewood" on Sandy River in Pittsylvania county, near Brosville, and died on December 15, 1914 at "Wayside" near Whitmell, a few miles from his birthplace. He was descended from a long line of ancestors distinguished for their service to the Colony, State and Nation from early Colonial period. His father was Colonel Robert Walker Williams, who was a son of Colonel James Mastin Williams, of near Pickaway, Pittsylvania Co, Va who before the Revolution was Crown surveyor of the Colony of Virginia, appointed by George Third of England, and who on the braking out of the war for Independence entered the Colonial Army as a private and rose steadily to the rank of Captain and after the war to Colonel of State Militia. His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Pocahontas Martin, a daughter of Colonel William Martin of "Greenwood" Henry County, Va and granddaughter of General Joseph Martin of the Revolutionary Army who was distinguished for gallantry in the battle of King's Mountain. Mr Williams was the fourth son of his parents. His early youth was passed near Brosville and his early training was received at the "Oldfield's Schools" of his native county, notably at the old Brick Academy at Cascade. About 1870 he went to Richmond to live with his brother-in-law and cousin, D.T. Williams and while there attended Richmond College and later became a student at William & Mary College at Williamsburg where he was elected president of the College Literary Society and also Captain of the Military Company of Cadets then maintained at this historic old school. About 1875 he was appointed to the position of Deputy Sheriff of Pittsylvania Co by Mr James H Collie, Sheriff, and later by the late
sheriff W I Overby, and in the performance of the duties of this office he traveled all over the county and made scores of firm and lifelong friends. In 1885 Mr. Williams was appointed by President Cleveland to the position of Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue for the counties of
Pittsylvania, Henry, Franklin and adjoining counties and engaged in the collection of revenues and the supression of the illicit whiskey traffic.
On the change of administration in 1889 Mr. Williams retired to his farm "Wayside" near Whitmell where the next four years were spent very
sucessfully in farming and the management of his several plantations, and descended as he was from a long line of practical planters and landowners, inherited a passionate fondness for the farm and country life. On the re-election of Mr. Cleveland in 1893, Mr Williams was again appointed to a position in the Internal Revenue Service, this time being made Special Raiding Deputy and assigned to the States of Virginia and North Carolina and to parts of the States of Tennessee and West Virginia. In the performance of this duty he was often exposed to the greatest personal danger and was ever distinguished for his cool daring, bravery and fearlessness and for the faithful performance of his duty. General Fitzhugh Lee and Colonel W H Chapman, the latter a distinguished follower of Colonel John S Mobsy with whom Mr Williams was associated in the government service both declared Mr Williams to be one of the bravest and coolest men, in places of danger, that they had ever seen. On the retirement of the Democratic Administration in 1897 he again
retired to his farm where the remainder of his life was spent in the cultivation and supervision of his plantations, and as success came to him, he constantly added to his holdings of land and was one of his native counties largest landowners. A farm was to him the most attractive place on earth.
Mr. Williams home life was a happy one. On June 21, 1877 he was married to Miss Pattie Green Jennings, third daughter of Joseph Jennings of near Swansonville, Va and to this union the following children were born. David T Williams of Chatham, Va.; Mrs Joseph F Roberts of Charlotte, N.C.; Mrs. Howard Randolph Gano of Richmond, Va.;
Dr. James Neal Williams of Clifton Forge, Va and George Cabel Williams and Hamilton Sheppard Williams, both of Pittsylvania County. Reported in the Bee Register, Danville Va
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