Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Alexander Williams

In some of my recent research I have run accross the name Alexander Williams more than once. Even when working on widely different lines. I'm not related to him, nor is my wife, but he was involved in a number of conversion stories and other events of the early church. He was in Missouri saving lives, baptising converts in Illinois and Tennessee, and leading a wagon train across the plains. I'm sure there are hundreds of such stories, which is why I am interested in Church History, but so many remain hidden because for most it remains "family" history, instead of church history.

Someday I will have the time to look up what he did. All I have is anecdotes writtten in journals of others who knew him. Does the official church history include what I have found? Do his ancestors know what other people, to whom they are not related, have written about him? And all of this gets right back to my reasearch. Is there something out there that someone else's ancestor wrote about one of my ancestors about which I know nothing, just because their account never made it into public record?

So if you're out there, and you know you have family histories, let me make this simple request. Publish them!

4 comments:

Kurstyn said...

I am not sure you want to know all about Alexander Williams, however, if you are interested in controversial information, you may want to speak with my uncle who just wrote a book on him. Alexander Williams is my Great Grandfather.

Bruce said...

Definitely. email me off line at bruce_crow[at]yahoo[dot]com

David Topping said...

Did you ever find out more on Alexander Williams? I believe he is my 4th Great Grand Uncle. I would be interested if you have any additional information.

Andy said...

Hi cuz :-)
Been doing some research myself and ran across you. Trying to think of the name of that book something about Standing Tall.
I know Alexander had at least a few wive. the family reunions in Joplin Missouri were always huge.