John W. Williams left us a wonderful account of his life along with many of his high and low points and the experiences he went through along the way. Along with his notes and photos; the following is comprised of Family Trees, Death Certificates, Cemetery Records, Census Reports and various land claims.  When researching this family, one should keep in mind that Berrien Co., Michigan is just to the north of this county and St. Joseph Co., IN is to the east just a few miles from Galena and Kankakee twps in La Porte County, IN.
Also see The James Williams family biography also on this site.

John starts his story with some humor.
“On Dec, 20, 1891, there was born to Benjamin F. Williams and Esther (Teeter Williams), in their farm in Galena Twp., Indiana, a nine pound son.
The parents examined him closely but could not find anything special but still decided to raise him. Already there were seven children to feed and they were not sure he would justify the additional bean soup and corn bread required to bring him to manhood. However, being good Christian parents they could not think of any other way to dispose of him, so turn him out with the rest of the brood.”

Webmaster: The following is a synopsis from John's story.
John entered first grade at Bunker Hill at the age of 4 years and 8 months. He graduated from grade school at age 12. He entered High School in Three Oaks, Michigan and was the youngest of a glass of 36. During his sophomore year, at at 14, he was asked to take his books home during the Christmas vacation, as the school was redoing the floors. Me made a decision during this break, not to return to school. He would later mull this over as to whether he had made the right choice, but his decision had been made.

At 17 John began to notice what other boys notice at this age - “girls” so he purchased a buggy. There were already driving horses in the barn, so at seventeen he started to learn more about girls. His first romance was Blanche and that lasted about three months. Then in October he attended a box luncheon at Spring Creek and he persuaded the teacher to allow him to take one of the young ladies home.

Jennie Anderson was twenty and he was nineteen years of age. She lived in Benton Harbor, Michigan which was thirty miles from his home. The romance lasted for four years and they were married October 15, 1914. (Jennie was the daughter of John and Hilma Anderson)

The beginning of Williams Orchards

In working locally and with some fruit he accumulated a few hundred dollars, so along with his mother's signature (His father had died in 1891)he was able to borrow enough money to build a five bedroom bungalow. His wife also put two hundred dollars in their pockets and off to Chicago they went where they bought furniture to complete their home. John's mother departed this life in 1924 and is buried in Rolling Prairie Cemetery, close to Galena Township.

John lived next door to his older brother, Benson Williams. Benson wanted nothing to do with having orchards. After Benson died in 1951, John purchased some of his land from the estate. 

Johns, first son, John Wesley Williams Jr. was born March 31, 1916 and died 6 Aug 2001 in Pinellas, FL. He is buried, as many of the Williams family members at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Three Oaks, Michigan. Second son Kenneth born about 1919, still living as of 2013. John and Jennie also had two daughters; Helen J about 1928 and Betty Margaret as born 28 February 1929 and died 3 September 1970 in New Buffalo, Berrien County, MI. Her husbands name was Vail Kremske; he died in 1993 and both are buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Three Oaks, Michigan.

If we glance back to 1911, this is when John's mother bought their first set of 400 peach trees sold to them by out of state agents. But not all were true and eventually the family improved on their purchases and plantings of peach and apple trees along with strawberry plants.

John would make several more land purchases and today, after Williams effort the peach and apple crop areas of 30 acres each with a lot more acreage still in the family name. Raising peaches, apples and fields of stawberries,  did not come easy and John worked hard with promising and crop failing years, as all produce farmers experience in the area. In 1917, John purchased his first Chevrolet. John expanded his business by working with some of the local co-ops to whom he sold a lot of his fruit.

In early 1940 Jennie became ill and it was discovered that she might have Parkinson's disease. She suffered with this and passed away October 23, 1846 and was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Three Oaks, Michigan. John then met a lovely lady Gertrude Viola (Edmondson) Lee who he married at his home Nov 29, 1947. In 1967 Gertrude became extremely ill and it was discovered that she had terminal cancer. She died December 21, 1968 and she too is buried at Forest Lawn, same as his first wife.  It should be noted that in the late 1940's John and his new wife started spending their winters in Florida.

In Florida, John Wesley Williams found love one last time. He met Edna Henderson at the local Methodist church in Pinellas Florida. They were wed about Feb 10, 1971,

The Williams Orchard continues today and celebrated it 100th year in 2011.

See our family photo album for photos of John and some of the things he was surrounded with daily.