Edward Porter Williams (1843 - 1903)

Born 10 May 1843 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Louise (Mason) Williams — married 22 Jul 1869 in New Hartford, Oneida, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 4 May 1903 at age 59 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Edward Williams is Notable.

Edward Porter Williams (May 10, 1843 – May 4, 1903)^[1] was an American businessman who co-founded the Sherwin-Williams Company with Henry Sherwin. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he graduated from Cleveland Central High School in 1859, then earned a bachelor's (1864) and master's (1869) degree from Western Reserve College (now Case Western Reserve University).^[2]

Civil War: Edward and his brother Charles joined the Army in 1862, along with the entire Western Reserve College, faculty and student alike. They were assigned to Company B, 85th Ohio and held a short-term assignment at Camp Chase guarding Confederate prisoners. He mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, and had to be carried there on a cot, as he was recovering from typhoid fever.

Family: Edward was the son of William Williams and William's second wife, Laura Fitch. He married Mary Louise Mason (1845-1905) on 22 Jul 1869 in New Hartford (near Utica) NY^[3]. They had six children:

• Infant girl; died 1870
• Edward Mason Williams (m. Mary Redmond)
• Sarah Granger Williams (m. Abram Garfield)
• Lewis Mason Williams (m. Lester Coffeen)
• Reba Louise Williams (m. Arthur Douglas Baldwin)
• Walter Williams

1850 US Census:^[4] Edward Williams reported as age 7 and born in OH. He's living with his parents William and Laura along with his half-sister Betsy and six siblings in Cleveland ward 2, OH.

1860 US Census:^[5] Edward is recorded a 17 and born in OH. He's living in Cleveland ward 2, OH with his parents William and Laura, four siblings, and other family members and perhaps staff.

1870 US Census:^[6] E P Williams is listed as a 27yo glass merchant, born in OH. He's living with his father and his new wife in Cleveland ward 2, OH.

1880 US Census:^[7] E P Williams is a 37yo, born in OH, living in Cleveland OH with his wife Mary L Williams (35yo; born NY), their four children Edward, Ray [Sarah], Lewis, and Reba, and his father-in-law J M Mason.

1900 US Census:^[8] Edward Williams was 56yo, born in OH. He's listed with his wife [Mary] Louise Williams and their children Lewis and Reba, living in ED216, Glenville, Cuyahoga Co, OH.

Business: In 1865, Edward and his brother Charles, along with their future brother-in-law Edward Lyman Day (1835-1908) [eventual husband of sister Laura (Williams) Day (1835-1923)] entered the glass business in Kent, Ohio as Day & Williams. He left that company in 1870, investing $15,000 to partner with Henry Alden Sherwin (1842-1916) to form a new paint company.^[9][10]

Edward P. Williams was Executive Vice President of Sherwin-Williams and a member of the board of directors of the company at the time of his death.

Burial: Edward Porter Williams died at age 59 on 4 May 1903 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He's buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/78170036/edward-porter-williams
2. ↑ Hallett, Anthony; Hallett, Diane. (1997). Entrepreneur Magazine Encyclopedia of Entrepreneurs, Wiley, pp. 420–421. ISBN 0-471-17536-6.
3. ↑ "New York Marriages, 1686-1980", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F642-P82 : 21 January 2020), Edward Porter Williams, 1869.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX35-BH3 : 21 December 2020), Edward Williams in household of Harriet Gillet, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCLF-Y78 : 18 February 2021), Edwd P Williams in entry for Wm Williams, 1860.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6KK-R2T : 29 May 2021), E P Williams in entry for Wm Williams, 1870.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ1B-WCS : 19 February 2021), E P Williams, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district ED 21, sheet 142D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,006.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMZ8-SLH : accessed 4 August 2021), Edward Williams, Glenville Township Glenville village, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 216, sheet 39B, family 893, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,260.
9. ↑ https://case.edu/ech/articles/s/sherwin-williams-co
10. ↑ "The Ancestors and Descendants of Ebenezer and Martha Porter Williams of Painesville, OH, of the Fourth Generation in America"; Compiled by Percy Williams Lewis; 1974

• Sarah Elizabeth (Mason) Willcox family record

See also:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Williams_(businessman)