John Albert Williams was born 24 October 1823 in Glastonbury, Brooklyn, Connecticut. He was the son of Solomon Williams (1783-1876) and Martha Baker Williams (1786-1866). He was the great-great-great-great grandson of Mayflower pilgrims John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley Howland.
He was educated at Harvard and graduated from the Engineering School.
General Sidney Sherman (Texas hero at the Battle of San Jacinto) knew him personally and asked him to come to Texas in 1852 to be the Superintendent and Chief Engineer for the construction of the Brazos Bayou and Colorado railroad, which was the first railroad west of the Mississippi.
When the Civil War broke out, John joined the Confederate Army. He was commissioned as a Captain. In May 1863, he was promoted to Major and served as the Chief Engineer on General Lee's staff. After the War was over, General Lee presented each member of his staff with a signed copy of the famous Order #9.
John returned to Texas where he married General Sherman's daughter, Caroline Maria, in May of 1866. He had known her for many years. She was 20 years his junior and, according to friends and dozens of letters between the two, theirs was a very loving and romantic marriage, although very short-lived. They had one son, Albert Sidney Williams, who was born in April 1867, 5 months before John died. He had one granddaughter, Marjorie Trueheart Williams McCullough (my grandmother).
He died on 15 September 1867 of yellow fever and was buried in the cemetery of close family friends.
From the Galveston Daily Times, 17 September 1867: " Major John Williams was buried this afternoon. His illness was of a short duration and will shock the whole community. He was of a social and happy disposition, having a host of enthusiastic friends in this and every community where he has lived, and at the same time his abilities in discharging the duties of Superintendent and Chief Engineer of the B.B.D. and C.R.R. had gained for him an exalted reputation for judgment, zeal and usefulness."
He was educated at Harvard and graduated from the Engineering School.
General Sidney Sherman (Texas hero at the Battle of San Jacinto) knew him personally and asked him to come to Texas in 1852 to be the Superintendent and Chief Engineer for the construction of the Brazos Bayou and Colorado railroad, which was the first railroad west of the Mississippi.
When the Civil War broke out, John joined the Confederate Army. He was commissioned as a Captain. In May 1863, he was promoted to Major and served as the Chief Engineer on General Lee's staff. After the War was over, General Lee presented each member of his staff with a signed copy of the famous Order #9.
John returned to Texas where he married General Sherman's daughter, Caroline Maria, in May of 1866. He had known her for many years. She was 20 years his junior and, according to friends and dozens of letters between the two, theirs was a very loving and romantic marriage, although very short-lived. They had one son, Albert Sidney Williams, who was born in April 1867, 5 months before John died. He had one granddaughter, Marjorie Trueheart Williams McCullough (my grandmother).
He died on 15 September 1867 of yellow fever and was buried in the cemetery of close family friends.
From the Galveston Daily Times, 17 September 1867: " Major John Williams was buried this afternoon. His illness was of a short duration and will shock the whole community. He was of a social and happy disposition, having a host of enthusiastic friends in this and every community where he has lived, and at the same time his abilities in discharging the duties of Superintendent and Chief Engineer of the B.B.D. and C.R.R. had gained for him an exalted reputation for judgment, zeal and usefulness."
John Albert Williams was born 24 October 1823 in Glastonbury, Brooklyn, Connecticut. He was the son of Solomon Williams (1783-1876) and Martha Baker Williams (1786-1866). He was the great-great-great-great grandson of Mayflower pilgrims John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley Howland.
He was educated at Harvard and graduated from the Engineering School.
General Sidney Sherman (Texas hero at the Battle of San Jacinto) knew him personally and asked him to come to Texas in 1852 to be the Superintendent and Chief Engineer for the construction of the Brazos Bayou and Colorado railroad, which was the first railroad west of the Mississippi.
When the Civil War broke out, John joined the Confederate Army. He was commissioned as a Captain. In May 1863, he was promoted to Major and served as the Chief Engineer on General Lee's staff. After the War was over, General Lee presented each member of his staff with a signed copy of the famous Order #9.
John returned to Texas where he married General Sherman's daughter, Caroline Maria, in May of 1866. He had known her for many years. She was 20 years his junior and, according to friends and dozens of letters between the two, theirs was a very loving and romantic marriage, although very short-lived. They had one son, Albert Sidney Williams, who was born in April 1867, 5 months before John died. He had one granddaughter, Marjorie Trueheart Williams McCullough (my grandmother).
He died on 15 September 1867 of yellow fever and was buried in the cemetery of close family friends.
From the Galveston Daily Times, 17 September 1867: " Major John Williams was buried this afternoon. His illness was of a short duration and will shock the whole community. He was of a social and happy disposition, having a host of enthusiastic friends in this and every community where he has lived, and at the same time his abilities in discharging the duties of Superintendent and Chief Engineer of the B.B.D. and C.R.R. had gained for him an exalted reputation for judgment, zeal and usefulness."
He was educated at Harvard and graduated from the Engineering School.
General Sidney Sherman (Texas hero at the Battle of San Jacinto) knew him personally and asked him to come to Texas in 1852 to be the Superintendent and Chief Engineer for the construction of the Brazos Bayou and Colorado railroad, which was the first railroad west of the Mississippi.
When the Civil War broke out, John joined the Confederate Army. He was commissioned as a Captain. In May 1863, he was promoted to Major and served as the Chief Engineer on General Lee's staff. After the War was over, General Lee presented each member of his staff with a signed copy of the famous Order #9.
John returned to Texas where he married General Sherman's daughter, Caroline Maria, in May of 1866. He had known her for many years. She was 20 years his junior and, according to friends and dozens of letters between the two, theirs was a very loving and romantic marriage, although very short-lived. They had one son, Albert Sidney Williams, who was born in April 1867, 5 months before John died. He had one granddaughter, Marjorie Trueheart Williams McCullough (my grandmother).
He died on 15 September 1867 of yellow fever and was buried in the cemetery of close family friends.
From the Galveston Daily Times, 17 September 1867: " Major John Williams was buried this afternoon. His illness was of a short duration and will shock the whole community. He was of a social and happy disposition, having a host of enthusiastic friends in this and every community where he has lived, and at the same time his abilities in discharging the duties of Superintendent and Chief Engineer of the B.B.D. and C.R.R. had gained for him an exalted reputation for judgment, zeal and usefulness."
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