Fannie Belle (Miller) Williams (abt. 1865)

Born about Jun 1865 in Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky, United States

Wife of Frank Lunsford Williams — married 19 Feb 1891 in Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky, United States

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ellen Smith [send private message]

Biography

Fannie (Miller) Williams is a part of US Black heritage.

Fannie Belle Miller was born in Danville, Kentucky. The 1900 U.S. Census reported her birth date as June 1895; the passenger list for an excursion she took with daughter Francis in 1937 gives the date as 23 June 1863; and census records indicate a date between 1863 and 1866.^[1]

Her mother, Susan, married a man named Sam Davis by about 1868. The 1870 U.S. Census recorded Samuel Davis, age 31, and Susan Davis, 28, in Danville, Kentucky, with Edwin Davis, 11; John Davis, 15; Fannie Davis, 5 (this is Fannie Miller); Nannie Davis, 15 months (born in August); Betsy Bell, 70; James Alcorn, 33; Dudley Sabra, 31; Rose Sabra, 28; James Sabra, 5; Green Haber, 21; Hettie Barber, 18; and Manerva Schenault, 22. All were born in Kentucky except James Sabra, born in Tennessee. The Davises and Dudley Sabra were described as mulatto; the others were described as black.^[2]

The 1880 U.S. Census recorded Fannie Miller, age 16, in Danville, Kentucky, in the household of Sam Davis, 45, her stepfather, and his wife Susan Davis, 39, apparently her mother. Also in the household was Lillie Davis, 11, identified as the daughter of Sam Davis (in 1870 she was called Nettie). All were born in Kentucky; Sam was described as black, while Susan, Fannie, and Lilly were mulatto. Sam was a hotel cook, Susan was a seamstress, and the girls were at school.^[3]

She graduated from Berea College (Berea, Kentucky).^[4] She married Frank L. Williams, who was also a Berea graduate, in Danville, Kentucky, on 19 February 1891. Witnesses at the wedding included Edward Miller and Susan Davis.^[5] Their first child, daughter Susie, was born in Danville in 1892.

The 1900 U.S. Census recorded 36-year-old Frank Williams, a school teacher, born in October 1863, and his wife, 35-year-old Fannie B. Williams, in Louisville, Kentucky, along with daughter Susie P. Williams, 8, and three sons, listed as Maurice, 6; Lunsford, 5; and Frances, 1. All were born in Kentucky and were described as Black.^[6] Apparently the census enumerators in 1900 and 1910 inferred the gender of the children based on their names, thus assuming that Maurice was male, but it is clear from later records that this was not the case.

The 1910 U.S. Census recorded the Williams family in St. Louis, Missouri. Frank Williams was 45 and Fannie B. Williams was 44. They had been married 19 years and Fannie had had four children, all living. Children in the household were daughter Francis H., 11; son Frank L., 14; son Maurice S., 16; and daughter Susie P., 17. All were born in Kentucky and were described as mulatto. Frank Williams was a public school principal, and all of the children had attended school within the year.^[7]

In 1920, the U.S. Census recorded Frank L. Williams, 55, wife Fanny Williams, 55, and daughter Maurice S. Williams, 26, in St. Louis. All were described as mulatto. Frank was a school principal and Maurice was a public school teacher.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Passenger list for the Pastores, sailing from New York on 15 April 1937 and returned to New York on 30 April 1937, "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-95F4-FZN?cc=1923888&wc=MFK3-VWL%3A1030054001 : 2 October 2015), 5972 - vol 12845-12847, Apr 30, 1937 > image 1006 of 1114; citing NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4263738_00317
3. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880"
   citing Volume: 1; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T9; Affiliate Line Number: 00044; Digital film/folder number: 005160665; FHL microfilm: 1254404; Image number: 408; Sheet number: 400; Sheet letter: A
   FamilySearch Record: MCCS-1X5 (accessed 1 January 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YYY-9B8D
   Fannie Miller (16) stepdaughter, At School, in household of Sam Davis (45) in Danville, Boyle, Kentucky, United States. Born in Kentucky, United States.
4. ↑ Susie Pearl (Williams) Jones, in Saur, K. G. The Black Women Oral History Project, DeGruyter, 1991.
5. ↑ "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89S7-S42B?cc=1804888&wc=QD3Q-4JH%3A1300873101 : 17 May 2018), 005560946 > image 103 of 993; citing multiple county clerks, county courts, and historical societies, Kentucky.
6. ↑ United States Census, 1900. Enumeration sheet for Louisville Ward 12, Jefferson, Kentucky; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 0138; FHL microfilm: 1240533. Accessed on Ancestry.com at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4118921_00132
7. ↑ United States Census, 1910. Enumeration sheet for St Louis Ward 23, Saint Louis City, Missouri; Roll: T624_821; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0364; FHL microfilm: 1374834. Accessed on Ancestry.com at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/31111_4330768-01315
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GR6P-SBC?cc=1488411&wc=QZJP-BTH%3A1036473201%2C1039200601%2C1039265601%2C1589335240 : 12 September 2019), Missouri > St Louis (Independent City) > St Louis Ward 23 > ED 458 > image 14 of 27; citing NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).