Martha Dodge Williams was born in Covington, Wyoming County, New York, now called Pavilion, February 17, 1829, and died in Milton, Wisconsin, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. F. C. Dunn, October 1, 1906, in the 78th year of her age. She was one of a family of seven children, two sons and five daughters, born to Samuel Stanley and Zilpha Terrill Dodge. Of these, two sisters survive her. When she was eight years of age the family moved to Alden, Erie County, in the same state. There, while teaching school near the Williams homestead, she made the acquaintance of a young Robert Williams, to whom she was married in 1848, when 19 years of age. Six years later, in 1854, they moved to Wisconsin, and after some months, settled in Milton where they have resided, esteemed and loved by all who have known them, for more than fifty years.
In early life she gave her heart to Christ and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and after her marriage to Mr. Williams, changed her membership to the Seventh-day Baptist Church. On moving to Milton, they brought their membership to the church of the latter faith in Milton, and now she has been removed to the church triumphant.
Thus in briefest outline is told the history of a quiet and uneventful, but sweet and beautiful life. Few married people are permitted to live together longer than have Mr. and Mrs. Williams; fewer still are they who are more united and happy in each other than they have been. Outside of her home, as well as in it, she was modest and unassuming, yet she was keenly intelligent, keeping herself well informed upon most current topics, of public as well as local interest. To her friends she was always cheerful and bright, - a good conversationalist, a pleasant companion. In her religious life she was thoughtful rather than emotional, and said little about herself or her experiences, but her faith was steadfast because it was intelligently founded; like the Apostle Paul she could say - 'I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.'
While living in this self-centered way, - so confident in her Christian faith and so happy in her married life, Mrs. Williams was fond of her friends and loved her church, greatly enjoying its associations and privileges. So long as she was able to do so, she attended regularly the ladies' society of her church in which she was always an interested and most efficient worker. Her needle work has been the admiration of her many friends. But why try to picture the graces and virtues which her friends have seen and felt so long, and which no words can fittingly set forth.
Mrs. Williams has never been very rugged, and has been gradually growing feebler for several years, but what may properly be called her last sickness began for or five months ago with a severe attack of erysipelas. Though at times she has seemed to be improving, her life has hastened to its close, until on the first day of October, the time of the 'sere and yellow leaf,' in the early dawning of the morning, she sank to rest as calmly and sweetly as a babe falls asleep in its mothers arms.
The funeral was attended on Wednesday afternoon, at 2:30 o'clock, from the home of her daughter, where she and her husband have received the most tender and loving care, at the hands of both Mr. and Mrs. Dunn, and their children. The services were conducted by her pastor, Dr. Platts, and interment was made in the beautiful Milton cemetery. Mrs. Williams is survived by the husband of her youth, the one daughter, and a family just mentioned, two sisters and a large circle of friends, all of whom deeply mourn her departure, but are comforted with the legacy of a precious memory and the good hope of a better life.
