Emma
(Inks) Williams
(1863-1918)
Emma (Inks) Williams was born in 1863 near
Farmington, Fayette County, PA, the daughter of Andrew
J. and Minerva (Minerd) Inks.
On New Year’s Day 1890, Emma married Joseph G. Williams, son of John R. and Martha Williams of Washington County, PA. At the time of marriage, he was residing in Elk County, PA. She was 6 years older than her husband.
They are seen here, holding baby daughter Laura, in a photograph taken in November 1906, at what may have been a family Thanksgiving gathering.
Their 5 children were Florence Phillips, Orthilla Williams, Laura Stuckman, Mary Morrow and J. Albert Williams.
The
Williamses resided on Railroad Street in South Brownsville, Fayette County.
Joseph was a blacksmith. Like her sisters, Emma was a dressmaker.
As a town hard by the Monongahela River, Brownsville was prone to occasional flooding. The rare old postcard photograph seen here depicts high water in Brownsville circa 1906. Note the citizens on their porch roof at left, and the rowboat in the upper right hand corner. It's not known whether the Williams residence was in the lowlands, or whether they ever faced any hardships due to the rising, dangerous river.
Sadly,
daughter Orthila,
who was born on New Year's Day 1900, died at the tender age of 3 days. Her badly
faded grave marker in Uniontown's Park Place Cemetery is seen here.
During World War I, son Albert served with the US Army, 140th Aerial Squadron, in France.
Emma suffered from chronic "Bright’s Disease," a kidney disorder which led to her death. She passed away on May 8, 1918. She was buried at the Park Place Cemetery in Uniontown, PA.
Daughter Mary married Andrew Morrow, but died young, sometime before 1922.
Joseph remained in Brownsville for many years
after his wife's death. In the early 1930s, however, he moved to the Allison
Park suburb of Pittsburgh. He may have made the move to be closer to daughter
Laura, who was known to be living in the Pittsburgh area.
He died there on Oct. 20, 1936, of "a complication of diseases." While the funeral was held in Brandt Funeral Home in Perrysville in Pittsburgh's North Hills, his remains are said to have been shipped to Minersville, PA for burial.
At the time of Joseph's death in 1936, daughter Laura Stuckman was residing in Pittsburgh, daughter Florence Phillips in Chicago and son Albert Williams in Haddenville, near Uniontown.
Copyright © 2001-2003 Mark A. Miner