Father John Williams, Formerly Enslaved, Fought for Freedom and his Congregation

Josh Dukes is a local historian and co-author of the new book Brunswick: Past & Present, available locally this month from Arcadia Publishing. These facts gathered from an 1897 Brunswick Times feature on Rev. Williams as he reached his 60^th birthday.  Portrait of Rev. Williams published by The Brunswick News and restored by Josh Dukes. 

Reverend John Williams, circa 1897.
Photo restored by Josh Dukes

John Williams was born into slavery on Christmas Day 1839 at Howell Point Plantation in Brunswick County, NC.  His mother Julia Ann Moore first named him John Moore, but Moore was her second husband’s name. John assumed his uncle Robert Williams' last name in adulthood.  Julia, young John, and her other 4 children were enslaved at Howell Point to Edward Morse, a pilot on the  
Charleston Harbor bar.  Edward Morse's children taught young John to spell a single word – baker - and he prided himself in the early knowledge of that word for his entire life.  When John was still a boy, the family was moved to South Port, NC where he remained until the age of 17.  John then left South Port accompanying Edward Morse to Charleston, where he entered the pilotage and served as keeper of the pilot boat Leach. 
 
It was only a short time into this new life that the American Civil War roared to life right in front of him, with the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in April of 1861.  On the second day of bombardment, Confederate officer Louis T. Wigfall ordered a private and two enslaved men into a rowboat to transport him to Fort Sumter to negotiate a ceasefire with the embattled federal troops. It was young John Williams, forced into service along with another man named Thomas Davis, who rowed the boat to Fort Sumter under a shower of artillery fire.  The ceasefire was a success and led to federal troops abandoning the fort to the Confederates.  In October 1861, Williams fled Charleston by boat and boarded one of the federal blockade ships guarding the harbor.  From here, he joined the U.S Navy and served one year.  On July 5^th, 1863, he joined the Army and was promoted to First Sergeant of Company I, United States Colored Troops under C. A. Dow.  

This was a busy year for the young soldier – while stationed at Saint Helena Island, SC he met and married Rebecca Meyers.  The service was performed by a white minister named W. S. Phillips who served the local church.  While in the Army, Williams saw action at at John's Island, SC and Oulustee, FL. It was during this time that Williams became a Christian while stationed at Morris Island, SC. 
 
The Army provided John with his only substantial schooling – a white teacher was employed by the government to teach the black soldiers.  Williams studied under his tutelage for six months before he was mustered out of service at Charleston on April 25^th, 1866.  It’s hard to imagine what must have been going through his mind as he left the service of the U.S. military a free man in the same city that he fled as a slave 5 years earlier.
 
John Williams was ordained to the ministry by Rev. Sam Boulds of Savannah, moderated or Mt. Olive Baptist Association.  In 1875, he was soon called to the First Baptist Church on St. Catherine's Island in McIntosh County, serving for two years.  Several other appointments followed before he was called to temporary service at the First African Baptist Church of Brunswick in 1875. The church had organized in 1867 and was mourning the death of their first permanent pastor, Rev. A. Burk. Two years later, the church called Rev. John Williams to be their permanent pastor.  The church grew rapidly under his care, and he served the congregation for over 40 years. The church loved their pastor so much he became “Father Williams” to all who knew him.
 
In addition to his service to the church, Williams was also a businessman.  In 1880 he opened an undertaking business, which he ran successfully for 12 years before selling the establishment to Charles Moore.  He felt that the business had grown to take up more time than he could donate while still serving his congregation.  
 
In 1916 under failing health, Rev. Williams submitted his resignation, which the church accepted with great sadness.  The Brunswick News published the proclamation the church issued for their beloved pastor:  
 
"Whereas, our esteemed and beloved pastor, on account of physical disability, compelled to resign as pastor of the First African Baptist Church and, 
Whereas, he has, for many years, filled his position with great ability and credit to himself and congregation,  
Therefore, be it resolved, that we hereby express to him our sincere thanks for his untiring labors in behalf of our church, our race, and the public at large and recommend that this church, through its officers pay to him not less than ten dollars per month through the remaining years of his life..." 
 
Reverend John Williams passed away on January 28, 1918. He was buried beside his wife Rebecca at Greenwood Cemetery in Brunswick. A stained-glass window in the front of the First African Baptist Church of Brunswick features Reverend William's portrait to this day, an enduring symbol of the light he brought not only to his congregation but to an entire community emerging from the darkest period in our shared history.