Williams, John

JOHN WILLIAM PASSES AWAY
In Him Acton Looses a Well-known
and Useful Citizen
FOR YEARS CHIEF MAGISTRATE
The news quickly passed in the community on Tuesday morning that Mr. John Williams had passed away during the night. Mr. Williams had been an inmate of Guelph General Hospital for some time, suffering from an ailment known to be ultimately incurable, but receiving much relief through the superior facilities made possible by hospital treatment. Indeed, he had returned to his family for some months much improved, but finally went back and remained until his death.
John Williams was born in Nassagaweya about 67 years ago, the son of John and Mary Anne Williams.
A peculiar interest attached to the fact that an old schoolmaster of his time Mr. Robert F. Shanks, of Wheatland, Man., when here in September 1911, hunted up his former pupil and spent a little while with him.
He lived for some years in Erin village, whence he removed to Acton about 1887, taking over the livery-stable business and property where he has remained these 27 or 28 years. As a liveryman he was well known all over the region making many trips out into the surrounding country with travellers of various occupations. He also as liveryman for many years assisted the late Joseph A. Speight, the well-known undertaker in removing the remains of many persons inside a large radius from Acton to their last resting place. Many severe trips were made in this capacity, in inclement weather and bad roads. He was one of the last callers to see his old associate ere he passed away in 1902.
He has also conveyed the mails to and from Acton Post Office and station during most of his residence here, as well as doing a general passenger business.
His sturdy energetic qualities marked him out for public service and he became a member of Acton Council in 1893, and Reeve in 1901, holding both positions for several years. Particularly as Chairman of Streets and Walks were his abilities pressed into service. At the same time he kept a keen eye on the financial position of the community, both locally, and from a county standpoint.
For two years he held a position on the School Board, and sought to secure for the rising generation the advantages now attainable.
As a property owner he set a high example to citizens generally in the neat and tasty arrangements surrounding his home. In addition to his business he took a great interest in choice poultry, and in the arrangements for such showed his tidy and methodical management. There is also now in course of erection on a part of his lot a fine new brick house.
Mr. Williams was twice married. His first companion in life was Miss Katherine McPhail, of Erin, who died in a few years. Twenty three years ago he married Miss Rachel Weaver, of Wiarton, who has predeceased him seven years next month. With her death he was left with a family of two girls and three boys all of them in tender years, for whose welfare he was tenderly solicitous. With marvellous devotion to her sorrowing father his eldest daughter, Miss Lillian, has attended to the affairs of the home, and has been the delight and stay of her father while affording the second daughter, Miss Nellie, the opportunity to prepare herself for the work of a teacher, in which she is at present engaged at Wiarton the former home of her mother.
The boys are younger but Fred, the eldest, has attended to his father's business during his long illness, and the two little lads, Melvin and Hughie, who are in school, are specially in the sympathy of the community in their orphanage.
Mr. Williams took a keen interest in the welfare of the Conservative party, and Mr. D. Henderson, M.P., had no warmer admirer and devoted worker than Mr. Williams. Mr. Henderson came home from Ottawa a week or two ago to visit Mr. Williams in Guelph. When with the change of Government in Ontario, new license commissioners were appointed, Mr. Williams was chosen for the Halton Board.
For a very many years he has attended and been a member of Knox Church, of which his daughter, Miss Lillian has been for some time organist. He has been for fourteen years Chairman of the Board of Managers of that Church, and took a keen interest in the temporal affairs thereof.
The sympathy of the entire community is extended to the family in this their hour of sore bereavement.
And thus good and useful citizens of our little town are being gathered to the Fairview hill.
The funeral will take place this afternoon from the family residence.