Lafayette A. Williams Family

LAFAYETTE A. WILLIAMS 1853-1931  

David and Emily's second son, Lafayette (Lafe) Williams, was born February 13, 1853, in Arkansas.

When the family moved to Oregon he worked away from home to make some money for the family. Apparently, at least once he dawdled on the way home:

Oregon Statesman (Salem, Oregon), July 30, 1872, page 3, column 2:

WHERE IS HE?--Lafayette A. Williams, who for some time past has been working for a farmer living about ten miles from Forest Grove, started for his home in this city about three or four weeks ago, and since that time has not been heard from. His mother and family, residing in this place, are desirous of knowing his whereabouts. The papers throughout the state will confer a favor on the relatives of the missing boy by making inquiries concerning his present address. He was a young man about eighteen years of age.

Lafe married Elizabeth (Lizzie) A. Enyart (born 1862 in Oregon) on September 19, 1878, at the house of James Enyart in Centerville Precinct, Washington County, Oregon. By 1880, the couple had moved near to the Dalles. Lafe's brother, William Henry Williams, also lived in that area in 1880. Lafe worked as a boatman. Lafe and Elizabeth had a son, Ira H. (born 1880).

Another son, Pearl Walter Williams*, was born August 26, 1882, in Cascade Locks, Oregon. By 1885 Lafe had deserted Lizzie, son Pearl Walter, and unborn son Andrew and moved to Skamania County, Washington. He was listed in the 1885 Washington census as being 32 years old and a carpenter. Lizzie apparently married a Mr. Anderson, and had two sons by him, before marrying Andrew Thatcher in 1895 with whom she had two children. They are listed in the 1900 Oregon census.

Mary Alice (Cline) Williams

By April 12, 1886, Lafe married a young 22 year old widow, Mary Alice (Cline) Rivers in Skamania County, Washington. Mary Alice, born in 1864 in Oregon, brought two daughters from her first marriage, Lily and Iona. Lafe and Mary Alice moved the family back to Oregon. And on May 28, 1887, they had a son, Harvey (Jack) Jackson Williams, born in Pendleton, Oregon.

The marriage was a troubled one, and when Jack was only two years old, Lafe abandoned the family. His only known re-entry into Jack's life came about 40 years later in the late 1920's.

Mary Alice married Ephraim Williams (no relation to Lafe) about four years after Lafe left the family.

In 1900 Lafe had moved back to Skamania County, Washington where he was a listed as a widower and working as a ship's carpenter.

At some point Lafe joined his sister Mary (Williams) Kinnaman's family in California. On September 23, 1912, Mary wrote a postcard to her nephew William H. Williams Jr.'s wife, Birdie, in Lents, Oregon, that Lafe was with them in Vallejo, California. 

 

(postcard front and back)

In the 1920 census Lafe was again living with Mary, her husband John, and their two girls (Margaret and Madeline), in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California. He was working as a house carpenter.

In the late 1920's Lafe moved back to the Grangeville, Idaho area. For about a year he lived with his son Jack's family. Jack had married Mary Ellen Edwards in 1915.

Jack and Mary Ellen (Edwards) Williams 1915

When Lafe arrived Jack's family was living in Elk City, Idaho.

Elk City house in 1950

Jack and Mary Ellen had three children. Everett, born in 1917, Hazel, born in 1918, and Bucky, born in 1924. Daughter Hazel has left some wonderful personal remembrances of her father Jack, brother Everett and brother Bucky.

Hazel's obituary gives a short overview of the remarkable woman she was.

Hazel was 9 when her grandfather suddenly entered their lives. She recalled a number of things about that year. One was that her grandfather had a car. It was the first one the three children had ever seen. Hazel also recalled that Lafe had good carpentry skills. Among other things, Lafe built them a toilet, barn, outbuilding and, a lighter project, a birdhouse that Hazel took to school with her.

Hazel with birdhouse that Lafe built

When Lafe arrived he had health problems. One was a very painful leg due to gout or rheumatism. Lafe also had other problems. Hazel reported that he molested his grandchildren. The children were not sad when their father told them their grandfather had died. Granddaughter Hazel has left some personal remembrances of Lafe.

Lafe moved out of Jack's home. In May of 1930 he was working in the Grangeville, Idaho area--Border Precinct. He was a carpenter for a gold mining operation.

Lafe died May 28, 1931, in Grangeville, Idaho County, Idaho. Information on Lafe's death certificate was given by his son Jack, who had little information on his father's background or family due to the limited time his father was in Jack's life.

Lafe's obituary:

Idaho County Free Press, Thursday, June 4, 1931 (vol. 47, no. 3), p. 1, col. 3:

Old Settler Dies

Lafayette Williams, a resident of Idaho since 1882, and until recently engaged in mining in the Elk City region, died of a heart attack last Friday morning at the home of Roy Darling. He was born in Arkansas, February 13, 1853. He leaves a son, Jack Williams, Elk City, and three sisters in California. The funeral was held from the Hancock Funeral home last Saturday afternoon, Rev. Walker officiating. Burial was in the Prairie View Cemetery.

 

southeast corner of Prairie View Cemetery

Lafayette Williams is buried in the southeast corner of Prairie View Cemetery in a grave marked as "unnamed Williams" in the cemetery files.

*Lafayette's paternal connection to Pearl Walter Williams has been confirmed by dna evidence.
 

The photos and much of the information on this page have been provided by the generosity of T. Coonce.

to David Williams page