WWI Registration Card: Martin WILLIAMS

World War I Registration Card. Martin WILLIAMS (5 Jun 1917). Images courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Obituary: Grace (Anderson) WILLIAMS

Obituary. Grace (Anderson) WILLIAMS (1902-1953). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Rites To Be Held For Mrs. Martin Williams Saturday

Funeral services for Mrs. Martin Williams, 50, will be held Jan. 24, at 1:30 at Steine's funeral home and at 2 p. m. at the First Lutheran church in Decorah. Burial will be in the Lutheran cemetery, Rev. R. A. Ofstedal officiating.

Mrs. Williams died Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 21, at the Decorah hospital. She suffered a stroke January 13.

The pallbearers were Spencer Williams, Gerhard Anderson, Percy and Jesse Wepler, Ervin Williams and Alton Nelson. Members of the floral committee were Mrs. Peter Diederich, Mrs. Robert Koepp and Miss Ardath Nelson.

Mrs. Williams was born August 2, 1902, in Howard county, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Anderson. She moved to Decorah in 1923.

On June 30, 1923, she was married at the Lutheran parsonage in Decorah by Rev. I. B. Torrison to Martin Williams, who survives. They were the parents of three children: Merlin G. Williams and Mrs. Jim (Loraine) Steine, both of Decorah; and Mrs. Carl (Gretchen) Leuenberger of Ft. Atkinson.

Besides her husband and children she is survived by five grandchildren: Roy Anderson of Decorah, Robert Anderson of Phoenix, Ariz., and Gordon Anderson, also of Phoenix, Ariz.; and two sisters, Mrs. Gail Schneider who lives in Wisconsin, and Mrs. Max Elder of De Queen, Ark.

Obituary: Martin S. WILLIAMS

Obituary. Martin S. WILLIAMS. Decorah Journal (7 Aug 1969). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Martin S. Williams Funeral Services Are Held Wednesday

Funeral services for Martin S. Williams, 81, of 814 Mechanic St., Decorah were held Wednesday, Aug. 6 at the First Lutheran Church in Decorah with burial in the Lutheran cemetery. Pastor John M. Ness and Pastor George Ulvilden conducted the services.

Mr. Williams died Sunday morning, August 3 at the Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital.

Pallbearers were Walter Rooney, James McAndrews, Theodore Swenson, George Harms, Robert Koepp, and Walter Wepler.

Mrs. George Rowland was soloist accompanied at the organ by Mrs. R. A. Haatvedt.

Arrangements were made by Steine's Funeral Home.

Martin Williams was born Nov. 13, 1887 in Glenwood Township, the son of Sigvart and Mathilda Williams.

He attended rural school and business college in Cedar Rapids.

He was an overseas veteran of World War I and was awarded the Purple Heart. Mr. Williams was a charter member of the V.F.W.

He was married in Decorah June 30, 1923 to the former Grace Anderson. His wife preceded him in death.

He is survived by a son, Merlin Williams, Decorah, and two daughters, Mrs. James (Lorraine) Steine, Decorah, and Mrs. Gretchen Leuenberger, LaCrosse.

Other survivors include five grandchildren, three great grandchildren, three sisters, Mrs. Helmer Spilde, Mrs. Nellie Fagerlie and Mrs. Myrtle Riste, all of Decorah, and four brothers, John Williams, Walter Williams, George Williams and Alfred Williams, all of Decorah.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and four brothers.

Mr. Williams had lived in Winneshiek County, North Dakota, since 1923 in Decorah. He was a member of First Lutheran Church.

Descendants of Martin Sigvart WILLIAMS (1887-1969)

Descendants Chart. Martin Sigvart WILLIAMS (1887-1969). Image courtesy of Williams Family Pages.

Walter and Lillie WILLIAMS

Wedding Portrait. Walter and Lillie (Johnson) WILLIAMS (Decorah, IA: Solberg, 1914). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

1900 US Federal Census: Walter WEBJØRNSEN and L. Viola JOHNSON

1900 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

This page from the 1900 Census is interesting in that it lists both my grandfather and grandmother as children. Walter's parents, Sigvart and Mathilda, are on the previous page.

Webjornsen, Walther / son / W / M / Feb / 1890 / 10 / S / Iowa / Norway / Norway / Farm laborer
_____ Junetta / daughter / W / F / Sep / 1892 / 7 / S / Iowa / Norway / Norway
_____ Alma / daughter / W / F / Apr / 1894 / 6 / S / Iowa / Norway / Norway
_____ Myrtel / daughter / W / F / Mar / 1896 / 4 / S / Iowa / Norway / Norway
_____ George / son / W / M / Apr / 1899 / 1 / S / Iowa / Norway / Norway

At the bottom of the page is the family of Gustav Johnson, whose daughter, L. Viola, would marry Walter in 1914. By then the Webjørnsen family had changed their surname to Williams.

Johnson, Gustav / Head / W / M / Oct / 1855 / 45 / M / Norway / Norway / Norway / Farmer
_____ Henrietta / wife / W / F / Feb / 1861 / 34 / M / Iowa / Norway / Norway
_____ George / son / W / M / Sep / 1882 / 17 / S / Iowa / Norway / Iowa
_____ Charles / son / W / M / Dec / 1884 / 15/ S / Iowa / Norway / Iowa
_____ Emma / daughter / W / F / Jun / 1887 / 12 / S / Iowa / Norway / Iowa
_____ L. Viola / daughter / W / F / Jun / 1892 / 7 / S / Iowa / Norway / Iowa
_____ Esther / daughter / W / F / Mar / 1894 / 6 / S / Iowa / Norway / Iowa
_____ Anna / daughter / W / F / Feb / 1897 / 3 / S / Iowa / Norway / Iowa

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Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Glenwood, Winneshiek, Iowa; Roll: T623_466; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 132.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

Confirmation Memorial: Walter Didrik SAGNESS

Confirmation Memorial (10 Apr 1904). Walter Didrik SAGNESS. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

1910 US Federal Census: Walter WILLIAMS

Detail of 1910 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Williams, Walter / Hired man / M / W / 20 / S / Iowa / Norway / Norway / English / Laborer / Farm work

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Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Frankville, Winneshiek, Iowa; Roll: T624_428; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0153; Image: 1104; FHL Number: 1374441.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Wedding Token: Walter and Lillie WILLIAMS

A Token of our Wedding. Walter and Lillie WILLIAMS (10 May 1914). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Clerk's Certificate As To Marriage Record

Marriage Certificate. Walter and Lillie (Johnson) WILLIAMS. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

CLERK'S CERTIFICATE AS TO MARRIAGE RECORD

STATE OF IOWA, Winneshiek County, ss.

I, Kenneth R. Nesset Clerk of the District Court of the State of Iowa, in and for Winneshiek County, do hereby certify that the marriage records of the said County, of which I am custodian, show that Walter Diderick Williams (Age 21) place of birth Winneshiek County, Iowa and Lillie Viola Johnson (Age 18) place of birth Winneshiek County, Iowa were married by Rev. S.A. Scarvie, Ev. Luth. Pastor at Rural Decorah on the 7th day of May, 1914.

Number of marriages: Groom first; Bride first. Book: 6 Page: 165.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my hand and seal of said court, at Decorah, Iowa, this 17 day of February, 1976.

Kenneth R. Nesset
Clerk of the District Court
By Becky Ohlert, Deputy.