1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

Among the leading and representative farmers and stock-raisers of Crawford county is numbered Levi M. Williams, the owner of a fine property comprising four hundred and eighty acres of rich and arable land and situated on section 16, Crawford township, about two miles east of Girard. His land is arable and richly productive and annually returns to him good harvests for the care and labor he bestows upon it. Moreover he has made excellent modern improvements, and upon his place are found all the equipments and accessories usually seen upon a model farm of the twentieth century. In addition to the production of grain he is engaged in the raising of stock, keeping only high-grade animals, and both branches of his business are now proving profitable.

Mr. Williams is, moreover, entitled to representation in this volume, because he is numbered among the pioneer settlers of southeastern Kansas, having resided in this portion of the state for more than forty-five years, in fact, he is a native son of Crawford county, his birth having occurred within its borders on the 27th of November, 1858. His parents were Ansel and Mary (Frogget) Williams, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. They came to Kansas, however, in the year 1858, when Ansel Williams cast in his lot among the pioneer settlers of Crawford county and secured a tract of land whereon he engaged in farming for a number of years. His death occurred in 1867, and his wife passed away in 1884. Under the parental roof their son, Levi M. Williams, was reared, although at an early age he was deprived by death of his father. He attended the common schools in his early boyhood and at the age of eleven, following his father's death, he and his brother Paul took charge of and operated the home farm. They were thus associated in their business interests until 1880, when the brother died, and Mr. Williams then became sole manager. Following his mother's death in 1884, he purchased the interest of the other heirs in the old homestead and is today the owner of a valuable and well equipped farm property of four hundred and eighty acres. He has erected a fine and commodious home, in the rear of which are good barns and other necessary outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock and these in turn are surrounded by well cultivated fields and rich pasture lands. His entire life has been devoted to farming, and his persistent purpose in following but the one pursuit has certainly been a strong element in his success.

It was in March, 1888, that Mr. Williams was united in marriage to Miss Lida McWilliams, a daughter of Phil N. and Lucinda (Odell) McWilliams, who were residents of Ohio and are now living in Crawford county. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Williams has been blessed with five children, namely: Samuel S., Ray, Montie, Gadys and Mabel. Mr. Williams is identified with the Modern Woodmen at Girard, and he gives his political support to the Democracy. He is now serving as school clerk and is interested in community affairs, desiring the welfare and progress of his native county and aiding in many ways in its promotion and development. He has witnessed the many changes which have occurred here as the county has emerged from pioneer conditions to take its place among the leading counties of the states his mind forming a connecting link between the unimproved past and the progressive present.