George Williams

George Williams a merchant of Salem and his wife Lydia Pickering, of whom an admirable portrait painted in her old age by Gilbert Stuart is in the Williams house in Northborough, were the parents of twelve children. Of his eight sons the best known names are those of Timothy. a Boston merchant. Samuel, a London banker, and Stephen 1772-1838, owner of a fine stock and fruit farm in the westerly part of Northborough whither he removed in 1799. His portion of the family estate had been lost by shipwreck but a later inheritance enabled him to make the purchase of his Northborough farm.

Of his brother Samuel it is told that being on his return voyage from England his vessel was run down and that he found himself roused suddenly out of sleep clinging to the shrouds or bowsprit of a large ship bound for England. Thus forced back he conceived a horror of the sea and never visited his native country but went into business in London where he was long well known for his hospitalities to visiting Americans. Among his good gifts he sent to his brother Stephen a number of good gifts of very fine stock breeding animals and pictures of the noblest of British bulls adorn the walls of the pleasant and hospitable old house. With the kindest of hearts Mr Williams' manner was curt and taciturn he would turn aside not to betray himself if beguilcd unawares into a laugh he cherished like a lover his choice varieties of rare fruit and when the apple harvest came he would leave at his minister's back door the briefest of written messages Send your barrels l А man of generous and noble traits who with his wife Alice Orne of Salem 1769 1856 a lady of dignified refined and quiet manner made a greatly prized variety among our rural population.

History of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Volume 1, page 464