Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-06-05
Like George Williams, his ancestors

were from Virginia, but so far as
know. the families were unrelated.
There is no record of the influences
which led up stream. but he came as
did the Witherspoons. and others of
Williamsburg county to Lancaster,
and there first settled and married a
Crawford, who was akin to Andrew
Jackson. After a few years practice
at Lancaster, Mr.. Williams removed to
York, and there resided until he went
permanently to Alabama in 1888.
He was known as BLACK Tom Will
liams," from his very dark complex
ion. He was a tall and handsome
man, and a great advocate before
juries. Judge O'Neall evidently did
not think he was trained in the books,
yet he thought him to be man Of
mark.
In 1880, he was a member Of the
general assembly of South Carolina,
and he there made a notable speech
against the call Of a convention Of the
people to nullify an act of congress.
1 have no doubt the folly Of that
drove him from the state.
He went first to Mobile and then to
Montgomery, became member Of the
legislature there, and rose to high
rank as an advocate. DR.. Maurice
Moore states that he stood in 1880 for
the office of circuit judge, and barely
escaped an election. William D.
Martin was elected by a majority Of
one.
Towards the close Of the career In
York of Thos. Williams, there came
another gentleman of the same name;
he was George w Williams. He was
born near Bell-Air in Lancaster, in
1908; his father was Fowler, whose
father was George; the last named
came to South Carolina from Vir-
ginia before the Revolution, and set
tied in the Waxhaws. To America the
family came from Wales.
Fowler was a teacher, and started
the education of his son. George, and
II was continued at Lincolnton, \. c.,
and at EbeneZer in York county, and
it was concluded at the South Caro-
lima College, where he was graduated
in 1928. Thereafter George w. Will
liams taught in Richland and at
Yorkville, and there read law with
Thomas Williams He was admitted
to practice in 1880. He then formed
a partnership with his preceptor
Williams and subsequently in
succession with Mr.. Clawson and Col.
Beatty.
Like his illustrious predecessors,
and Thomas Williams, Geo.
w. Williams was for the Union and
against notification. He, with 9TH
ers, founded the Patriot" and he
published and edited it for years as
an organ for the Union.
Mr.. Williams went to the house in
his early manhood, and after the war
he went to the senate.
But the court room was the thea
tre of his highest activities. For more
than thirty years he was in the full
tide of practice at York, Chester, Lam
caster, Spartanburg and Union. In
those days the practice Of riding the
circuit was in full vogue.
Fifty-six years after his death there
are very few lawyers now living who
saw him in the flesh; there are none
in the sixth circuit.
The Hon. Robert w. Shand Of CO.
umbia, now past seventy years of age,
and himself a distinguished lawyer,
was a young attorney at Union at the
close of the war. He there met Mr..
and he writes me this:
when 1 settled in Union in Au-
gust, 1866, the practice still prevailed
among older lawyers Of attending
courts in adjoining counties. Mr.. A.
W. Thomas, for instance, of Union,
always went to the courts of Spartan
ourg, Newberry and Chester; Mr..
Simpson Bobo always went to Union.
and Mr.. George w. Williams Of York
,ille also attended the courts of
Union, as 1 recall, with regularity.
THE impression made upon me as
/ young man-and not changed by
experience-is that Mr..
Williams was one of the most accom-
olished lawyers 1 have ever seen in a
court house. 1 would say that his
stature was five feet, ten inches,
while he weighed somewhere between
l40 and $50 pounds. His complex
on was rather dark. He was ex-
,eedingly genial, and l recall the kind
ness and courtesy that he showed to
ne as young lawyer.
I'm the court house he was always
prepared; and had a fine
delivery, with a persuasive manner.
'ecall particularly one equity case
here that attracted a great deal OF
interest, in which the other counsel in
he case was Ex-Governor Perry Of
Ireenville Mr.. Simpson Bobo of
Mr.. Stedman Of Union.
md Mr.. Williams. His argument in
hat case was particularly fine. / do
lot specially recall other cases in
which have heard Mr.. Williams, and
do not know that | can say more
han to repeat what | said above-that
le impressed me as being a very fine
md great lawyer"
Col. r. d. Lee of Sumter, related to
ne this incident about Mr.. Will
ms:
Some twenty odd years ago, was
associated with the late Judge Mel
on in several cases and opposed to
lin in others, here in Sumter, and
aw much of him. He was discussing
awyers Of an older generation and
narrated the following concerning
leo. w. Williams of York:
He said that in the late SOS.
Turing the reconstruction, d. II.
then attorney general,
lad an important civil case at York,
epresenting the states interest. Mr..
Williams was opposing counsel, but
whom he had never seen nor met
'ourt was at hand and the attorney
General went up to Yorkville to try