Benjamin Williams

Find a Grave

Birth: Jun., 1807 Weston Beggard Herefordshire, England

Death: Dec. 23, 1842 Nauvoo Hancock County Illinois, USA

Died at age 36 yrs. of inflamation.

Wife: Mary Ann Rock, son of Elizabeth Williams. He was christened June 21, 1807 in Weston Beggard, Eng.

Family links:

Spouse:

• Mary Ann Rock Pugh (1812 - 1895)*

Children:

*George Abraham Williams (1838 - 1907)*

• Lucy Maria Williams Merrill (1840 - 1930)*
• Ephraim Henry Williams (1842 - 1919)*

Burial: Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds Nauvoo Hancock County Illinois, USA

GEDCOM Note

May have been born in 1804. From the Millenial Star: Minutes of the conference held at Stanley Hill, Castle Frome, Herefordshire, England June 21, 1840 state that " Benj. Williams, Priest, to have care of the church at Shucknell Hill..." It is probable that this is Benjamin Williams- RIN 495. In the 1841 census Benjamin and Mary were living on Shucknall Hill along with their children George and Lucy.

Following is an abstract from his biography written by LaMar T. Merrill. A copy of this biography is in the posession of submitter.

Benjamin Williams, his wife Mary Ann Rock and two children arrived in New Orleans on March 10, 1842 on the ship "Tremont" from Liverpool and travelled by flatboat to Nauvoo. They had been six weeks on the water in traveling from Westhide, Herefordshire, England. Benjamin had been converted to the LDS faith in England by Wilford Woodruff. Both Benjamin and his wife Mary Ann Rock were baptised 29 July 1840.

On April 12 1842 the boat docked at Nauvoo and was met by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Mary Ann was pregnant and exhausted. Three weeks later a child was born to them and they named him Ephriam H. This child was the Great grandfather of Frank H. Miller, the submitter of this record.

Benjamin was assigned to be a guard at the Bowery where the Saints would meet. His job was to watch and guard against interruptions by mobs.

Benjamin died in Dec 1842, only eight months after arriving at Nauvoo. He had contracted a disease, probably pnuemonia after having been constantly exposed to the sloughs and swamps in the area.

His wife Mary Ann Rock remarried in Council Bluffs and then she and her family emigrated to the west a few years later.

From Ancestral File (TM), data as of 2 January 1996.