Thomas M. Williams, manager of the Lykens Valley and Summit Valley Branch Coal Company,was born in Wales, Great Britain, 5 June 1835. He is the only child of John Williams and Margaret [Morgan] Williams. His father was a tiler and plasterer; he died in Wales in 1837. His mother was married again, to Thomas Reese, a native of Wales, and had three children: Mary Reese, widow of John Evans, residing in Texas; Susan Reese, wife of Thomas Finney, of Kentucky; Margaret Reese, wife of William Finney, of Kentucky. Mr. Williams’ mother died in Kentucky.
Thomas M. Williams, when he was seven years old, worked with his stepfather in the Welsh coal mines, using pick and shovel, and working hard for six years. In 1848, with his mother and her child, his half-sister, he embarked at Liverpool for America, and landed at Philadelphia, Pa. Here he worked in the mines, first in Minersville, then one year at Mt. Savage, Maryland; here he got twelve days schooling, the first school instruction he ever received. He then worked at Minersville until 1853, and then went to St. Clair. He began working for himself in the mines at Minersville, Pennsylvania, and for three months attended a day and night school. From 1854 to 1857 he worked at Summit Hill, Schuylkill county, Pa., and from 1857 to 1862 he operated in the coal mines at Minersville, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Williams enlisted at Pottsville, August, 1862, for nine months, in company A, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania volunteers [129th Pennsylvania Infantry], Capt. G. J. Lawrence and Col J. G. Frick; was ordered to Washington, D. C., and thence to Virginia. After three months in active service he was dangerously ill for six months, remaining in the regimental hospital until his discharge, 18 May 1863, after which he returned home and was idle for three months.
From 1863 to 1865 Mr. Williams worked in the mines as fire boss; he was then appointed boss of the mines. He was then at the Wilkes-Barre mines until 1869, when he was made manager of the Anthracite Monitor, a newspaper published in Tamaqua in the interest of the laborers and miners who were then on a strike. After managing the paper successfully for some time, Mr. Williams resigned and was appointed Government inspector of mines, which position he held until 1880, and was then for six months manager of the Cameron Coal Company. Resigning this position in 1881, he was for one year with a company in Arizona, engaged in developing a silver mine; during that time he visited many parts of the Western States.
After his return from the West, Mr. Williams took contracts for tunnel and rock work. He was appointed general inside foreman at Nanticoke, and held that position until 1885, when he was appointed superintendent of the Lykens Valley and Summit Valley Coal Company, which position he has held since that date, giving universal satisfaction, not only to the company, but also to the 2200 men employed under him.
Mr. Williams was married, in the summer of 1854, at Minersville, to Annie Morgan, of Welsh descent. They have six children: Margaret J. Williams, wife of Morgan R. Morgan, general inside superintendent of Lehigh and Wilkes-Barre Coal Company; Thomas J. Williams, treasurer and secretary of the Standard Oil Company, Baltimore, Maryland.; H. G. Williams, manufacturer of rock drill and compressor, Wayne, Pennsylvania; Augusta R. Williams, wife of R. Crotzer, druggist, Danville; Josie H. Williams, unmarried; Horatio Williams, machinist; and one child that died in infancy.
Mr. Williams is a member of Heilner Post, No. 232, G. A. R., and of Wilkes-Barre Lodge, No. 61, F. & A. M. He is a Republican and attends the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Having begun early in life as a hard worker, and having passed through all phases of life as a laboring man, Mr. Williams is qualified to sympathize with the working man. He has educated himself, and struggled through difficulties and discouragements to success, and is therefore a wise counsellor for the laborer. He is genial and sociable, and is universally liked.
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The above information was modified/edited from Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, published in 1896 by J. M. Runk and Company of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A free download is available from the Internet Archive.
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