Part 10: The William and Jean Brown Williams Marriage

First Baptist Church, 158 Adams Street, Steelton, Pennsylvania. 

From left to right; Uncle David Franklin, Aunt Alice Franklin, Williams J. Williams II, Jean Brown Williams, Willie T Williams, Mrs. Williams



As we left off talking about the Williams Family, Williams J. Williams II (Willie) and his mother traveled around the country on Eastern Star Business. His family settled in Homestead Pa. because William J Williams, his father, received a job in the Sanitation Dept. After his father died, he and his mother traveled to Philadelphia on Eastern Star business. While coming back through Harrisburg, they stopped at First Baptist Church in Steelton.  

William J Williams, they called him Willie

My parents met in the late 1930's at the church in Steelton. They wrote back and forth for almost 2 years before they decided to get married. The William J Williams II and Jean Brown Marriage is the first marriage since Eliza Thorne in this family line wed outside of Free Union Baptist Church. They were married in First Baptist Church on 158 Adams Street,  in Steelton back in the early 1940s before World War II.    

Willie had it hard, coming up in the Great Depression. He worked in the "CCC" Camps created by President Roosevelt for a time. Most of his life, he was afraid of another depression so he worked two or more jobs even if he did not have to do so. Him and my mother built their home by hand. He worked in the Post Office at night and rose to supervisor before retiring in the 1970s. He started an Electric Company in the 1950s called Williams Electric Service and wired many house by day in Allegheny County. 

Working around the clock for more than 25 years caused him to age quickly and die at age 57 years old. 

William J. Williams II a few years before his death. 

From Top to Bottom, Left to Right, Wyndell, William J Williams III (Hypo) Williams J Williams II (Willie), Jean Brown Williams, Renee Williams Hoy, Darnell L Williams.  Darnell L Williams was named by Nanny who got the name from a 1950s baseball player.

I am going to take that thing and cement it in the side walk!

Lucy threatened my father!

Eliza Lucinda Blue Brown -- 

Picture provided by Mark Brown

When my mother and father had me, my grandmother Lucy came up from Steelton to help with me, the new born.  My other grandmother Susie had already died. When she came up the street, she saw my father and called him over. She said, "Willie, come here. If you have any more children, I am going to pull that thing out your pants and cement it into the crack in the sidewalk."

I don't know if she was serious or not. When Wyndell my youngest brother was born by mistake according to my mother, she did not come up with a bag of cement.  Wyndell was their fourth child. But my Grandmother and Grandfather had 5 children. So why complain about having only 3 at that time?

The Dinner Blow Up

My grandmother was a lot of fun. However, she had her serous side. When my mother was growing up and was having dinner with her parents, my mother farted at the table. That did not sit well with my grandmother. My grandmother stood up and my mother knew what that meant. My mother ran for the side door while my grandmother picked up a chair. Jean, my mother  ran down the steps as Lucy throw the chair at her. She missed and the chair broke up into small pieces on the steps.

Martha Lee Came to Down for some fun!

When I was 7 years old, Martha Lee Tyree came to Steelton from Brown Town now part of Stony Point.  She got with David Brown (Uncle David) and together they like to cut up.  Lucy told Martha to be in by midnight because that is when she locks all the doors.  Cousin Martha decided that she was coming in at 2:00 AM.  The screen door was locked so she took out her Switch Blade knife and cut the screen open.

My Grandmother was hot the following morning. My cousin was on her way back to Stony Point the next day. I don't think she ever came back.  In the mid 1980s, Martha Lee and I  had a good time laughing about that. Martha Lee was surprised that I remember this over 25 years later.

My Pressure Cooker Went Boom!

My greatest moment with my grandmother is when we went to her house for thanksgiving. She was cooking in the kitchen when the Pressure Cooker blew up. I ran into the kitchen and all I saw was Green Beans all over everything including the ceiling. She never used that Pressure Cooker again.