The Bobbitt Family In America

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"The first residence of the Williams family in America was in Brunswick County, Virginia. The family is of Welsh descent and came from Wales before the American Revolution.

"Huckey Williams, one of the sons of Roger Williams, lived in Brunswick County, Virginia between the Meherin and Nottoway rivers. The date of his birth is not known. He was married to Miss Sarah Jones, who was a sister of Roger Jones and William Jones, also of Welsh extraction, either in 1762 or 1763. The Jones family resided in Granville County, North Carolina.

"Huckey Williams, not long before the birth of his son, John Williams, and in the year of 1764, was strangely murdered and robbed by two desperate men. The circumstances of the affair, as handed down are these: He traded principally in the town of Petersburg, Virginia. On his way there one morning he heard the cries of a woman in distress a short distance from the road, in the thick of pine woods. He immediately urged forward to her assistance and found the woman and two men who were about violating her person. He assaulted them and they fled, leaving the woman. He took her behind him on his horse and learning that she was the wife of a respectable citizen, carried her to her house, where he tarried for dinner at the urgent request of the lady and her husband, after which he proceeded on his way to Petersburg. This was the last time he was seen alive, and not returning home, inquiry was made and it was ascertained that he never arrived in Petersburg. Search was then made along the road and his dead body was found about two miles from the house where he took dinner, a short distance from the road, sunk in a little pool of water in the creek. It was recognized, taken home and buried.

"About eighteen months afterward, when the gentlemen whose wife had been rescued on riding into Petersburg discovered Mr. William's horse hitched in the outskirts of the town, which he immediately recognized. He went into town and gave information of his discovery, when the officers and citizens placed persons to watch the horse and see who should come after it. Toward evening, two men came to where the horses were fastened and one of them took this horse and the other another one near by. They were both arrested and the gentleman's wife was sent for, who on sight recognized and identified them as the two men who had attempted to violate her person and from whom the deceased had rescued her. They were tried and convicted of the murder of Huckey Williams, and both were hung in Petersburg. Before the execution they confessed the murder. They said that they had killed Mr. Williams because he assaulted them and rescued the woman, and