Mary Ann Williams

Mary Ann Williams
from History of Confederated Memorial Associations of the South, 1904
Born (1821-08-10)August 10, 1821
Baldwin, Co., Georgia
Died (1874-04-15)April 15, 1874
Columbus, Georgia
Spouse(s) Charles J. Williams

Mary Ann Williams (also known as Mrs. Charles J. Williams) was an American woman who was the first proponent for Memorial Day, an annual holiday to decorate soldiers’ graves.

Antebellum years

Mary Ann Howard was born on August 10, 1821 in Baldwin County, Georgia. She was the daughter of Major Jack Howard. She married Charles J. Williams in 1847 when he returned from the Mexican American War.[1] Mary Ann had presented him a regimental flag she made the ladies of the city when they left in 1846. According to the 1860 census, they had four children Charles Howard, Caroline, Mary and Lila. Charles pursued his career as a lawyer and Mary Ann supported a number of civic projects. Charles entered politics and represented Muscogee County in the Georgia House in 1859-1860 where he rose to be speaker of the Georgia House prior to the Civil War.[2]

Civil War years

Charles left Columbus to command Fort Pulaski on the Georgia coast but gave up that command in order to lead troops in Virginia[2]. Mary Ann joined the Soldiers Aid Society to support the local soldiers in the war effort. He returned to Columbus in February 1862 in very ill health. He died with a few days and was buried in the City Cemetery, now known as Linwood. Mary Ann continued her activities in the Soldiers’ Aid Society and inaugurated the Soldiers’ Home in Columbus.[1] She was said to have visited her husband’s grave frequently and was inspired by her young daughter who wanted to decorate the other soldiers’ graves with flowers as well.[3]

Post war years

In early 1866, the Soldiers’ Aid Society was reorganized as the Ladies Memorial Association at the Tyler home on the corner of 4th ave and 14th street. The building is long gone but a monument marks the spot. The officers elected were Mrs. Robert Carter, president; Mrs. Robert. A. Ware, vice president; Mrs. J. M. McAllister, second vice president, Mrs. M. A. Patten, treasurer and Mrs. Williams was elected Secretary of the Association.[4] As secretary, Mrs. Williams was tasked with writing a letter to the ladies of the South to inaugurate an annual holiday to decorate the soldiers’ graves. It is for this letter that she is best remembered. She was also Trustee and Chairman of the Orphan Asylum and Trustee of the Georgia Memorial Association along with Mary Jane Green.[5] She remained active in these organizations until the end of her life.

The letter

The letter Mrs. Williams wrote to her two local newspapers was a request to the ladies of the South to set one day aside each year to decorate the soldiers’ graves. It was long on flowery language and was considered a “thrilling appeal.”[6] She did not sign her own name but closed the letter with “Southern Women.” It was picked up by newspapers across the South. In The Genesis of the Memorial Day Holiday in America, Bellware and Gardiner were the first to provide evidence that her letter was published in cities outside of Columbus, Georgia. The External Links below contain pages from four of the newspapers in Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina where the letter appeared.

Response outside the South

News of the impending observance spread to cities in the North. Bellware and Gardiner were able to show that Mrs. Williams’ story had gone nationwide. Mrs. Williams’ plan was documented in such papers as the New York Times, Hartford Courant, Philadelphia Daily Age and Boston American Traveler. [7]

Death

Mrs. Williams died on April 15, 1874, less than two weeks before the ninth observance of Memorial Day in Columbus. Her funeral was held on April 16 and was attended by the Columbus Guards. Ten days later, at the end of the Memorial Day wreath laying ceremonies, the battalion of the Columbus and City Light Guards stacked arms. Then, each soldier proceeded to Mrs. Williams’ grave and one-by-one laid a rose on her grave as they passed.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Death of Mrs. Chas. J. Williams". Columbus Daily Enquirer. April 16, 1874.
  2. 1 2 "Death of Gen. Chas. J. Williams". Columbus Daily Enquirer. February 5, 1862.
  3. ↑ Chipley, W. D. (March 15, 1899). "Origin of Memorial Day". The Watchman and Southron.
  4. ↑ The History of the Origin of Memorial Day. Columbus, Georgia: Gilbert Printing Co. 1898. p. 18.
  5. ↑ "Death of Mrs. Chas. J. Williams". The Columbus Daily Enquirer. April 16, 1874.
  6. ↑ Behan, Mrs. William J. (1904). History of Confederated Memorial Associations of the South. New Orleans: Confederated Southern Memorial Association/ The Graham Press. p. 135.
  7. ↑ Bellware, Daniel and Richard Gardiner, PhD. (2014). The Genesis of the Memorial Day Holiday in America. Columbus, Georgia: Columbus State University. p. 46. ISBN 9780692292259.
  8. ↑ "Ninth Memorial Day". The Columbus Daily Enquirer. April 28, 1874.
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