Nevada Genealogy Trails Esmeralda County Absalom B. Williams Biography

ABSALOM B. WILLIAMS is a respected pioneer who became a resident of the territory of Nevada at a very early date in its development. He crossed the plains in 1850, and in 1860 he took up his abode in Virginia City.

He was born in Mount Vernon, Indiana, on the 30th of October, 1828, and comes of a family of Welsh origin, his grandfather, James Williams, having emigrated from the little rock-ribbed country of Wales to the state of Virginia. His father was born in the Old Dominion and was married there to Miss Elizabeth Williams, who, though of the same name, was not a relative. They removed to Indiana and afterward to Illinois, becoming pioneer settlers of both states. Mr. Williams was a farmer by occupation and became actively identified with agricultural interests in the Mississippi valley. Both he and his wife were devoted members of the Episcopal church, and were people of the highest respectability. He departed this life at the age of sixty-three years, while his wife was called to her final rest at the age of seventy years.

Absalom B. Williams was their only child, and upon his father's farm he was reared, early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. During the winter months he pursued his studies in the little log schoolhouse near by, and in the summer seasons he assisted in plowing, planting and harvesting. In this way he secured only a limited education, but he afterward supplemented it by study in a night school in Illinois. Not desiring to make farm work, his life vocation, he learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner, and in the year 1850 he crossed the plains to California, attracted by the discovery of gold in this portion of the country. He was engaged in mining first in Esmerelda and spent ten years of his life as a miner in Benton. Purchasing the Diana mine at that place he built a four-stamp mill at a great cost, the materials being very expensive, while he had to pay six cents per pound for freight. The mine gave a rich yield, but the profits were all eaten up in the working of it. On the expiration of ten years he sold the property to pay for its indebtedness, and left Benton without having accumulated anything in the meantime.

While engaged in mining in Benton Mr. Williams had returned to the east, in 1863, and he brought his family to Nevada. He had been married in 1851 to Miss Anna E. Gates, a native of Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and as the years passed six children were added to their family, four of whom are living, namely: Charles A.; Abbie A., now the wife of T. M. Byrne, of Vallejo, California; Annie L., the wife of Alexander Penycook, of Vallejo; and Grace G., who is the wife of Lester G. Loomis and resides in Los Angeles.

In 1876 Mr. Williams removed his family to Reno, where he has since lived. While engaged in the operation of a quartz mill he had learned assaying, and on coming to Reno he engaged in this line of work, which he has followed for the past thirty-eight years. As his financial resources have increased he has invested in city property in Reno, on which he has made many good improvements, and as the city has grown he has subdivided his land and sold it as town lots. The rise in values has been of great benefit to him, and he is now one of the substantial citizens of this locality. His own home is a handsome residence, surrounded by beautiful grounds, adorned with flowers and shrubs and with fruit and ornamental trees.

His political allegiance has been given to the Republican party since the Civil war. While residing in Moline, Illinois, he served as postmaster of that city under the administrations of Presidents Pierce and Buchanan, and at Benton he was for eight years justice of the peace, but he has never been an active politician in the sense of office-seeking, his devotion to the party arising from his firm belief in its principles. He and his family are members of the Episcopal church, and he has taken a very active part in its work, serving as its senior warden for the past fifteen years. A man of strong character, living an upright life, he has gained the regard and good will of his fellow men, and well deserves representation in this volume.