Idias Merle Williams (1907 - 1988)

Biography

Idias Merle Williams was born in Sedalia, West Virginia on July 14, 1907 to Archie and Carrie Hutson Williams. She was the eldest of two children and the only daughter born to the couple.

Idias, who sometimes went by Merle, was raised initially in McElroy, West Virginia. In 1920, the family had moved to Simpson, West Virginia.

Circa 1928, Idias married Ralph Morris. They had two known children, both daughters. In 1930, the family was living in West Union, West Virginia. Idias worked as a school teacher in the public schools. Sometime after the first of their first daughter in 1936, the family moved to Old Town Township, North Carolina (Winston Salem area). But by 1942, they had returned to West Virginia, settling in Grant. In 1950, Idias was working as a social studies teacher in a high school.

Idias' husband died in 1958. Sometime after his death, she moved to Anne Arundel, Maryland, likely to be close to one or both of her children.

Idias died in Anne Arundel, Maryland on May 6, 1988. She was 80 years old. She is buried alongside her husband in Knight of Pythias Cemetery in Salem, West Virginia.

Sources

• "West Virginia Births, 1853-1930," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F1TZ-DHL : 18 March 2020), Idias Merle Williams, 14 Jul 1907; citing Sedalia, Doddridge, West Virginia, United States, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 838,203.
• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPNS-SRC : accessed 15 July 2023), Murriel Williams in household of Archie D Williams, Mcelroy, Tyler, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 102, sheet 3B, family 65, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1698; FHL microfilm 1,375,711.
• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNKF-WW3 : 4 February 2021), Idias M Williams in entry for Archie D Williams, 1920.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMC2-G61 : accessed 15 July 2023), Idiss M Morris in household of Ralph L Morris, West Union, Doddridge, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 9, sheet 5A, line 42, family 131, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2530; FHL microfilm 2,342,264.
• "West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HVK9-P1PZ : 18 March 2020), Idias Merle Williams in entry for Lueva Lee Morris, 1935.
• "United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:KWSB-FD8 : Fri Jul 14 12:12:33 UTC 2023), Entry for Ralph L Morris and Merle W Morris, 1940.
• "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:6FQW-W6G8 : Thu Jul 13 09:18:11 UTC 2023), Entry for Ralph Lee Morris and Merle W Morris, April 2, 1950.
• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVLL-NHVB : 11 January 2022), Idias Merle Williams Morris, ; Burial, Salem, Harrison, West Virginia, United States of America, Knight of Pythias Cemetery; citing record ID 100739455, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.