76Joseph P. Williams
Key Facts
Parents:74Randall Williams
153Ann ___
Born:2 August 1825
Georgia
Died:26 February 1863
military hospital at Fort Thunderbolt (site of the present-day Thunderbolt Marine, Inc.) near Savannah, Georgia
Buried:Walker family cemetery, Johnson County, Georgia
Coordinates: N32.713048 W82.810960

76Joseph P. Williams was born 2 August 18251 in Georgia2,3 to his parents 74Randall Williams and 153Ann ___.1,4 (His mother's maiden name was probably Capps,4 but this isn't entirely certain.*)

The 1830 census suggests that 76Joseph was living with his parents in militia district 53 (map), Emanuel County, Georgia,5 and likewise for the 1840 census in Houston County, Georgia.6

The 1850 census includes 76Joseph, albeit with a mildly erroneous age and questionable middle initial. He was living in Laurens County in the home of Jacob Linder,2 who owned 14 slaves at the time,6 and 76Joseph's occupation is listed as "overseer." 2 76Joseph's father 74Randall lived relatively closeby,8 and immediately next door to Jacob Linder was Benjamin Gronto,2 who must have been a friend of 76Joseph, since he later served as the administrator of 76Joseph's estate after his untimely death. Furthermore, 76Joseph's soon-to-be wife, 77Elizabeth Stokes, was living in Benjamin's home.9


1850: 76Joseph as a slave overseer in Laurens County, Georgia. Full page.2

On 7 January 1850 76Joseph gifted 198 acres on "Messers creek" (i.e., Mercer Creek, which today divides Laurens and Treutlen counties) to his siblings Samuel R. Williams and Sarah G. Williams and his step-mother 75Penelope,10 † whom you can see on his father's 18508 and 186011 census listings.

76Joseph married 77Elizabeth Stokes in Laurens County on 30 January 1851.12


1851: 76Joseph marries 77Elizabeth Stokes in Laurens County. Full page.12

76Joseph was still in Laurens County as of April 1854.13 By 1860 his family was settled in the recently created Johnson County.3 Later deeds specify that he lived in militia district 1201 (map).14 His 1860 farm schedule listing (pages 11 and 12) shows what kinds of crops and livestock he raised,15 although you may need a template to help you read it.


1860: 76Joseph's family in Johnson County, Georgia. Full page.3

In the midst of the Civil War, 76Joseph enlisted in company H of the 63rd Georgia Infantry on 30 January 186316—well into the war, and about nine months after the first Confederate conscription law had been passed. Less than a month later, he was dead. His service record remarks, "Died at Hospital Thunderbolt, Feb[ruar]y 26 1863, Convulsions." 16 Epilepsy is an uncommon cause of death, especially in a military/wartime context, so perhaps 76Joseph had an infection or some underlying seizure disorder. "Thunderbolt" was a fort guarding the Wilmington River near Savannah, and I presume it included a military hospital. The site is now owned by Thunderbolt Marine, Inc.

76Joseph is buried in the small Walker family cemetery at coordinates N32.713048 W82.810960. His daughter Annie, who apparently died in childhood, is buried next to him. Below are a transcription of his tombstone and a few photos of his grave.1

SACRED
TO THE
MEMORY
OF
JOSEPH P. WILLIAMS
SON OF
RANDEL & ANNIE
WILLIAMS
BORN
AUG21825
DIED
FEB261863
BEHOLD THE PILGRIM AS HE DIES
WITH GLORY IN HIS VIEW
TO HEAVEN HE LIFTS HIS LONGING
    EYES
AND BIDS THE WORLD ADIEU

He died intestate, but his death effected a few probate records, all from Johnson County:

•Letters of administration, book A (1859-1914), page 27: 1 June 1863, Benjamin Gronto is appointed administrator.
•Inventories and appraisements, book A (1859-1887), page 101: 3 July 1863, estate inventory. The inventory mentions a brass clock, cotton, a grey mare, hogs, cows, a coffee mill, a rifle, a fishnet, saws, various farming equipment, a side saddle, and other items.
•Annual returns and vouchers, book A (1858-1877), page 99
•Administrator bonds, book A (1859-1887), page 39: 7 November 1864, 77Elizabeth Williams is administratrix, John Norris is security.

Footnote:

*See the discussion on 74Randall Williams' page.
†Although 76Joseph here identifies 75Penelope (i.e., the second wife of his father 74Randall) as his mother ("my mother Penelope Williams")15—cf. his actual mother 153Ann—he must have meant that 75Penelope was his step-mother since (1) he was born1 long before 74Randall and 75Penelope even married;17 and (2) he names 75Penelope conspicuously after his two siblings and conditions her use of the land on her being a widow, even though she wasn't even a widow at the time.8

Sources Cited:

1: Tombstone of Joseph P. Williams, Walker family cemetery, Johnson County, Georgia at coordinates N32.713048 W82.810960. Photographed on 16 June 2024.

2: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Laurens County, Georgia. Page 242 (stamped) or 485 (handwritten), dwelling 192, family 192, Jacob Linder household, entry for Joseph B. Williams. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 75. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-64KQ-P4K?i=27&cc=1401638>.

3: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Johnson County, Georgia. Page 40 or 484, dwelling 269, family 252, J. P. Williams household. NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 128. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBT-7GK?i=39&cc=1473181>.

4: Houston County, Georgia. Deed book G (1836-1840), pages 529 and 530, land deed from Jessee Capps to "the heirs of Randal + Ann Williams," dated 25 August 1838. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4V-Y2HN?i=336&cat=207572>, accessed 23 October 2021.

5: 1830 U.S. Federal Census. Militia district 53, Emanuel County, Georgia. Page 172, Randall Williams household. NARA microfilm publication M19, roll 17. Internet Archive, <https://archive.org/stream/populationsc18300017unit#page/n349/mode/1up>, accessed 22 June 2024

6: 1840 U.S. Federal Census. Houston County, Georgia. Page 391, Randall Williams household. NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 43. Internet Archive, <https://archive.org/stream/populationsc18400043unit#page/n371/mode/1up>, accessed 17 February 2015.

7: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Laurens County, Georgia. Page 297, slaves of Jacob T. Linder. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 92. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XX8W-M8X?i=16&cc=1420440>, accessed 22 June 2024.

8: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). District 49, Laurens County, Georgia. Page 233A, dwelling 62, family 62, Randal Williams household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 75. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11929-129796-12?cc=1401638>, accessed 17 February 2015.

9: The Central Georgian (Sandersville, Georgia), 3 June 1863, page 4, column 3, bottom of the page. Georga Historic Newspapers, <https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn85034105/1863-06-03/ed-1/seq-4>.

10: Laurens County, Georgia. Deeds and mortgages, book V (1888-1889), page 542. FamilySearch, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSR1-GS4Y-L?cat=245640&i=288.

11: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Laurens County, Georgia. Page 583, dwelling 43, family 42, Randal Williams household. NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 129. Internet Archive, <https://archive.org/stream/populationschedu129unit#page/n90/mode/1up>, accessed 18 December 2014.

12: Laurens County, Georgia. Marriages book G (1809-1855), page 270. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-8BZF-LFL?i=488&cc=1927197>.

13: Laurens County, Georgia. Superior court minutes book H (1853-1859), page 41, petit jury #2, juror #10 Joseph B. Williams. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-993B-SNT2?i=30&cc=1999178&cat=246368>.

14: Johnson County, Georgia. Deeds book D, pages 407-410. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-PSH1-1?i=238&cat=260087>.

15: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). Johnson County, Georgia. Pages 11 and 12, entry 8, J. P. Williams farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 5. Ancestry.com ("U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880" / Georgia / Johnson / 1860 / Johnson / District 83 / images 6 and 7 of 7), accessed 21 June 2024. The NARA provides a helpful template.

16: Compiled Confederate service record of Private Joseph P. Williams of Company H, 63rd Georgia Infantry. NARA microfilm publication M266, roll 567. National Archives Catalog, <https://catalog.archives.gov/id/79168721>, accessed 14 June 2024.

17: Houston County, Georgia. Marriage book A (1833-1852), page 78, for the marriage of Randall Williams and Penelope Jenkins on 5 October 1841. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS7W-J3BS-B?i=96&cc=2748952&cat=4092336>, accessed 23 October 2021.