Who was Israel Williams and was he a form of a bank?? A private Mortgage lender??
I did find Israel Williams on a United States Census, 1850, database with images, FamilySearch.
It looks like Israel Williams was born 1800 which makes him about 50 at the time of the 1850 Census
| Israel Williams |
| Sex | Male |
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| Age | 50 |
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| Birth Year (Estimated) | 1800 |
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| Birthplace | Connecticut |
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| Race | White |
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| Ethnicity | American |
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| Event Type | Census |
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| Event Date | 1850 |
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| Event Place | Spring Prairie, Walworth, Wisconsin, United States |
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| Household Identifier | 368 |
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| House Number | 364 |
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| Line Number | 36 |
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| Schedule Type | 1850 Population |
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| Affiliate Publication Number | M432 |
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| Affiliate Name | The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) |
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It looks like Israel and Hariet headed west with 3 small children
At this time he is listed as a farmer and the farms value is 4100 if I am reading it correctly.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lake-geneva-regional-news/130353691/
Now it doesn't say anything in the newspaper but Israel might of been in the United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865
I found a newspaper clipping about Israel Williams SR First Whiteman to settle here.
Oa all the Williames living in this area the phone directory lists 14 in the July 25th newspaper year dated 1957 The Lake Geneve WI Apparently none of them traces his or her ancestry back to Capt Israel Williams Sr the founder of Williams Bay
Hostorical accounts of the village - some of them compiled by the late Frank Van Epps, editor of the Bay Leaves for mane years, others by Mrs Georges Van Biesbroeck and reports by early historians in dicate that the last descendent of Israel Williams to live in Williams Bay was the pioneer's son, George who died in the old family home in 1924
George was not married Prior to his death, the rest of his immediate family who had lived in the village had either moved or
died.
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From Connecticut
The Israel Williams family was
the first white family to permanently settle at what was to become the thriving village bearing
their name. Coming west from Connecticut. Israel, his wife and five of their sons. Israel, Jr, Moses,
Royal, Festus and Austin, settled on claims on the south shore in 1836 and 1837. some four years after the first recorded visit of a
white-man to this area. |
Israel, Jr , was married before he came west His son. Henry, was born
in June 1837 and is believed to be the first white child born in the south
shore section.
Seven Sons
Apparently, Israel, Sr , had more than five sons. Historian
Paul Jenkins, in his “Book of Lake Geneva.“ published for the Chicago
Historical society, writes of Israel Sr . and his seven stalwart
sons." Presumably, only five of the sons came to the Geneva lake area. One of
those who did not come west is mentioned by James Simmons in “Annals of lake
Geneva.’’ The author wrote in his book that in July 1891 he “visited Rev. Francis
Williams, of Chaplin, Conn., a son of Israel Williams Sen., the first settler
of Williams Bay.” The name of the seventh son is not known. According; to Simmons, the senior
Israel Williams family lived in a log cabin on the south shore until 1841.
when Israel Sr . built a frame house on a large piece of land in what is
now Williams Bay. They were the first whites to build a , home in the
Bay Israel, Sr , died there in 1849. a year after the death of two of his
sons. Later, the home was occupied by Royal who died in 1886 and
finally by , George. who died 33 year- ago. Held Public Office For almost a century, the original Williams
family was among the most prominent in the village. Royal held several
township offices (Williams Bay aid not become an independent incorporated
village
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until 1922.) Edward was the first
postmaster of Williams Bay.
Festus was the first director of
the Bay school district, being elected when the district was formed in
November 1899 at a meeting in his own home. Israel was the first justice in
the county Mrs, Edward Williams started the first library in the community,
having it in her home until the Storrs Barrett building was obtained
Found Indians Here
When the Israel Williams family
arrived here, the lake area was the home of the Potawatomie Indians, ruled
by Chief Big Foot There were several camps on the lake, including one at. Williams Bay Tile chief s main residence was at Fontana. A few years after the white-men arrived, the Indians were driven from the lake. In the late 1830's the last of the Potawatomies were moved west, to a barren area unsuited to their existence. On leaving his local tribal grounds. Big Foot left his Wives’ graves under the care of the senior Israel Williams.
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Historical accounts say the tribe,
becoming dissatisfied with their western location, walked all the way back to
Geneva lake Finding, their traditional home occupied by whites, they walked to northern
Wisconsin, where their descendants now live on a reservation.
Mound Builders
Because the Indians kept no records, their history is unknown However, archeological studies indicate that
the Potawatomies were in this area for at least 150 years before the
Williamses arrived. Prior to the Potawalomies—per haps many
centuries before the area was occupied by the mound builders. Little is known of this extinct race. however, when the first whites arrived, they found numerous huge effigy mounds, constructed in animal forms, some like lizards, others resembling panthers and birds. I do have to say something at this point. I have done some research of this area and a little to the north now named Burlington, WI. A friend of mine Mary Sutherland has studied the mound people and the paranormal for years and has written many books. I also did a physic investigation with some friends walking distance from the downtown Burlington. We believe the Indians did not just just bow out and say, It's OK I see you have nice homes so we will travel on. We believe there was an ambush and then a retaliation back on the Indians. This can not be proven but I just had to inserts because I have some personal experience with this topic. Ok back to the story. First Inhabitants
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Archeological studies have shed
some light on the Bay area’s pre. mound builder past. Following the glacial recession, wild animals, including the giant elk, mammoth, mastodon,
buffalo and early forms of the horse, roamed the area.
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In 1907 Michael Johnson, who lived on Congress street,
Williams Hay. was digging in his garden and unearthed a quantity of mastodon
bores, including the huge molar teeth, each about as large as a person's hand. Time changed the land and it's inhabitants eventually bringing the shores or Geneva lake. Three generations of the original Williams family lived at the Bay before the last survivor, George, died in 1924. Years before that other Williams families none apparently related to the pioneer- moved into the village Thus although the founder's family passed from the scene the name Williams remained prominent in the community and throughout the area.
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In IW7. Michael Johnson, who lived on
Cofigteaa street. Williams
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