Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: THOMSON

CAPT. JOSEPH E. WILLIAMS was born on Prince Edward Island, March 25, 1830, but left there when a mere boy, and when twelve years old went to sea as a fisherment, and about a year later came to the United States, and shipped on board of large ships engaged in foreign trade at Liverpool, London, and the East Indies. He followed this for several years and was in the coasting trade until twenty-one years old, when he was given the command of the ship Corinne, engaged in the coasting trade in summer and lying by in the winter. He had command of this ship for two or three years. After this he became an officer on a packet ship engaged in carrying passengers and merchandise, and sailed to nearly all the Atlantic ports of Europe, as well as of the American coast. He was engaged in this business five or six years, and then became master of a merchant ship, in which business he continued up to 1870. He then went to San Francisco, and for a time was engaged in business there.

 In 1881 he went to Sierra County, California, and took charge of a mine and after remaining there five years returned to San Francisco. In 1887 he purchased his present place, a part of which, however, he bought the year before. The place contains forty-two acres, of which fourteen are in orchard, mostly in Crawford peaches and Moorpark apricots. He has a small family orchard, also a vineyard of fifteen acres, consisting of Muscat and choice wine grapes, the vines and orchard being six years old. Captain Williams' ranch is situated at the corner of the county road, Castro Street, and Bailey Avenue.

Captain Williams was married in San Francisco, December 11, 1879, to May, daughter of Hon. John Thomson, of Prince Edward Island, who was for many years Speaker of the House of Representatives. They have two children: Reginald Hadley, born June 19, 1883, and Anita Josephine, born January 3, 1885. They lost one child that died in infancy.

SOURCE:  Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H.S. Foote.- Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.Transcribed by Carol Lackey- page 261


 SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT

SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight