Miles M. Williams, one of Jackson township's best known farmers and landowners, now living on his pleasant place in that township, rural mail route No. 4 out of Bryant, was born in that township, a member of one of the pioneer families of Jay county, and has lived there practically all his life, the exception being a period of several years spent in Nebraska during the days of his young manhood. Mr. Williams was born on September 9, 1854, and is a son of James and Hannah (Rigby) Williams, both of whom were born in Ohio, the latter in Monroe county, and who spent their last days in Jay county, to which they had come in the days of their childhood with their respective parents, who were pioneers of this county. James Williams was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, a member of one of that considerable number of families from that county who emigrated over here into Jay county in pioneer days, the Williams's settling in Jackson township. James Williams was trained to the vocation of shoemaking and for some time followed that occupation here, also doing farm work, and in 1867 bought a farm of 178 acres in Jackson township, a part of which place is now owned and occupied by his son Miles, and there he established his home. Mr. Williams paid $1,200 for this tract, only twenty-four acres of which was cleared at the time he bought it and he proceeded to the task of clearing and developing the place. His death occurred there not many years later.
He and his wife were the parents of seven children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Isaac L., Maurice C., Melvin D., Mary L., Delilah Jane and Amanda E. Reared to farm life in Jackson township, Miles M. Williams received his schooling in the old Boyd school, district No. 1, in that township and from boyhood was a helpful force in the work of the farm. After his father's death he continued farming on the home place, in behalf of his mother, until his marriage when he rented a farm and began "on his own," remaining here until 1878 when he moved to Nebraska. For eight years he made his home in that state and then returned to Jay county and bought a part of the old Williams home place, buying eighty-seven acres of it, and has since resided there, meantime improving and developing the place until he has one of the best farm plants in that part of the county. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Williams has for years given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has done well.
Mr. Williams is a Prohibitionist in his political allegiance and has for years been one of the active supporters of that party in this county. He is an active member of the local grange of the Patrons of Husbandry and is one of the trustees of that body. On January 8, 1876, Miles M. Williams was united in marriage to Rosella Haines, a member of one of the old families of this county and daughter of Isaac and Mary Elma Haines and to this union four children have been born, Roy E. Myrtle and Althea, all deceased, and a son, Charles, who is assisting in the management of his father's farm. Charles Williams married Goldie Hunt and has five children, Violet I., Thera A., Velda C., Charles Kenneth and Max G. The Williams have a pleasant home and have ever taken an interested part in the general social activities of the community in which they live. Mrs. Williams was born in Penn township, this county. Her father, Isaac Haines, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, and her mother was born in Monroe county, same state. In the days of their youth they came with their respective parents to Jay county and were married in Penn township, where they established their home, Isaac Haines becoming the owner of a farm of seventy-seven acres in that township, where he lived until after the death of his wife, when he took up his residence with Mr. and Mrs. Williams. Isaac Haines and wife were the parents of four children, those besides Mrs. Williams being Lydia Ellen, Edwin Ellsworth and Halcyon Gertrude.
Biographical & Historical Record of Jay County, Indiana, Lewis Publishing Company, 1887