Williams news., 1917-01-18
BILL WILLIAMS, BEAR HUNTER.
Undeserved Honor Thrust Upon Him, The Most Beautiful Of Arizona's Beautiful Mountains Bears His Name


 The spirit of history fails to note the acts ot many whose bare names later appear Tn lts pases The distinction was neither earned nor sought nor was there thot that tnelr names would be embazoned on the historic page. mere accident of time and place thrust upon them the honor and left it for poster1ty to wonder why?
 Bill Williams, Arizona hunter, is case in point Ask who he was and none may reply. Ask what he did and none can say. Yet ms name appears in public records and IS conspic- nous on the map of Arizona. The romantic have imagined deeds of adventure ana o1 ser vice and have longed for facts on whlch Io worthily base them. The more exact also nave lonoed for facts, believing that a man would not he so distinpuished unless he had renderd dis tinquished service. The News has shareo !he spirit of both and has sought to learn someIiii!s of the bear hunter who has named mouhtslil and town and has given dlstlngulsnea tltaTs , uo tonooraphy and locality. The quest ot the News hoe been in vain almost to the present momehI when records came to light, which, Ii less autn- o,t;c than could be desired at least furnish an account of Bill Williams with propaplhtles III favor of substantial accuracy.
 His Early Life
 Bill Williams was born in England about the middle of last century. When he was Iour Sea,o 1, old he came to California With ms Iaehet "-to VII. Iuas sent over to take charge ot mining piope'" ;n the interest of English investors. " Tho how Bill attended school in San Franclsco and early became interested ln mlnlng anu as " tender age skillful ana ss sacesssam aud sold ~actor He located valuable mines anu soie tIsa-,, for 5000 900. He married the pretIlest sartest sweetest and best white glrl ID tne @ Glty so ,se his own description of her. Young VII. i;ams nut ir, the ''Post Office" saloon, one 4a % tba finest in San Francisco. He made money III the saloon business and prosperea uh'il HID wife and children sickened ana dleo. ,.
 The death of Bill Williams dear ones ols- couraged him so completely that ne LOOK to drink and gambling and soon aose S+ ms hunt. inc outfit, and came to Arizona ana Durleo II hill- self in the wilds of the mountain whlcn was ia'ei given his name. 1;, o,, +he o,n+o;n side near spring and determined to foroet his past life in the activities of hunter Government surveyors had camp at the 1oot of inc mountain and Bill Williams visited the camp to sell them a deer which he had JusI snoe The chief of the surveying party asked Bill his name and when it was told to him the name was written on the map where the peak of the group of mountains appeared and that peak mas been known as Bill Williams Mountain ever slnce The records to which the News has had access ignore dates absolutely, but since U. B. survey ors were at work near Bill Williams mountain in 1883 it is quite certain that Bill Williams the man and bear hunter was between 5o ana 4' years old at this time.
 In the fall of 1883, determined by the above mentioned incident, three Indian squaws visited Bill Williams cabin late in the afternoon one day and received frontier hospitality. Two of the squaws were old and one young. They were hunting for ponies which had strayed. Bill Williams fed the squaws and made them bee of bear skins. Rested, and again fed in the morning, the squaws went on their way strengthened and grateful.
 About two weeks later the young squaw sur prised Bill at the task of getting supper. She wal welcomed and given a seat at the table and par took of the evening m cal. After supper ths young squaw presented Bill with bundle which she had with her. It proved to be fin, vestsbeauhfully decorated with bead work. This gift among the Apaches to which trib, the young squaw belonged, meant proposal O.
 marriage. If it was accepted and laid away lit
 tie remained to complete the union.
 Wearied of a lonely life in the wilds, Bill Will
 Hams rolled the vest up and laid it away in hi
 cupboard. The Indian girl then knelt and ex
 tended her right hand which was grasped b,
 Bills right hand and she was lifted to her feet
 The marriage was completed by kiss and tn
 bride at once began to clean up the suppe
 dishes.
 Children were born to Bill Williams His In
 dian wife cleared few acres of ground and b.
 her industry in raising grain and vegetables am
 his with his gun, the table was bountifully sup piled and the needs of the family provided for.
 The records locate Bill Williams gray and