Heres' a picture of James Buford Williams, first husband of Mildred McClelland Williams. They were married in BOyd County ky on 12/12/1906 at the home of her father David Scott McClelland. She was about 18 and he was about 22. It was the first marriage for them both. Buford's father was James Benjamin Williams (also known as JB or Ben). His wife was Emma Scholl. The Williams were landowners, from Ben's father Elisha, who established a farm in the area of Williams Creek, which is still present today. As far as I know, the Williams Creek church is also named for that family.
Mildred & Buford had two children-Verna, born in Boyd Co in 1907 and Benjamin Buford, called Buddy, born in 1909. Their father died in 1911 from typhoid fever, and was buried on family land near his grandpa Elisha Williams, whose grave is marked, but Buford's was not.
Mildred married Evan Campbell, my grandfather, on Jan 25, 1914, 10 days after her own mother Mary Sophia McClelland, died. They had my aunt Ethel who was born in Boyd Co in 1914 in August, then they moved to Cincinnati around 1915 or so. Daughter Lillian was born in 1918 and my mother Ruth was born in March of 1923. My grandfather raised both of Mr. Williams' young children and loved them as his own. As the only boy, Buddy was adored by my grandpa, according to what my aunt tells me.
Buddy eventually went to work as a waiter for Jones' restaurant, which was close to where the family lived. He sustained a kick in the head from a horse, went to emergency surgery and apparently died on the operating table. He was 19 years old. I have been unable to obtain copies of his autopsy reports, as they are destroyed after 10 years. But I do have obituaries from both the Kentucky and Cincinnati papers. It is interesting to note that in the Ky edition, no mention is made of his stepfather, or his three stepsisters. It only says that he is the grandson of Emma Williams of Ashland, the son of the late Buford Williams. On Buddy's death certificate, which Grandma signed, she was so upset she at first signed her name as Mrs. Williams, then crossed it out and signed it Mrs. Evan Campbell.
When Mildred's son Benjamin Buford "Buddy" died in August of 1929, his grandmother was notified. She attended the funeral in Cincinnati for her eldest grandchild. But my aunt has very little memory of her. Emma Williams was still living in 1930, but I do not know what year in which she died.
As an interesting sidelight, Grandma Mildred died on the date of her anniversary to her marriage to Buford Williams Dec 12, 1940. Had he lived, they would have been married about 34 eyars, but then again, I probably wouldn't be here writing to you now. So these things happen for a reason.
The Williams were big people. My aunt Vern was tall and big, and favored the Willliams. Her daughters, my cousins, are also tall and dark. But the McClellands were dark haired, too, so the coloring could have come from them. Grandma had dark auburn hair and brown eyes. This picture of Buford looks like he could have blue or green eyes, they seem light to me.
Both Grandma and her son Buddy are buried in Kentucky-across the Ohio River in Highland Cemetery in Ft. Mitchell, Ky. Grandma has a simple marker, but Buddy's grave is unmarked as it was the depths of the depression, and they had no money for a marker. But I know where he lies.