Santa Barbara County Biographies

JAMES FRANKLIN WILLIAMS

Submitted by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


JAMES FRANKLIN WILLIAMS, deceased, was one of the leading members of the 
bar of Santa Barbara County. He was born in the town of Manlius, Onondaga 
County, New York, May 14, 1818, the son of Nathan Williams, a dry-goods 
merchant. After attending the public schools of his native town, he attended 
Union College, Schenectady, New York, at which institution he graduated at 
eighteen years of age. He later took a thorough course in the study of law, 
paying for his own education. He married Miss Susan Sweet, July 28, 1845, and 
for three years traveled in the Southern States. He then came to California, in 
1849, and spent some time in the mining regions, with headquarters at Sacramento 
city. In this he had average success, but lie subsequently took up the practice of his 
profession at Martinez, Contra Costa County. He was promptly recognized as a 
lawyer of ability, and was elected to the District Attorneyship of his county. He 
served one term as Superior Judge of Contra Costa County by appointment. Mr. 
Williams remained there until the year 1867, when he took up his residence at 
Santa Barbara, and opened a law office. He was a popular Democrat, and several 
times chosen by his party for County Judge, which party was in the minority. He 
practiced law up to within two years of his death, which occurred August 2, 1876. 
He was the father of three children, one daughter, now deceased, and two sons, 
one son dying in infancy; the other, Nathan Wallace, is a well-known and substantial 
merchant of Santa Barbara and a " native son." He was born at Martinez, California, 
November 18, 1854, and graduated at Heald's Business College of San Francisco, in 
1873. He learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, which he successfully followed 
for about ten years. He is now junior member of the popular grocery house of Hunt, 
Hosmer & Co., State street, Santa Barbara. 

He was married September 8, 1878, to Miss Jennie E. Orr. They have three children, 
two daughters and a son: Gasper Franklin, Eva B. and Gracie E. 

History of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, California  - by 
C.M. Gidney, Benjamin Brooks, Edwin M. Sheridan, Vol I, II.  -Lewis Publ. Co., 
Chicago, 1917.