Col. Robert Looney Williams

Today M has been spending some time getting to know her great grandfather on her maternal side. His life history is written by his daughter, Martha Laverna Williams and a brother Sam H. Williams. The two accounts sound almost like different men. It is apparent that during his life he made a remarkable transformation in his attitudes towards Native Americans. He grew up in Kentucky for the first 12 years of his life. From 1798 to 1837 he and his grandfather were best buddies. His grandfather passed on a prejudice of the Native American people that had been born out of the scalping of his grandfather’s father. Robert admired the early American frontiersman and wanted to be like them. This led him to chase the California Gold Rush in 1849 and then motivated him as a captain in the initial phase of the Indian Wars in Oregon that ended with the treaty of 1855. (Wikipedia refers to them as the Rogue River Wars but the life history refers to the wars as the Nez Perce War) It appears that the town of Williams, Oregon has since been named for Robert’s services in the war. I think it is interesting to share the crucial moments that likely influenced this transformation.

Seeing a Light – as told by Martha Laverna Williams

“In some of his travels while still in Oregon he was riding his horse along a trail at night when the horse stopped suddenly that it almost unseated him, the horse stopped because a bright light appeared on the ground in front of him. Father dismounted to investigate the light and found it was a book. He took it with him. The next morning when he could see it, he found it was a Book of Mormon. He read it. Before he finished it he was blessed with a very strong testimony that it was true."

After joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints he moved to Kingston, Utah to participate in their United Order. There on November 18, 1880 he married Hannah Amanda Harmon. When the order broke up they received 6 oxen and 2 wagons with which they made the move to Arizona. There the family interacted very effectively with the Native American population. His daughter makes this observation:

A Change of Heart

“My Uncle records in his history at the beginning of his sketch, of the hatred for the Indians that Robert L. Williams had, but as I knew my father he had a great love for them. After becoming acquainted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ his life was changed and the hatred for the Indians that Sam had found in him was replaced by love and kindness to them. It seemed he could never do enough for the Indians, to compensate for his earlier attitude towards them.”

“Father took it upon himself to keep the Indian transportation in order. There was always a brake block to put on, or a single tree to make, a tire to set or a horse to shoe. The lines often had to be riveted and numerous other repairs to be made on wagon and harness. Once in a great while they would have a dollar or two to give him for his labor. Most generally it was a little bag of wheat that made wonderful cereal, when ground in the special mill father had made. They might bring a little bag of corn, from which mother made the best hominy. It might be black eyed peas, or some little white Indian beans.”

“I must say this about my fathers love and honesty. Whether the Indians brought any kind of pay to him they received the same service. They were all very warm friends to him. He was always loyal to them. He loved them because he was a firm believer in the Book of Mormon. He believed the Indians were a chosen people of the Lord.”