Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1902-04-18
Mr.. J. E. Williams Retires.

The Boyd's correspondent of the Balli-
more San gives the following in regard to a
prominent citizen of our county:
Mr.. James e. Williams, one of the best
known farmers of Montgomery county, is
winding up his farming affairs, and retires
from active agricultural operations this year,
His last year as farmer has been the most
successful of his career. He raised more
wheat, corn, hay and other products than
In any year OF the 80 which he has spent as
a tiller of the soil. He is now SO years old,
and the story Of his life is lesson to those
who believe farming does not pay, and
shows what energy intelligently directed
will accomplish.
Mr.. Williams started 10 life as a carpen-
ter, and saved enough from his earnings at
his trade to start little store at Clarksburg,
Montgomery county, in 1852 There he stay
ed through the Civil War, losing some OF
his goods by the raids made by the strag
glers Of McClelan's army, and from some
of the Coniederates as well, but In most OF
the cases he was remunerated to some ex-
tent for the losses. In 1855 he moved to
Germantown, this county, TO engage in the
same business with Mr.. Joshua Dorsey then
a prominent man of this county, but not be
ing impressed with that locality he returned
to Clarksburg to engage in the same BUSH
ness. In 1858, seeing that the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company contemplated
the building of the present Metropolitan
Branch and that there would be a good
opening here, he bought 70 acres of land
for about SO an acre and erected a store
here, taking into partnership with him Col.
James A. Boyd,s wealthy railroad con.
tractor, who had the contract for grading
part OF the roadbed. After three years Mr.
Boyd withdrew IRON the firm and Mr..
Williams formed partnership with Mr..
MahlOn Il. Lewis. They continued in this
partnership up to about 1894, when Mr..
Williams retired. He was followed few
years after by Mr.. Lewis, who gave up active
business. While engaged 10 the mercantile
business here, Mr.. Williams was railroad
agent for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
for 10 years, and postmaster for 30 years.
In addition to his mercantile business Mr..
Williams titled his soil and increased his
holdings from time TO time until now his
real estate includes about 1900 acres of
land, and some of his original 70 acres for
which he paid SO an acre cannot be bought
for $500 an acre on account of its desIra.
bility for building purposes. His farm prop
erty has about 10 dwellings upon II, iour
barns and any number OF small outbuild-
ings.
Over half of the town Of Boyd's was built
by him, and practically all of its enterprises
were started by him. He has now found on
his farm clay of good quality, which has
been tried by sample, that will make fine
brick and terra Gotta piping and tile, and
will soon go to Chicago TO purchase ma
chinery for the purpose of starting q brick
kiln. II the deposit OF clay is, as he thinks,
Of inexhaustible quantity, he will form
stock company and go into the business on
a large scale. He has found barytes, which
is white substance used in the manufac
ture of white lead, but he has as yet not
fully developed it.
In addition TO his other interests Mr..
Williams is large stakeholder In the Mont
gomery County National Bank, at Rock
vile, and director of the same institution.
He has been great admirer OF the Balti-
more Sun, and a constant reader OF 1t all
his lie.
He has rented one of his farms 10 his son,
William M. Williams, and two others TO
well known farmers of Montgomery county.
In closing his career as farmer he raised
5000 bushels OF wheat, hundreds OF tons of
hay, and something over 700 barrels of corn,
a large quantity Of which he sold TO the
United States Government for experimental
planting In the islands recently acquired by
this country. Ii he had sold all the pro
ducts OF his farms at the average figure II
would have brought him nearly $4,000. This
does not include about $500 gallons OF milk
that he shipped during the year to Wash
ington, at IA cents gallon net. He con-
siders that his success as a farmer has been
due to getting good land and keeping it, by
good management In fine state ol cultiva-
ton.
Mr.. Williams has family of two daugh.
tiers, Mrs. George f. Pollock, OF Boyd's, and
Mrs. b. ii. Dutrow, Of Washington, and
three sons. John W. Williams, of Boyd's,
James b. Williams, of Washington juno.
ton, both OF whom are engaged in the Bal
timore and Ohio service, and William M.
Williams, who is renting the home farm.
Mrs. Williams who has contributed 80 much
TO the success OF his active life, is still living