Fourth Generation

28. Elijah Newton "Dick" WILLIAMS was born on 9 April 1887 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^{7,10,15,25,33,39,40,41} His parents had named him "Elijah Newton" but he didn't like that name. When he was a child, he liked "Dick's Cough Syrup," so the family called him "Dick." The Social Security Death Index on RootsWeb.com lists his given name as "Richard."

As a youngster, he developed some sickness (possibly a form of polio) that caused him to lose the use of his legs for a few years. He recovered their use as an adult.

(The Monroe County Birth Registration index lists his birth year as 1877; that is incorrect.) He appeared in the census in 1900 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷ He appeared in the census in 1905 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸ Dick appeared in the census in 1910 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁶ He and his wife and oldest son were living in the household of Isabell Bamard (?) on Benton Street in the 3rd Ward. He was listed as "Eliza" and his occupation was "Laborer, Com(mon) Laborer." (Isabell was a Widow, age 60, born in Wisconsin, with parents born in Germany; no relationship is known to have existed with her.) About 1915 he was a farmer in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴² He owned a 40-acre farm in the southeast corner of Section 10. He appeared in the census in 1920 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁵ He and his family were living with his father-in-law, he was listed as "Elizha," and his occupation was "Lineman, Telephone." Dick appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴³ His household was on Town Road, he was listed as "Elijah N." and his occupation was listed as "Construction Foreman, Electric Line." He died on 25 May 1973 at the age of 86 in Eau Claire, Eau Claire Township, Eau Claire County, WI.^33,39 Obituary Notes: "Richard Williams, 86, died Friday (May 26, 1973) at an Eau Claire hospital after a long illness. Born in Wilton, he married Lola Bassett in 1908. She died in 1964. He was employed by Wisconsin Power and Light Co. and North-West Telephone Co. as a lineman.

Surviving are three sons, Clarence, Shennington; and Harvey and Richard Jr., Crown Point, Ind.; four daughters, Mrs. Helen Stark, Sparta, Mrs. Hazel Mesner, Tomah, Mrs. Virginia Griggs, Milwaukee, and Mrs. Ruth Bongle, Sturgeon Bay; three sisters, Mrs. Hazel Hanson and Mrs. Bessie Rheinschmidt, Beloit, and Mrs. Edith Johnson, Park Falls; 34 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.

The funeral was at 2 P.M. today (Tuesday) at the First Methodist Church, Tomah. Pastor Paul Kehle officiated. Burial was in the Oak Grove Cemetery." He was buried in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^13,39 in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Elijah Newton "Dick" WILLIAMS and Lola Nettie BASSETT were married on 4 April 1908 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^{16,25,39,44,45} While he was away from home for military service, Dick's parents sold their family home to Lola. But, they never told him. When he returned, he walked right into his old home without knocking, and Lola was there. He later married her.

For awhile after their marriage they lived in Minocqua in Oneida County, WI. Then they lived in the city of Tomah on Williams Street. Lola Nettie BASSETT, daughter of Edwin Abbott BASSETT and Anna Permelia MARKS, was born on 14 October 1889 in Retreat, Vernon County, WI.^7,39,45 She appeared in the census in 1900 in Scott Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁶ Lola appeared in the census in 1920 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁵ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴³ She died on 28 October 1964 at the age of 75 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^28,39 Obituary Notes: "Mrs. Lola Bassett Williams, 75, passed away Wednesday afternoon, October 28, at the home of her daughter, Hazel, after a lingering illness. (She had been in a coma for about two years, after suffering a stroke.)

Mrs. Williams was born at Retreat on October 14, 1889, to Edwin and Anna Bassett. She moved with her parents to the Tomah area in her youth, where she continued to reside. She was united in marriage to Dick Williams on April 4, 1908, in Tomah.

Those left to mourn her passing are her husband, Dick; three sons, Clarence of Shennington, Harvey and Dick, Jr., of Crown Point, Ind.; four daughters, Mrs. Helen Stark of Sparta, Miss Hazel Williams of Tomah, Mrs. Virginia Griggs of Milwaukee, and Mrs. Ruth Bongle of Sturgeon Bay; one sister, Mrs. Hattie Hunt of Milwaukee; 33 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, also many other relatives and friends. Three sons, Charles, Robert and Hubert, three brothers and one sister preceded her in death.

Funeral services were held Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 P.M. at the Tomah Methodist Church. Rev. B. G. Mohn and Rev. Thomas Jarrell officiated. Burial was in the Oak Grove Cemetery." Lola was buried on 31 October 1964 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^13,39 in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Elijah Newton "Dick" WILLIAMS and Lola Nettie BASSETT had the following children:

39	i.	Hubert Edward WILLIAMS was born on 6 February 1910 in Lake Tomahawk, Oneida County, WI.^37,41,44 (His name was erroneously listed as "Gilbert" in the obituary of his sister Hazel.) He appeared in the census on 2 May 1910 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁶ He died of pneumonia on 23 May 1910 at the age of 0 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^41,44
+40	ii.	Clarence Kenneth WILLIAMS.
+41	iii.	Helen Alaine WILLIAMS.
+42	iv.	Hazel June WILLIAMS.
+43	v.	Harvey Donald WILLIAMS.
+44	vi.	Charles Frederick WILLIAMS.
+45	vii.	Virginia Mae WILLIAMS.
+46	viii.	Ruth Viola "Ruthie" WILLIAMS.
+47	ix.	Richard Junior "Dick" WILLIAMS.
48	x.	Robert Dean WILLIAMS was born on 12 April 1933 in Warrens, Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.^10,39 He died on 10 July 1951 at the age of 18 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁹ Obituary Notes: "Funeral services were held on Friday afternoon, July 13, for Robert D. Williams at the White Funeral Home, the Rev. Meyers of La Crosse officiating. Members of the 732nd Ordnance Maintenance Company flew here from Camp Ripley, Minn. to serve as honor guard. Interment was in Oak Grove Cemetery. Robert Dean Williams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dick Williams, was born on April 12, 1933, on his parents' farm southeast of Tomah and resided there all his life. He lost his life in an automobile accident near Wilton on Tuesday, July 10. Bob attended the Hill elementary school and later the Tomah high school. He worked on his parents' farm and for the past several months had been employed by the Heilman Bakery in Tomah as a route driver. He was a member of the 732nd Ordnance Company, WNG, but was unable to go to camp with the unit. Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dick Williams; four brothers, Clarence of Shennington, Harvey of Gary, Ind., Charles of Tomah, and Richard, with the Air Force at Great Falls, Montana; four sisters, Mrs. Helen Stark of Cataract, Mrs. Virginia Griggs of Milwaukee, Ruth of Milwaukee, and Hazel of Tomah, besides other relatives and friends." He was buried in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹³ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.