Dr. James G. Williams, deceased, who for a number of years was a successful practitioner of medicine in Braddyville, Page county, Iowa, was born in Ohio on the 12th of July 1830. He spent the period of his boyhood and youth in his parents’ home and attended the district schools in the acquirement of his early education. When eighteen years of age he went to Richland, Keokuk county, Iowa, where he enrolled as a student in the high school of that city. After completing his high-school course he entered the Keokuk Medical College in preparation for a professional career. He later attended the St. Louis Medical University, from which he was graduated in 1856 with high honors in a large class. Thus well equipped to meet the duties of his chosen life work, he opened an office in Richland, where he engaged in the general practice of medicine for six years, and then in 1862 he removed to Kirkville, Iowa, where he practiced until 1870.
In the early part of that year Dr. Williams came to Page county, locating in Clarinda, where he remained for about three months, and then took up his residence in Braddyville in August, 1870. For a period of twenty-six years he remained in active practice of his profession in this city, during which time he built up an extensive and representative practice. He was peculiarly adapted to the profession which he chose as a life work and was well equipped both by training and long years of practical experience to successfully and satisfactorily meet the demands made upon him by the large patronage accorded him. Realizing fully the obligations that devolved upon him in his professional capacity, he performed all duties with a sense of conscientious obligation and won favorable regard by reason of his skill and his personal worth. He was widely recognized as one of the leading physicians of the community and was well known in the medical fraternity throughout Page county and also Iowa.
It was in the year of 1849 that Dr. Williams was united in marriage to Miss Mary Hardin, a daughter of the Rev. Henry Hardin, of Richland, Iowa. To this anion were born the following children: Mary, the wife of C. W. Reece, of Sharon Springs, Wallace county, Kansas ; Catharine D., who wedded J. L. Page and makes her home in Wallace, Kansas ; Henry J., residing in Sharon Springs ; and Harvey B., of Denver, Colorado. In 186o the mother and wife passed away and in 1870 Dr. Williams was again married, his second union being with Miss Frances M. Comstock, a daughter of Dr. A. B. and Sarah A. (Sullivan) Comstock, pioneer settlers of Wappelo county, Iowa. The mother had the distinction of being the first white child born in the state of Iowa.
Dr. Williams gave his political allegiance to the republican party and during his residence in Braddyville he took a very active part in public affairs, while his fellow citizens, recognizing his sterling traits of character, called him to various offices of trust and honor. He served for a number of years as notary public and justice of the peace and was also elected mayor of the town. Fraternally he was connected with the Masons and the Odd Fellows of Richland, Iowa, and the spirit of brotherly kindness and helpfulness of those orders found exemplification in his entire life record. He was not only a skillful physician but was also a keen business man and during his lifetime had accumulated considerable property, at the time of his death owning a large amount of city and country real estate. He passed away on the 2nd of May1896, and in his death the community lost one of its valued and representative citizens. His widow now resides in a comfortable home in Braddyville, and aside from the property which she owns in Buchanan township she owns one hundred and forty acres near Ottumwa, this state. She is a lady of excellent traits of character and occupies a high place in the social circles of Braddyville.