Lewis Williams

LEWIS WILLIAMS, who owns the largest and finest nursery in Southern Kansas, is a highly respected citizen of North township, Labette county. He has been in the nursery line in this county a number of years, and, does a large and flourishing business. His partner is E. P. Bernardin. Mr. Williams is a native of St. Thomas, Canada, and was born in 1840. He is a son of George and Anna (Nichols) Williams, who were natives of Canada.

Lewis Williams lived in Canada until 1860. At the age of twenty years, he attended a college near Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained two years. In 1862 he returned to Canada, where he taught school for two years, and then went to Michigan, and settled near St. Joseph. There he sold trees until 1870, when he decided to try his fortune in the West. Accordingly Mr. Williams settled in Kansas, in the town of Chetopa. He engaged in the nursery business in that place, and in 1880 moved his stock to North township, a quarter of a mile south of Parsons. There, he has since resided. As before stated, he has the largest and finest nursery in Southern Kansas. His farm is located in the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 30. The home place takes up 120 acres, and Mr. Williams rents 180 acres. E. P. Bernardin is his partner in business, and they have been unusually successful. The packing house is of stone, 100 by 50 feet, in dimensions, and the implement house is 20 feet by 50 feet in size. They also have two large cellars. They increase their stock each year, and if the present growth continues, the nursery will be, in a few years, the largest in the state. Mr. Williams has devoted his whole attention to this business, and it has only been through careful management and close application to his duties, that he has reached the goal of success. His home is one of the finest in the county.

Mr. Williams is independent in politics. He belongs to the A. F. & A. M., Lodge No. 73, of Chetopa. He also is a member of the Knights and Ladles of Security, Parsons Lodge, No. 162. Mr. Williams is unmarried. He is a man of genial and attractive personality, and his friends are legion.