Jeremiah “Jay” Nottingham Williams was born on April 21, 1874, the eighth child of fourteen to William Henry and Amanda (Abbott) Williams on the Eight Mile Ranch between The Dalles and Dufur, Oregon. He was raised on the farm there, attended school and lived in the eight mile area until about fifty years old. He was named after his Aunt Lucy’s husband Jeremiah Nottingham. You could see him go by the name of Jay, Jary, or Jerry. The 1940 Census says he attended school until the eighth grade.
He married Myrthline “Myrtle” Eva (Thompson) Bruner, the daughter of William and Laura Thompson on January 19, 1905 in The Obarr Hotel in The Dalles, Oregon. Obarr Hotel also called Farmers Hotel was located down town on Second Street between Jefferson and Madison Street.  Jay was 30 and Myrtle was 21. “It was evident to those who were on proximity to the Obarr House at high noon that something was about to take place. A number of people from Eight Mile made their way to the parlors of the Hotel”, writes The Dalles Chronicle. Judge Filloon married the couple and his father signed as witness. A large wedding dinner was served after the ceremony.
The couple would ranch out east Wasco County in the eight mile, Boyd area where Jay grew up at, for the next twenty five years. In 1907 Jay’s sister Nellie passed away and Jay and Eva took in her youngest child, Frances Amanda Harris and raised her as their own. Frances was just six months old when her mother passed away. This had to be a big change for the house, as they had no children between them. Though he was still ranching he also started working as a county employer on the roads. There are articles in The Dalles Chronicle as early as 1908, “Jay Williams has been improving the roads in this area.”
The 1920 Census shows Merrion Harris has joined Sister Francis and is living with the family, he is probably helping on the ranch. Also added to the house is Eva’s Sister Effie. Adopted daughter Frances married John Gerking in 1923. Jay gave up farming and went to work full time for the county road department in 1928. He and Eva must have separated about this same time (Jay and Eva are divorce before the 1930 Census). His mother Amanda, Sister Clara and Jay all moved into The Dalles and share a house together. At the age to 63 (1938) Jay became Road Master, but he would pass away just three years later at the age of 66. He passed away at the local hospital on January 29, 1941.
He left behind his adopted daughter Frances Gerking, four sisters; Clara Williams, Hazel Creighton, Iva Dufur, and Hester Harris, and three brothers; Frank, Clyde, and Lewis.