The Williams / Harris Line, A Narrative — Six

This is Chapter Six of twelve, where we wrap up the story of our (English) Willams ancestors who lived south of the Bristol Channel. In the next chapter, we begin another family history, but now we will be north of the Bristol Channel in Wales.

On repeat, on repeat, on repeat, on repeat…

In 1981, the American country band the Oak Ridge Boys had a massive #1 hit with their earworm* of a song called Elvira. When we learned of our ancestor Elvira Harris, that particular earworm turned on and hasn’t shut off yet. “In 1982, at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards, Elvira by the Oak Ridge Boys won the Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.” (Wikipedia)
*It is our nominee for the Earworm Hall of Fame, (please see the footnotes).

Paris Township

In May 1881, George Williams married Elvira Harris in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. They settled, not in Summit County where he was from, but in Paris Township, Portage County which was the adjacent county just east. Elvira’s mother Ann (Thomas) Harris had been born and raised in Palmyra township, just below Paris Township. It’s quite plausible that they chose this area to settle in because there were other family members nearby who could helpful. With this marriage, the Harris name gave way to the Williams family name.

Wikipedia relates that “Paris Township was established around 1810. The community derives its name from Paris, New York.” Therefore, it is a very old community for that part of the United States. Additionally, it was intriguing to read that, “In the year of 1831 John Morgan arrived in the township from Wales and purchased part of Lot 32, erecting a log cabin thereon. From this beginning, other countrymen of Morgan’s came from time to time and it is said that by 1885, the population of Paris was two-thirds Welsh. Today a large number of these people have descendants in Paris.” (Portage Heritage)

Sadly, for this generation, we do not have any census information, because they married in 1881, and therefore are listed separately on the 1880 Census, (each in the home of their respective parents). The 1890 Census was lost…

Due to a major fire in 1921, and the subsequent water damage, there are almost no 1890 Census records existing. “A January 10, 1921 fire at the U.S. Department of Commerce building in Washington, DC, destroyed the majority of the population schedules from the 1890 Census. The fire left an enormous gap in many families’ genealogical record. Although alternative records may provide some information, the loss of the 1890 Census schedules remains an insurmountable obstacle for many researchers attempting to trace families between the 1880 and 1900 censuses”. (Census.gov)

What this means for the history of George and Elvira Williams is that we do not know exactly where they lived in Paris Township, nor specifically what they did to earn a living. Everything we can know about them is mostly due to inference and educated guess work. What we do know is this:

It is probable that George worked in agriculture, and that Elvira was keeping house. On the 1880 Census, he is noted to be working as a teamster, which was a role that his father Daniel had been noted with ten years earlier on the 1870 Census. Google defines this occupation as, “In 19th-century agriculture, a teamster was a skilled worker who drove a team of draft animals—typically horses, mules, or oxen—to pull wagons, plows, or other farming equipment. They were essential to the rural economy, responsible for transporting heavy loads such as crops, timber, or supplies, and for breaking ground during planting season.”

From the illustrations above, one can discern the well-kept farms, gardens, and pastures of the neighbors of George and Elvira Williams. It is interesting to see neither telephone poles, nor paved roads. In fact, the bucolic scenes look a bit idealized. The world was probably much quieter then… (2)

The Five Williams Children

George and Elvira had five children, their oldest Elmer was born about 11 months after they married — and then went on repeat (just like our familiar song). All of the children were born in Paris Township, Portage County, Ohio:

• Elmer George Williams, April 3, 1882 – December 2, 1966
• Berl G. Williams Sr., 1883-1965
• May Williams, February 12, 1885 – May 31, 1898
• Clyde Williams, November 1, 1886 – April 17, 1889
• Benny H. Williams, August 20, 1888 – 1968.

Observation: It is refreshing to see that this generation has evolved the naming conventions of their children. We see (for then) modern, new names: Elmer, Bearl, May, Clyde, and Benny. So many generation prior to this one, fell into patterns where some names such as William and Henry, although nice enough, were used generation-after-generation-after-generation. Repetition seems to be a theme in this chapter?

Sadness came into their lives when son Clyde died at the age of about two and a half; a brief life for one so young. (3)

Of Unknown Causes

Neither Elvira, nor her husband George had long lives. Elvira died on October 12, 1889, of unknown causes. When she passed, this left her youngest child Benny at the age of 1 year, 1 month, and 22 days old. He was probably still nursing and just learning how to walk. Their father, George Williams, was now alone with five very young children to raise… However, he then also died not long after his wife, Elvira. George passed away on March 30, 1893, and son Benny was 4 years, 7 months, and 10 days old. We mention Benny because — somewhere in that time frame (between Elvira’s death and George’s death), Benny was adopted, and the trajectory of his life changed dramatically.

We have been pondering what happened to them? In another family line, from the same timeframe, we had some ancestors who were parents of a similar age and circumstance. — Those ancestors just disappeared, and very quickly. — It took us much time to figure out that they may have died in a Cholera epidemic in Cincinnati, but honestly, we could not concretely prove it. It is just that all signs pointed in that direction. In our present age, and due to the many advancements of medical science in the nearly 140 years since George and Elvira passed on, we are not used to thinking about the many real possibilities of that era. The article, There Were a Million Ways to Die In Old Cincinnati; Here Are 17, is very enlightening. (See the footnotes). (4)

Going forward, we need to go back — back to Europe, and back in time. We are going to cross the Bristol Channel above Somerset, England, and venture into the country of Wales, to learn about the Thomas, and the Harris families.

Following are the footnotes for the Primary Source Materials,
Notes, and Observations

On repeat, on repeat, on repeat, on repeat…

(1) — two records (no pun intended)

Elvira (song)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvira_(song)
Note: For the reference and text.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Your Brain on Music: Earworms
When songs get stuck… get stuck… get stuck… in our brains
https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/media/music/your-brain-on-music/your-brain-on-music/your-brain-on-music-earworms/
Note: For the reference. “Usually an earworm is a fragment of music, usually three or four bars, which go round and round and round,” Dr. Oliver Sacks said in an interview. Dr. Sacks is a neurologist and author who studies music and the brain. “This is a special form of involuntary musical imagery which is out of control and can become…”

Paris Township

(2) — nine records

George Williams
in the Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993
Summit > 1881 – 1887
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61378/records/1090220?tid=&pid=&queryId=c1702219-87e8-4a0a-9505-29336083f251&_phsrc=wzL1&_phstart=successSource
Book page: 21, Digital page: 51/495, Right page, last entry.
Note: Marriage record information, for May 25, 1881.

David Rumsey Map Collection
Paris Township, Portage County, Ohio
from the Combination Atlas Map of Portage County, Ohio
by L.H. Everts, 1874
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~230088~5508392:Paris-Township,-Portage-County,-Ohi
Book page: 128, Digital page: Follow the link above.
Note: For the 1874 Paris township map, the Atlas frontispiece, and the Portage County map.

Paris Township, Portage County, Ohio
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Township,_Portage_County,_Ohio
Note: For the text.

Portage Heritage
by James B. Holm
https://archive.org/details/portageheritageh00holm/page/408/mode/2up
Book page: 409 – 415, Digital page: 412 – 419/832
Note: For the quote about Welsh settlers, found in Chapter XXXII, by Elizabeth Thomas.

Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness
Fate of the 1890 Population Census
https://raogk.org/census-records/1890-fire/
Note: For the image.

The United States Census Bureau
U.S. Census Bureau History: 1890 Census Fire, January 10, 1921
https://www.census.gov/history/www/homepage_archive/2021/january_2021.html#:~:text=A January 10, 1921 fire,in many families’ genealogical record.
Note: For the text.

Daniel Williams
in the 1870 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Summit > Tallmadge
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/records/38420169
Book page: 10, Digital page: 10/32, Lines 1 through 8.
Note: On this census, George Williams is noted as at home, and his father is noted as a teamster.

Daniel Williams
in the 1880 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Summit > Tallmadge
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/records/18590601
Book page: 18, Digital page: 18/30, Lines 24 through 30.
Note: George is 23 and noted as a teamster.

David Rumsey Map Collection
Views of Various Paris Township Homes
from the Combination Atlas Map of Portage County, Ohio
by L.H. Everts, 1874
https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/view/search?search=Submit&cat=0&q=Combination+Atlas+Map+of+Portage+County%2C+Ohio&dateRangeStart=&dateRangeEnd=&sort=pub_list_no_initialsort%2Cpub_date%2Cpub_list_no%2Cseries_no
Book pages: 129-130, Digital page: Follow the link above.
Note: All 3 images follow after the Paris Township map page on 128.

The Five Williams Children

(3) — fourteen records

George Williams
in the U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60525/records/102869707?tid=&pid=&queryId=4258b3af-1bc6-4dfe-a2cb-04a03c42166b&_phsrc=lFv3&_phstart=successSource
and
George Williams
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12416396/george-williams
Note 1: His gravestone indicates these dates, August 5, 1856 – March 30, 1893.
Note 2: The citations from the Akron City Directories (found here) are in error, since these records are for other men named George Williams, and not the man who is from our family. We believe that our ancestor likely worked in agriculture in Paris Township, Portage County, Ohio.

Elvira Williams
in the U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60525/records/102869719
and
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12416409/elvira-williams
Note: Her gravestone indicates these dates, February 16, 1863 – October 12, 1889.

Elmer George Williams
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12416370/elmer-george-williams
Note: His birth and death dates are, April 3, 1882 – December 2, 1966. From 1955 to 1965, he lived at this address: Elmer G. Williams, (Rose J.), home – 2124 4th St., (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio). Rose was his wife and is interred near him.
and
Elmer D. Williams [the middle initial should be G., not D]
in the Ohio, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2541/records/1383300
Note: For Elmer’s birth confirmation.

Berl G. Williams Sr.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12416382/bearl-g-williams
Note: 1883 – 1965
and
Berl Williams
in the Ohio, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2541/records/1388862
Note: For Berl’s birth confirmation.

May Williams
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42507751/may-williams
Note 1: Her birth and death dates are February 12, 1885 – May 31, 1898
Note 2: She was born as Dora Mable Williams, as shown below.
and
Dora Mable Williams
in the Ohio, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2541/records/4429523
Note: For Dora Mable’s birth confirmation.

Clyde Williams
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42507745/clyde-williams
Note: His birth and death dates are, November 1, 1886 – April 17, 1889
and
Clyde Williams
in the Ohio, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2541/records/1408501
Note: For Clyde’s birth confirmation.

Benny H. Williams
in the Ohio, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2541/records/1420081?tid=&pid=&queryId=27150e26-be10-4ea3-890f-0c782158bbd3&_phsrc=abx23&_phstart=successSource
and
Benny H. Williams
in the Ohio, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2541/records/1420081
Note: For Benny’s birth confirmation on August 20, 1888.

Of Unknown Causes

(4) — two records

Cincinnati Magazine
There Were a Million Ways to Die In Old Cincinnati; Here Are 17
by Greg Hand
https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article/there-were-a-million-ways-to-die-in-old-cincinnati-here-are-17/

George Williams
in the Summit County, Ohio, U.S., Death Records, 1866-1908
Death Index Registers, 1869-1908 > S – Z
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1596/records/35519?tid=&pid=&queryId=d1703b33-a6b4-4864-8c19-e310261b6ffe&_phsrc=Lzl1&_phstart=successSource
Book page: 94, Digital page: 150/156, 12th and 16th entries.
Notes: Something odd about the dates on this file — why are there 2 entries for the same person? It appears that first entry for his death date is March 30, 1893, and the second entry is the same person, but uses a date of one year later, March 30, 1894. His gravestone records the 1893 date.