There is quite a bit of documentation written about the history and heritage of family and the people of Pettytown and Red Rock, Texas ~ some were written by my grandmother, Joanna Williams James. Unfortunately, these papers disclose very little information about her parents, Eliza and Joseph Williams. Here is what is known about my great-grandmother:

Peter Jefferson and Missouri Delilah (Julian) Baze welcomed their youngest child, Eliza Jane into their family on October 29, 1856. Several of her older siblings were born in Tennesse, while at least two were born in Missouri, but there is a discrepancy as to whether Eliza was born in Texas or Missouri. The census of 1860 (when she was three years old) has her birth being in Texas. The Texas birth certificate of her daughter ~ Joanna ~ states that Eliza (the mother) was born in Missouri. The Baze family had previously lived in Tennesse, Barry County, Missouri and (possibly)Carroll County, Arkansas before moving to the Lone Star state.

The Baze's were of Pennsylvannia Dutch descent. They were a hardy people and dark-skinned ~ the "black Baze's", they were often called. Eliza would often tell her children of the Dutch food her mother (Missouri Delilah) would fix ~ hogshead cheese, blood pudding, and apple dumplings.

The Baze's and the Petty/Williams families were friends for many years. When the Petty's moved to Texas, the Baze's ~ along with many other families ~ either traveled with them or soon followed.

Eliza married Joseph Aden Williams (his mother is a Petty) on December 26, 1872 in Red Rock, Texas and a large family of 10 children was born in a span of 30 years (1874-1904). Her mother-n-law, Ann Catherine was a midwife and had delivered all 10 babies ~ Elisha, Taylor, Lula, Perry, Ollie, Fannie, Ellie, Dessie, Joanna, and Osceola. Joseph and Eliza raised their children in a Christian home. They were dedicated and faithful members of the church of Christ.

A mother should never have to bury a child before it is her time to leave this world, yet Eliza did ... 3 times ~ Taylor, Osceola, and Perry.

The day after being penned against a fence by a horse, her son Perry died of his injuries on July 28, 1914. In a telegram from Elisha dated the 27th, he informs a family member of Perry's accident. The telegram goes on to state that "mother is some better". As Elisha was a certified medical doctor, I'm sure he was doing everything he could for his mom in her time of illness, but to no avail. A little over a month later, Eliza Jane Baze Williams was greeted by a host of angels as she entered into Heaven's haven of rest at the age of 57.

Though, Eliza passed away before all her grandchildren were born, she was blessed to be the grandmother of 49 ~ possibly 1 or 2 more died at birth or in infancy.