Talk:J. Mayo Williams

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[edit] Place of birth and other details

Richard S. Clark of Monmouth, Illinois, wrote the following :-

I came across your article on Wikipedia concerning J. Mayo Williams. As a resident of Monmouth, Illinois, I conducted some independent research concerning J. Mayo Williams, after reading a local newspaper story some time ago. All of the biographies that I have read concerning Mayo state that he was born in Monmouth, but that is not true! His older brother, Luther Morris Williams, was indeed born in Monmouth on 2 November 1887, and his birth certificate is on file at our local courthouse. However, that is the only birth certificate on file here for any of the 5 children of Daniel Williams and his wife, Millie McFall. Two of their children died young, and I have yet to find any additional information on them.

Mayo was born nearly 7 years after his elder brother Luther, while the family was living in Pine Bluff, Jefferson county, Arkansas. I have alerted researchers there of that fact, but they have not been so eager to share their findings with me as I have been with them. I don't know if they have actually found a birth certificate for Mayo on file there at their courthouse. I do know that in the 1900 and 1910 U.S. census that Mayo was listed by his parents as being born in Arkansas, while only his older brother Luther was listed as born in Illinois.

Both Daniel and Millie were born in Tennessee, quite probably to enslaved parents. Millie came to Illinois with her mother, Missouri McFall (a freed slave - husband, if any, unknown), and several of her siblings. Daniel Williams is probably related to the other black Williams that lived here at the time, but it has been hard to prove. I know, for instance, the relationships between several of the Williams, yet their records conflict with each other. Some stated that they descended from free northern blacks, while others stated that they descended from southern slaves. Such misinformation makes it all the harder to sort fact from fiction.

Why did the family leave Monmouth for Pine Bluff, Arkansas? I can't say for certain, but Pine Bluff became a refuge for southern blacks during the Civil War following its "liberation" by Union forces. From that time forward it became a gathering point for blacks from across the country.

As to why everyone claims Monmouth as the birthplace of J. Mayo Williams is probably a simple matter - it's probably what Mayo told everyone. Perhaps he didn't recall ever living in Arkansas, or may have even blocked those memories. Mayo was just 7 years of age when his father, Daniel Williams, was murdered by another black man while waiting to catch a train. The identity of his murderer is known, but I don't know yet if he was ever caught and punished for the crime. I have been told that Daniel Williams was an upright citizen, while his murderer had a criminal background.

Naturally, Mayo's widowed mother came back to Monmouth with her three sons (including Maurice Sam Williams, born in Arkansas during 1897) for the support of her mother and siblings. Mayo went on to star on the Monmouth high school football team in 1910, a year that saw them play for the state championship. In 1912, Mayo took 1st place in the 50 yard dash and 2nd place in the 100 yard dash at the state track championship. What I'd really like to find though is what Mayo did between his high school years in 1912 and receiving his scholarship to Brown University in 1917 - perhaps attended college somewhere else?

Your article did not mention that Mayo was a veteran of the first World War. I have a copy of his draft card (registered in Rhode Island but filed with the Warren county, Illinois Draft Board), but it does not indicate whether he was drafted or enlisted, or any other aspect of his service. I also have copies of his brothers' draft cards, one of which was filed at an American embassy in Canada. The corners of their cards were torn off, as instructed, to make sorting of black registrants easier.

Your article did not mention the name of Mayo's wife - Aleta S. Williams. A professor who researched the early recording industry made the remark "whoever Aleta was" in one of his papers. I wrote to him and clued him into the fact that Aleta was the name of Mayo's wife, and that he may have used her name as an alias, or perhaps she had some involvement in her own right. He found that interesting and probably the case.

Both of Mayo's brothers were buried here at Monmouth cemetery, both at his expense. I don't know why he chose Monmouth over Chicago. Luther was married and died of a bowel obstruction. Maurice Sam died of Tuberculosis, never married. Both worked as porters for various hotels and railways, including the Pullman Company. I can't remember without looking, but I have been to both of their graves. One appears to have never been marked, while the marker on the other has been broken off. I believe his mother also died in Chicago, but I've not found specific information on her yet.

Mr Clark also provided details of the US Censuses for 1900 and 1910, which confirm that Mayo Williams was indeed born in Arkansas, living there in 1900, but had relocated to Monmouth by 1910.

Source : United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. Series T623, 1854 rolls.

Source : United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1910. Series T624, 1,178 rolls.

Ghmyrtle 09:13, 23 July 2007 (UTC)