The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-02-01
First Warden Of Pen
Is Dead at Bismarck

llams, one of the earliest of Burleigh
county's pioneers, passed away very
suddenly on Monday afternoon, at the
home of his brother, Gen. E. A. Will
liams, death being due to heart fail
ure. While his health during the past
year had not been of the best, yet it
was not such as to give any indication
that the end was so near.
Daniel R. Williams was born in
Mystic. Conn.,, May 10, 1916, and came
with his parents to Werner, Wis, in
1861, where they resided for about
year. later removing to Freeport, Ill.
In 1859, deciding to strike out for him
self, he left home, and came to Yank-
ton, then Dakota territory.
In 1871 Judge Bookings of the
United States federal court at Yanll-
ton, appointed Mr.. Williams special
administrator Of the estate of Charles
Reider, who had formerly operated a
wood yard at Painted Woods and had
been killed the fall before in a dispute
with one of his employees. In settling
up the estate it was necessary for Mr..
Williams to come to Painted Woods,
and 1t was on this first trip that he
became acquainted with Joe Dietrich,
Joe Taylor and W. H. Mercer, who
then resided near Painted Woods.
Very much impressed with the
country and infatuated with the wild
and adventurous life existing here at
that time, he returned to Yankton,
settled up the estate, and the follow
ing spring left Yankton overland for
Painted Woods. He established
hunting camp and wood yard on the
banks Of the Missouri, furnishing
wood to the steamboats, operating on
the river at that time.
In 1873 Burleigh county was organ
lied and Mr.. Williams was appointed
the first register of deeds by the
board of county commissioners. Two
years later in a closely contested elec-
ton, in which there were four or five
candidates, he was defeated.
Gold having been discovered in the
Black Hills, he joined a party of Bis
marck people and Lett fer South Da-
kota settling at the point where
Rapid City is new l'tatel Spending
about two Yeas in tina. vicinity in an
unsuccessful quest for gold ne return
ed to his forme: home IN Illinois, and
three years later he again came out
to North Dakota and settled at what
was formerly Williamsport, Emmons
county. Being one of the organizers
OF Emmons county, he was appointed
register of deeds when that county
was organized.
In 1888 the territorial legislature
established the penitentiary at Bis.
marck, and Mr.. Williams was chosen
ny the board of directors as the first
warden. He had charge of the build
ing of the institution and served in
the capacity of warden for about eight
years, when he was succeeded by
clark Haggart. It was while serving
in this position that he met and mar
rico Mrs. Ruth Gibbs at Williamsport,
in 1885.
At the conclusion of his term as
warden of the penitentiary, Mr.. and
Mrs. Williams removed to Chicago,
where he engaged in the real estate
business. He had lived on the from
tier too long, however, to be satisfied
with the settled life of Chicago, and
four years later he returned to North
Dakota and established a cattle ranch
on Brush lake in Mclean county.
Being well along in years and de.
string to spend the latter years of his
life in peace and quiet, he several
years later purchased a tract of land
at the site of his first camp on the
banks of the Missouri near Painted
Woods, and removed with his wife
from Mclean to Burleigh county,
where he has lived up until a few
weeks before his death.
He is survived by two sisters, Mrs.
Edward Morgan and Mrs. Walter G.
Ford, OF Freeport, ILL.,, and his brother,
Gen. E. A. Williams of this city, his
wife having died in 1909.
Funeral services will be conducted
in the home of Gen. E. A. Williams
Wednesday morning, at 10 o'clock, and
will be in charge of Rev. Bruce E.
Jackson Of the Baptist church. Inter-
ment will be made in St. Mary's ceme-
terry.