John Richard Williams, M. D.

JOHN RICHARD WILLIAMS, M. D., one of the rising young physicians of Carroll County, and one of the most successful in the profession in Carrollton, is a native of that town, born February 18, 1858. His father, Maj. Robert F. Williams, was born in Washington Township, same county, and in 1833 moved to Carrollton. Here, shortly after the breaking out of the Civil War, he organized a company of volunteers, of which he was made captain. It was mustered into the service at Camp Mingo, Ohio, August 22, 1862, and was attached to the Ninety-eighth O. V. I., which regiment took active part in many of the principal engagements, among the first being the bloody battle of Perryville, under Gen. A. M. McCook, a former townsman of Maj. Williams; it was also present at the battle of Chickamauga, and was with Sherman's army in the Atlanta campaign, participating in the engagements at Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Rome, Dallas and Kenesaw Mountain. In the advance on Atlanta, Maj. Williams was wounded in the leg by a minie-ball, and owing to the crowded state of the hospitals, and the sultry weather, gangrene set in, causing his death, which occurred August 10, 1864, his commission as major being issued November 3, same year, although virtually promoted to that rank about a month before he was wounded.

In 1846 he was married to Miss Mary McGuire, a native of Carrollton, a daughter of E. McGuire, and to them were born five children, one of whom died in infancy. The widowed mother is still living, in the enjoyment of good health. The following is a brief record of the four surviving children: John Richard, the eldest, is spoken of more fully farther on; Emma, the second child, was born, raised and schooled in Carrollton, was teacher in the district and Union School, and also taught music (in 1885 she was married to Rev. W. A. Miller, then minister of the German Reformed Church, of Carrollton, and they have one child born to them called Mary); Robert C, the next in order of birth, was also born and raised in Carrollton, graduating in the Union School (he taught in the district and also the Union School; was a successful applicant at the competitive examination held at Alliance, Ohio, under McKinley's term, for West Point. He graduated from West Point (Military Academy) in 1886, received his commission of second lieutenant of the Fifteenth Regiment, and was assigned to Fort Randall, Dak. In 1888 he was married to Miss Arta Parvin, of Cincinnati. He became the choice of the trustees of De Pauw University, Greencastle, Ind., for the chair of military science and tactics, to which place he was assigned by the war department in 1891, and which he now holds, also teaching surveying and other mathematical branches for the Academy); Mary Atlanta, the youngest child, was born while the father was approaching Atlanta, was named by him, but he never reached home alive to see her (she was also schooled in the Union School at Carrollton, and taught district schools in Magnolia, Ohio. She was married in Carrollton, Ohio, to Charles Sterling, a carriage manufacturer of the firm of Sterling & Baxter, of Carrollton, and they have two children, Emma and Richard).

John Richard Williams was eight years old when his father died. He was educated at the public schools of his native place, and in his boyhood was a clerk for some time; also for about three years served with a corps of engineers engaged in the construction of a railroad. In the spring of 1878 he began the study of medicine under the instruction of Dr. L. D. Stockon, of Carrollton, having previously taught in the district schools. In 1879-80-81 he attended lectures at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York, graduating therefrom in 1881. Returning to Carrollton, he here commenced the practice of his chosen profession in partnership with Dr. Stockon, which business relation existed until the spring of 1890. The Doctor has built up a lucrative practice, the result of close and careful attention to business.

In October, 1881, he was married to Irene, daughter of Dr. L. D. and Etta Stockon, of Carrollton, and one child, a daughter named Lois, has blessed their union. Dr. and Mrs. Williams are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Carrollton; in politics he has always been a straight Republican, and has served his town as councilman; at present time he is a member of the board of education of Carrollton special district, and clerk of that body.

Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Harrison and Carroll, Ohio, containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families, Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1891

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