Dr. William Anderson "Badge" Williams

William Anderson Williams was born in Ashe County, North Carolina on 18 November 1840, the son of William Williams and his wife Anna Willis Williams. This family was listed in the 1830 and 1840 Ashe County Censuses. In 1850:

1850 Ashe County, NC Census

Household 443

Williams       William        48   M    .    farmer         .         NC                
Williams       Ann            48   F    .    .              .         NC                
Williams       Thomas         24   M    .    laborer        .         NC                
Williams       Martha         20   F    .    .              .         NC 
Williams       Sarah          20   F    .    .              .         NC                
Williams       Henry          17   M    .    laborer        .         NC                
Williams       Mary           12   F    .    .              .         NC                
Williams       Ann            8    F    .    .              .         NC                
Williams       William        6    M    .    .              .         NC

Between 1850 and 1860, the family moved to Watauga County, NC, and were listed on the 1860 Census:

1860 Watauga County, NC Census
Beaver Dam District

Household 151 
Williams 	William		61   NC
Williams 	Anna          	60   NC 
Williams 	Mary A.        	17   NC 
Williams 	Sarah A.       	15   NC 
Williams 	William A.     	13   NC

During the Civil War, William served in Company C, 6th NC Cavalry, NC State Troops. Family lore has it that William saved a soldiers life during the Civil War, for which he received a medal. He wore the medal, or badge, proudly for the rest of his life, earning him the nickname Badge. Following the War, he married Emily A. Johnson in about 1870. She was born in Ashe County on 12 May 1843, and was the daughter of Harrison and Sarah McBride Johnson. William and his bride are listed in the 1870 Watauga County Census:

1870 Watauga County, NC Census
Beaver Dam District

Household 71 
Williams 	Andrew		24	Farmer   	NC
Williams 	Emily A.       	27	Keeping House   NC

It is not known exactly when William got his doctor's training. In the 1880 Watauga County, NC Census, he is still listed as a farmer:

1880 Watauga County, NC Census
Cove Creek

Household 3 
Williams 	William		32	Farmer   	NC NC NC
Williams 	Emily       	37	Keeping House   NC NC NC
Williams 	William		 8			NC NC NC
Williams 	Sarah		 6			NC NC NC
Williams 	Thomas		 4			NC NC NC
Williams 	Stephen		 2			NC NC NC
Williams 	John		1/12			NC NC NC

William and family were still in Watauga County in 1887:

1887 Watauga County, NC Tax List
Cove Creek

Williams 	W.A.		46	39 Acres

Sometime between 1887 and 1900, William and his family moved across the state line into Johnson County, Tennessee. It is believed that he got his physician training at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. In the 1900 census:

1900 Johnson County, TN Census
Neva
(See: http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/johnson/census/1900/098-11a.gif)

Household 184 
Williams 	William		60	Physician   	NC NC NC
Williams 	Emily A.     	57	Keeping House   NC NC NC
Williams 	Robert L.	15			NC NC NC
Williams 	Benjamin W.	15			NC NC NC
Williams 	Thomas		31	Nephew		NC NC NC
Williams 	William	H.	28	Son		NC NC NC
Williams 	Nora A.		28	Dau-in-law	NC NC NC
Williams 	B.M		 5	Grandson	NC NC NC
Williams 	Essie E.	 1	Granddaughter	NC NC NC

Emily Johnson Williams died in Johnson County on 11 Dec 1904. In 1905, William married Alice J. Stout Ward. She was born in about 1876 in Johnson County, and was the daughter of Jacob Noah and Amanda Bailey Stout. Her first marriage was to John C. Ward, the son of Daniel and Nancy J. Ward. Sometime before 1910, William and his new family returned to Watauga County:

1910 Watauga County, NC Census
Beaver Dam

Household 45
Williams 	William		66	Physician   	NC NC NC  Served in Confederate Army
Williams 	Alice J.	33			TN TN TN
Ward		Gladys		12	Stepdaughter	TN TN TN
Ward		Clyde		 9	Stepson		TN TN TN

Alice Ward Williams, Gladys Ward, and Dr. William A. "Badge" Williams, circa 1912

Dr. William A. "Badge" Williams was a true country doctor. He travelled all over the region by horseback, visiting his patients when needed. He continued his medical practice until his age and health caused him to retire. He died on 21 February 1929:

The cause of death was listed as dropsy:

He was buried in the Cove Creek Cemetery on 25 Feb 1929:

Contributions:
The obituary of William A. Williams and his death certificate were provided by Adrienne Solomon <yoadrienne@juno.com> , whose husband is William's great great grandson.

The family picture of William, Alice and Gladys, and the grave stone picture was provided by Steven Carl Williams <swilliams@psknet.com> , who is also a great great grandson of William Williams.