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Rufus W. WILLIAMS, lumberman and merchant, Holly Springs,
Ark. This prominent business man was originally from Butts
County, Ga., where he was born in 1842, and was the fifth
of nine children born to Dr. John W. and Martha (McCORD)
Williams, He was early taught the duties of farm life, received
his education in the common schools, and when the war broke
out, enlisted in the Confederate Army, Company D, Twelfth
Arkansas Infantry, and operated as orderly sergeant in Arkansas,
Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Louisiana and Georgia. He
was captured at Island No. 10, and made his escape and joined
his command. He was with Gen. Bragg though Kentucky, was
at Corinth, Perryville, Port Hudson, Mansfield, Jacksons
Ferry and others. He surrendered at Marshall Tex., in May
1965, and came home, where he was married in 1866 to Miss
Fannie KEY, daughter of Joseph L. and Betsey KEY, natives
of Georgia and Arkansas, respectively. Mr. KEY died in Holly
Springs in 1852, but his widow is still living. Mrs. WILLIAMS
was born in Butts County, Ga., and died in 1882. She left
six children five boys and one daughter. Mr. WILLIAMS second
marriage occurred in 1883, to Mrs. Addie GATSON, sister of
his first wife, and a native of Dallas County, Ark. To this
union were born five children. Mr. WILLIAMS has lived in and near Holly Springs
since his residence in Arkansas, and is one of the leading and substantial
citizens. For over twenty three years he has been engaged in the lumber and
saw-mill business, owning a good water-mill and about 1,400 acres of good
timber land on Tulip Creek. He has also been engaged in merchandising.
His first presidential vote was for H. Seymour, in 1868,
and he is a Democrat. He is treasurer of the Masonic fraternity,
St. Johns Lodge no. 38, at Holly Springs, and a man universally
respected. Mrs. WILLIAMS is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. The parents of our subject were born in North Carolina, were married
in that State, and from there emigrated to Georgia, thence to Alabama, and
finally, in 1854, to Dallas County, Ark., passing their last days at Holly
Springs. The mothers death occurred in 1882, and the fathers in 1884. He
was a very successful physician, followed his profession
for fifty-four years, and was the oldest physician in this
part of the State. He was county and probate judge of Butts
County, Ga., for a number of years, and was a man of education
and unusual intelligence. When he first settled in Arkansas there were but
two physicians in twenty miles of Holly Springs. He was the son of Randolph
WILLIAMS, who was born in North Carolina, and who died near Nashville, Tenn.,
where he had followed agricultural pursuits. He was a soldier in the War
of 1812, and was in the battle of New Orleans. He was of
Irish descent. The maternal grandfather of our subject, John
McCORD, was a farmer by occupation, and died in Georgia.
He was also a soldier in the War of 1812. He was a prominent
man, and was probate judge of Butts County, Ga., for over
twenty years.