The Williams/Sampler family reunion was held in Jacksonville July 4-6 with over 180 relatives and friends in attendance. The theme of the reunion was “From Far and Near, We Are All Here!” Individuals traveled as far away as Las Vegas, Nevada, St. Louis, Chicago, Georgia, various parts of Alabama to return to their place of origin or, should I say, their hometown. The Eastwood community came alive again as various families spent the three day weekend visiting friends, neighbors, schools, areas of town that brought back memories of days gone by such as gatherings at Jessica Mae’s Café; the softball games played on Saturdays and sometimes, after church on Sundays, attending Jacksonville Colored School (formerly, Eastwood High School), attending Sunday school and church, swimming and hunting for raccoons, meeting and greeting new relatives, some relatives of which you had known growing up, but did not realize how closely they were related in the family, and, noticing the changes that have occurred over the years in their hometown of Jacksonville.
The relatives and friends began arriving July 3. On July 4 a picnic was held at Germaina Springs and a swim party later in the evening.
On July 5 the families dressed in black and white attire for the evening banquet and dance held at the community center where a presentation of the family history of Jesse Williams and Maggie Sampler and Jesse’s sister, Margaret Williams, who was married to Jarrett Williams, Sr.(same last name (Williams, but not related to each other) was presented by Eugenia Williams Vincent along with Margie Williams Bonner, the granddaughters of Jesse and Maggie Williams and Margaret and Jarrett Williams, Sr. respectively. Recognitions and awards were presented to the oldest and youngest male and female grandchild of each Williams/Sampler family, special recognition was given to Charlie Louis Williams, the only surviving grandchild of Jesse/Maggie Sampler Williams.
On July 6 the families attended St. Paul Christian Methodist Episcopal Church where the worship service was overflowing with expressions of songs, words of praise and individuals revelations of growing up in the church.
A church where the Williams family brought their children and many have served in various positions as Sunday school teachers, superintendent, stewards, missionaries, stewardess, choir members, class leaders, ushers and preachers over the years.
The genesis of the Williams/Sampler family reunion festive and celebratory occasion beginning on July 4 was provided by the union in marriage of John Sampler and Ellen Black in 1865 in White Plains.
We know little of the circumstances of John Sampler’s and Ellen Black’s existence prior to their marriage.
John Sampler and Ellen Black had nine children, one of whom they named Maggie Sampler. Information is not available concerning the other children’s names.
In 1874, and once again in White Plains, a young couple, James Williams and Gabrella Kerr, were married.
From this marriage, four children were born. One of the four was Jesse Williams born at Howard Cross Roads.
Jesse’s siblings included Hester Williams, Winnie Williams, and Margaret Williams.
There is not much known about Hester and Winnie. We are told that years later the spelling of Gabrella’s last name was changed to “Carr”, but the marriage certificate records that in April 1874, James Williams and Gabrella Kerr were united as man and wife by Rev. Edward Anthony in White Plains.
The early years of Jesse Williams and Maggie Sampler and how they came to meet, fall in love, get married, and settle in Jacksonville is not known, except by stories passed down thru the years, and the family’s Bible, says Carl Williams, a grandson of Jesse “Papa”, which records that on Christmas Day 1900, Jesse and Maggie were married in White Plains.
Jesse “Papa” Williams and Maggie Sampler Williams had 12 children — three daughters and nine sons.
The children are Jessie Mae Williams Shepher, Lucille Williams Moore, Henry Williams, John Williams, Alfred Williams, Emily Williams Oden (Yvonne Lipscomb’s mother), James Williams, Martin Williams, Sept Williams, Thomas “Tom” Williams, Charles “Charlie” Louis Williams and Clarence Robert Williams.
On Sept. 13, 1903, Jarrett Williams, Sr., the son of Abraham Williams and Anna Denmon, married Margaret Williams, the daughter of James Williams and Gabrella Kerr (Carr) Williams and sister of Jesse “Papa” Williams.
Jarrett Williams, Sr. and Margaret Williams had eight children — three daughters and five sons.
The children are George Otha Williams, Josephine Williams Garrett, Gabrella Williams Leavell, Jerret Williams, Jr. (Horace Williams’ father), John Clem Williams, Jessie Williams, Hester Williams and Frank Henry Williams.
In celebrating the Williams/Sampler family reunion by combining the memories of James and Gabriella Kerr Williams’ two children, Jesse “Papa” Williams who married Maggie Sampler and his sister, Margaret Williams who married Jarrett Williams, Sr., we have a better understanding of our family connections.
We never would have made it this far in our careers and in our lives if it had not been for our grandparents who instilled in their offspring the importance of an education, Christian religious values, fair play and the family
As a results of raising their small or large families with little or no help from welfare and, at times, with little education themselves, they were able to produce offspring who are doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, social workers, principals, college professors, counselors, bus drivers, professional dancers and Sunday school superintendents to have major community centers named in California (for John Lee Levell) and in Wichita, Kan., (for Dr. George Franklin Williams) named in their honor, to serve as Air Force security for the President of the United States, to serve as officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, to work at the Pentagon, to become a black Air Force colonel who piloted an airplane and flew over the City of Jacksonville as he returned home to see his mother, and finally, an offspring who recently was a stand-in for Tyler Perry’s new movie, “Madera Goes To Jail”. We, the offspring of the Williams/Sampler family group have by our actions, words, and deeds continue to strive in our efforts to carry on the legacy of the family.
Special thanks to Gwen, Gloria, and Carl and others for their plans and in having started a conversation about a reunion in Jacksonville.
“During the four days in Jacksonville, the cradle of our family heritage, we celebrated, commemorated and remembered with reverence and joy, the bonds forged long ago in the shadow of slavery, reconstruction and Jim Crow,” says Carl Williams. “We are descendents from a rich legacy.”
Submitted by Margie Williams Bonner, granddaughter of Jarrett Williams and Margaret Williams, Sr. Additional information from Carl Williams, grandson of Jesse and Maggie Sampler Williams.
