Angela Lucia Williams

Other Events:

• Name: Angela Lucia Scholtz
• Census: 18 Apr 1910, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 12 Jan 1920, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 2 Apr 1930, Eastchester Village, Westchester County, New York
• Residence: Abt 1947, Riverside, Connecticut
• Residence: Nov 1992, Essex, Connecticut

Notes:

Biography:
From Catharine Scholtz Labine:
A Gift of Art: memories of Angela W. Scholtz
23 January 2010
Good afternoon.
It's not news that Grandma Angela was a talented woman. We've been in awe of her creations throughout the years. She had many, many passions: her miniatures, her painting, her prints, athletics…and she carried it off with a magical quality. There is a reason for this, and perhaps it was Grandma's secret ingredient. As involved as she was with her pursuits, she was fascinated by other people's interests. She had a way of finding out what someone liked to do. She'd either know who that person should meet, or she would figure out another way of encouraging them. In that manner, Grandma was like her mother, Alice, who would go to great lengths to celebrate others' accomplishments. Just ask my brother, Bill, about the poem Alice wrote for him when he was only eight and caught his very first fish.
Grandma Angela would often ask what her great-grandkids were thinking and doing. She wanted pictures, but never portraits…only photographs of them doing what they love most. And, knowing mine is a family of writers, she asked me to send stories the kids had written. Amongst others, I sent a story that my son, Mike, wrote about an adventure his Grandpa Andy and Andy's brother, Fred, had in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey during World War II. Dad, Fred and a friend traveled by train so they could sail in a regatta, the Atlantic Coast Lightning Championships. They were young, and in their innocence decided to spend an afternoon before the races hanging out on the beach. Well, there was a war on, the beach was closed, and when the Coast Guard came around to pick them up, having the name "Scholtz" was no advantage. In Grandma's note to Mike in which she related her impressions of the story, she wrote: I was so engrossed…I desperately wanted to know how it would end. Mike thought that was funny since she was Andy's and Fred's mom, of course she knew everything turned out okay. I know, though, that Mike felt honored by her remarks because Grandma was so willing to be swept up by the telling of a story she knew well.
Grandma and Grandpa lived on Leeward Lane in Riverside for over 40 years. My favorite room in that house was their living room. There was always something creative going on, whether it was Grandma's miniature period pieces on display, or Grandpa building his model ships. When we were very young, Grandma would have the grandchildren gather around the armchair so Alice could recite poetry and tell us stories. Those words had us transported.
So, for Grandma, who took enormous delight in encouraging the imagination of a child, and for my dad, my brothers and my cousins who will remember this well, I'll read a familiar poem:
The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
"O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are, you are, you are,
What a beautiful Pussy you are."
Pussy said to the Owl "You elegant fowl,
How charmingly sweet you sing.
O let us be married, too long we have tarried;
But what shall we do for a ring?"
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows,
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose, his nose, his nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.
"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling your ring?"
Said the Piggy, "I will"
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon.
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand.
They danced by the light of the moon, the moon, the moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
I love you, Grandma.
Catharine Scholtz Labine

From LimeLine.com:
Angela W. Scholtz 01/19/10
Angela W. Scholtz died quietly in her sleep on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010 in Essex. She was born on May 13, 1907, daughter of George and Alice Williams, in Brooklyn, N.Y.
During her long and prodigious life, she enjoyed participating in diverse activities. In her youth, she loved competitive swimming. While still in her teens, she won several New York State freestyle championships, and she took great pride in having once raced against Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel.
Angela Scholtz was a graduate of Packer Collegiate Institute, Class of 1927, in Brooklyn. In that same year, she married J. Henry Scholtz, Jr., also a Brooklyn resident. As a young mother during the 1930s, she continued to follow her love of competitive athletics on the tennis courts of Old Greenwich and Riverside, while raising two sons.
When her sons became interested in sailboat racing, she also learned to sail and got the entire family to participate in the sport together. She crewed on several of the family's racing sailboats. She also raced her own single-handed dinghy at Riverside Yacht Club during the summer season as well as the winter frostbite racing season. At the time of her death she was a member of the Riverside Yacht Club and the New York Yacht Club.
Angela Scholtz loved artistic and creative endeavors. For many years, she designed and printed her own Christmas cards using monotype imaging. She also became interested in the construction of miniature period rooms. Angela was active in local and national miniature associations. She was commissioned to design and build a whimsical miniature historical model of the town of Greenwich for the 350th anniversary of the founding of Greenwich. She donated the model village to Essex Meadows Life Care Retirement Community in Essex, where she lived for the past 18 years.
Angela Scholtz was predeceased by her husband and by a son, Frederick H. Scholtz. She is survived by her son, Andrew A. Scholtz, and Claudia B. Scholtz of Naples, Fla.; her daughter-in-law, Sally K. Scholtz, also of Naples; and seven grandchildren, Andrew A. Scholtz, Jr. of Binghamton, N.Y.; William H. Scholtz of Mill Valley, Calif.; Catharine S. Labine of Darien, Richard van D. Scholtz of Denver, Colo., Peter D. Scholtz of Darien, Sarah S. Dewar of Valdosta, Ga., and F. Bradley Scholtz of Darien. She is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grand-daughter.
A Celebration of the Life of Angela Scholtz was held at the First Congregational Church, 2 Ferry Road, Old Lyme on Saturday, January 23. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main Street, Essex, CT 06426.
Arrangements are by Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, Centerbrook.

Census:
Granddaughter, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Daughter, 315 Westminster Road.

Census:
Wife, 5 Gramatan Gardens.

Residence:
Leeward Lane

Residence:
Essex Meadows

Angela married José Henrique "Henry" Scholtz, Jr. on 14 Jun 1927 in Brooklyn, New York. José (son of José Henrique Scholtz and Joanna Catharina van Daalen) was born on 4 Oct 1902 in Caracas, Venezuela; died on 26 Jun 1997 in Essex, Connecticut; was buried in River View Cemetery, Essex, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Fredrick Henry Scholtz was born on 3 Oct 1929 in Lawrence Hospital, Bronxville, New York; died on 29 Nov 2009 in Naples, Florida.

Other Events:

• Census: 8 Jun 1880, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 6 Jun 1900, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 18 Apr 1910, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 12 Jan 1920, Brooklyn, New York

Notes:

Biography:
The following is a translation of the Jorge's baptismal record.

Written by Senor Don Anaclato Redondo Catholic Priest of the Parish of the church of Jermino del Mansemate of Havana. I certify that in the book #13 of the baptism of white people page 26 entry 757 is found the following statement On the fifteenth of March 1873.
I father Dn Anaclato Padondo Priest of the Parish of this church of Jeranimo del Mansemate, solemnly baptize a child who was born on the second of December of the year immediate passed, legitimate son of Dn Ramon Oscar Williams[INDEX:]People;Williams;Ramon Oscar [:INDEX], native of Washington in the United States and of Dona Angela Luciana Garcia[INDEX:]People;García;Angela Luciana [:INDEX], native of the town of Regla in the state of Yela, paternal grandparents Dn Jorge[INDEX:]People;Williams;George W. [:INDEX] and Donia Juana Anna Young[INDEX:]People;Young;Janett Ann [:INDEX]: maternal grandparents Dn Vicente Benito[INDEX:]People;García;Vicente Benito [:INDEX] and Dona Anna Coleta Garcia[INDEX:]People;García;Ana Coleta [:INDEX]; on said child I perform the baptismal ceremony and I placed upon him the name of Jorge Aurelio: there were present the god parents Dn Ramon Vicente Williams and Dona Luciana Nevit de Underwood to whom I charged with the spiritual upbringing which they attested and I signed = Dn Anacleto Redondo"
This is a true copy of the original. Havana, March 17 eighteen hundred and seventy three.
signed Dn Anacleto Redondo

In 1934, while living at 1 Cambridge Place, Brooklyn, he wrote a resume. The resume is included below with inserts of information from his application for a license as a Professional Engineer made sometime after October 1934:

45 Broadway
New York City
September 28, 1934
Education and Experience
of
George A. Williams, Tag #142106
Residing at #1 Cambridge Place,
Brooklyn, N. Y. Age 61.

Mr. Roberts:

In accordance with instructions from Mr. Borough, I am submitting below an outline of my education and experience as a mechanical engineer.
I received my education in the following Brooklyn schools; Adelphi Academy and the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn.
I afterwards took a special course in sugar house work at the Audubon Sugar School, New Orleans, La.
Worked on sugar plantations in Louisiana and Cuba on designing and construction of sugar houses for about five years and for ten years I had charge of the manufacturing of sugar at various plants, employing upwards of three men.
[1890-1895 Assistant to Engineer in charge of design and construction of sugar house and design and installation of sugar machinery for Henry Heidegger & Co. located at Matanzas, Cuba, owner of sugar plantation, "Santa Catalina," located Coral Falso, Cuba. He had complete charge of sugar house and factory. 1895-1897 Superintendent of sugar house for Pascual Goicochea, the owner of the sugar plantation "Providencia" located in Guines, Cuba. He had complete charge of the sugar house and chemical laboratory. 1894-1895 Assistant to Superintendent of sugar house for Atkins & Co., the owners of the sugar plantation "Soledad" located near Cienfuegos, Cuba. 1897-1899 Due to the war, he held a clerical position with Peale, Peacock & Kerr, 1 Broadway, N. Y. owners and operators of coal mines located at Clearfield, Pa. 1899-1901 Assistant Cashier in charge of loans on sugar for North American Trust Co., Havana, Cuba. He was in charge of Appraisals of raw sugars and sugar properties. 1901 Superintendent of sugar house for Cuban American Sugar Co., owners of the sugar plantation, "Tinguaro" in Perico, Cuba. He had complete charge of sugar house and chemical laboratory. 1901-1904 Cashier of bank for Banco Nacional de Cuba, in Cienfuegos, Cuba. His duties included loans on raw sugars and sugar properties. 1904-1906 Vice President of Williams & Co., 96 Wall St., N. Y. contractors and exporters of machinery and mill supplies.]
I might mention that I can speak and write Spanish fluently.
From 1907 to 1909 I was employed by the General Fireproofing Co. in their New York office as sales engineer designing and selling special steel filing equipment and superintending the installation of same.
From 1909 to 1920 I was employed by the Berger Mfg.Co. as sales manager in their New York office selling sheet metal building material including steel filing equipment. Had charge of at least twelve salesmen and draftsmen, besides a gang of mechanics and superintended the erection and installation of material.
In 1920 I organized Williams & Record, Inc., and was its president from the start until 1929. We maintained a manufacturing and assembling plant at Long Island City.
Our business consisted in furnishing and installing, as sub-contractors, special steel equipment in over 300 hundred public schools in the various boroughs in New York City, hospitals, court houses, jails and various other buildings.
I had charge of our manufacturing plant where we employed anywhere from thirty to seventy men.
From 1929 to 1931 I was employed by the Steel Equipment Corp. as sales engineer designing and superintending installations of special steel equipment in public buildings.
From 1931 to 1932 I was employed by the Gibson Committee to make an inventory of all chemicals and chemical apparatus at the chemical laboratory of the New York University.
Since January 1934 to date I have been working as senior engineer on a survey project of piers and waterfront of the Port of New York, having had charge of as many as fifty assistant engineers during the course of this work.
[The above work ended in October of 1934. After that he was a Senior Engineer for C.W.A. Project consisting of remodeling the interior of store houses belonging to the City of New York and replacing old equipment with modern steel equipment for the storage and handling the City's supplies in a more economical and systematical way. He was in charge of an office force of about 35 men (engineers, architects and draftsmen) and a field force of about 200 labors. I do not know how long he held this position.]

The 1900 census listed his occupation as clerk and the 1910 listed it as manager in the business of steel furniture. He was educated in Havana and the U.S. When he was young he entered the sugar business and soon became a manager of the sugar house on one of the largest plantations in Cuba. During the War against the Spanish rule, some revolutionists burned the cane fields to cut the Spanish revenue. He had to go into other lines of work ending up in the shipping business the U.S., South America, and Cuba with his brothers. They shipped the first automobile to Cuba. He was very interest in photography and took many pictures during the Spanish American War.

Census:
Son, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Son, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Son, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Head, 315 Westminster Road.

Died:
He died at home.

George married Alice Wadsworth Ayer on 20 Oct 1897 in Brooklyn, New York. Alice (daughter of Ira Ayer, II and Mary Jane 'Jennie' James) was born on 28 Sep 1873 in Norfolk, Virginia; died on 29 Apr 1966 in Carlton Convalescence Home, Riverside, Connecticut; was buried on 25 May 1966 in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Alice Wadsworth Williams
• Census: 5 Jun 1880, Ashland, Virginia
• Census: 6 Jun 1900, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 18 Apr 1910, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 12 Jan 1920, Brooklyn, New York

Notes:

Biography:
After she got married she moved to Cuba coming back for the birth of her first two children. Her second child, Jane, developed a curvature of the spine while a small child and Alice felt it was because of the milk in Cuba. She convinced her husband to move permanently back to the U.S. about 1904. Her death certificate says she was born in Richmond (Ashland is a suburb).

Census:
Daughter, 31 Rail Road.

Census:
Daughter-in-law, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Daughter-in-law, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Wife, 315 Westminster Road.

Buried:
Lot 24465, Section 139

Notes:

Married:
From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle:
[CENTER:]WILLIAMS—AVER[:CENTER]
The marriage of Miss Alice Wadsworth Ayer, daughter of Colonel and Mrs. Ira Ayer and George A. Williams, son of Ramon O. Williams, former United States consul to Havana, was celebrated yesterday afternoon at the home of the bride's parents, 37 Cambridge place. The Rev. Dr. Joseph France, pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Johnstown, N. Y., and uncle of the bride, performed the ceremony. The decorations were in pink and green and the bridal couple stood beneath a canopy formed of pink roses and foliage.
Miss Clementine Ayer, sister of the bride, acted as maid of honor and Robert A. Williams, brother of the groom, was the best man. The ushers were Ernest Baldwin and Lord Mead, both of Orange, N. J. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a gown of white satin and, point lace, with tulle vail caught with orange blossoms and carried bride roses. The maid of honor's costume was of white swiss with trimming of pink satin ribbon and she carried pink roses,-
Mrs. Ayer, mother of the bride, wore heliotrope poplin and point lace and Mrs. Williams, the groom's mother, wore black satin.
A reception followed the ceremony. After i their wedding tour Mr. and Mrs. Williams will live at 37 Cambridge place. Among those present were:
Colonel and Mrs. Samuel R. James of Schenectady, the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Joseph France, Mrs. Emma Jourgenson, Mr. and Mrs. Henry S. Beard, Mr. and Mrs. Ramon O. Williams, Mrs. John D. Lord of Baltimore; Miss Julia F. Ayer, Miss Jennie Ayer, Miss Edith L. Ayer, Dr. and Mrs. Ira Ayer, Miss Mattie Jorgensen, Mr. and Mrs. William Disbrow, Miss Grace James, Clemence James.

Other Events:

• Census: 8 Jun 1880, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 6 Jun 1900, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 18 Apr 1910, Brooklyn, New York

Notes:

Biography:
The following was included in "New York State's Prominent and Progressive Men," Compiled by Mitchell C. Harrison in 1900 and published by the New York Tribune.
The chapter entitled Ramon O. Williams is from Volume II, pages 377-380.

RAMON O. WILLIAMS
Ramon O. Williams was born in Washington, D. C. about seventy years ago. His father was George Williams and his mother Jeanette Anne Young, natives of Washington, and of Colonial and English ancestry.
When a mere child, he was sent to Cuba with his father, who was to leave him with an aunt born in Maryland, and married to a Spanish merchant established at Havana. She, having no children, wished to adopt her little nephew, who at her request had been named after her husband as her son. He went to school in Havana. His mother, not wishing to part forever with her son, after a time requested his return to her, which was done. Then he went to school in Alexandria, Virginia, and in Washington. His father having died early, he was taken from school at the age of 12 years and placed to work in the office of Blair and Rives, editors and proprietors of "The Globe." Some time after, he went to the office of the "Madisonian." This paper was the organ of the John Tyler Administration. At the age of eighteen Mr. Williams returned to Havana, where he completed his education under private instruction, since which time he has been continually connected with the commerce of that island with the United States.
In the year 1856 he was sought by some of his fellow-countrymen, residents of New London and Mystic, Connecticut, to represent them in defense of a proposition they wished to present to the Captain-General of Cuba for the free introduction of live fish from the west coast of Florida into Havana. Prior to the transfer of Florida in 1821, under the treaty of 1819, the West coast of Florida had served as the fishing grounds for the market of Havana. By reason of this treaty, these Florida fishing-grounds and the market of Havana had become foreign to each other; and the legislation of Spain reserved the catching and supplying of fresh fish to the retired sailors of the King's Navy; therefore, the Spanish law prohibited the trade. But the law was evaded, and the trade carried on in American smacks, that fished on the West coast of Florida under the American flag, and brought their catches into the port of Havana under the Spanish flag. That is, each of those smacks carried both flags. The famous Don Francisco Marti had the monopoly of supplying fresh fish to Havana. He made an immense fortune out of this business, while the American fishermen scarcely made a living. It was because of this inequality of conditions that Mr. Williams was sought by the fishermen to represent them before General Concha, then Captain-General of the Island. After several months Mr. Williams succeeded against the millionaire Mr. Marti, and fresh fish was supplied to the people of Havana, under the American flag, at from eight to ten cents per pound, whereas under the monopoly of Mr. Marti they had to pay twenty-five cents and upwards per pound. The result was, the people of Havana got cheaper fish and the American fishermen got better returns for their labor. In this contest against Mr. Marti, Mr. Williams gained his first insight into the economics of Cuba, which subject became a favorite study with him ever afterward.
In 1868, on learning of the tender of the annexation of the Republic of Santo Domingo to the United States, by General Baez, he instantly saw, being then engaged in sugar-planting, the disintegrating effect on monarchy and African slavery in Cuba if that proposition was carried out, would have on the Cuban problem, because of the economic dependence of the island on the sugar market of the United States, which dependence had been recently wrought by the cyclic events of the destruction of the Louisiana sugar crop, during our Civil War. At the request of the late John E. Develin of New York, he made a sketch of his views, which was read and approved by several Americans of high intellectual standing.
Mr. Williams withdrew from business in 1874, and took up his residence in New York.
In the same year of 1874, at the solicitation of the late Thurlow Weed of New York, he showed, for Frederick W. Seward, how the negotiation of reciprocity treaties with other sugar countries than Cuba would effectively solve the Cuban problem without war, and by the mere effect of economic force. A copy of this sketch later fell into the hands of the late Charles A. Dana, who headed it with the title of "Some Considerations on the Absurd Commercial Relations between Spain and the United States," and published it in a daily issue of the "Sun," in January, 1876.
Shortly after his return to the United States in 1874, he was requested to go back to Havana to take charge of the United States consulate-general, during General Grant's administration, for three or four months, which he accepted. He soon afterwards received the honorary appointment of vice-consul-general. At the end of ten years he resigned this position. In 1884 he was appointed by President Arthur to be United States consul-general at Havana, and was continued during the successive administrations of Presidents Cleveland and Harrison.
In 1890 he was called to Washington by order of Secretary Blaine to assist in supporting the proposed amendment of the McKinley Tariff Bill of that year. To this end he went before Senators Allison, Aldrich, Hiscoch, and Jones, the majority members of the Senate committee then having the subject under consideration, and before Representatives Burroughs, Gear, and Hitt of the corresponding House committee, to whom he expressed his view in favor of the proposition which afterward took form under the Aldrich Amendment.
On the breaking out of the Cuban insurrection in 1895, Mr. Williams had to defend, under the treaties between the two governments, many Cubans who had obtained naturalization papers in the United States and had taken part in the insurrection, and having, in consequence, been considered persona non grata by the Captain-General of Cuba (Callejas), and the Madrid government, and also for reasons of self-respect he obtained leave of absence to go to Washington, where he signified his intention to President Cleveland to resign at once. But he returned to Havana, at the request of the President, for a short time, intending to forward his resignation from there. However, with the precedents in his memory of the fate of the Critteden men in Havana in 1851, and the public execution of their leader, General Narciso Lopez, of which act Mr. Williams had been a near-by witness, and of the Virginius men at Santiago in 1873, and from his desire to serve the cause of international peace, knowing that the foundation of Spanish power in Cuba was essentially economic, and fast exhausting itself from the violation of the natural economic law, as defined by Isaiah, in arithmetical ratio, the key to all the physical sciences, in his warning to the merchant princess of Tyre (chapter xxiv., verses 1, 2, 3), he remained in Havana a year longer, attending to the many cases of the Cubans with United States naturalization papers. As soon as, in his judgment, a sufficient number of these cases had been settled for the formation of an adequate jurisprudence under the treaties, he then sent his formal and irrevocable resignation to the President. In the full faith of the sufficiency of article 7 of the treaty of 1795, between the United States and Spain, and the protocol of January 12, 1877, negotiated at Madrid by the late Caleb Cushing, Mr. Williams rejected the pressure brought upon him to ask the government at Washington to station a vessel of war in the harbor of Havana, fully believing in his ability to defend and to obtain all the stipulated rights of American citizens without any such aid, having, besides, reasons to suspect that the calling of a man-of-war might become a doubtful expedient.
His last important official act was the defense of the men of the Competitor expedition, which vessel had been captured with officers and crew while landing arms and recruits for the insurgents in the province of Pinar del Rio on the north coast of Cuba. For his action in this matter he was highly complemented by the Department of State.
Reasoning from the fundamental principles of economics, Mr. Williams frequently pointed out in his consular reports, yet unpublished, the disasters that awaited Spanish power in Cuba.

He lived for a few years with his aunt in Cuba as a child after which he returned home. He worked for newspaper editors at the age of 12 to help support his family after his father died. In 1847 at the age of 19 he returned to Cuba and finished his education. He was very fond of both Spaniards and Cubans. In Cuba he was successful in many business ventures from import/export to sugar planter. He was in the shipping business between Baltimore and Havana. He retired from business in 1874 and moved to 35 Cambridge Place in Brooklyn, NY (although he was not listed in the annual Brooklyn City Dir until the 1879/80 edition). In 1871, he was appointed Vice Consul to Cuba by President Ulysses S Grant, a personal friend. He resigned after 10 years. In 1884 he was appointed Consul General by President Warren G Harding receiving a salary of $6,000 per year, the largest of salary of any consul general (according to a newspaper, probably the Brooklyn Daily Eagle). He resigned in 1896 after serving under three administrations. The 1880, 1900, and 1910 censuses listed him as a sugar merchant, a banker, and own income respectively. All three censuses list his home as 35 Cambridge Pl, Brooklyn and the last listed it as being owned with no mortgage. The house was an old brownstone. In 1880 his son Ramon was at college and all other children were at school. The other residents in 1900 were Angela G Williams (wife), M Angelina Disbrow (daughter), William J Disbrow (son in-law), George A Williams (son), Alice A Williams (daughter in-law), Ramon O Williams (grandson), Robert A Williams (son), Annie J Welsh (servant), and Marie McMaster (servant). In 1910 they were the same people except William Disbrow was not there and Jane A and Angela L Williams (granddaughters) were there. There was one servant and his name was Ernist Miller. On his fiftieth wedding anniversary he received the following letter from the manager of the Spanish department of a New York mercantile house: "When I consider all the good you did for the Cubans during the Revolution and when you were acting as consul-general or minister of your country, I feel very proud of your friendship and grateful in every respect for the victims you saved from the ferocity of Spaniards and their government. I do sincerely hope that all your Cuban friends think as I do toward you, and also that they will appreciate your best and glorious deeds."

On 5 January, 1866, Ramon left Charleston, South Carolina for Havana on the steamship Isabella along with Mrs. Underwood (likely his godmother) according to a notice in the Charleston Courier.
As of 1871, the Book "Cuba With Pen and Pencil", Samuel Hazard, said that R. O. Williams line of 26 Mercaderas St., Havana ran fairs from Baltimore for $50.
According to the "Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac", 1891, Ramon along with the Consul Generals of London, Paris and Rio de Janero were the highest paid Consul Generals at $6,000 per year.
According to Willis Johnson in "The History of Cuba, Volume 4", 1920, Ramon strongly recommended against sending a ship to Havana prior to the Spanish American War:
It is to be recalled that Ramon O. Williams, who had only a little while before retired from the office of American Consul-General at Havana, and was particularly well informed and judicious, earnestly warned the United States government against sending a ship to Havana, because the harbor was very elaborately mined, and there was a bitter and truculent feeling among the Spaniards against the United States; wherefore the danger of some untoward occurrence was too great to be incurred without a more pressing necessity than was apparent. But despite his warning the Maine was sent. She was conducted by a Spanish official pilot to her anchorage .at a buoy between RegIa and the old custom house. Whether a mine was attached to that buoy or not is unknown, though Mr. Williams was confident that one was. His theory was that some malignant Spanish officer, who had access to the keyboard of the mines, perhaps through connivance with some other fanatic, watched to see the tide swing the ship directly over the mine and then touched the key and caused the explosion. That would account for the enormous hole which was blown in the side of the ship, and which could not have been caused by any little mine or torpedo which might have been floated to the side of the ship, but must have been produced by a very large mine planted deep beneath the hull.

Census:
Head, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Head, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Head, 35 Cambridge Place.

Buried:
Lot 24465, Section 139

Ramon married Angela Luciana García about 1861 in Havana, Cuba. Angela (daughter of Vicente Benito García and Ana Coleta García) was born on 7 Jan 1836 in Regla, Yela, Cuba; died on 9 Aug 1920 in Brooklyn, New York; was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, Lot 24465 Sec 139, Brooklyn, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Angela Luciana Williams
• Census: 8 Jun 1880, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 6 Jun 1900, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 18 Apr 1910, Brooklyn, New York
• Census: 16 Jan 1920, Brooklyn, New York
• Burial: 11 Aug 1920, Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York

Notes:

Biography:
The 1900 census said that she was not able to read, write or speak English and the 1910 census said that she could. Both censuses said that she had six children of which four were still living. According to Alice Ayer Williams she used to love to tell stories about the wonderful times she used have with her brothers and sisters riding horses and other things. However, she resented the fact that her mother made the girls sew little shirts out of sugar bags for the slave children that lived on the plantation.

Census:
Wife, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Wife, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Wife, 35 Cambridge Place.

Census:
Head, 35 Cambridge Place.

Burial:
Lot 24465, Section 139

Other Events:

• Census: 13 Sep 1850, Evans, New York
• Education: Between Sep 1853 and Dec 1854, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania
• Military: Between 1855 and 1861, New York
• Education: 1859, Lima, New York; The school is the predecessor of Syracuse University.
• Education: Between 1860 and 1861, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania
• Census: 15 Aug 1860, Evans, New York
• Milit-Beg: 14 Jun 1861, Camp Wilkins, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Milit-End: 11 Jun 1864, Washington, District of Columbia
• Census: 18 Jul 1870, Norfolk, Virginia
• Census: 5 Jun 1880, Ashland, Virginia
• Census: 11 Jun 1880, Baltimore, Maryland
• Census: 6 Jun 1900, Brooklyn, New York

Notes:

Biography:
The following is from a book called "Marital Deeds of Pennsylvania" written by Samuel P. Bates. It was published in 1874 by T. H. Davis & Co in 1875. The book contains biographies of many of the more prominent people that fought in the Civil War from Pennsylvania.
Ira Ayer, Jr., Colonel of the Tenth Reserve regiment, was born in Erie county, New York, on the 14th of July, 1836. He was son of Ira and Julia M. (Wadsworth) Ayer. At the opening of the Rebellion he was a student of Allegheny College. Without waiting for authority he called together his fellow-students, and having had some training in the Sixty-seventh militia, of which his father was Colonel, commenced drilling them. Though earnest in his appeals his company failed of acceptance, until the Reserve corps was authorized, when it was mustered as Company I of the Tenth. He was first in action at Dranesville. He seems to have had a poetic appreciation of valor; for when General Ord, who commanded in the battle, came galloping forward, leading Easton's battery into action, he thus records his impressions: "Just then Ord came dashing up. `Make way for my artillery,' he shouted, and without slackening his speed dashed by, while his `war-dogs' followed close behind. The General was an old artillerist, and knew well how to value this arm of the service. The scene was, I think. the most animated that I witnessed during the war. He was mounted on a beautiful bay, and as he rode up, his eyes flashing fire and every lineament of his countenance betokening courage, his presence inspired all with confidence."
In the battle of Beaver Dam Creek he was sent forward with his company to occupy the skirmish line, and remained in this advanced position during the entire engagement, the regiment ??quitting itself in the most gallant manner. "About ten o'clock," he says, "the roar of artillery had ceased. In our advanced position we could hear distinctly the movements of the enemy, and the cries and shrieks of the wounded and dying, as lay where they had fallen or were being moved from the field." In the battle of the following day, at Gaines' Mill, he received a gunshot wound in the right side and a severe contusion of the right arm. "Colonel Warner," he says, "mustered the regiment on the 30th, and I shall never forget the glow of soldierly pride with which he commended the company's bravery, and viewed its thinned but still compact ranks." And now came the change of base, with infinite discomfort to the wounded and worn-out soldiers. But a place of rest had not been gained before the enemy attacked, now at Charles City Cross Roads. The Reserves felt the first shock and were terribly scourged, but suffered no diminution of gallantry. In the Seven Days of this contest Captain Ayer's company lost more heavily in killed and wounded than any in the division. As it was the representative of one of the prominent colleges in the State, the fact may be regarded as significant.
At Bull Run, Captain Ayer received a severe wound. Passing over this field nearly a year afterwards the recollection of the battle were brought vividly to his mind and he thus wrote to a friend: "A little farther on we came to the scene of our last year's operations. There is the very field where we lay, Thursday night, August 28th, all day under a hot sun, covered a little from the enemy. This was near Groveton. Yonder is the wood where our regiment made a charge to take a rebel battery, but without success, and there is the field where they shelled us after dark, throwing their missiles very accurately, but, as it happened, without effect. That was Friday evening, the 29th; and there is the field where our regiment stood picket the same night. Passing on a little farther we come to the house hear which we lay Saturday, before we were ordered into the engagement. But here to the right is the very spot where the regiment fought. There fell Captain Hinchman, of Company A, and it is said that he is buried in that little rail enclosure. Here, too, fell Tryon and Pearl; and Phelps, out Lieutenant, a bold and dashing officer, was shot through the breast. No better men graced the ranks of the Union army. On this same ridge the rebel bullet struck my arm, and another went through my hat. The former made a sad hole in my canteen, causing all my cold coffee to run out. The boys in going over the field to-day found what they asserted to be the self-same canteen; but they were mistaken, for I carried it off with me." His wound was a severe one, fracturing the left forearm. At Gettysburg, while reconnoitering, he was fired at by two sharpshooters from an unexpected quarter, but was not hit. Turning suddenly back, a third shot was fired, which just grazed his side, making a deep abrasion, and would have done certain execution had it not been fired at the instant of his turning away, carrying him out of aim after the missile had actually left the piece.
He had been promoted to the rank of Major on the 18th of October, 1862, and on the 18th of December, 1863, was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel and placed in command of the regiment. When it entered the Wilderness campaign it went with the free step and resolute mien of the best trained and organized soldiers. It had not penetrated far before the old foe was met. In a letter dated May 6th, the second day of the battle, he says: "Our division had been rapidly ordered forward, preparatory as was supposed to a charge upon the enemy's works. I was leading my regiment my regiment into line when hit by a bullet from the one of the enemy's sharpshooters, which passed through the large bone of my leg, causing a very painful though I hope not dangerous wound. I was compelled to leave the field at once, which I did after exhorting my men to do their duty."
For more than a year after the Reserve corps had completed its period of service and been mustered out he was disabled. He was brevetted Colonel for this action, and was warmly complimented by Generals Crawford and Fisher. Only by wounds, however, was he kept from the field, possessing a good constitution and actuated by real patriotism. In person he is six feet in height, well formed, and of fair complexion. At college he manifested a strong liking for mathematics and natural science, and later in his course for lingual studies. Strictly temperate--of tobacco and spirituous liquors abstemious--he was little affected by temptation, as the habits of youth are strengthened and firmed by time.
Colonel Ayer was married on the 21st of December, 1863, to Miss Jennie James, whose mother had, during the war, ministered at the bedside of many sick and dying soldiers, evincing a patriotism as sincere and fervid as the man who bore the musket and met face to face the foe. She watched at the side of one of the brave men of Ayer's company, Edwin B. Pier, a scholar of promise, and after his death wrote a most touching letter, descriptive of the Christian fortitude of the departed young soldier. When Ayer next visited Washington, he called upon the family to tender his acknowledgments for the kindness shown his beloved companion-in-arms, and then for the first time met the daughter. The acquaintance ripened into esteem, and finally resulted in their marriage. At the close of the war, Colonel Ayer settled in Virginia, and now resides at Norfolk, where he holds a responsible position in the civil service of the General Government.
The following is the Civil War record of Ira Ayer, Jr. rebuilt from his military records and other sources.
June 14, 1861 - Ira Ayer, Jr. enlisted as Capt. "to fill an original vacancy" in Co I, 10th Reg't Pennsylvania Reserve Corps for a period of three years.
July 21, 1861 Harrisburg, PA - reported for duty.
Sept. & Oct., 1861 - Muster roll - present.
Nov. & Dec., 1861 - Muster roll - present.
Jan. & Feb., 1862 - Muster roll - present.
Mar. & Apr., 1862 - Muster roll - present.
May. & June., 1862 - Muster roll - present.
Aug. 29&30, 1862 - Wounded at Bull Run.
July. & Aug., 1862 - Muster roll - absent - wounded.
Sept. & Oct., 1862 - Muster roll - absent - wounded in hospital.
Oct. 27, 1862 Buffalo - Letter from Doctor "To whom it may concern...the arm of Capt Ayer...tho doing well, it would be injurious if not dangerous to attempt to use it for at least twenty days yet."
Nov. & Dec., 1862 - Muster roll - present.
Jan. & Feb., 1863 - Muster roll - present commanding Regiment.
Apr. 10, 1863 - Special Muster roll - present.
Apr. 22, 1863 - Promoted to Major.
Mar. & Apr., 1863 - Muster roll - present.
May 1, 1863 Washington, DC - Individual Muster-out roll - age 25.
May 13, 1863 Washington, DC - Individual Muster-in roll - age 25.
May. & June., 1863 - Muster roll - present.
Jul. & Aug., 1863 - Muster roll - present.
Sept. & Oct., 1863 - Muster roll - present.
Nov. & Dec., 1863 - Muster roll - absent on leave.
Dec. 13, 1863 - From [Manenton] Junction applied for a pass to Alexandria for three days to transact private business.
Dec. 15, 1863 - Went on leave.
Dec. 18, 1863 - Printed Special Order 560. War Department Adjutant General's Office, Washington,
December 18th, 1863. (Extract)
27. The leave of absence granted Major Ira Ayer, 10th Pennsylvania Reserves, in Special Orders, No. 551, December 12th, 1863, from this Office, is hereby extended fifteen days.
By order of the Secretary of War:
Signed by E. D. Townsend, Assistant Adjutant General. Dec. 21, 1863 Washington - Ira and Jennie got married.
Jan. 15, 1864 - Returned from leave.
Feb. 27, 1864 - Promoted to Lieut. Colonel to replace retiring Lt. Col. J. B. Knox. Took Oath of Office as Lieut. Colonel in Bristow Va.
Jan. & Feb., 1864 - Muster roll - present.
Mar. & Apr., 1864 - Muster roll - present.
May 6, 1864 - Wounded by "minie ball" in right leg at Wilderness.
May 12, 1864 - Admitted to a hospital (stamp says 3rd Div G. Alexandria, Va). Record says age: 28, Nativity: New York, Married, Residence: Washington, DC, wife: Jennie Ayer of 13th St. Washington, DC, Rank: Lt. Col. from Army of the Potomac. Back says Patient was received at 12ock at Night and transferred the Next Morning 7ock. no description of wound taken.
May 13, 1864, Transferred to Washington, DC [Seminary] Hospital. No date - Treated at Vol. Officers Hospital for G. S. W. (gun shot wound) Leg.
June 11, 1864 - Discharged. "this records that the above named officer was discharged the service June 11, 1864, by reason of the muster out of the field and staff on that date, he being at the time absent wounded." He was in Gent. Hospital in Washington, DC.
June 22, 1867 - Appointed Colonel by Brevet for "gallant conduct at the battle of the Wilderness, Virginia. To date from March 13, 1865."
According to tradition, he had a stillborn twin brother. According to himself, he was 5'11", had a light complexion, light hair, and blue eyes. He was a student at Allegheny College at the start of the Civil War studying to become a minister. He enlisted with 100 other students and was unanimously elected the captain of the Company. After training them very quickly they fought throughout the war during which time he was seriously wounded several times. After he was wounded in the leg he was treated at Seminary General Hospital in Georgetown, DC. He got married during the last year of the war. After the war he again served in the army from 1865 through 1867 and was stationed in the West. Part of that time he served on the Bureau of Refugees, Freed men, and Abandoned Lands. In 1869 he was appointed to the Treasury Department. According to an obituary (source unknown), he was always given the most important and delicate investigations. He was stationed in Norfolk, VA around 1871-5 (listed in city directories from 1872-1875/6). His daughter Alice said that she was born there and some pictures of the family were printed there. However, his family spent much of the time living in Richmond and Ashland with his in-laws. Between 1886 and 1888 he was special agent in charge of San Francisco. After that he was made statistician for the Treasury Department for the tin-plate industry, under the operation of the McKinley law. Then he worked to establish the rate of "drawback" on merchandise exported from this country. From about 1888 until the time of his death he was stationed at the port of New York. In 1892 in President Benjamin Harrison's fourth annual message to Congress he mentioned Ira by name while referring to a report done by Ira on the tin industry. He said "The report of Ira Ayer, special agent of the Treasury Department, shows that..." In 1900 he was renting a house at 37 Cambridge Pl., Brooklyn, NY. His wife and all his children were living there except Ira, III and Alice. They were both married at the time. He had a servant living there name Lena Curtis. Because of his war injuries he received a pension from 1875 until his death. For more information on his accomplishments during the Civil War see the section on him.

Census:
Son.

Military:
He served as 1st Lieut. as of May 26, 1855 in the New York 67th Regiment, 32nd Brigade, 8th Division. This seems to have been a part time army because he was attending school off and on during this period.

Census:
Son.

Milit-Beg:
He was mustered in as Captain of Company I of the Tenth Reserve Regiment.

Milit-End:
He was still in the hospital at the time.

Census:
Boarder, listed as a Special Agent of the Treasury Department, however, his name is spelled Eyre and it says he was born in Massachusetts.

Census:
Head, 31 Rail Road.

Census:
Boarder, 139 Edmondson Avenue, US Treasury Agent.

Census:
Head, 37 Cabridge Place.

Buried:
Lot 31286, Section 193. Tombstone erected by a veteran’s group in 2009. Inscription:
Ira
Ayer Jr
Col
39 PA Inf
Civil War
1836
1903
Wounded at
Second Bull Run
&
The Wilderness

Ira married Mary Jane 'Jennie' James on 21 Dec 1863 in Corner of G and 14th Streets, Foundry Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, District of Columbia. Mary (daughter of William James and Jane Francis) was born in Aug 1838 in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales; died on 25 Jan 1907 in 37 Cambridge Place, Brooklyn, New York; was buried on 28 Jan 1907 in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Ayer
• Name: Jennie James
• Census: 1841, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
• Immigration: 1850, Boston, Massachusetts
• Census: 1851, Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada
• Census: 7 Jul 1860, Richmond, Virginia
• Census: 5 Jun 1880, Ashland, Virginia
• Census: 6 Jun 1900, Brooklyn, New York

Notes:

Biography:
The 1900 census says that she had six children all of whom were still alive. According to tradition, her pension application, and a biography of her husband, her name was Jennie but the census identifies her as Virginia. At the time of her husband's death she received a life insurance settlement of $5,800 of which $3,800 had to go to settle debts. She received a pension until her death.

Census:
Daughter.

Immigration:
On the ship Juliet bound from London to Boston, their final destination was New Brunswick, Canada.

Census:
Daughter.

Census:
3rd Ward.

Census:
Wife, 31 Rail Road.

Census:
Wife, 37 Cabridge Place.

Buried:
Lot 31286, Section 193

Notes:

Buried:
Headstone says:
In Memory of
GEORGE WASHINGTON WILLIAMS
Born in Washington City
in 1802 where he died
August 1, 1836
Aged 34
Erected by his son
RAMON WILLIAMS
1874

George married Janett Ann Young on 29 Jun 1826 in Washington, District of Columbia. Janett was born in in Washington, District of Columbia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Janett Ann Williams

Notes:

Biography:
The 1880 and 1910 censuses for her son Ramon list her birth place as Washington, DC and the 1900 census lists it as Virginia. This could be because Arlington, VA was part of Washington, DC at the time of her birth and not at the time of the censuses. Her son Ramon once said that she had a large and well known family in Washington and a great many of them are buried in one the old cemeteries near Washington.

Notes:

Birth:
His daughter's baptismal record said he was from Arredondo en las Montañas de Santander (Arredondo in the Mountains of Santander). When Vicente left Arredondo, the newly formed provence was called Santander, named for the capital city. Shortly after that the province was renamed Cantabria.

Biography:
He was one of the principal sugar plantation owners in Havana and owned a large fleet of ships many of which sailed between Cuba and the US. He was one of the first Cubans educated in a US university (possibly Yale) and was trained as a civil engineer. He built the first important canal in Cuba.

Vicente married Ana Coleta García. Ana (daughter of Mateo Manuel García and Sofia de San German) was born in in Cuba; died on 13 Dec 1878 in Cuba; was buried in Colon Cemetery, Havana, Cuba. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Burial: Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón, Havana, La Havana, Cuba

Notes:

Biography:
Funeral cards for Ana Coleta Garcia and Jose Rosario Garcia. In Spanish the plural for brothers and sisters is just brothers. It is the same for all words referring to relatives so, below if the word uncles is used it could refer to both uncles and aunts. However, since the feminine is never used here and all mourners are men words like sons and brothers probably refer to just that, sons and brothers. Also the list of mourners in the text appear to line up fairly well with the names listed below. Therefore, many relatives and their relationships can be inferred from these cards. From the obituary of Angela Lucia Williams we know that her father was Vicente Benito Garcia, her mother was Anna (different spelling) Coleta Garcia, and that she had a brother still living in Cuba named German Garcia. Another clue is that children are sometimes listed with the names of both their parents. This is sometimes done with a "y" (the Spanish word for and) or a hyphen in between the names. Normally the name of the father is used just as in most other European countries but both names can be used in formal occasions. From all these clues we find that Ana Coleta's maiden name was Garcia just like her married name (her sons were Garcia-Garcia). She had at least three sons (Vicente Francisco, Mateo Manuel, German A., and Jose Rosario) and at least four daughters (there husbands were Juan B. Oliver, Luis Lopez, Gaspar Arteaga, and Ramon O. Williams). She had brothers named Jose Julian and German M. Garcia, a grandson named Luis Lopez-Garcia, a nephew named Federico Garcia and either a grandson or nephew (probably nephew) named Manuel Prado-Garcia.
The translated text is listed below. All notes by myself are in brackets [].
Da ANA COLETA GARCIA,
Widow of Garcia
Has died: And ready for her burial at eight in the morning of the 14th day of the current month, her sons, sons-in-law, brothers, grandsons and nephews, request at your presence to assemble at the funeral home, 26 Campanerio St, to accompany the corpse to the Colon Cemetery; please to be thankful. -- Habana, December 13, 1878. Vicente, Mateo and German Garcia-Garcia. [sons] Juan B. Oliver. [son-in-law] Luis Lopez. [son-in-law] Gaspar Arteaga. [son-in-law] Ramon O. WIlliams. [son-in-law] Jose Julian Garcia. [brother] Luis Lopez-Garcia. [grandson] Manuel Prado-Garcia. [grandson or nephew] Federico Garcia. [nephew]
The sorrow will be let go in the Cemetery.

El Sr. D. JOSE ROSARIO GARCIA,
Has died: And read for his burial tomorrow at eight on that day, the undersigned, brothers, brothers-in-law, uncles, uncles-in-law, nephews, cousins and his friends, request your presence assemble at the funeral home at 90 Aguila St, from there accompany the corpse to Espada Cemetery; please to be thankful. -- Habana, May 3, 1874. Vicente Francisco, Mateo Manuel and German A. Garcia. [brothers] Juan B. Oliver. [brother-in-law] Luis G. Lopez. [brother-in-law] Ramon O. Williams. [brother-in-law] Gaspar Arteaga. [brother-in-law] Vicente and Domingo Gonzalez. [uncles-in-law] Jose Julian and German M. Garcia. [uncles] Ldo. Jose Maria Nunez. Miguel Gonzalez. [cousin?] Luis Maria Lopez. [cousin] Bruno and Justo Garcia-Peraza. [friend?] Ldo. Francisco N. Gutierrez. [friend?]
The sorrow will be let go in the Cemetery.
Her maiden name was probably García just like her husband. The evidence for this is that her funeral card lists her as Ana Coleta Garcia, widow of Garcia and there are three brothers mourning her named Vicente, Mateo, and German Garcia-Garcia. Her husband's name was Vicente and she had a son named German so they were probably her children. The 1900 census for Angela says that she is of French descent and the 1910 census says that she is of Spanish descent. This may be because it is thought that her family is from Barcelona which is near the border of France.

Other Events:

• Census: 1830, Evans, New York
• Census: 1840, Evans, New York
• Census: 13 Sep 1850, Evans, New York
• Census: 15 Aug 1860, Evans, New York
• Census: 25 Jun 1870, Evans, New York
• Census: 14 Jul 1880, Evans, New York
• Adopted: 2 Jan 1884

Notes:

Biography:
As a child he lived on what he described as the most beautiful farm on the Merrimac River. In 1827 he was a Lieutenant of the 48 th Regiment of Infantry, New York Militia. By 1837 he had reached the rank of Colonel and in 1838 served in the Patriot War. He recruited and trained a Company of men for the Civil War. They were the first to be trained and report for service and became Co. A, 116, Reg. N.Y. Vol. They served through the entire war. In 1850 he had two people born in Ireland living with him. They may have been to help on the farm. In 1860 his wife's Uncle Joseph Davenport was living with along with a boy who was attending school and who's occupation was listed as Serving. In 1850 his farm was valued at $2650 and by 1870 his real and personal estate was valued at $7000. He was the town supervisor between 1857 and 1858.

Census:
Head, 1 male 20-29, 1 female under 5, 1 5-9 and 1 20-29.

Census:
Head, 1 male under 5, 1 10-19, 30-39, 1 female 5-9 and 1 30-39.

Census:
Head, his farm was valued at $2,650.

Census:
Head, his farm was valued at $4,500.

Census:
Head, his property was valued at $7,000.

Census:
Head.

Buried:
Capt. Jra Ayer
Born
Dec. 26, 1802
Died
July 28, 1889
Co. A N. Y. V. I

Ira married Julia Mariah Wadsworth on 26 Dec 1828. Julia (daughter of Nancy Davenport, daughter of John Wadsworth) was born on 27 Oct 1808 in Massachusetts; died on 14 Aug 1861; was buried in Forest Ave Cemetery, Angola, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Julia Mariah Ayer
• Census: 13 Sep 1850, Evans, New York
• Census: 15 Aug 1860, Evans, New York

Notes:

Biography:
It's not clear that Julia's father was John Wadsworth. She was born in Massachusetts a year before her parents got married. John was born in New York where he lived all his life.

Census:
Wife.

Census:
Wife.

Buried:
Julia M.
Wife of
Ira Ayer
Died Aug. 14, 1861
Aged
52 Yrs 8 Mos & 17 Ds

Other Events:

• Census: 1841, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
• Immigration: 1850, Boston, Massachusetts
• Census: 1851, Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada
• Census: 7 Jul 1860, Richmond, Virginia

Notes:

Biography:
According to Alice Ayer Williams and Clementine Ayer Morse he was the younger son of the Earl of Carmarthen. I have not been able to prove this. He came to America and settled in Richmond, VA. He was in the shipping business between Canada and Liverpool (his wife wrote a poem while sailing from St Johns, New Brunswick and Liverpool). He was also involved in shipping to China and other eastern ports. Most of the beautiful and valuable things that he collected during his travels were lost when Richmond was burned during the Civil War. During the war he and his family moved to Washington because he was a Union man. At the time of his daughter Jennie's wedding they were living at 302 13th St in Washington. His son, Samuel, said (in his 1904 Civil War Pension application) that there were nine children of which four were still alive.

Census:
Head, Corn Street, Mine Merchant.

Immigration:
On the ship Juliet bound from London to Boston, their final destination was New Brunswick, Canada.

Census:
Head, Farmer.

Census:
3rd Ward, Baptist Minister living with "Rev? John Francis".

Died:
Obituary:

Died at Ashland, Hanover County, Virginia,
on Friday, February 28th, 1873, at 4:30 P. M.,

Col William James,

In the 66th year of his age,

The many warm friends of Colonel William James, of Ashland, Hanover County, Virginia, in Washington, will hear with deep regret that after a lingering illness of five weeks, he died at this residence in Virginia, of heart disease, in his 66th year.
Colonel James was extensively known in this city and throughout the South. He was a strong Republican, and has filled many offices of trust and responsibility. He was the first collector of internal revenue for the Richmond district, and by his uprightness and strict integrity won the esteem and respect of all the citizens in his district.
He was a gentleman of great refinement of manners, kindness of heart and integrity of character, and was a pure-minded christian, and passed to his reward “like a shock of corn fully ripe.”
He was the father of Samuel R. James, Esq., formerly connected with the Census Bureau, in this city, but more recently of the Petersburg “Index.”
The funeral services were held at the Foundry M. E. Church, in Washington.


Buried:
Lot 58, Section N
William
James.
Died
Feb. 28, 1873
Aged
67 Years

William married Jane Francis. Jane (daughter of William Francis) was born about 1811 in Wales; died on 17 Apr 1883 in 124 Willoughby Ave., Brooklyn, New York; was buried on 19 Apr 1883 in Glenwood Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Jane James
• Census: 1841, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
• Immigration: 1850, Boston, Massachusetts
• Census: 1851, Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada
• Census: 7 Jul 1860, Richmond, Virginia
• Census: 5 Jun 1880, Ashland, Virginia

Notes:

Biography:
According to Samuel James' pension application, Jane had 9 children, 4 of whom were still alive in 1904 (Samuel, Jennie, Hannah, and Emma).

During the Civil War she helped the wounded and dying in hospitals. She often wrote letters to the families of the soldiers that died. She is mentioned in the biography of her son-in-law Ira Ayer, II because after writing a letter to the family of a soldier from Ira's regiment Ira came to thank her. This is when Ira and Jennie met. According to Alice Ayer Williams and Clementine Ayer Morse she is one of the few woman mentioned in "Deeds of the Civil War" (this book may have been "Martial Deed of Pennsylvania). She crossed the Atlantic 24 four times and Jennie was born on one of those trips. Below is a poem she wrote during a particularly rough passage. The ship was traveling from New Brunswick to Liverpool when it encountered a terrible storm.

STANSAS
Written on board the "Lillies"
on a passage from St John NB for Liverpool

In the "Lilies" from the port of "St John" we set sail.
Towed out by the steam boat, with a southerly gale,
Around the bluff headlands where the winds wildly blow
Away! far away! to the Eastward we'll go
II
Three cheers 'from the gallant ship soon rose on high
And rang through the vapour that obscured the sky,
But twill soon clear away and Norwesters will blow
Bound away to the East ward in the "Lillies" we'll go,
III
Night soon came on and the winds wilder blew
We stood by and up our top gallants did clew
While the tempest tossed ship lay rolling to and fro
Bound away to the East ward in the "Lillies" we go
IIII
We beat down the bay for two days or more
Till the winds drove us down on the bold Yarmouth shore
Our foresail to pieces while we "ware ship" is rent
But another good sail in it's place soon is bent,
V
The wild "Petite "passage" lay under our lee
Either we must run through it or lost we shall be
Either we must run through it from the frost and the snow
Or away to the Eastward we never shall go
VI
So now then Lay aft-every soul of our crew
Stand by your "Clewgarnets" your mainsail up Clew
Jump start your main Jack and let your wheel flow
And flying away to the passage we go.
VII
We near it hope in each sailors heart now beats high
Alternately "luff" and "Keep away" is the cry
We clear it. We fly from the frost & the snow.
And in triumph away to the Eastward we go.
VIII
But still there Cape Sable looms out on our lee
Board your main tack and we'll stand out to sea
And now let the west winds more wildly blow
For before them in triumph to the Eastward we go
IX
Still wilder and wilder the good west wind blows
Think our good starboard anchor is adrift from the boat
And our boatswain washed away with a wild [Gyfar - may be Gybe or Jibe]
Still away far away far away to the Eastward we go
X
Our anchors secured we snugged every sail
And ran 'fore the fury of that western gale
Away from New Brunswick and the [ice] & the snow
In the wild Ocean "Lillies" to the Eastward we go

We run fore the fury of that western sea
Till our bulwarks are stove and life boats washed away
But the west wind is Blowing. so let each sheet flow
And away! far away! to the East ward we go.

Let her ride o'er the foam let her bend to the blast
Thirteen knots are counted as each hour is past
Blow good wind and we fly from the frost and the snow
And in triumph away to the East ward we go

But Hark! the ship popps she is struck by the sea
Our wheel is all smashed and taffrel rail washed away
Our foresail is split [Dump] and up it blew
As flying wildly away to the Eastward we go

Lay aft with your tackles lay aft all our crew
Quick with your helm up before we come to
There away she goes off 'fore her deadly foe
Like lightning away to the East ward we go

These lines are most respectfully dedicated to the Captain & passengers of the ship "Lillies" and will be concluded on arrival in the Mersey.

-- Clew-garnet is the tackle used to furl the lower square-sails.
-- "Till the bulwarks are stave" means till the bulwarks are broken.
-- Taffrel rail or taffrail is the rail around transom of a ship.

Census:
Wife, Corn Street.

Immigration:
On the ship Juliet bound from London to Boston, their final destination was New Brunswick, Canada.

Census:
Wife.

Census:
3rd Ward.

Census:
Head, 32 Rail Road.

Died:
She died while visiting the family of her daughter, Emma. She had been there six months.

Buried:
Lot 58, Section N
Blessed are the
dead who die in
the Lord.
Jane F. James
Died Apr. 17th 1883
Aged 72 Years.