MESHACH SPENCER WILLIAMS
Meshach Spencer Williams was
born September 2, 1828 at Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire,
South Wales, the son of Thomas Spencer Williams and Margaret Hughes. He was the
second child in a family of nine. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints January 13, 1847.
In 1852 he was called to serve as a missionary for the church and served one
year.
Meshach came to America
in 1854 and crossed the plains with the Robert Campbell Company. He first lived
at Willard, Utah.
Here he met Elizabeth Lewis, and they were married March 22, 1856 and made their home in Willard. Elizabeth
gave birth to three children in Willard and Salt
Lake. They then moved to Fresno,
California. Here Mary Ann, the fourth
child, was corn. In October 1863 the fifth child was born in Sacramento
County, California.
Some time prior to September 1865 they moved again, this
time to Empire City, Nevada.
They lived here several years and three more children was
[sic] born. It was in Empire City
that Margaret Jane, the third child, died and was buried. Also, Catherine died
in Empire City
September 14, 1869. It was
shortly after this that the family moved again to Willard,
Utah. In September 1870 Adeline died and
was buried in the Willard burial plot. Thomas E., the ninth child, was born in
Willard in 1871. John F. and Laura were also born in Willard. Sometime between
August 1876 and August 1879 the family moved to the "Point," just
south of Samaria, Oneida
County, Idaho. George S. and
Lillian Ellen were born at Samaria.
Meshach acquired a farm here
and built a ditch and dam forming the Samaria
Lake. The ditch carried the water
from the dam to the farm about three and one-half miles south of Samaria.
Others wanted to run water in the same ditch so Meshach
made an agreement with them that they could use the ditch if they would enlarge
it to carry the additional water. He was to have eighty inches of the first
water with continuous flow.
As the years passed some one contested his right to the
water and the case was taken to court and Meshach was
upheld in his claim to the water. But this was not the end. He had to borrow
money to present his case and was not able to repay the loan and it was
foreclosed, and he lost the farm and the water.
From here the family moved to Samaria
and he operated a blacksmith shop the remainder of his life. Meshach Spencer Williams was more than just a blacksmith.
He made many items of jewelry and small tools working with gold and silver. He
also made a small model steam engine which ran on a track in his shop even down
to the detail of having a bell on it.
Meshach loved good and
beautiful things. He kept his person very neat and clean. When he went out in
public, he always wore a blue serge suit, a white shirt, and a black tie with a
diamond stick pin. He also wore ear rings and had a full white beard. He was a
very stern man and lived his conviction. Meshach was
about five feet eight inches tall and weighed about 165 pounds. He was also
somewhat of a sportsman and had a gun collection consisting of many kinds and
models. He also made fish hooks - all of these items he kept in his shop. He
had the ability and knew how to temper iron after he welded it. He also
tempered and guaranteed his work.
Meshach died January 19, 1902 at Samaria
and was buried in the Samaria Cemetery.
- Charles H. Williams, Grandson
