Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/446

 willia:.is

WILLIAMS

the Indians, he formed a colony npon the princi- ple of "entire liberty of conscience," and in 1639 founded the religious organization afterward known as the Fii-st Baptist church of Providence, but with which he soon severed his own connec- tion, believing baptism unavailing unless ad- ministered by an apostle; he continued, how- ever, to preach the Gospt4. Upon the claim of the Massachusetts authorities to the new settlement in Rhode Island, he visited Eng- land in 1643. returning the next year with the cliarter of Rliode Island, dated, March 14, 1644. He was influential in securing peace between the Narragansetts and Mohegans in 1645; declined the office of deputy-president of the colony, 1649; visited England a second time, 16r)l-')4, and upon his return was made president or governor of the colony, which position' he held until 1658. He served as an assistant of Gov. ^Benedict Arnold under Rhode Island's new charter, 1663 (which cliarter was unchanged until 1842); was a com- missioner to settle the eastern boundary question, 1663; and subsequently held various public offices: being commissioned captain of militia in King Philip's war, although his advanced age prevented his active service on the field. His extensive bibliography, published almost entirely in London, includes: A Key into the Language of America (1643); 3Ir. Cotton's Letter * * Ex- amined end Answered (1644); The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for Cause of Conscience (1644); Queries of Highest Consideration (1644); The Bloody Tenant yet more Bloody (1653); Hireling Ministry Xone of Christ's (1652); Experiments of Spiritual Life and Health (1652), and George Fox digg'd oiit of his Bur- rowes, being his fa- mous debate with the Quakers, Boston (1676). See: Tyler's " History of American Litera- ture and Williams' . ^ . r, .^ biography written by

^JjL^/f4 'H J. D. Knowles (1834);

^y^lVfil 1 11 ^^ William Gammell

(1845); by Romeo El- ton (1852), and by Henry M. Dexter (1876). The precise date of his death, which probably oc- • •urred at Providence, is not known, but it must have been early in 1683. His name is ROGER WILLIAMS. perpetuated in Roger Williams park, Providence. R.I., a part of his original estate, which was bequeathed to the city by his direct descendant, Betsey Williams,

on condition that the descendants of Roger Williams should be allowed sepulture in the old family burying ground; and a monument of Roger Williams, also a condition of the will, was dedicated, Oct. 16, 1877. Another monument was erected on Prosjiect Hill, Providence, through the will of his drsfciidaiit. Stp|)lien Kandall.

WILLIA-MS, Samuel Wells, sinologue, was born in Utica, N.Y., Sept. 22, 1812; son of Col. William (1787-1850) and Sophia (Wells) Williams: grandson of Deacon Thomas and Susanna (Dana) Williams, who removed to New Hartford, N.Y., 1790, and of Samuel and Dolly (Prentice) Wells, and a descendant of Robert Williams, who came from Norwich, England, and settled in Rox- bury, I\Iass., 1637. His father was a publisher of the Utica Patriot and Patrol, 1810-24; The Elii- cidator, a weekly, 1830, and wrote " Light on Ma- sonry " (1829). He also served in the war of 1812 and subsequently became a colonel in the Utica milita. S. Wells Williams learned pi'inting in his father's office; attended Rensselaer Polytech- nic institute, Troy, N.Y., 1831-33, and in the latter year, under the auspices of the A.B.C.F.M., went to Canton, China, where he printed and edited the Chinese Repository, 1833-51; removing to Macao in 1835 to finish the printing of Dr. W. H. Medhurst's Hokkeen dictionary. He also printed and contributed to Dr. Bridgman's " Chinese Chrestomathy," 1837-38, and having learned the Japanese language translated the books of Genesis and Matthew into that tongue. While residing in Macao, he pulMished: Easy Lessons in Chinese (1842); English and Chinese Vocabulary in the Court Dialect (1844); Chinese Topography (1844), and Chinese Commercial Guide (1844). He returned to the United States in 1845; was married, Nov. 25, 1847, to Sarah, daughter of Major John and Catherine (Bailey) Walworth of Plattsburgh, N.Y.. and until 1848 was engaged in lecturing on China throughout the country, in this manner obtaining sufficient funds for purchasing a full font of Chinese type. He returned to Cliina in 1848, and until 1856 in addition to his charge of the mission press at Canton, was engaged upon his Tonic Dictionary of Chinese Language in the Canton Dialect, with the exception of his service as interpreter to Commodore Perr}- in Japan, 1853-54. He also served as secretary and interpreter to the United States legation in China. 1855-76, frequently offi- ciating as charge d'affaires. He was influential in arranging the treaty of Tientsin, 1858; visited America, 1861-52, and subsequently designed and erected at his personal expense the LT.S. legation buildings at Peking. He made his final return to America. 1^76, and in the following year was called to fill the especially created chair of Chinese language and literature at Y^'ale, which he con-