Thomas Rudolph Williams was born in the town of Darien, Genesee county, New York, March 15, 1828, and died in Alfred, March 5, 1893, lacking ten days of being 65 years of age.
In early boyhood he formed high ideals of the possibilities of life, and sought opportunities to fit himself, by a thorough education, for a realization of those ideals. With this end in view, he came to Alfred while still but a lad. After a year or two in school, he persuaded his father to dispose of the home in Darien and settle in Alfred, in order that others of the family, as well as himself, might enjoy the superior opportunities here afforded for obtaining a liberal education. With brief periods of residence elsewhere, his home has been in Alfred for the greater part of a half century.
Having completed the course of study required at Alfred he pursued his student work for two years in Brown University, at Providence, R. I., then under the presidency of that masterly man, Dr. Francis Wayland, whom he greatly admired, and the fashioning influence of whose habits of mind is clearly seen in all his after life.
At a later period he took a three years’ course in the Union Theological Seminary, in New York City, where he came under the instruction and personal influence of such men as the late Drs. Roswell D. Hitchcock and Henry B. Smith, and the now venerable Dr. Philip Schaff. He also took short terms of work in Princeton University and Seminary, under the direction of those severe logicians and sternly orthodox theologians, President James McCosh and Dr. Charles Hodge. It is not difficult to discover that Dr. Williams took his mental direction and habits from four men whose touch, each in his turn, is that of a master hand, - our own lamented William C. Kenyon; Dr. Wayland, of Brown; Dr. Henry B. Smith, of Union, and Dr. Charles Hodge, of Princeton.
Dr. Williams was ordained as a minister of the gospel at an Associational gathering in Welton, Iowa, in June, 1861, and has served brief pastoral terms in Westerly, R. I., Plainfield, N. J., and Alfred, N. Y.; and during some portions of his school work, he has served as pastor in the churches of Andover and Hornellsville, N. Y. But his great life work has been that of a teacher. In this capacity he has been Principal of Albion Academy in Wisconsin; Professor of the Greek language and literature in Alfred University; Acting President of Milton College, in Wisconsin, and Professor of Systemic Theology in Alfred University. This latter position he had held for twenty-one or twenty-two years, to the time of his death. In all his school work he showed a strong preference for metaphysical studies, and those of similar nature, though he was a man of sufficient versatility to perform successfully the duties assigned to him in other departments or lines of work.
Several years ago the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by Milton College, and two or three years ago, on completion of the prescribed course of study, and the presentation of a required thesis, he was granted the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Alfred University.
Thus I have presented in bold outline the principal points around which has worked out an earnest, devoted, useful life, the memory of which will be the most precious to those who knew it best.
[several paragraphs of tribute omitted.]
Memorial oral tribute written for the annual meeting of the Alumni Association of Alfred University, June 21, 1893, by the Rev. L. A. Platts, and published by request.
