Jefferson County Historical Society

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Dr. Charles Williams, physician and surgeon at House's Springs, and the
son of Hon. Stephen C. and Eleanor (Evans) Williams, was born in Licking 
County, Ohio, in 1846.  Stephen C. was born in Newark, N. J., about 1818, 
and when but a child came with his father, Elias Williams, to Licking 
County, where he was reared and where he has since made his home, as a 
well to do and substantial farmer. In early life he represented Licking 
County in the State Legislature one term of two years, and was also for 
many years a director of the county infirmary.  His father was a native 
of New Jersey, as was also his wife, and a soldier in the War of 1812.  
The mother of Charles was born in Licking County, Ohio, in 1820 and died 
in 1872.  The Doctor was reared at home and educated in the common schools 
and at Denison University, at Granville, Ohio.  He was in the 100 days 
service under Capt. H. Beard, of the One Hundred and Sixtieth Ohio United 
States National Guards, and operated in Virginia.  He came to St. Louis in 
1866, and served as shipping clerk in the Missouri Pacific Railroad freight 
depot.  He came to Jefferson County in 1868, and here taught school for two 
or three years. In 1870 he began the study of medicine with Dr. E. J. Thurman, 
of Fenton, and graduated from the St. Louis Medical College two years later.  
He then practiced his profession at Fenton for two years, after which he went 
to Lemay Ferry, and six years later removed to House's Springs, where he has 
since remained engaged in a successful practice. March, 1872 he married Miss 
Missouri E. Harbison, of Fenton, who died in 1881, leaving two children, 
Eleanor and Edwina.  In 1886 the Doctor married Miss Emma Sue Stephens, a 
native of Jefferson County, daughter of Washington and Elizabeth Stephens, 
natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively.  Mrs. Williams was born 
August 18, 1858.  Her father, Rev. Washington Stephens, was born in 1808, 
in Lexington, Ky., where he was educated, living there until fourteen years 
of age.  Then he removed to Missouri, locating near Hillsboro, the present 
county seat of Jefferson County, where he taught school in the winter and 
worked at farming in summer, until he attained the age of twenty-four years. 
Becoming converted, he professed religion and joined the Baptist Church
and almost immediately afterward commenced preaching, and has since (covering 
a period of over fifty years) been engaged in the ministry. He is the oldest 
minister of any denomination living in the county, and perhaps in this part 
of the State, and has probably baptized more converts than any minister in 
this portion of Missouri.  Although upward of eighty years of age he is still 
zealous in his calling, and while his physical vigor will not permit him to 
go through what he once could and did, yet he is ever found ready to obey his 
master's call. Dr. Williams is a Democrat in politics, his first presidential
vote being for Greeley in 1872.  He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and 
of the A. O. U. W.