My great-grandfather, Rolla Thomas Williams (a/k/a "Roley" or "Roll") was the son of John Williams, Jr. and Harriet Eliza Ann Spaulding. Rolla was b. in May of 1863 in Canaan, Gasconade County, Missouri. Roley's parents were married on 15 Dec 1849 in Gasconade County, Missouri -- where they were living when Roley was born. (Note: I have been unable to locate any information concerning Roley's parents dates of death or their burial places, although the oral family history says they are buried at "Bee Creek Cemetery, in Mincy, Taney County, Missouri.)

On the 1870 Canaan Township census, Roley is living with his father, John Williams, b. abt. 1830 in Indiana, mother Harriet Eliza Ann Spaulding Williams, b. 10 Dec 1830 in St. Louis, Missouri, and his siblings James Johnson Williams, Mary J. Williams (O'Bannon), Martha E. Williams (Cornett), Margaret Ellen Williams (Howard) and Malissa "BABE" Williams (Richardson). They are living next door to Roley's Uncle, Aaron Williams and his wife, Helena Estes, and their children.

Roley's paternal grandparents were John Williams, Sr. and his wife Polly, who were also living in Canaan, Gasconade County, Missouri in 1850 and 1860. Roley's maternal grandparents were Stephen Ephraim Spaulding (FindAGrave memorial 14540508) and Margaret "Peggy" Barclay (FindAGrave Memorial 14540480) who were also living in Canaan, Gasconade County, Missouri in 1850 and 1860. Roley's mother, Harriet Eliza Ann Spaulding, and her sisters, Mary Lara Ann Spaulding and Martha Sara Ann Spaulding, were TRIPLETS, b. on 10 December, 1830 in St. Louis, Missouri. Rolla Thomas Williams was actually related to many, if not most, of the families living in Canaan Township in the mid-1800s.

Roley's parents moved to Scott, Taney County, Missouri some time between 1870 and 1880, where they appear on the Scott Township census. This census has some errors, but has been proven to be Roley's family by the fact that Roley's sister, Mary J. Williams O'Bannon is living RIGHT NEXT DOOR to them on the 1880 Scott Township census, and his other siblings, James Johnson Williams, and Martha Williams Cornett, are also living here in 1880. In addition to the many sources I have found, I also have dna matches on Ancestry.com with the descendants of Roley's siblings, James Johnson Williams, Margaret Ellen Williams Howard, and Mary J. Williams O'Bannon.

Note: I have also had dna matches on Ancestry.com with descendants of Roley's paternal grandparents, John Williams, Sr. & Polly -- including his uncle, AARON WILLIAMS, who was living next door to Roley and his family on the 1870 Canaan Township census mentioned above. I've also had many dna matches with the descendants of Roley's maternal grandparents, Stephen Ephraim Spaulding and Margaret "Peggy" Barclay Spaulding, living in Canaan Township in 1850 and 1860 - i.e. with Harriet's sisters, Mary Lara Ann Spaulding Stites, and Margaret Spaulding Jarvis, and their brother, Reuben Jasper Spaulding.

I'm still researching these families to determine our exact relationship, but I strongly suspect that Roley's grandfather was closely related to the family of Joseph Williams & Sarah Musick Williams. Joseph Williams d. in 1820 in St. Louis, but his wife, Sarah Musick Williams and their surviving descendants, were living in Canaan Township in the mid-1850s, where Sarah died in 1849. Roley, his parents, and paternal grandparents were also living here with the descendants of Joseph Williams & Sarah Musick from about 1843 through the 1870s. I have had dna matches on Ancestry.com with their sons, Lewis Williams, John Williams, & Micaiah Williams. I have also had dna matches with Sarah Musick Williams' siblings, Terrell Musick, Susannah Musick, and Colonel David Musick. Sarah Musick was the daughter of Abraham Musick & Sarah Lewis, who was said to be a cousin of Meriwether Lewis. I still have a lot of research to do to confirm our exact relationship to Joseph Williams & Sarah Musick Williams, but the many dna matches I have on Ancestry with their descendants, and their ancestors, would seem to indicate that we are closely related to this Williams family.

Roley married Frances Alice Raines on 4 Sep 1887 in Taney County, Missouri. They had the following children:

John Brison Williams (1888-1890)
James Amos Williams (1889-1958)
Mary Ann Williams (married William Henry Thurman) (1892-1966)
William H. Williams (1893-1959)
Martha May Williams (married Oscar Lee Mannon) (1895-1920)
Harriet Lou Iza Williams (married first Thomas James Townson, second Oscar Lee Mannon) (1896-1947)
Charity Ellen Williams (married Walter Thurman) (1898-1974)
Cora Bell Williams (married Walter G. Hayes) (1899-1937)
George Emanuel Williams (1903-1985)
Minnie Alice Williams (married John Bradford Looper) (1904-1981)
Florence Minerva Williams (married Arthur Sherman Capps) 1906-1971
Robert Earnest Williams (1908-1976)
Lee Williams (1909-1919)

NOTE: The photos of tombstones that have been added to this memorial are the graves of JOHN GRANT WILLIAMS and his wife, GEORGIA A. BURNS. See MEMORIAL ID 16898966. I have done considerable research on this family and although they lived near our Williams family, and they are buried in SNAPP CEMETERY, they appear to be UNRELATED TO OUR FAMILY, and they are NOT RELATED to Rolla Thomas Williams. I have requested that they be removed as I am unable to remove them.