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The Williams-Sharp Family Bible
A Transcription of an 1845 Family Bible of Williamses & Sharps
From Yazoo County, Mississippi & Memphis, Tennessee
[Present owner: Christopher Harris "Kit" Williams V, Nashville, TN. – The Webmaster]
Note 1: As background for those not familiar with the family, John Sharp Williams (1854-1932), who served in the U.S. Congress from Mississippi (House of Representatives, 1893-1909 and Senate, 1911-1923), was a descendant of a John Williams, born 1679, who migrated from Llangollen, Wales to Hanover County, Va. near the close of the 17th Century.
The immigrant John's grandson, John Williams (1740-1804), the lineal ancestor of Senator John Sharp Williams, settled in Hillsboro, N.C. He served in the French and Indian War, and during the Revolution served as Lieutenant Colonel of the Hillsboro Minute Men; later he was promoted to Colonel of the 9th N.C. Line. He served under George Washington in N.J. and under Nathaniel Green in N.C. Because of his service in the Revolution his great-great-grandson, John Sharp Williams, became a member of the Society of the Cincinnati in 1914.
Christopher Harris "Kit" Williams (1798-1857), grandson of the above and grandfather of John Sharp Williams, served as a Whig representative in Congress from Lexington, Tennessee from 1837 until his voluntary retirement in 1853.
Christopher Harris "Kit" Williams (1830-1862), son of the above and father of the Senator, was a Colonel of the 27th Tennessee Infantry Regiment in the Confederate Army and was killed at the Battle of Shiloh, Tn. When he died, he left 2 orphan sons, his wife and a third son having already passed away. The orphans were raised by their maternal step-grandmother Mary Allison Martin Sharp at the Sharp's plantation, Cedar Grove, near Benton, Yazoo County, Ms.
The older orphan was the 8-year-old boy who would become the Democratic leader of the U.S. Senate, Senator John Sharp Williams. He is buried at Cedar Grove Plantation in the family cemetery.
Note 2: The first blank page prior to the printed title pages in this family bible contains the following handwritten message:
This Bible was presented to the Lexington Division No 304 of the Sons of Temperance on the day of 18 by my dear Sister Nannie A Williams on behalf of the Ladies of Lexington.
After the dissolution of that Division it was taken by my dear Brother Duke Williams, who was a member of the Division, for safekeeping & was found after his death in his trunk. Being endeared to me by these circumstances, I have adopted it as my family Bible.
C H Williams
Feb 7th 1858
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This is the C.H. Williams born in 1830 (who had a brother named Duke who had just died in 1856 and a sister named Nancy Allison for whom Nannie was assuredly a nickname). This was he who died at the Battle of Shiloh and the father of Senator John Sharp Williams. That would account for the Bible being taken to Cedar Grove Plantation along with his two orphaned children after his death in 1862. (It could not have been his father, the first CHW, since he died a couple of months before this date. Nor could it have been his son CHW who wasn't born until a year later.)
A transcription of the writings in the Williams Family Bible follows:
Births - Page 1
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Duke Williams, son of John & Elizabeth Williams was born the 14th Feb 1768
Ede (Harris) Williams his wife was born Sept 6th 1775 ["(Harris)" was added later]
Their children were born as follows -
John Williams Jany 8th 1792
Betsy W. Williams Oct 3 1793
Robert Harris Williams Oct 10 1796
Christopher Harris Williams Dec 18th 1798
Lydia Harris Williams Oct 23 1800
Mary Ann Simpson Williams Jany 14th 1803
Ede Harris Williams July 26 1807
Charles F. A. Williams May 3d 1809
Flora Aspasia Narcissa Williams July 12th 1811
Duke Williams had no brothers. His sisters were
Henrietta Williams who married Col. Richd Simpson of Richmond, Ky.
Betsy Williams who married Genl Azariah Graves of Caswell Co., N.C.
The children of Henrietta Simpson were
Betsy who married a lawyer named Davis Hardin, John, Richard,
Duke, Maria, Francis, Ede, Thomas & Henry
The children of Elizabeth Graves were John, Betsy,
Nancy, Henrietta, Martha, Francis, Rebecca, Mary
& Calvin.
John Graves married Martha Hinton of Raleigh, N.C. Betsy married Lewis Graves,
a cousin; Nancy married Wm. B. Graves, a cousin; Henrietta m. Thomas Settle (a lawyer);
Francis married Ben Settle, a brother of Thomas Settle
Martha married a Mr Dick
Births - Page 2
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Christopher Harris Williams was born on the 18th of December 1798 -
Jane Williams his wife was born on the 11th day of November 11 1804 -
C. H. & Jane Williams had 9 children born as follows
Mary Ann Williams born on the 17th day of September 1821
Ede Harris Williams born on the 31st day of August 1822
James Allison Williams born on the 26th day of October 1824
Duke Williams born on the 30th day of July 1827
Christopher Harris Williams born on the 14th day of March 1830
Eliza Jane Williams born on the 11th day of May 1832
Nancy Allison Williams born on the 13th day of June 1834
Sarah Cornelia Williams born on the 15th day of March 1837
Laura Jane Williams born on the 24th day of January 1840
[Some items redacted to protect the privacy of living people]
Births - Page 3
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The children of C H & Annie L Williams were born as follows -
John Sharp Williams born the 30th day of July 1854 -
Duke Williams born the 20th day of October 1856 -
Christopher Harris Williams born the 19th day of April 1859-
Elizabeth Dial Williams (nee Webb) was born on 23rd day of April 1855, and married J.S. Williams on 2nd day of Oct. 1877.
Mary Sharp Williams, daughter of John Sharp & Elizabeth Dial Williams, was born on the 27th December 1879
Robert Webb Williams son of John S. & Eliz. D. Williams, born Aug. 23 1881
Robert Dickins Webb, 14 November 1824 -
Julia E.F. Webb, his wife was born on the 29th December 1834
They were married on the 25th day of April 1853.
Jane Allison Williams, daughter of C.H. Williams and Sallie Shelby Williams was born on the 17th day of February 1885
Christopher Harris Williams Born Washington D.C. on January 20, 1896 son of John Sharp Williams & Elizabeth Dial
Christopher Harris Williams IV Born Washington D.C. on October 10, 1918 son of C.H. & Gladys Walter
Janet Gibson Williams born Albany, Calif. Octobet 18 1945
[Some items redacted to protect the privacy of living people]
[Written in the bottom margin]
John Sharp Williams Jr. 3rd child of John Sharp & Betty D. Williams born Dec. 15 1886 [Other records indicate 4th child; the author of the entry likely forgot about Anne Louise, the true 3rd child who died at 13 months. Part of the entry is lined through and an alternate birth year of 1887 is shown and lined through also.]
Gladys Walter Williams born July 5th 1920
and Julia Fulton Williams born Feb 2, 1925 are the two daughters of Christopher H. & Gladys
W. Williams
Births - Page 4
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John McKnitt Sharp son of John Sharp was born 22 Nov 1795
Sarah V Sharp was born on the day of 180
[Date left blank]
Their children were born as follows
Thos B. Sharp Feb 26 1826
Wm. C. Sharp Nov 16 1827
Martha Margaret Sharp May 2 1830
Annie Louise & Elizabeth Ridley Sharp Sep 11 1832
John McKnitt Sharp was the Son of John Sharp, who married Martha Young. Born
________ [Date left blank]
The father of this John was also named John & married Jemima Alexander of Mecklinberg
Co., N.C. whither he had moved in 1748. Born 1828
The father of this John was James, who moved from North of Ireland to Lancaster Co. Pa. in 1712
The following are the names and dates of birth of the sons and daughters of
John Sharp Williams & Elizabeth Dial Williams
Mary Sharp Williams Born on December 27th 1879
Robert Webb Williams Born on August 23rd 1881
Annie Louise Williams Born on June 13th 1884
John Sharp Williams Born on Decbr 15th 1886.
Julia Fulton Williams Born on Feb 5th 1889.
Allison Ridley Williams Born on August 10th 1891.
Sallie Shelby Williams Born Sept 7th 1893.
Christopher Harris Williams Born Jan. 20, 1896.
Pauline Elizabeth Williams daughter of John Sharp Williams 2nd and Pauline Webb Williams, was born Oct. 16, 1912.
Kathryne Oliver Williams daughter of John Sharp Williams Jr. & Pauline W. Williams was born Oct 25 1922 and died 2 weeks later
[Written in the bottom margin]
John Sharp Howie son of Pauline E. Williams Howie & Joseph Hines Howie & grandson of John Sharp Williams Jr. & Pauline Webb Williams - born Dec 22nd 1939
Pauline Williams Howie, daughter of Pauline Elizabeth Williams & Joseph Hines Howie and granddaughter of John Sharp Williams Jr. was born July 29th, 1936.
Marriages - Page 1
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Duke Williams & Ede Harris were married Nov 4th 1790
The Brothers of John Williams (the Father of Duke Williams) were
Joe Williams
Robert Williams and
Nat Williams.
His Sisters were
Henrietta Williams &
Rebecca Williams.
The above married Joe Williams was the Father of
Lewis Williams
Bob Williams
Nat Williams
Nick Williams
Duke Williams
Joe L. Williams ['L.' added later]
Tom L. Williams ['L.' added later] (who married a daughter of Hugh L.
White)
John Williams (also married a daughter of Hugh L. White)
Fannie Williams (married J. P. Irvin of Nashville)
Rebecca Williams (married [illegible])
Christopher Harris Williams & Jane Allison were married on the 9th day of December 1819
Christopher Harris Williams Jr. & Annie Louise Sharp were married on the 30th day of May 1853
Lewis D. McKisick & Sarah Cornelia Williams were married on the 25th day of June 1854
George A Stovall & Laura Jane Williams were married on the 7th day of April 1859
John Sharp, eldest son of Christopher Harris & Anne Louise Williams, was united in marriage to Elizabeth Dial, daughter of Robt. D. & Julia Webb, on the second day of October 1877
Christopher H. Williams & Sallie S. Cocke were married at Yazoo City, Miss. on the 8th day of May 1884
Marriages - Page 2
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John M. Sharp & Sarah V. Ridley were married May 1825
[There exists an official Marriage Record indicating this marriage took place on April 16, 1825.]
She having died John M. Sharp again married in December 1835 to Mary Martin (nee
Allison)
Annie L daughter of John M & Sarah V Sharp was married on 30th May 1853 to Christopher Harris Williams Jr & died as hereinafter shown on the 23rd of May 1859 - She was a devoted wife & Mother - full of affection & tenderness in both relations - & a pure-hearted Christian.
[Some items redacted to protect the privacy of living people]
Elizabeth R daughter of John M & Sarah V Sharp was married on the 21st Nov 1854 to Isaac D. Stover who died on 25 Mch 1857 - followed by John M his only child on 21st April 157 [1857 assumed] & by his wife on 9th Oct 1859.[later given as 1858 & more likely correct]
Annie & Lizzie were devoted Sisters & daughters but still more devoted Wives & Mothers.
John Sharp Williams, second son & third child of John Sharp Williams and Elizabeth Dial Webb Williams married on November 15, 1911 to Pauline Webb of Bryan, Tex.
Mary Sharp Williams, oldest child of John Sharp Williams and Elizabeth Dial Webb Williams was married to Edwin Ruthven Holmes on the 26th day of November 1902
[Written in the margins] [IMAGE]
Pauline Elizabeth Williams, daughter of John Sharp & Pauline Webb Williams was married at Cedar Grove Plantation March 30th 1935 to Joseph Hines Howie of Jackson, Miss.
Christopher H. Williams, son of John Sharp Williams married Gladys Virgina Walter November 1917 Washington D.C.
Christopher H. Williams IV son C.H. & Gladys married Janet Walton Gibson August 18, 1942 Wilmington, Delaware
[Some items redacted to protect the privacy of living people]
Deaths - Page 1
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[These next 6 are the children of CHW & Jane Allison, the siblings of the one writing these and the 7th, his father, the 1st CHW in the family. The writer, CHW Jr, died at Shiloh two-&-a-half years after writing these 7 entries.]
Mary Ann Williams died on the 3rd day of October 1821 -
Ede Harris Williams died on the 24th day of August 1826 -
James Allison Williams died on the 7th day of December 1827 -
Eliza Jane Williams died on the 26th day of August 1840 -
Nancy Allison Williams died on the 7th day of Sept 1852 -
Duke Williams died 24th day of March 1856.
Christopher Harris Williams died on the 22nd day of November 1857
Christopher H Williams III died on August 31, 1948 in Memphis, Tenn. (Born January 20, 1896)
Gladys W. Williams, wife of Christopher H. Williams III died July 16 1961 - Age 61 Memphis Tenn.
Allison Ridley Williams Died August 27, 1966 (Son of John Sharp & Elizabeth Wms)
Duke Williams son of John Williams & father of C. H. Williams Sen. died on the 22nd day of Sept 1834
Ede Williams wife of Duke Williams died Nov 26th 1816.
Elizabeth Williams wife of John Williams & Mother of Duke Williams died 15 April 1831 aged 87 -
Deaths - Page 2
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Sarah V. Sharp died Aug 31st 1834 -
John M. Sharp died on the day of 1862 [Mo/day left blank]
Mary Sharp second wife of Jno. M. Sharp died Feb 17th 1885
Wm C Sharp died July 1835
Martha M. Sharp d. May 1838
Isaac D Stover died 25 March 1857.
John McKnitt Stover died 21st April 1857
Elizabeth Ridley Stover died the 9th day of Oct 1858 between 8 & 9 Oclock A.M.
Annie Louise Williams died the 23rd day of May 1859 at 5 minutes after 3 Oclock P.M.
Duke son of CH & Annie L Williams died Oct 1st 1861
Christopher Harris Williams [Incomplete entry]
John Sharp Williams, died Sept 27th 1932.
C.H. Williams, Col. of the 27th Regiment Tennessee Volunteers killed at the battle of Shiloh 6th day of April 1862
Sarah C. McKisick wife of Lewis D. McKisick and daughter of C. H. and Jane Williams died on the 8th day of July 1862
Jane Williams (nee Allison) died on 2nd day of April 1871
Flora Aspasia Narcissa Wolf (nee Williams) died on the day of March 1879 aged 67 years 8 mos. [Day left blank]
Annie Louise Williams - daughter of John S. & Elizabeth Webb Williams died the 12th day of July 1885 about 20 minutes after One O'clock
Mary Sharp second wife of Capt John McNitt Sharp died on 17th day of February 1885 [The spelling McKnitt seen more often.]
Entry Added On Blank Page After Deaths
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John Sharp Williams Jr. Son of John Sharp Williams & Betty Dial Webb Williams, husband of Pauline Webb Williams, born Dec. 15th 1886 and died July 24, 1949 at midnight.
END
This page last updated September 14, 2018.
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