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George Hodges Williams was born 27 September 1867 in Swan Quarter, Hyde County, NC, the son of Nathaniel Chase Williams, Sr. and wife, Emalous Gibbs Williams. George was a farmer in the Tiny Oak Road section of "Over the Creek." He married a local girl, Mary Ann Mason, on 19 December 1888. Mary Ann was born 29 April 1865,the daughter of David Jarvis Mason and wife, Luvenia E. Bridgman Mason. George and Mary Ann were the parents of the following children who were all born in the Tiny Oak Road community, Swan Quarter Township, Hyde Co, NC:

• Effron Avery Williams, Sr., born 10 May 1891 (Confederate Memorial Day), married 22 December 1915 Lucy Lee Farrow (b. November 4, 1897 ), the daughter of William Miles Farrow and wife, Ellen Ann Harris Farrow. Effron was a merchant and a farmer in Swan Quarter. Lucy died 30 May 1978 and Effron died 4 March 1980.
• Alonzo (Lonnie) Arthur Williams, born 7 September 1892 and died 10 July 1910 in Swan Quarter Township.
• Rosa Odessa Williams, born 3 June 1895, married 5 September 1914 "Captain" William George Thompson (b. 28 June 1883, d. 4 February 1966), the son of Robert J. and Mary Alice Sadler Thompson. George was a local seaman.
• Claude Norman Williams, born 25 September 1897, married 20 May 1928 Dora Phelps, a school teacher. Dora was born 15 May 1906, the daughter of Robert and Ella Phelps. Claude was a merchant and operator of a service station. He died 16 March 1967 in Roanoke Rapids, NC and Dora died in Tarboro in 2001.
• George Ben Williams, Sr., born 2 April 1900 and married on 24 December 1941 Hazel Gray Ballance. Hazel was born 5 November 1916, the daughter of Ronald and Katie Mae Baum Ballance. George Ben was a barber and a carpenter. He died 10 January 1953 in Belhaven, Beaufort County, NC; his wife, Hazel, remarried to John Carrawan, Jr. and she still survives.
• Hilda Maybell Williams, born 15 April 1903 and married 16 July 1932 Joseph Linwood Swindell (b. 23 February 1903, d. 13 October 1975). Hilda worked for the Department of Social Services and assisted her husband and son-in-law in their general store business. She died 23 April 1989 in Washington, NC.

Back row l-r: Alonzo & Effron Avery Williams
Front row l-r: Claude, George, & Rosa Williams

George Hodges Williams drowned on 13 November 1904 when the vessel "Missouri" capsized near Indian Island. He had been to Washington, NC and, due to bad weather, put in to Bay View to spend the night. He, his half-brother Charles Morton Williams, and great nephew, George E. Warner, continued their voyage home on the next day. The weather was bad and the vessel capsized. It was said that George, his half-brother, and their great nephew clung to the overturned vessel. Another vessel was nearby but the captain would not risk capsizing his own craft to save them. The next day the bateau "Daniel Cressie" went in search of the missing men and brought their bodies back to Swan Quarter. Mary Ann continued to raise her family the best she could and died 25 November 1934 in Swan Quarter Township. George and Charles Morton Williams were buried near the house of their father, Nathaniel Chase Williams, Sr.

(Photos and information kindly submitted by Ellen A. Williams of Swan Quarter, NC)

Copyright 2001
McGowan / Sheppard