ANDREW AND FAY WILLIAMS

The following bio was taken from page 447 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

My husband’s life ended October 18, 1974 at age seventy. We were married February 16, 1930 after Sunday night services at the Methodist Church in Kilgore where the very beautiful present-day church now stands on East Main Street. We felt fortunate to have as our witness, Mr.. John Henry Laird, my lifelong rural mail carrier. It was Route 4 at that time. Mr. Laird was in the church services that night.

About mid-way between the communities of Cross Roads and Monroe was my birthplace, within sight of Grandfather William (Bill) Minor’s farmhouse. That location is in almost the extreme northwest portion of Rusk County. Later the family moved to Monroe Community where the family of seven children of Rube and Annie Minor were reared.

Andrew’s parents, M.L. Williams and Johanna (Dean) Williams, were residents of Houston County in the Crockett and Grapeland area, which was his birthplace. He came to Rusk County in 1925 to live with the Tom Spence family, also from Houston County. Andrew was one of twelve children, and at this date (1981) only half of their number are alive. Both he and I were reared on farms and proud of the happy and wholesome sort of lifestyle it afforded in those days despite the Great Depression years of the 1930’s.

Both of our children were born while we still lived in Rusk County, Monroe Community, A.D. Williams, October 21, 1931, and Judith Arlene Williams, born August 31, 1944. In December, 1946 we moved to Danville Community not far from the line between Rusk and Gregg counties. Danville has an old history all its own in Gregg County. Besides school activities, much of our social and church activities continues to be in Rusk County. Most of my deceased relatives are buried in Hickory Grove Cemetery. Andrew’s grave is there, so will mine be. Great-grandmother Mary Ann (Wood) McHaney donated the land for both the Hickory Grove Church and the old part of the cemetery. She was my mother’s grandmother on her father’s side. Her maiden name was Wood, and she is buried with the other Wood relatives in the Pirtle (Old Belview ) Cemetery in Rusk County. I make mention of this because of her contribution to the Hickory Grove Church site. The church was built in 1911 (the year I was born) by a man named Sheffield, and my parents were charter members. Memories of the old-time members and pastors remain dear to my heart. Before the building was completed, I understand that church services were held under a brush arbor.

Our daughter’s family, the James T. Christians, live in the Monroe Community near the old home site of my parents, Rube and Annie Minor. Our son, A.D. Williams and his family and I live in the Gregg County, Danville Community. All in all, we deem the part of Rusk County we call "home" an excellent place to live in our country.

Submitted by Fay (Minor) Williams