Sir William Williams, MP, 2nd Baronet

Family and Education b. c.1665, 1st s. of Sir William Williams, 1st Bt.* m. (1) 1684, Jane (d. 1706), da. and coh. of Edward Thelwall of Plas y Ward, Denb., 4s. (1 d.v.p.) 2da.; (2) Catherine, da. of Mytton Davies of Gwysan, Flints., s.p. suc. fa. as 2nd Bt. 11 July 1700.1

Offices Held

Sheriff, Denb. 1695–6, Mont. 1704–5, Merion. 1705–6, Caern. 1706–7; steward of Bromfield and Yale manors, Denb. ?1719–d.2

Biography Williams, son of a remarkable father and father of a remarkable son, was himself an undistinguished country squire. Though he stood in 1690 against Edward Brereton* in Denbigh Boroughs, he shared the Tory sympathies of his father’s last years, possibly influenced by his wife’s cousin, Sir John Wynn, 5th Bt.*, to whom Williams’ own eldest son was heir presumptive. In 1702, for example, he gave his interest willingly to Tory candidates in both Denbighshire constituencies. Granted a month’s leave of absence on 4 Mar. 1709, Williams proved his Tory sympathies in the following session, telling on 25 Jan. 1710 to support Tories in Anglesey through the recommittal of a report on a claim for breach of privilege by Sir Arthur Owen, 3rd Bt.*, against the town clerk of Beaumaris, and voting against the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell. On 17 Mar. 1710 he was granted an indefinite leave of absence, this time on health grounds. Illness may thus account for his ‘declining’ to stand in 1710. Williams died on 20 Oct. 1740, aged about 75. His son, Sir Watkin, 3rd Bt., who succeeded to the Wynn estates in 1719 and henceforth assumed the additional name of Wynn, sat for Denbighshire and Montgomeryshire 1716–49. A prominent Tory and supposed Jacobite, he came to dominate politics in North Wales to the extent that he was nicknamed ‘the Prince of Wales’.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715 Author: D. W. Hayton Notes 1. Cal. Herbert Corresp. ed. W. J. Smith (Univ. of Wales Bd. of Celtic Studies, Hist. and Law ser. xxi), 289; info. from Prof. P. D. G. Thomas. 2. Chirk Castle Accts. 1666–1753 ed. Myddelton, 321; H. M. C. Jones-Mortimer, Sheriffs Denb. 27; Mont. Colls. lxvi. 68–69; Arch. Camb. ser. 1, ii. 132; Cal. Treas. Bks. xix. 157. 3. NLW, Chirk Castle mss E1025, Williams to Sir Richard Myddelton, 3rd Bt.*, 6 July 1702; E6128, Ellis Lloyd to Mr Roberts, 27 Sept. 1710.

Biographical Summary

Sir William Williams, Baronet [1688], of Llanforda and Glaseoed, 1st s. and h., b. about 1665; suc. to the Baronetcy, 11 July 1700 ; was M.P. for Denbigh, 1708-10. He m. firstly, in 1689, Jane (b. 25 Dec. 1665), 1st da. and coheir of Edward Thelwaxl, of Plas-y-Ward, co. Denbigh, by Sidney, only da. of William Wynn, of Branas in Edeirnion, co. Merioneth, which William was 6th s. of Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet [1611], of Gwydir, co. Carnarvon. He m. secondly, Catharine, da. of Mytton Davies, of Gwysaney, co. Flint, but by her had no issue. He d. 20 Oct. 1740, aged about 75. Will pr. 1741.

SOURCE: Complete baronetage; Cokayne, George E. (George Edward); 1904; Vol. IV; page 149