Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-10-09
A Distinguished Lawyer Dead.

| U i1W JVi Va Lhui hOA uAopfuObioi IL
this State, whose forensic reputa'
ton was in fact national. Deceased
was the uncle of Col. George H.
and Capt. Henry M. Smith, OF this
city. some months ago he visited
Los Angeles with view of taking
up his home here, but his unexpect-
ed death intervening, put an end
to o project which would have CIV
en- us g naost estimable resident.
We cannot forbear transferring to
our columns portion of the article
which deals in certain interesting
facts relating to the deceased. We
quote:
Mr.. Williams's mother was the
daughter of Captain Philip Slaugh.
ter, of Culpeper county, Virginia,
revolutionary patriot and hero,
who served during the whole war
Of the Revolution, and was present
and took part in the battles of
Brandywine, Germantown and
Monmouth. He also participated
In the storming Of Stony Point.
The history OF his military service
Is interesting. He enlisted as q
private at the age of II years in the
Culpeper Minute Men, q company
in which John Marshall, afterward
Chief Justice OF the United States,
was Lieutenant and subsequent-
lxy fatx oh,
anecdote is related of Captain
slaughter which illustrates at once
his gallautry and honorable pride
in his services to his country. 1t is
that he never referred to the war or
his part in its stirring events with
out regretting that he had passed
through ali its trials and dangers
without a scar. The paternal line
of Mr.. Williams was derived from
William Peere Williams, the dis
t;nguished Sergeant.at-Law aud
reporter OF the decisions of Lords
Chaacellors Somers and Cowper
and Lord Chief Justice Holt. The
three grandsons of Peere Williams
emigrated to America. or these,
John, the eldest, was the great
grandfather of the subject of this
sketch. 1t will be seen that Mr..
Williams came of q line that fol-
lowed and adorned the law In
every capacity-as authors, re-
pOrters and practitioners. The
early years of MIR. Williams were
passed In his native State. At
about the age of II he went TO
Philadelphia, where he remained
for several months attending an
academy of high rank and prepar-
Ing for college. After al
thorough course of prepare
ton he entered the college of New
Jersey at Princeton. AT college
his favorite studies we're rhetoric
and Latin. His love for the latter
never forsook him, but continued
through life. In his office he al.
ways kept upon his workable
copies of Livy and Horace, which |
bore marks of constant use. In
his chamber at the hotel where he
made his home for the last seven |
years OF his life, were several |
copies of the works of the Latin
pOets, in whose perusal he took |
great delight. His especial favor.
lite was Virgil, whose Eneid he
read and re-read with unfailing
pieaure. The love of Mr.. Williams
for the classics must be attributed |
to his acquaintance with and
friendship for q priest. of the Ro.
man Catholic Church, whose name
has escaped the writer's memory, |
but who must have been gentle
man of a high degree of attain
ments and culture. This acquain-
lance and friendship, commencing
In youth, when the tastes are east
ly directed for good or i'll, exercised
y happy influence upon the mind
OF the young man. They created |
that taste for reading aud love of
books, which DIR. Johnson so high
ly comments. At Princeton Mr..
Williams took no degree, but left
the college before graduation. Re-
turning to Virginia, he entered
upon the practice of the law in the
office OF his brother-iu-iRw, Hon.
John M. Patton, Of Rich mond.
While in Richmond he made the
of, and formed a
friendship with, James d. thorn
ton, now of this city, afterward his
partner fer many years. Upon his
admission to the bar he practiced
law In the counties of Rockingham
and Kanawha. This he continued
to do until 1858, when he accompa-
MED his uncle, Hon. Robert
Thompson, to CALIFORNIA;.
Before leaving Virginia Mr..
Williams had entered into
an engagement of marriage
with Miss Frances, daughter
of Francis Thompson OF Kama
wha, young lady of charming
and winning traits of
She was one of the
nearest living relatives of George
Washington. Upon his arrival in
San Francisco, Mr.. Williams en-
tered the office of the United States
Land Commission for the settle-
ment of Spanish and Mexican land
titles, Of which his uncle, Judge
was q member, as q
clerk. In that position he applied
himself diligently to the study of
the Spanish language and the
Mexican system of land grants, in
both of which he achieved a re-
proficiency. Iu a few
he resigned his clerkship
and entered into partnership In the
practice of the law with Hon.
Harry |. Thornton, father of Col.
II. I. Thornton of this city. After
the partnership was formed, hav.
ing acquired, by the display Of
handsome abilities, an assured po-
sition at the bar, he went to Vir-
ginia and married Miss Thompson.
to this city with his
bride he established home 10
which happiness and cheerfulness
reigned supreme. Tires children
were born Of this union, of whom
the eldest died within q few hours
of Its birth. Frank, the second,
died in thia city about six years