History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 1887
Williams Family - SAMUEL N. WILLIAMS Biography
Samuel Norris Williams is a native of Lycoming county, born in the sixth ward of Williamsport, September 16, 1841, and for forty years has been actively engaged in business. He is a son of John Norris Williams and Ann C. Clark, daughter of Thomas Clark, who was of English birth and parentage. Their other children were: Letitia A., who married Henry Baumgardner; Joseph J., who married Catharine Williams; Mary E., who married Aaron Gaudy; Rachel Smith, who married Benjamin Bennett; Martha Maria, who married Adam Brown.
Joseph Williams, the grandfather, was one of the early pioneers of Lycoming county, and by profession a civil engineer. His field notes are still being used in important land trials within the Fifteenth Congressional District. He was born in Morris county, New Jersey, October 31, 1770, and came when a young man to the site of Williamsport, where he continued his profession, surveying. Joseph Williams married Letitia Sutton, daughter of Amariah Sutton, who was also one of the pioneers of Lycoming county, and lived in a log house situated near what is now Fourth and Beeber streets. The trials and hardships of the pioneers are matters of history. The subject of this sketch now has in his possession a silver cream pitcher which was plowed up in the field south of Fourth street, it having been buried there by the Suttons at the time of the Indian troubles.
Samuel Norris Williams was educated in the public schools and Dickinson Seminary, with a business course at the Bryant, Stratton and Bannister Commercial College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After finishing the business course he was employed by the lumber firm of A. T. Nichols & Co., filling the different departments from the woods to office as accountant.
In 1864 he formed a co-partnership with Charles Ranstead for the manufacture of lumber, and later, with S. T. Foresman, bought from A. C. Finney the S. D. Barrows interest in timber land and the Star Mill, and formed the firm of Finney, Williams & Company. After two years Mr. Finney's interest in the lumber business was purchased by Mr. Williams and Mr. Foresman and the firm of Williams & Foresman was formed, which continued until the consolidation of Williams & Foresman and B. C. Bowman & Company under the name of Bowman, Foresman Company. In August, 1882, Mr. Williams withdrew from the active management of the lumber company to take charge of the business of the Lycoming Rubber Company, with B. C. Bowman, president, and William Howard, treasurer. On the resignation of Mr. Howard in 1883, Mr. Williams was elected treasurer and general manager of the company, and later, on the death of Mr. Bowman, was elected president. Mr. Williams is a director of the Bowman, Foresman Company, J. K. Rishel Furniture Company, Williamsport Clutch and Pulley Company, and the First National Bank, and vice-president of the Board of Trade.
In 1863 he enlisted in the Pennsylvania Emergency Militia, and was in service two months during the invasion of the state by Lee's Confederate army. Naturally Mr. Williams is at all times a busy man, yet he has found occasion to interest himself in the political welfare of his native city, serving as a member of city councils from the sixth ward for eighteen years. In 1899 he was elected mayor of Williamsport, the successful candidate of the Republican party, and served in that capacity three years. During his incumbency of the office several important municipal improvements were inaugurated and carried into effect, among them being modern pavements, providing for the Locust street sewer conduit, the refunding and reduction of the public debt, and the reorganization of the city fire department. In each of these measures he took an active part, and through his efforts as the city's chief executive the public welfare was materially promoted.
Samuel Norris Williams married, November 21, 1866, Mary Alice Foresman, daughter of David Watson Foresman and Margaret McCormick, his wife.
Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Lycoming County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1906.
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