Maternal Grandfather and Grandmother of Norris Chambers
THOMAS STEVENSON
WILLIAMS
My Grandfather died
before I
was born and I never knew him,
But I heard several stories about him and I have a big oval
picture of
Him and my Grandmother hanging on the wall. I remember him every
time
I get a little oil or gas royalty check!
Thomas
Stevenson Williams ,
one of the most picturesque and colorful ranchers West
Texas ever knew, came to Texas from his former home near Fayetteville,
He was born on Dec. 25, 1841. He left his home at the age of 16 and
started
west on
horseback. His travels took him through several western states where he
lived
with
various Indian tribes and eventually wound up in
there in about l863, going by ship to Central America and across the
continent
to the
back to
to him and wrote letters. She offered to teach him to read and write.
He
accepted the offer
and learned well. He also acquired a good working knowledge of
mathematics. He con-
tinued his reading and studies and became
very well
self-educated.
He came to
and his new wife raised cattle on the open range, living in camps. They
moved
where the
grass was better. Their first two children, John and Martha Jane were
born on
the range.
My mother, Martha, was born Dec. 14, 1878.
Martha Jane (Williams) Chambers was born 14 Dec 1878 in Breckenridge,
Stephens Co., TX. Thomas Stevens Williams and Almeda Jones lived
there from 1875 to 1883.
It was
not until the
children reached school age that they decided
to settle down. He came to
Brown
County and purchased
80 acres on Lost Creek, in what later
became known as the
Williams
Community. Six children
were born after they moved to
Virgie
Harrell, Ida Mae Shults,
Lou Belcher, and twins, George W. and Henry C. Williams.
The
oldest son, John lived near Grosvenor
and
the oldest daughter, Martha Chambers, lived
in
the May, Williams and Cross Cut communities. She died at the age of 98.
All of
the children
lived
and raised families in
The eighty
acres that he purchased
became a
nucleus of a ranch empire that later aggregated
several thousand acres of fine grazing land. Mr. Williams was a grand
character
and is remem-
bered with affectionate interest by many of
the old
timers of
lived for many years. He had no particular hobbies, was a thrifty and
industrious man, and an
enterprising and public spirited citizen.
Before he
died he divided his land
among his
children, leaving the mineral rights undivided.
He was buried in
Mr. Williams was a member of the