Thomas Williams

H. W. Beckwith, History of Vermilion County (Chicago: H. H. Hill, 1879)

page 641

Thomas Williams, Catlin, farmer, section 28, was born in the county of Cornwall, England, on the 8th of February, 1804, and came with his parents, William and Loveday Williams, to Federal City, D.C., in 1820, where his mother died in September of 1821. His father and the family, consisting of nine children, came to Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1822, where they were among the early settlers. His father remained there until his death, 1849. Mr. Williams has been thrice married: his first wife was Miss Paulina Pate, married on the 19th of March, 1826; born in Dearborn county, Indiana, on the 17th of July, 1808, and died on the 7th of November, 1850. His second wife was Mrs. Katharine Pate. They were married on the 14th of February, 1851. She was born in North Carolina, on the 6th of April, 1799, and died on the 17th of June, 1862. His third marriage was to Mrs. Margaret Patterson (formerly Miss Fruits), on the 27th of October, 1862. She is a native of Indiana, born on the 8th of January, 1817. Mr. Williams has six daughters by his first wife: Jane, wife of S. Lewis; Loveday, wife of W. S. Pate; Paulina, wife of J. Thomas; Catharine W., wife of deceased H. Ludington; Mary E., wife of F. Burroughs; Grace, wife of William Cole. There are six deceased: Rachel, William, Elizabeth, Phoebe A., George A., Emily. Mr. Williams came to Vermilion county in 1851, and settled where he now resides. He owns three hundred and fifty-one acres of land, of which he has improved two hundred acres.