William Riley Williams

Harriet Arville (Hattie) Chance

Riley Williams was born 17 August 1879 in Alma, Illinois, and raised around Patoka, Illinois.

Hattie Chance was born 6 July 1883 in Thompsonville, Illinois. She had three brothers and one sister, as well as several half brothers and half sisters, by her father's other two marriages. Anna Jones, Hattie's mother, died of dropsy when Hattie was twelve years old.

Riley and Hattie were married 21 March 1900. They were married by Thomas Purcell, my great,great grandfather on the Purcell side. Riley was a "truck farmer", growing vegetables, tomatoes, corn, and melons. They moved to Alma when Ruth Williams was small, then to Patoka,, then back to Alma again. In their later years they bought a house and a few acres near Thompsonville, where they lived out their lives.

Riley and Hattie had six children:

Cecil b.1-1-1902 d. about three weeks old

Ruth b.4-6-1903 d. 5-10-1992

m.William R. Doolen 7-23-1921

Ira b.7-25-1905 d. 5-19-1963

m.(1) Viva J. Day (2) Frances Dickerson

Loren b.10-3-1910

m. Rosa Boozer

Fern Lavonne b.7-2-1913

m. Lloyd Clem

Arlie Burdette b.2-9-1918

m. Jane McGovern

Riley Williams died 5 March 1959, and is buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery near Thompsonville.

Hattie suffered from diabetes most of her later years, but was alert and able until she died at age 89. She died 31 January 1973, and is buried beside Riley at Mt. Zion Cemetery , next to the church and school she attended as a child. According to her daughter, Ruth Doolen, she had always wanted to be buried there.