John May Williams
1891 - 1918 (27 years)Person ID: I16309 | Last Modified: 15 Mar 2026
1852 - 1919 (67 years)-
Name John May Williams Gender Male Birth 18 Jan 1891 Matagorda County, Texas, USA 
Died 21 Oct 1918 England Buried Matagorda Cemetery, Matagorda, Matagorda County, Texas, USA [1] -
Parents
Father James Frances Williams (ID:I16278)
b. 12 Jul 1849, Matagorda County, Texas, USA
d. 30 Nov 1938, Bay City, Matagorda County, Texas, USA (Age 89 years) Mother Caroline Louise Yeamans (ID:I16303)
b. 9 Apr 1852, Texas, USA
d. 14 Dec 1919, Matagorda, Matagorda County, Texas, USA (Age 67 years) Marriage 1 Jan 1872 Matagorda, Matagorda County, Texas, USA 
Siblings4 brothers and 3 sisters -
Other Personal Events
Links To This person is also John M. Williams at Family Search -
Event Map
Birth - 18 Jan 1891 - Matagorda County, Texas, USA 
Died - 21 Oct 1918 - England 
Buried - - Matagorda Cemetery, Matagorda, Matagorda County, Texas, USA = Link to Google Earth 
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
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Source Citations
- [FIND-A-GRAVE] Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31717136/john_may-williams.
DIED IN ENGLAND
A cablegram was received here yesterday announcing the death of John May Williams, who died in England. The message came from his brother, who was with him at the time of his death.
Johnnie May was a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Williams of Matagorda and enlisted in the radio service some time in early spring.
The news of his death has caused much grief in Bay City where he has many relatives and friends.
Matagorda County Tribune, November 1, 1918
JOHNIE MAY WILLIAMS
Matagorda, Texas, November 22.--Some letters have arrived from Darwin Williams, in England, giving particulars of his brother, Johnie May Williams' death, as he was near him when he died.
He had Spanish influenza which developed double pneumonia to which illness he succumbed in four days and poor Darwin is heart-broken, saying his greatest wish now is that he may be permitted to come home once more to the arms of his mother.
A Presbyterian minister, of which church Johnie May was a member, officiated and he was buried with military honors, and there were many beautiful floral offerings.
Darwin said he could not have been put away more beautifully had he been at home, which in a measure is a comfort to the bereft ones. Darwin also had a tombstone erected in order that there be no trouble when the remains were shipped back to America.
Johnie May Williams was born at Big Hill, January 1891, and his parents moved to Matagorda when he was only nine years old.
He was always so jolly and friendly with everyone, was kind hearted and obliging, pleasant to the aged and was a universal favorite as was evidenced by the many letters, messages and words of sympathy when the wholly unexpected and shocking message came that he was dead.
The gloom of sadness was in the hearts of all his friends here and is still for he was the first of our boys in service to "go West" and when the other boys, his life-time companions, "come marching home," they will look in vain for the smiling face of Johnie May and will never cease to miss him all down the years. They could not for they have all been too closely associated which has cemented their love for him for aye.
There is no surcease for his parents, brothers and sisters in their great sorrow and their only boon is to be brave and prepare to meet him when they, too, shall have to "go West."
"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
Matagorda County Tribune, November 23, 1918
