Santa
Clara County
Biographies
BENJAMIN F. WILLIAMS
In the industrial and business
ranks of Santa Clara county no person stands higher in
the estimation of his fellowmen than B. F. Williams, a prominent contractor and
builder of Los Gatos. Through his veins courses the blood of many of the old
and honored families of New England, his ancestors for many generations having
been Massachusetts born and bred. He was born November 9, 1841, in Beverly
Farms, Mass., which was also the birthplace of his father, Benjamin Williams,
and of his grandfather, Joseph Williams. His great-grandfather Williams, a
life-long resident of the old Bay State, served in the Revolutionary war.
Succeeding to the occupation of his
father, Benjamin Williams followed the trade of a stone mason and a builder
during his entire life, and was quite successful. He married Adeline Elliott,
who was born in Massachusetts, of English ancestry, and they became the parents
of two children, B. F., the subject of this sketch; and Mary, who died in
Boston, Mass.
Brought up in Beverly Farms, Mass.,
B. F. Williams received his early education in the district schools, and in his
boyhood days worked with his father, from whom he learned the trades of
plasterer and bricklayer. Imbued with the same patriotic ardor that had
inspired his Revolutionary ancestor, Mr. Williams, in December, 1861, enlisted
in the Unite States navy, and as seaman on the Ino
was sent after the noted privateer Sumter, which was commanded by Captain
Semmes, and followed the boat to the harbor at Gibraltar, where Semmes,
despairing of eluding the United States authorities, sold his boat, although he
afterwards assumed command of the cruiser Alabama, which was sunk by Captain
Winslow, of the Kearsarge, in June, 1864. Mr.
Williams continued with the navy, and was engaged in cruising and blockading
until March, 1864, when he was mustered out of service at Hampton Roads. During
his term of service he was six times promoted, becoming quartermaster of the
ship. Soon after his return home, in May, 1864, Mr. Williams enlisted in
company E, Eighth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and having been mustered
into service at Readville, Mass., was sent with his
regiment to the coast of North Carolina, and was stationed at Roanoke Island,
and along the Atlantic coast until the close of the war, when, in July, 1865,
at Galloupe Island, Boston Harbor, he was mustered
out of service with the rank of corporal.
Returning to Beverly, Mr. Williams
remained there a little more than a year, when, having a throat trouble, he
started for California. Sailing from Boston on the brig Levi Stevens, he came
around the Horn, and during the long journey of almost eight months nearly
starved, all of the provisions excepting the beef and pork giving out. The crew were (sic) unable to fill their posts, and Mr.
Williams, who stood at the wheel all day, being tied to it, and the first and
second mates, were the only ones able to perform duty at one time. At Callao
they put in for provisions, and in January, 1868, arrived in San Francisco. After
working in that city for a year he was sent by Judge Shafter to Point Reyes to
look after wild cattle, and remained in his employ about two years, camping out
most of the time. In 1871 he returned home, making the thirteen-day trip by
rail. Resuming work at his trade, Mr. Williams remained in Beverly until the
big fire in Boston, in November, 1872, when he removed to that city, and was
there engaged as a stone mason and bricklayer for four years.
In 1876 Mr. Williams again came to
California, and located in Santa Cruz as a builder and contractor. His health
becoming impaired, he went to Glenwood to recuperate, and remained there six
years, during which time he set out and started a ten-acre orchard of prune
trees. In 1888 he came to Los Gatos, which was then in its infancy, having but
one brick structure within its limits. Beginning business here as a contractor
and builder, he has since erected the principal buildings of the place,
including the new library building, the brick work in all of the hotels, and
nearly all of the work in his line in the city and its suburbs. He has acquired
city property of value and has erected two residences.
Mr. Williams married, in
Massachusetts, Maria Goodwin who was born and reared in Nova Scotia.
Politically Mr. Williams is a true blue Republican, and is active in municipal
affairs. In 1896 he was elected city trustee, and served a full term; in 1903
he was appointed a member of the board of trustees to fill a vacancy.
Fraternally he united with Bass River Lodge No. 73, F. & A. M., in Beverly,
and is now a member of Ridgeley Lodge, of Los Gatos, of which he is past noble
grand. He is a member of the Los Gatos Board of Trade, and is past commander of
John A. Dix Post No. 42, G. A. R., of San Jose.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast
Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1403-1404. The
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2017 Cecelia M. Setty.