Buried at Rahmiller Cemetery, Louisa Co, IA according to WPA records, but found here at Bretz Cemetery (which may have once been known as Rahmiller to some).

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The early life of Robert Williams is shrouded by the tumult of the early beginnings of our country. From family stories, it is likely that his father Jonas owned and operated a mill along the Susquehanna river not far from where the events of July 3, 1778 occurred at what is now called Wyoming, Pennsylvania. Many researchers have given his birthplace as being Cayuga Co, NY. The family stories HAVE ALWAYS said that he was only a few weeks old when he and his family were enveloped by the events of July 3. It is also important to note that Cayuga County, NY did not exist in 1778. This writer believes that Robert was born near what is now Forty-Fort, Luzerne Co, PA.

The accounts that forced Jonas and his family to what became Cayuga co, New York are best left for the words of Byron Williams, apparently a descendant of Robert's brother Zebina, in his work "History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio" Gateway Press 1987. This account, and ones similar to it being retold by a number people who claim ancestry to Robert's father Jonas. These include lines which are separate from Robert's.

The flight of Jonas and his family including infant son Robert, eventually took them to be with extended family in the area between Auburn and Cortland in what was then known as Tryon County, NY, (and did not become Cayuga Co until 1799). Robert is said to have married Elizabeth Wright, daughter of Caleb Wright in about 1800 at Locke, Cayuga Co, NY. It is in January of 1800 that their eldest daughter Mary Williams was born.

By 1812, Robert Williams and family were in Nichols, NY where they had apparently followed her father Caleb (or perhaps her brother Caleb). It was in 1812 that Robert is said to have sold a lot from his father-in-law's farm to Dr Gamaliel Barstow, where Dr Barstow started his long and illustrious career as a Doctor, a Lawyer, and a Politician.

In about 1816, for unknown reasons, Robert moved his family to first Ohio (where older brother Zebina had taken up residence), and then on to Indiana. It was in Indiana in 1817 where son Gamaliel Barstow Williams was born. Evidently named after the good friendship shown by Dr. Barstow.

Wife Elizabeth died at some point between August 29, 1819 (the date when son Charles was born) and 1827. It was on March 4, 1827 that Robert took a new wife in the name of Elizabeth Hart. Through the known birth locations of the children born to the second wife, we know that Robert's family did not appear in Iowa until about 1838 (when daughter Emeline is said to have been born in Iowa).

Though the exact date of Robert's appearance in Iowa is uncertain, it is known that sons Zebina and G. Barstow overwintered in what is now known as Louisa County, Iowa in the winter of 1835-1836. Their account, as told by G. Barstow Williams indicates that they were forced back to civilization at least twice to resupply after the natives depleted their cabin of supplies while they were out building 'claim cabins' in the surrounding countryside. It seems certain that they had someone nearby who could finance these re-supply trips, and it makes sense that it was Robert and family who may have been living in the small riverside village next to the Mississippi at that time (though no one is certain if that location was on the Illinois side, or the Iowa side).

Robert's sons from his first marriage flourished in Iowa.
Many of his children from the first marriage, and at least one from the second are listed below. He is said to be the father of 20 children in all.
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Perhaps
1800 Census
at Milton, Cayuga, NY
where resides a
Robert WILLIAMS with the following data:
1 Male under 10 (is this Mary, misidentified as a Male?)
1 Male 16<26
1 Female 16<26
NOTE THAT there is another Robert WILLIAMS living in that town with identical record except for the child.
Also living in that town, a Samuel WILLIAMS and Robert's father Jonas.

NOTE that in 1800, present day Genoa, Cayuga, NY was known as the town of Milton ('town', rather than 'village' which is an even more specific location).
From the Cayuga County website comes this further information:
What is now the town of Genoa was successively in Albany, Montgomery, Herkimer, Onondaga and finally Cayuga county. The town of Milton was formed in 1789 and covered the areas of Milton and Locke townships of the military tract which was surveyed into twenty-five 100-lot townships by July 1790, with three more added later. In 1802 Milton became smaller when Locke formed its own government. The name of Milton was changed to Genoa in 1808 and in 1817 the southernmost 60 lots of Genoa went into the formation of the town of Lansing in new Tompkins county. This left Genoa with 40 lots in an approximately 4 by 10 mile configuration stretching eastward from the east shore of Cayuga Lake.
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1810 Census
at Locke, Cayuga, NY
Robert Williams
2 Males under 10
1 Male 26<45
3 Females Under 10
1 Female 16<25
1 Female 26<45
NOTE: Robert is living not far from his uncle Benjamin WIlliams, his father Jonas, his brother Jonas Jr, and Peleg Hathaway who is the father of the wife of Jonas Jr. Peleg Hathaway is married to Mercy Williams whose Williams line may be unrelated. Son Abiathar Hathaway marries Hannah Perrin, daughter of Lemuel and Martha (NASH) PERRIN. Hannah Perrin's brothers John and Samuel accompany Robert's brother Zebina to Clermont County, Ohio, Hannah Perrin's sister Martha, marries Isaac Williams, brother of Robert and Jonas Jr Williams. It is this complex set of interdependent relationships, many that tie back to Massachusetts, that call into question the link that some make between Robert's father (Jonas), grandfather (Timothy), great-grandfather (Thomas) and the Matthew Williams family of Orange Co, NJ. A link that is asserted by some researchers.

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Unable to locate an 1820 or 1830 census for Robert and family. Piecing together details we are able to determine that Caleb Wright of Nichols is the father of Robert's first wife (Elizabeth's surname of 'Wright' being traditionally 'known' within many branches of descendants of this family and with no reference to any other surname; The son Gamaliel Barstow Williams as shown on his grave marker, named after Mr Gamaliel Barstow of Nichols who became prominent in the state of NY after first purchasing land from the Wright estate; Robert Williams named as a son-in-law of Caleb's who laid out the land he inherited of the farm of Caleb Wright, into city blocks; "Betsy", aka Elizabeth, is listed in the Will of Caleb Wright). Dr. Gamaliel Barstow purchases of James Wright (grandson of Caleb, and son of Thomas Wright), the original Caleb Wright farmhouse in 1819 (the same year that Caleb's WILL is proved). It is assumed that at sometime after 1819, Robert Williams removed to Ohio (where brother Zebina moved) and then to Indiana. Have discovered some record of Robert's family in Indiana, but have been unable to find Robert in any census data. By 1835, Robert's sons Zebina and Gamaliel have crossed the Mississippi and have laid out 'claim cabins' in Louisa County, Iowa.
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1840 Census
at Louisa Co, Iowa

Williams, Rob't 0100100010000,2 1 101
reading as
1 FWM 5-10,
1 FWM 20-30,
1 FWM 60-70,
2 FWF O-5,
1 FWF 5-10,
1 FWF 10-20,
1 FWF 20-30.
believe that this data correlates to sons Oliver, probably Charles, the elder Robert, daughters Louisa+Emeline, SueANN (aka Lueanna), Sarah and second wife Elizabeth Hart.

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1850 Census
at Columbus City, Louisa, Iowa
Film Number: 442962
Digital GS Number: 4181054
Image Number: 00053
Dwelling House Number: 148
Family Number: 149
Robert Williams; M; 73y PA
Lue Ann Williams; F; 18y IN
Louisa Williams; F; 10y IA
Marietta Williams; F; 6y IA
Laura Kelley; F; 4m IA

NOTES, No Elizabeth Hart.
Emeline is living with step-sister Mary Dunham (Widow of Nathaniel, son of Ursula and Sylvanus Dunham of Nichols) and her son Sylvanus.
Laura Kelley is the 4 months old daughter of Sarah Williams (daughter of Robert, who first married George Washington Jones in Fayette Co, IN, George dies in 1839. Sarah remarries a John Kelly, give birth to son Alpheus Kelly and daughter Laura Kelly before both she and John die (said to be 1849, but if Laura is 4 months at the enumeration date of 23 Sept, 1850, then perhaps mother lived to Laura's birth?).

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The grave of Robert Williams is located in the north east central portion of the cemetery. It is one of the few still standing, and may be a more recent replacement stone.