"Boe was instrumental in the formation of the Williams Family Ancestral Association and served as Historian since its inception until he died. He contributed many hours encouraging the youth through scholarships, and was a fountain of information for the Williams Family Newsletter.
Boe has described his ancestors as hardworking, self-reliant, courageous, with firmness of character, hospitable, kind, patient, neighborly, caring of others, of deep religious faith, brave, and honorable. He said that they raised decent people, contributed heavily to their communities, and had a tremendous impact on those who knew them. Boe inherited those genes a thousand fold!
A graduate of Florida State University, he and his wife, Carolyn, built a successful retail shoe business with stores in Valdosta and Waycross, Georgia, and Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida. This unassuming man served as President of the Southeastern Independent Retailers and received their highest award for leadership. Boe's faith carried him through the abyss created by the unexpected death of Carolyn. She had been his strong support professionally, socially, and within their family.
Boe had an intense interest in history, and particularly in the traits that make the Williams family strong and different from others. He enjoyed the study of his family's place in American history
and in learning of the travels and activities of his ancestors. He was so pleased with a new discovery that he remembered every detail- when, where (page, book, and shelf!), and who helped him find this piece of the puzzle. Boe was well respected by those familiar with his insistence on accuracy, his source documentation, and his dedication to citing the work of others.
Judge Folks Huxford became his mentor and fostered his skills in genealogy. Boe helped organize the Huxford Genealogical Society, and served as the long-standing chairman of their board of directors, and edited many articles for their quarterly magazine and numerous other publications. He has seen to the preservation of valuable historical documents and books, and was steadfast in his desire to maintain a superb library in Homerville, Georgia, thus keeping this information available to other researchers.
Carolyn encouraged Boe to record his genealogy research and share it with others. Through these efforts, Andrew Elton Williams: Ancestors, Contemporaries, Descendants, and Allied Families was published in 2003 to preserve his family history for future generations. This book represents a lifetime of dedicated work. For over 25 years, Boe encouraged correspondence with cousins to amass identification and listing of over 20,000 related Williams descendants. Boe wrote the narrative about the lives of his family and other families closely associated with them. The 261 pages of indices give access to over 500 other surnames mentioned in the book. He sought technological expertise to include over 100 pages of copies of family documents and pictures.
This humble cousin of mine has studied the genealogical benefits of DNA research and had more than a working knowledge of this scientific breakthrough. He supported the collection of DNA specimens so that his family is adequately represented in the database that connects this web of Williamses, thereby gaining more clues as to the origin of the family.
Boe was a peacemaker and often found humor as tensions abate. Boe's wise counsel has solved problems for many and has helped avert some potentially unpleasant situations. When he "got it". his face would light up with a grin accompanied by a wonderful chuckle and life was put back into perspective.
Isn't it comforting to know that one day a young person will be cured of cancer because of the selflessness of Boe. He endured intense treatments, not for himself, but for his family and in the hope that doctors would make progress toward a breakthrough. How blessed he was that his wife, Carol, came into his life when she did. She was supportive through some tough times with Boe's illness.
He is greatly missed."
Diane Chenault-Parke
His children:
Edwin Legrand Williams III (Edd) 16 Feb 1960, Tallahassee
Joseph Cason Williams (Cason) 19 Sep 1962, Valdosta
Virginia Grace Williams Kirkland (Jenny) 25 Feb 1972, Valdosta
Boe has described his ancestors as hardworking, self-reliant, courageous, with firmness of character, hospitable, kind, patient, neighborly, caring of others, of deep religious faith, brave, and honorable. He said that they raised decent people, contributed heavily to their communities, and had a tremendous impact on those who knew them. Boe inherited those genes a thousand fold!
A graduate of Florida State University, he and his wife, Carolyn, built a successful retail shoe business with stores in Valdosta and Waycross, Georgia, and Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida. This unassuming man served as President of the Southeastern Independent Retailers and received their highest award for leadership. Boe's faith carried him through the abyss created by the unexpected death of Carolyn. She had been his strong support professionally, socially, and within their family.
Boe had an intense interest in history, and particularly in the traits that make the Williams family strong and different from others. He enjoyed the study of his family's place in American history
and in learning of the travels and activities of his ancestors. He was so pleased with a new discovery that he remembered every detail- when, where (page, book, and shelf!), and who helped him find this piece of the puzzle. Boe was well respected by those familiar with his insistence on accuracy, his source documentation, and his dedication to citing the work of others.
Judge Folks Huxford became his mentor and fostered his skills in genealogy. Boe helped organize the Huxford Genealogical Society, and served as the long-standing chairman of their board of directors, and edited many articles for their quarterly magazine and numerous other publications. He has seen to the preservation of valuable historical documents and books, and was steadfast in his desire to maintain a superb library in Homerville, Georgia, thus keeping this information available to other researchers.
Carolyn encouraged Boe to record his genealogy research and share it with others. Through these efforts, Andrew Elton Williams: Ancestors, Contemporaries, Descendants, and Allied Families was published in 2003 to preserve his family history for future generations. This book represents a lifetime of dedicated work. For over 25 years, Boe encouraged correspondence with cousins to amass identification and listing of over 20,000 related Williams descendants. Boe wrote the narrative about the lives of his family and other families closely associated with them. The 261 pages of indices give access to over 500 other surnames mentioned in the book. He sought technological expertise to include over 100 pages of copies of family documents and pictures.
This humble cousin of mine has studied the genealogical benefits of DNA research and had more than a working knowledge of this scientific breakthrough. He supported the collection of DNA specimens so that his family is adequately represented in the database that connects this web of Williamses, thereby gaining more clues as to the origin of the family.
Boe was a peacemaker and often found humor as tensions abate. Boe's wise counsel has solved problems for many and has helped avert some potentially unpleasant situations. When he "got it". his face would light up with a grin accompanied by a wonderful chuckle and life was put back into perspective.
Isn't it comforting to know that one day a young person will be cured of cancer because of the selflessness of Boe. He endured intense treatments, not for himself, but for his family and in the hope that doctors would make progress toward a breakthrough. How blessed he was that his wife, Carol, came into his life when she did. She was supportive through some tough times with Boe's illness.
He is greatly missed."
Diane Chenault-Parke
His children:
Edwin Legrand Williams III (Edd) 16 Feb 1960, Tallahassee
Joseph Cason Williams (Cason) 19 Sep 1962, Valdosta
Virginia Grace Williams Kirkland (Jenny) 25 Feb 1972, Valdosta
"Boe was instrumental in the formation of the Williams Family Ancestral Association and served as Historian since its inception until he died. He contributed many hours encouraging the youth through scholarships, and was a fountain of information for the Williams Family Newsletter.
Boe has described his ancestors as hardworking, self-reliant, courageous, with firmness of character, hospitable, kind, patient, neighborly, caring of others, of deep religious faith, brave, and honorable. He said that they raised decent people, contributed heavily to their communities, and had a tremendous impact on those who knew them. Boe inherited those genes a thousand fold!
A graduate of Florida State University, he and his wife, Carolyn, built a successful retail shoe business with stores in Valdosta and Waycross, Georgia, and Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida. This unassuming man served as President of the Southeastern Independent Retailers and received their highest award for leadership. Boe's faith carried him through the abyss created by the unexpected death of Carolyn. She had been his strong support professionally, socially, and within their family.
Boe had an intense interest in history, and particularly in the traits that make the Williams family strong and different from others. He enjoyed the study of his family's place in American history
and in learning of the travels and activities of his ancestors. He was so pleased with a new discovery that he remembered every detail- when, where (page, book, and shelf!), and who helped him find this piece of the puzzle. Boe was well respected by those familiar with his insistence on accuracy, his source documentation, and his dedication to citing the work of others.
Judge Folks Huxford became his mentor and fostered his skills in genealogy. Boe helped organize the Huxford Genealogical Society, and served as the long-standing chairman of their board of directors, and edited many articles for their quarterly magazine and numerous other publications. He has seen to the preservation of valuable historical documents and books, and was steadfast in his desire to maintain a superb library in Homerville, Georgia, thus keeping this information available to other researchers.
Carolyn encouraged Boe to record his genealogy research and share it with others. Through these efforts, Andrew Elton Williams: Ancestors, Contemporaries, Descendants, and Allied Families was published in 2003 to preserve his family history for future generations. This book represents a lifetime of dedicated work. For over 25 years, Boe encouraged correspondence with cousins to amass identification and listing of over 20,000 related Williams descendants. Boe wrote the narrative about the lives of his family and other families closely associated with them. The 261 pages of indices give access to over 500 other surnames mentioned in the book. He sought technological expertise to include over 100 pages of copies of family documents and pictures.
This humble cousin of mine has studied the genealogical benefits of DNA research and had more than a working knowledge of this scientific breakthrough. He supported the collection of DNA specimens so that his family is adequately represented in the database that connects this web of Williamses, thereby gaining more clues as to the origin of the family.
Boe was a peacemaker and often found humor as tensions abate. Boe's wise counsel has solved problems for many and has helped avert some potentially unpleasant situations. When he "got it". his face would light up with a grin accompanied by a wonderful chuckle and life was put back into perspective.
Isn't it comforting to know that one day a young person will be cured of cancer because of the selflessness of Boe. He endured intense treatments, not for himself, but for his family and in the hope that doctors would make progress toward a breakthrough. How blessed he was that his wife, Carol, came into his life when she did. She was supportive through some tough times with Boe's illness.
He is greatly missed."
Diane Chenault-Parke
His children:
Edwin Legrand Williams III (Edd) 16 Feb 1960, Tallahassee
Joseph Cason Williams (Cason) 19 Sep 1962, Valdosta
Virginia Grace Williams Kirkland (Jenny) 25 Feb 1972, Valdosta
Boe has described his ancestors as hardworking, self-reliant, courageous, with firmness of character, hospitable, kind, patient, neighborly, caring of others, of deep religious faith, brave, and honorable. He said that they raised decent people, contributed heavily to their communities, and had a tremendous impact on those who knew them. Boe inherited those genes a thousand fold!
A graduate of Florida State University, he and his wife, Carolyn, built a successful retail shoe business with stores in Valdosta and Waycross, Georgia, and Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida. This unassuming man served as President of the Southeastern Independent Retailers and received their highest award for leadership. Boe's faith carried him through the abyss created by the unexpected death of Carolyn. She had been his strong support professionally, socially, and within their family.
Boe had an intense interest in history, and particularly in the traits that make the Williams family strong and different from others. He enjoyed the study of his family's place in American history
and in learning of the travels and activities of his ancestors. He was so pleased with a new discovery that he remembered every detail- when, where (page, book, and shelf!), and who helped him find this piece of the puzzle. Boe was well respected by those familiar with his insistence on accuracy, his source documentation, and his dedication to citing the work of others.
Judge Folks Huxford became his mentor and fostered his skills in genealogy. Boe helped organize the Huxford Genealogical Society, and served as the long-standing chairman of their board of directors, and edited many articles for their quarterly magazine and numerous other publications. He has seen to the preservation of valuable historical documents and books, and was steadfast in his desire to maintain a superb library in Homerville, Georgia, thus keeping this information available to other researchers.
Carolyn encouraged Boe to record his genealogy research and share it with others. Through these efforts, Andrew Elton Williams: Ancestors, Contemporaries, Descendants, and Allied Families was published in 2003 to preserve his family history for future generations. This book represents a lifetime of dedicated work. For over 25 years, Boe encouraged correspondence with cousins to amass identification and listing of over 20,000 related Williams descendants. Boe wrote the narrative about the lives of his family and other families closely associated with them. The 261 pages of indices give access to over 500 other surnames mentioned in the book. He sought technological expertise to include over 100 pages of copies of family documents and pictures.
This humble cousin of mine has studied the genealogical benefits of DNA research and had more than a working knowledge of this scientific breakthrough. He supported the collection of DNA specimens so that his family is adequately represented in the database that connects this web of Williamses, thereby gaining more clues as to the origin of the family.
Boe was a peacemaker and often found humor as tensions abate. Boe's wise counsel has solved problems for many and has helped avert some potentially unpleasant situations. When he "got it". his face would light up with a grin accompanied by a wonderful chuckle and life was put back into perspective.
Isn't it comforting to know that one day a young person will be cured of cancer because of the selflessness of Boe. He endured intense treatments, not for himself, but for his family and in the hope that doctors would make progress toward a breakthrough. How blessed he was that his wife, Carol, came into his life when she did. She was supportive through some tough times with Boe's illness.
He is greatly missed."
Diane Chenault-Parke
His children:
Edwin Legrand Williams III (Edd) 16 Feb 1960, Tallahassee
Joseph Cason Williams (Cason) 19 Sep 1962, Valdosta
Virginia Grace Williams Kirkland (Jenny) 25 Feb 1972, Valdosta
Gravesite Details
he tombstone's name, "Edwind" instead of "Edwin", was an engraving error. Boe's family is having it corrected, and a new photograph to be presented here soon.
Family Members
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