The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-05-27
c. B. Williams, Marvin Pioneer,
Answers Final Summons

The many friends and old settlers
of Grant County were deeply grieved
when the announcement was made of
the death OF Charles Il. Williams of
Marvin, on Friday morning Of last
week, the goth of May. One of the
pioneer settlers of the. county, he wa;
a man of sterling character and up
right life, an unpretentious and kind
ly nature, loved and respected by the
entire community and particularly by
those who knew him most intimately
Charles Billings Williams, was born
at Ha.tstown. Pa, on April 25th
1858, the fifth in family of six, and
the son of William M. and Catherine
Williams. The Williams were among
the first settlers in Maryland coming
there with the Calverts of Maryland
from England, where they had heen
traders and county office holders and
land owners of considerable extent.
His mothers maiden name was Cath
crime Duffie. and she was the daugh-
ter Of DR.. Charles Duflie, who prac-
ticed at Baltimore, Md. and who came
to this country from Ireland.
In 1878 Mr.. Williams mother died
and also his three sisters soon after
SO that his fathers home became bro
ken up. and with his two brothers
and father. came to Grant county on
March is 1880. With the other men,
bers of his family he settled on land
where is now located the town of Mar.
win, which was before the railrnad
came thru. In 1881 the railroad was
extended thru to Marvin. and soon
after a siding was located on Mr..
Williams land. This caused him to
establish a small grocery store in
1881, and in a small ne-story frame
building he hung out the sign, "Yan-
kee Nctions,' and launched forth ia
the business that ha, been continued
ever since. As years passed he en-
larged his business, and in addition
carried a hardware stock, besides lum-
Der and grain. OF course there was
nothing remarkable in the expansion
of his business, except that the then
new country demanded these services
in the settling and building up of the
country
| The deceased man was the oldest
! postmaster in the state. not in point
of years. but in continuity of Office.
From June 30th. 1891, he has held
the Office continually, thru all adj
ministrations, and continuing to his
death, at which time he had record
of practically 81 years, and there is
good reason to believe that this is
one OF the longest records in the coan-
try. 1t all goes to show how the con-
fidence of the community had been
entrusted to him, and one can now
fully realize how the residents must
have come to him and confded their
pleasures and troubles, and if it had
not heen that he had been able to
help and assist them, we can plainly
see that this wholesome respect and
confidence could not have been sus-
tained. For this reason principally,
his record rs postmaster in this
little town for 81 continuous years,
means more to his family than if he
had temporarily been Postmaster
General Of the United States, respect
and confidence are more than tempor-
ary and shor. lived honors.
In the early eighties, the little town
of Marvin was known as Grade Siding
and the title was no doubt most an
pfopciate. 1t was simply q siding on
| the railroad grade to Summit, and
probably it was more Of an accomo-
dation to the railroad company than
the convenience of settlers, that the
| siding was established. With the
small engines of little power that
were then in use, they no doubt need
| ed the little siding to retire to in order
to get their breath. The early set
tiers can remember when there was
only a hand car house to comfort the
local patrons, but in spite of the in