Individual Details

Land

County Clerk - Toulon, Illinois
From: United States, to William S. Williams
Certificate of entry - April 11, 1849
SW ¼ sec.30T14NR8E (4^th) PM - 122.92 Bureau Co. Ill.

Census-shared

p. 93
William S. Williams 63 farmer 600 b. NJ
Elizabeth 43 b. NJ
Matthias 21 b. ILL
John 19 b. ILL
Elizabeth E. 16 b. ILL
William 14 b. ILL
Jacob 12 b. ILL
Jesse 10 b. ILL
Catherine A. 7 b. ILL
Daniel 2 b. ILL

Land

William S. Williams - Bureau County, Illinois, August 21, 1857 to Robert C. Benson, Knox County, Illinois. 42 acres on north side of SW ¼ sec. 30T14
Robert C. and Ruth Benson, Knox County, Illinois, December 13, 1863, to William S. Williams, Bureau County, Illinois. 42 acres
William S. and Elizabeth Williams of Bureau County, Illinois, for 800; May 20, 1863 acknowledged in Stark County, Illinois, before J.B. Russell.
To Nicholas Sturm, Stark County Illinois, same 42 acres to Anna M. Terwilliger, February 17, 1866

Land

Certificate of levy - December 17, 1857 - Benjamin Lambard vs. William S. Williams - Land to be sold to pay debts -
E ½ of SW ¼ sec. 30T14NR8. Judgment $1,035.96

Census-shared

p. 361 2505/2582
Willm S. Williams, 73, farmer, 500/100, New Jersey
Elizabeth, 55, New Jersey
William, 25, farmer, ___/500, IL
Jacob, 23, IL
Jessee, 20, IL
Catherine, 18, IL
Daniel, 12, IL
Joel, 9, IL

Military

Civil War - Co. B, 64 Illinois Inf., Corporal
Enl. 28 Sep 1861
Disch. 11 July 1865

Military

In 1861 Mr. Williams joined the Co. "B", 64^th Illinois Volunteer infantry, Yates sharpshooters of Yates City, Illinois and served until the end of the war. Thus for almost four years he fearlessly and faithfully served his country. He has been a loyal member of Lew Wallace Post, No. 50, G.A.R. [Grand Army of the Republic], for 25 years, being one of its charter members. [Lew Wallace was a general]

Mustered out in 1865.

More info on 64th Regiment:
http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UIL0064RI

Military

Company Muster-in Roll
William Williams, Pvt., Capt. Stipp's Co., 1 Batt'n S. S. Ill. Vols.
Age 26 years.
Camp Butler near Springfield, Ill., Nov. 1, 1861
Joined for duty and enrolled:
Sept. 28
Where - Princeton
Period - 3 years.
*This organization subsequently became Co. B, 64 Reg't Ill. Inf.

Company Muster Roll -- William Williams, Pvt.
Enlistment 1861 to Feb. 28, 1862 - Present
Mar & Apr 1862 - Absent on sick furlough for 20 days commencing Apr. 14, 1862
May & June 1862 - Present
July & Aug 1862 - Present
Aug. 18, 1862 - Present
Sept. & Oct 1862 - Present
Nov & Dec 1862 - Present
Jan & Feb 1863 - Present
Mar & Apr 1863 - Present
May & Jun 1863 - Present
Jul & Aug 1863 - Present
Sept & Oct 1863 - Present
Nov & Dec 1863 - Present

Detachment Muster-Out Roll
Pulaski, Tenn., Jan. 9, 1864
Last paid to Oct. 31, 1863
Clothing acct:
Last settled Nov. 1, 1863; drawn since $7.20
Bounty due $100.00
Remarks: Mfo. by virtue of reenlistment as Vet Vol under YO #191, series 1863, War Dept.

Volunteer Enlistment

I, William Williams, born in, Canton, Fulton Co., in the state of Illinois, aged 28 years, and by occupation a Soldier.

Do hereby acknowledge to have volunteered this 31st day of January, 1864 to serve as a Soldier, in the Army of the United States of America, for the period of Three Years, unless sooner discharged...

Sworn and subscribed to at Pulaski,Tenn. before Thos. C. Fullerton, Capt. 64th, Ill. Vol. Inf.

This soldier has grey eyes, brown hair, dark complexion, is 6 feet 1 inches high.

Mustered into the service of the United States in Company B, 64th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers on the 9th day of January 1864 at Pulaski, Tenn.

Re-enlisted, last served in Company B 64th Regiment of Illinois Infantry Volunteers. Discharged January 1st, 1864.

Muster and Descriptive Roll of Veteran Volunteers
William Williams, Pvt., Co. 64 Reg't Illinois Inf.
Pulaski, Tenn., Jan. 8, 1864
Age 28 years; occupation farmer
Bounty due $402.00
Company to which assigned - B
Remarks; Greeville, Bureau Co., Ills.

Company Muster Roll -- William Williams, Pvt.
Jan & Feb 1864 - Present
Mar & Apr 1864 - Present
May & Jun 1864 - Absent, sick since June 26, 1864
Jul & Aug 1864 - Present, Promoted to Cpl. Aug. 5, 1864

Company Muster Roll -- William Williams, Cpl.
Sep & Aug 1864 - Present
Nov & Dec 1864 - not stated
Jan & Feb 1865 - present
Mar & Apr 1865 - present
May & Jun 1865 - absent, Detached as Guard at Hd. Qtrs. 1" Dir. 17" A. C. since June 2, 1865.

Muster-Out Roll -- William Williams, Cpl.
Co. B, 64 Reg't Illinois
Age 28 years
Louisville, Ky., July 11, 1865
Last paid to Apr. 30, 1865
Clothing acct:
Last settled Dec. 31, 1864; drawn since $62.90
Bounty paid $210.00; due $190.00

Military

Regimental History
ILLINOIS
SIXTY-FOURTH INFANTRY
(Three Years)


Sixty-fourth Infantry. - Col., John Morrill, Lieut.-Cols., David E. Williams, John Morrill, Michael W. Manning, Joseph S. Reynolds; Majs., Frederick W. Matteson, George W. Stipp, John W. Stewart, Samuel B. Thompson, Joseph S. Reynolds. The "First Battalion of Yates' Sharpshooters," was organized at Camp Butler, Ill., in the month of Dec., 1861, and consisted of four companies, the last of which was mustered into the U. S. service on Dec. 16. Two additional companies were mustered in on Dec. 31 and on Jan. 10, 1862, the battalion was ordered to Quincy and went into barracks, where it was armed. It moved to Cairo on Feb. 16 and on March 4 moved via Bird's Point, Charleston, Bertrand and Sikeston, to New Madrid, where it was assigned to Morgan's brigade, Paine's division, Pope's army.

On the evening of March 12 Cos. A, D, E and F made a night attack on the enemy's right, driving his pickets and skirmishing heavily till midnight, drawing the attention of the enemy from the 10th and 16th Ill., who were planting siege guns on the enemy's left. The battalion was present at the bombardment of New Madrid the next day and afterward acted as support to Williams, siege guns 4 miles below, where Pope effected his crossing. It was engaged in the siege of Corinth from April 22 till the evacuation, being constantly on the skirmish and picket line. On May 3 it was heavily engaged at Chambers Creek, but repulsed the enemy, the loss being 4 killed and 5 wounded. On May 7, in Gen. Paine's reconnaissance, it lost 2 men killed and 3 wounded. It took the advance in pursuit of the enemy, and came upon his rear at Tuscumbia creek about dark, when a brisk skirmish ensued, continuing during the night and the next day.

At the battle of Corinth in October it met the first advance of the enemy and was heavily engaged during the day, doing efficient and distinguished service and losing 70 men killed, wounded and missing. The year 1863 was spent on out-post duty at Glendale, Miss., and on Jan. 15, 1864, over three-fourths of the battalion having re-enlisted, it moved north for veteran furlough, arriving at Chicago on the 22nd. It was furloughed for 20 days and reassembled at Ottawa on Feb. 14. Four new companies having been recruited, they were added to the battalion, making a full regiment.

Returning to the front it arrived on May 9 before Resaca, Ga., where Cos. F and A deployed and drove the enemy into his works. At Dallas the same two companies on the skirmish line lost 14 men killed and wounded, and from the 27th to the 31st the regiment was each day engaged. It skirmished with the enemy near New Hope church and was also engaged at Kennesaw mountain, where on June 27 it was in the advance line of the assaulting forces and was heavily engaged, losing in killed and wounded 57 men. On July 4 the entire regiment was on the skirmish line and drove the enemy 2 miles, losing 25 killed and wounded. On the 7th it had a skirmish on the Chattahoochee, and at Nancy's Creek the regiment deployed and drove the enemy a mile and a half. It then marched toward Decatur and on July 19 engaged the enemy, losing 5 men. On the 22nd it marched to the support of the 17th corps and was heavily engaged, charging the enemy three times and capturing 40 prisoners and 1 battleflag. It also recaptured the field-glass and papers of Gen. McPherson, who had been killed by the enemy. The loss of the regiment in this action was 15 killed, 67 wounded and 7 missing. On the 28th it was hotly engaged and repulsed several charges of the enemy, and from then until Aug. 26 it took part in the siege of Atlanta. It joined the march after Hood and on Oct. 16 was with the skirmish line that advanced on Snake Creek gap and drove the enemy in confusion. It had a skirmish with the enemy's cavalry at Cedartown and then returned to Atlanta to begin the march to the sea. It skirmished with the enemy at Pooler's station and participated in the operations against Savannah. It then engaged in the Carolina campaign and at the battle of Bentonville the entire regiment was on the skirmish line, capturing 12 prisoners, 35 horses and 1 caisson, together with Gen. Johnston's headquarters, losing 13 men killed and wounded. After the surrender of Johnston it accompanied the army to Washington, participated in the grand review, and then moved to Louisville, Ky, where it was mustered out on July 11, 1864.


Source: The Union Army, vol. 3
www.ancestry.com

Residence

Aunt Leslie was born before they came west - the rest were born at Hubbell, Nebr. (Chester when they first came out).

Residence

He homesteaded just one mile west of Hubbell in 1870 and lived on his homestead until the time of his death.

Census

This is the year they moved to Nebraska to homestead.

Williams, William, 35, farmer, 300, IL
Lucinda, 34, keeping house, IL
Charity, 15, IL (female, but matches age with 1860 Census list of Charles, male)
William J. 13, IL
Edward, 11, IL
Jasper, 11, IL
Elisabeth, 2, IL

Religion

United Brethren Church, which was organized in an early day on the corner of his homestead.

Census

William Williams, 44, farmer, b. Ill, father b. NJ, mother b. NJ
Lucinda, 44, keeping house, b. Ill, father b. Ohio; mother b. Ohio
Jasper, 21, farm laborer, b. Ill
Elizabeth, 11, b. Ill
Mary, 9, b. Nebr.
William J., 8, b. Nebr.
Martha, 6, b. Nebr.
George W., 3, b. Nebr.
John, 2, b. Nebr.

Pension

Certificate No. 303667
Name: Wm. Williams

Are you married? Yes.

Wife's full name: Lucinda Williams

Wife's maiden name: Lucinda Sturm

Marriage: May 22nd, 1867 at Bradford Ill. by B. F. Tompson a Justice of the Peace of Stark So. at that time. Record of County Clerk of Stark Co. at Toulon, Il.

Were you previously married? No.

Have you any children living? State names and dates of birth.
Elizabeth born June 12, 1868
Mary, August 11th, 1870
Wm. James, May 30th 1872
George, Sept. 7th, 1876
John, March 22nd, 1878
Elnora, June 13th 1880

Signed: William Williams

Date of reply: 5-5-1898

Census

Sheet 10

209/220
William Williams, head, Oct 1835, 64, marr 33 yrs, IL, f. NJ, m., NJ, farmer, own, mortgage

Lucinda, wife, Mar 1836, 64, 12 children, 10 living, IL, f. OH, m. OH
George W., son, Sep 1876, NE, f. IL, m. IL

Census

189/190
James Williams, husband, 31, NE, f. IL, m. IL
Minnie, 34, wife, MO, f. IL, m. IA
Anna, 11, NE, f. NE, m. MO
Gertrude, 9, NE, f. NE, m. MO
Robert, 7, NE, f. NE, m. MO
Elmer, 5, NE, f. NE, m. MO
Myrtle, 2, NE, f. NE, m. MO
Wiliam, father, 74, IL, f. NJ, m. NJ
George, son, 32, IL, f. IL, m. IA

Obituary

William Morris Williams was born in Canton, Illinois, October 24, 1835 and died at Hubbell, Nebraska, October 24, 1911 on his 76^th birthday.

Mr. Williams was married May 22, 1867 to Lucinda Bennett, at Stark County, Illinois. To this union seven children were born, three sons and four daughters, six of whom survive him, namely Lesley Elizabeth Rigg, Jessie Mary Rigg of Palisade, Colorado. Elnora Williams of Salt Lake City, Utah; John living in Washington, William James and George W. of Hubbell. Martha died in 1886 and Mrs. Williams died in 1901. All except John were present.

In 1861 Mr. Williams joined the Co. "B", 64^th Illinois Volunteer infantry, Yates sharpshooters of Yates City, Illinois and served until the end of the war. Thus for almost four years he fearlessly and faithfully served his country. He has been a loyal member of Lew Wallace Post, No. 50, G.A.R. [Grand Army of the Republic], for 25 years, being one of its charter members. [Lew Wallace was a general]

Mr. Williams was raised in a Methodist home and in his early years became a Christian and joined the Methodist church. After coming to Nebraska he united with the United Brethren Church, which was organized in an early day on the corner of his homestead. He homesteaded just one mile west of Hubbell in 1870 and lived on his homestead until the time of his death. He leaves six children, seventeen grandchildren and two great grandchildren besides many neighbors and friends to mourn his death.

The funeral services were held in the Methodist Church and interment at the Hubbell cemetery.

Care of Thanks

We wish to thank all who so kindly aided us in the sickness and death of our father.
George W. and W. J. Williams and sisters

Taken from The Hubbell Standard, Volumn XXI, Hubbell, Nebraska, Friday, October 27, 1911, No. 3.

Burial

Date of death - 24 Oct 1911
Born - 24 Oct 1835

Civil War - Co. B, 64 Illinois Inf., Corporal
Enl. 28 Sep 1861
Disch. 11 July 1865

Hubbell Cemetery is located over the border in Kansas, though Hubbell town is located in Nebraska.

Note

Sniping, or sharpshooting, was a recognized psychological weapon at the outset of the Civil War. Champion marksman Hiram C. Berdan of New York, authorized to raise a regiment of sharpshooters for Federal service, began recruiting competitions in the summer of 1861. Qualified recruits had to place 10 shots in a 10-inch circle at 200 yards, firing any rifle they chose from any position they preferred. In this way Berdan organized companies in New York City, Albany, New York, and in the states of New Hampshire, Vermont, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Mustered in as the 1^st Regiment Sharpshooter/U.S. Volunteers, November 25, 1861, the unit saw service in every Eastern campaign through autumn 1864. The 2^nd Regiment Sharpshooters/U.S. Volunteers was raised similarly, its companies mustered in individually in autumn 1861, and its men were drawn from New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, and Vermont. It too served in the Eastern Theater and in December, 1864 its veteran volunteers were briefly consolidated with reenlisted veterans of the 1^st Regiment.
While the history of Berdan's Sharpshooters is well documented, many other Union marksmen also saw action in the Eastern and Western campaigns, and though no records have been preserved, a Confederate sharpshooter unit similar to Berdan's was authorized by act of Confederate Congress in 1862.
But the formal muster of entire sharpshooting regiments in the north and south was found to be unwieldy. In correspondence with Rhode Island Gov. William Sprague September 19, 1862, Union Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton expressed the view of the general staff that snipers were best organized in units no larger than companies and attached to regular regiments for special deployment at a field general's order in a specific action. An approximation of this system was adopted in both Union and Confederate armies.
Armed with Sharp's rifles, Whitworth rifles, sporting arms, and custom-made, privately owned target weapons (some weighing over 30 lbs) Northern and Southern marksmen performed efficient service at Yorktown, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Spotsylvania, the Wilderness, and Petersburg, and were valued in any protracted battle or small combat. The unpleasant results of this service and the moral climate of the day make finding specific records of sharpshooting duty a rarity, but the efficiency of Confederate sharpshooters in the Devil's Den at Gettysburg and the demoralizing effects of the sniping deaths of such prominent soldiers as Union Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick demonstrate the sharpshooters worth.
Source: "Historical Times Encyclopedia of the Civil War" edited by Patricia Faust
http://www.civilwarhome.com/sharpshooter.htm