Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/442

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Vatican council at Romi-, Italy. 1S70, and through his efforts the new see of Springfield, Mass., was erected in 1870. and that of Providence, R.I., in 1872. These dioceses, together with tiiose of Portland, Maine, and Burlington, Vt.. were in- cluded in a new ecclesiasti- cal province. Feb. 12, 187.-5, Boston becom- ing the metro- politan see. and of which Bish- op Williams was madearch- bisliop, receiv- ing the pallium from Arch-

bishop McClos- key in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston May, 2, 1875. Dming his administration the Sulpician Theological seminary was founded in 1884, and also St. John's Ecclesiastical seminary. Arch- bisliop Williams celebrated the twenty-fifth anni- versary of his episcopate in May, 1891. In 1903, his diocese, second only to that of New York city, numbered 610,000 Roman Catholics, 485 priests, 201 churches, 61 parochial schools and many benevolent and educational institutions.

WILLlAflS, John Sharp, representative, was born ill Memphis, Tenn.. July 30, 1854; son of Christopher Harris and Annie Louise (Sliarp) Williams; grandson of Christopher H.(q.v.) and Jane (Allison) Williams and of John McKnitt and Sarah (Ridley) Sharp, and a descendant of John Williams, colonel of the 9th North Carolina line ia the American Revolution. His father, who was colonel of the 27th Tennessee volunteers, C.S.A., was killed at Shiloh, and ho removed with liis mother's family to Yazoo county. Miss., and attended the Kentucky Military institute, the University of the South, University of Virginia and the University of Heidelberg. Germany. He studied law at the University of Virginia, and in Memphis; was licen.sed to practice in Shelby county, Tenn., in 1877; was married Oct. 2, 1877, to Elizabeth Di:d, daughter of Robert Dickens and Julia (Fulton) Webb of Livingston, Ala, and in December, 1878 removed to Yazoo city. Miss., where he engaged in cotton planting and the practice of law. He was a delegate to the Democratic national convention that nominated Grover Cleveland for the Presidency in 1802. and was a Democratic representative in the .53d-57th congresses, 1895-1903. and re-elected to the 58th congress in 1902 for the term expiring in 1905.

WlLLIAnS, John Stuart, senator, was born in Montgomery county, Ky., in 1820; son of Gen. Samuel L. Williams, a captain in the war of 1812; grandson of Raleigh Williams, a Revolutionary soldier, who migrated to Kentucky from Virgin- ia, soon after the war. He was graduated from Miami university, A.B., 1838, A.M., 1841; was admitted to tiie bar in 1840, and practised at Paris. Ky., 1840-15. He was commissioned cap- tain of an indei)endent company attached to the 6th infantry at the outbieak of the war with Mexico; was colonel of the 4th regiment of Ken- tucky volunteers, 1846-47, and gained the title of '•Cerro Gordo Williams " by his distinguished bravery at Cerro Gordo. Returning to Paris. Ky., he resumed his law practice, and engaged in the breeding of fine stock. He was several times a delegate to Whig national conventions; was a representative in the state legislature, 1851-.53; state senator in 1875; was defeated for governor in 1875; and was presidential elector on the Tilden ticket in 1876. Although he opposed se- cession, in September, 1861. he was commissioned colonel and organized the famous 5th Kentucky, known as the " Ragamuffin Regiment,'" composed of hardy mountaineers, and a battalion of mounted riflemen from the Blue Grass district, at Prestonburg, East Kentucky, and threatened in- cursions into the central part of the state. Hear- ing of General Nelson's advance with a large force, he threw forward a detachment to cover his retreat, and after a well contested engage- ment, this detachment was forced from its po- sition on Ivy Creek and retreated into Virginia. He was promoted brigadier-general in April, 1862, and in September, 1863, he assumed com- mand of the Confederate forces in East Ten- nessee, composed of 1700 men and two batteries, and occupied a strong position on a ridge east of Blue Springs. On Oct. 10, 1863, he was attacked by a superior force, and was compelled to with- draw during the night to Leesburg, Va. He was relieved of his command at his own request. Nov. 4, 1863, and served during the remainder of the war with Gen, Joseph E. Johnston, with whom he surrendered. He was elected a U.S. senator from Kentucky on the Democratic ticket in 1879. and served till 1885, when he returned to Kentucky and engaged in farming at Mt. Sterling and in promoting railroads. He died near Mt. Sterling, Ky., July 17, 1898.

WILLlAflS, Jonathan, soldier, was born in Boston, Mass., ^lay 26, 1750; son of Jonathan Williams, the patriot. After receiving a good education he obtained emploj-ment in his father's counting house in Boston, and made several voy- ages on merchant ships to Europe and the West Indies, and in 1773, while in England, was en- trusted with despatches from bis kinsman, Ben-