Show DEATH OF A GOOD MAN t if David Williams whO whose e death oc- oc occurred oc occurred J on the morning of Dec 1889 at Price Emery County was the son eon of David and Sarah Wil Wil- Williams Williams Williams liams and was born in Blaenavon W ales and hence was aged nearly 62 years He embraced the Gospel in its ful ful- nes ness in the year 1847 and was soon after ordained a Teacher and then a ar r Priest In 1849 he was ordained an Elder and called to the ministry t- t ti He traveled as a missionary four F years principally in North Wales and labored with marked zeal and success He married Miss Sarah f 01 Williams on May 29 1847 migrated rr to St StLouis Louis in January 1855 and was president of the Welsh Saints Y who formed forme a considerable part o 0 othe othe Iti Jl I the large rge company on the ship He remain remained d in St Louis about one year when when when-he he went to Kingston T h hIll Ill He remained there but a short time when he removed to I toI Canton Ill where he located in inthe 1 the fall tall of 1856 He was at this time in very poor circumstances financially but he hep p I set work to-work to work with a will and soon lm- lm improved Im Improved proved his pecuniary condition He e was a coal miner at which call call- calling Ii t in ing he worked After a time he pur pur- purchased purchased purchased chased w a tract of coal land in the town of C Canton which subsequent subsequent- subsequently ly became valuable property He Hei i also acquired two other tracts of coal land near Canton In December 1875 Elder B F Cummings Jr who was traveling in Illinois as a ati ti missionary met him He had long been separated from intimate asso asso- association elation with the Saints but his faith in the Gospel as taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith was firm and bright and at his request he was by Elder Cummings 1 January 1876 N He immediately immediately took an active ve part in extending the work of the lit Gospel pel and vicinity which had now new commenced to open up in a avery very gratifying manner Owing 10 to the facilities Brother Williams had bad for or furnishing employment scattered Saints found and andI converts made by the Elders EMers in that region were invited by him to come cometo cometo I j to Canton and iu In a few months a branch of about fifty members ex- ex exit ex existed it- it isted fisted there of vf which he was president president I dent At the opening of the year 1876 he was a wealthy man and was using his bis means generously to for for- forward forward forward ward the work wl of of the Gospel But business reverses overtook him in rapid succession and b before fore the middle of 1877 he was compelled to tomake tomake tomake make a settlement with his credi credi- credi- credi creditors creditors tors tore which left him in poverty The settlement made he had bad but buta buta a few ew hundred dollars left He now made preparations to gather to Zion and out of his hia scanty funds he generously assisted a score or more members of the Canton Vanton branch blanch to pay their fares to Utah He ar- ar arrived ar arrived rived in Ogden August 9 1877 and anda anda anda a few days later came to this city almost without a dollar But he and his family were wele happy and cheer cheer- cheerful cheerful cheerful ful He began the business of a re- re retail retail tall re-tall tail coal dealer in a small way in R which he continued for some 1 months when early in the year 1878 he was called on a mission to the Southern States He responded and labored in that field eleven months when he was honorably released He was an excellent geologist and an experienced coal mine manager manager and soon after his return from his mission he became manager of the theD theD theD D R G coal mines at Pleasant Valley in October 1880 The mines were rapidly developed under his control and soon BOon quite a community of miners and their fam fam- families families mes were gathered there Many of these being Latter-day Latter Sai Saints a branch of the Church was organized of which he was made president In 1888 1883 Pleasant Valley Ward was or- or organized organized or organized and he was ordained a Bishop and set apart to preside over it He continued in this position till December 1885 when he went on a mission to ta t Wales For Fr a time he labored as a traveling Elder but later became president of the Welsh mission with a numerous and ener ener- energetic energetic energetic getic corps of missionaries under him During his administration that mis mis- mission mission sion assumed an activity it had not known for many years He spent his own money freely to fore foreward ward it and labored with great zeal and energy It was while he was president of the Welsh mission that J great excitement in that country Repeatedly Brother Williams was surrounded by howl howl- howling howling howling ing mobs who thirsted for his blood but physical fear was an emotion unknown to him and he never shrank from either danger or duty He returned to Utah in Novem Novem- Nov November November m- m ber 1888 During the three years of his mission asthma a a disease from which he had long suffered more or less Jess became deep seated and he never obtained relief from it Notwithstanding his broken health he could not brook inactivity and andin andin andin in May of this year lie he opened a general mercantile business at Price Emery Emer County From that time until his death he suffered terribly at frequent intervals He passed p away like a child falling to sleep Brother Williams was a good and anda a remarkable man He was a natural natural natural al leader and gifted with rare abili abili- abilities abilities abilities ties in some directions To look into his clear blue earnest eyes and doubt his honesty was impossible He decided the most important matters instantly and was generally guided by a correct intuition In his business plans and enterprises it was nearly always a leading object to provide employment or aid for others and he has planned for and helped to feed thousands Ingrati- Ingrati tude Ingrati tude which is so often the reward of the philanthropic worker n never ver swerve swerve him from his hiB purpose to labor Jabor for the welfare of others rs He was a father to his As a parent he was solicit solicit- solicitous solicitous solicitous ous for fur and devotedly attached to his children as a hus hUB hUBband husband husband band he was tender and affectionate as a business man he was intelligent and thoroughly reliable and as a Latter-day Latter Saint he lived and died faithful to the obligations of the Gosp Gospel l having a firm assur assur- assurance assurance assurance ance of bis his election to a glorious resurrection t He leaves two wives and was the father of fourteen children seven of y whom survive him He also had a af f large Jarge number of of- of grandchildren These with hundreds of his countrymen coon coun- living in this region and a host of other friends fri and acquaint acquaint- acquaintances acquaintances ances will cherish his memory as that of a man worthy of their esteem and affection Peaceful be his rest |