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Falkland H. Williams, a successful farmer and stock raiser of Central
Township, was born near Pevely in 1840, and is the seventh of twelve
children, six of whom are living.  He is the son of Silas and Nancy
(Adams) Williams.  The father was born at Charleston, S. C., in 1801,
but came with the rest of the family, except the father who died in
South Carolina, to Cape Girardeau, Mo., in a very early day, where 
Silas and a brother run a shoe shop for some years.  Silas then came 
to Jefferson County and invested in the Sandy Lead Mines, which he 
operated for some time.  He was married about 1825, and soon after
settled near Pevely on a farm, and afterwards settled at Sandy Ridge,
six miles north of Hillsboro, where he died in 1852.  He was a natural
mechanic and could manufacture almost anything in the cabinet line, 
etc., but the latter part of his days was passed on the farm.  He served 

in the Black Hawk War and his father was a soldier in the War of 1812.  

The mother of Falkland H. was born in Nashville, Tenn., in 1811 and died 

January 13, 1886.  Her father was a descendant of ex-president John 

Adams, and was a soldier in the War of 1812.  Both father and mother 

of our subject were members of the Baptist Church.  Falkland H.
Williams remained with his mother until he attained his majority; 
attended the common schools during the winter season.  He then spent 
two years working in the Sandy Mines the most of the time during the
night, and worked on a farm or attended the schools during the day.  
During the winter of 1861 and 1862 he attended school at Benton, Ill.
and in 1862 enlisted in Company A, Thirty-first Missouri Volunteer 

Infantry, under Colonel, afterward Gov. Fletcher, and participated in
the battles of Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Siege of Vicksburg, and
was then taken sick, and in September, 1863 was discharged.  He acted
as orderly sergeant and commissary sergeant a part of the time.  In
1864 he joined the Eightieth Regiment of Enrolled Missouri Militia.  In
1865 he married Miss Fannie C., daughter of Elder Sullivan and Martha
Frazier, and a native of Jefferson County.  Mr. Frazier was a well 
known Baptist preacher, and an early settler of Jefferson County.  Nine
children were the result of Mr. Williams' marriage, six of whom are now
living: Lizzie May, Josie G., Dollie C., Falkland H., Walter E. and 
Charles Carl.  Mr. Williams first located on the old home farm, but in
1868 he removed to an adjoining farm, seven miles north of Hillsboro, 
where he has 108 acres of fine productive land.  He has been a life
long farmer, has served two years as constable and several years as
deputy sheriff.  Under township organization, he was township clerk, is
a firm believer in the Democratic principles, and voted for Seymour, in
1868.  He is a member of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Aid Association,
and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church.