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| Green D. Williams From A Historical, Biographical and Statistical Souvenir: Howard University Medical Department |
Green Dawson Williams (b. 1848; d. February 8, 1917)
Massachusetts/North Carolina/South Carolina? Black.
Occupation: clerk, physician.
Little is known about the early life of Green D. Williams, and the available records are contradictory. His father is listed as being born in New Hampshire in the 1900 U.S. Census and in North Carolina in the 1910 U.S. Census. Similarly, his mother is listed as being born in Virginia in the 1900 U.S. Census and in North Carolina in the 1910 U.S. Census.
Details about Green's own birthplace are also contradictory. His birthplace is listed as South Carolina in the 1900 U.S. Census, as North Carolina in the 1910 U.S. Census, and as Boston, Massachusetts in a short biography published by Howard University.
Williams first appears in the historical record in 1872 (when he was 24 years old). At that time, he was living in Anderson Court House (now the town of Anderson), the seat of Anderson County, South Carolina. Anderson County is the upstate and borders the state of Georgia. Like much of the region, the county was majority White, although by a small margin (about 56% of 16,407 residents were White and 44% or 12,720 were African-American).
The county was one of the first places in South Carolina to experience Ku Klux violence. Ku Kluxers threatened Republicans in the area during the run-up to the 1868 presidential election. Representative of Ku Klux activities was the experience of E. I. Pinson, a White silversmith living in the town of Williamston who was active in the Republican party. The night before the election he found a pasteboard coffin on his doorstep. Appended to it was a Republican voting ticket and the message "K. K. K. is about." He also reported bands of disguised men riding around and firing off guns in a threatening manner. In parts of the county, Ku Kluxers followed through on their threats by whipping or beating Republicans. The prominent Republican politician B. F. Randolph was shot to death in neighboring Abbeville county while traveling to Anderson by train.
The 1868 election was an important one because it was the first held after African-Americans were granted the right to vote. Within Anderson County, Democrats carried the election and largely remained in power throughout Reconstruction. Political violence within the county, especially violence by Ku Kluxers, largely died down after the election.
During his time in Anderson, Williams was active in the Republican Party. He was among the speakers at that year's county Republican Convention. The year was an election year, and Williams spoke about the political issues that he felt were important. He condemned the political corruption and extravagant spending by the administration of Republican governor Robert K. Scott. He called on African-American voters to elect honest Republicans in order to stop these practices. Williams's speech appears to have been well-received as he was elected as a delegate to the Congressional Convention and as an alternative delegate to the State Convention. On Election Day, he served as one of the three Election Managers for the Williamston Precinct.
The 1872 election saw Franklin J. Moses Jr elected to the governorship. In spring 1873, Moses removed the Anderson county auditor (Thomas J. Webb) and appointed Williams in his place. The Conservative newspaper, Anderson Intelligencer, reported that Webb was a "old-time" Republican who had discharged the duties of office "with credit to himself and satisfaction to the community." The newspaper attributed his removal to his political views. In the election, Webb had supported Liberal Republican Horace Greeley for president and Moses's opponent Reuben Tomlinson for governor. Of Williams, the newspaper reported that he was "of fair intelligence" and "good character" but his "education and abilities are scarcely equal to the important duties now devolving upon him."
By fall, Williams began working as a teacher in addition to his duties as county auditor. He may have taught at the Greeley Institute, a newly formed private school for African-Americans. By the late 1870s, Williams was serving as principal of the institute.
Williams' call for state Republicans to help end political corruption went unmet. Political corruption reached historic proportions during Moses's administration. During the next election, held two years later, Williams again spoke about the need to fight political corruption. For example at a 1874 Fourth of July celebration held in front of the county courthouse, Williams called on African-American voters to oppose political corruption by electing "good, honest men." He denounced the current political leaders in Columbia and warned African-Americans that they would lose the right of the ballot unless they united and put down corruption. Williams reiterated his views on the need to stop political corruption at the September 1874 county Republican Convention. Ultimately, the gubernatorial election saw Daniel H. Chamberlain, the regular Republican candidate, defeat the "Independent" Republican John Green. Williams does not seem to have publicly endorsed a candidate, but he likely supported Chamberlain as Green's support drew from Democrats and more conservative Republicans.
During the summer before the election (on April 1, 1874), Williams enrolled as a student at the University of South Carolina. He was awarded a scholarship, and state legislator John R. Cochran singled Williams out for praise for this accomplishment in an October speech he gave on political developments within the state. The university closed before Williams completed his degree.
It is unclear when exactly when Williams left the University of South Carolina. However, it appears that he had left by fall 1876 because, around that time, he resumed his engagement in Anderson county politics. By September, he was appointed as county Commissioner of Election by Governor Chamberlain. (The other two commissioners were John R. Cochran, a White Republican leader, and James A. Hoyt, the chairman for the county Democrats.)
Williams was also made Chairman of the county Republican Party. His chairmanship provoked controversy with local Democrats. Williams replaced Cochran who had held long held the position but declined it in fall. The Anderson Intelligencer was especially critical of Williams' appointment. The newspaper reported that, shortly after he assumed the position, reports began circulating among local African-Americans that acts of political violence and intimidation were being committed. The newspapers described these reports as falsehoods that were being spread to help Republicans in the upcoming election. The newspaper blamed Williams for the state of affairs, stating that Cochran had been able to prevent such issues and Williams could do the same if he chose.
In general, Williams took over the party chairmanship during a very difficult time. For the first time since African-American had been granted the right to vote, Democrats were mounting a serious electoral challenge. Beginning with the Hamburg Massacre in July, White Democrats began carrying out acts of political violence against African Americans.
No serious acts of violence appear to have broken out in Anderson county. However, public disputes did break out between Williams and Democratic leaders. That October Williams was planning to host a Republican rally at which several candidates were to speak. His Democratic counterpart (Hoyt) asked if the event could be organized as a joint discussion with Democratic candidates. Initially, Williams was receptive to the proposal, but ultimately, he was told by the state Executive Committee not to allow such a discussion. The Anderson Intelligencer was highly critical of this decision and published the correspondence with Williams under the title "Who Lies!" Williams asked to publish an article explaining his views on the matter, but the newspaper rejected it, claiming it contained "offensive remarks."
The concerns about the joint discussion were not groundless. Upon hearing that a Republican candidate was planning on giving a public speech, Democratic leaders often asked for a joint discussion and, if the request was granted, used this as an opportunity to harass their political opponents. For example, when Republican governor Chamberlain spoke in Edgefield, Democrats were allowed to participate in a joint discussion. At the event, the Democratic speakers included Democratic leader Martin W. Gary, and his speech consisted of personal attacks on Governor Chamberlain involving "as opprobrious language . . . as he could find in which to express himself." The crowd attending the speeches included a large number of Democratic supporters who displayed firearms and interrupted Republican speakers by shouting insults.
It is unclear how the political speeches that Williams helped organized were received, but the Anderson Intelligencer expressed hope that Democrats would disrupt them: "We hope all the mounted clubs in the County will be present, for we will have distinguished speakers from a distance to meet Republicans, and if they will not divide time we can be present and hear their campaign lies in order to refute them."
Ultimately, county Democrats won the election by a large margin. The Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Wade Hampton, received almost four-times as many votes as his Republican opponent (4,155 votes to 1,124). Statewide, the electoral outcome was very close, and both parties claimed that their gubernatorial candidate won. The election outcome was disputed for four months, until April 11 when Chamberlain conceded the election. Chamberlain's defeat marked the end of the state Republican Party as an effective political force for generations.
It is unclear how Williams's responded to outcome of the 1876 election. However, by the next election, held in fall 1878, he expressed support for Wade Hampton. At the county Republican convention, he endorsed Hampton's campaign and advised African-American votes to cast votes for him. In lengthy speech, he said that Hampton had fulfilled his campaign promises to respect the rights of African-Americans and would continue to do so if reelected.
Williams ran for political office in 1878. He received one of the Republican nominations for the position of warden for the town of Anderson. On Election Day, he and all the other Republican candidates were soundly defeated. Each Democratic candidate received over 200 votes, more than twice as many votes as the most successful Republican.
By 1880, Williams had moved to Washington D.C. He attended the Medical College at Howard University from 1880 to 1883 and graduated with an M.D. He spent most of his adult lift living in Washington D.C. and working as a government clerk for the Treasury Department and as a physician.
Williams seems to have formed a close friendship with fellow former U of SC student Paul J. Mishow. Census records document Mishow sharing a residence with the Williams family in D.C. Mishow followed a similar path to Williams's. He also moved to Washington after Reconstruction and found work as a physician and government clerk.
In June 1895, Williams attended a public speech given by his former classmate George W. Murray, then a congressman from South Carolina. Murray spoke at the Metropolitan Baptist Church, a predominately African-American church. His speech focused on negro suffrage, and he denounced voter registration laws. These were major issues in South Carolina. The previous year, Democrats led by Governor Ben Tillman had won a referendum to hold convention to revise the state constitution. They openly sought to revise the constitution for the purpose of disenfranchising African-American votes. The convention was held three months after Murray's speech, and Democrats achieved their goal of revising the state constitution so as to render African-Americans politically powerless.
Despite Williams' presence at Murray's speech, he appears to have largely left political life after moving to Washington.
Williams died on February 8, 1917. The cause of death was not reported.
Sources:
1). 1900; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia; Page: 21; Enumeration District: 0050; FHL microfilm: 1240160
2). 1910; Census Place: Precinct 8, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: T624_153; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0147.
3). 1920; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: T625_210; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 187.
4). Lamb, Daniel Smith. A Historical, Biographical and Statistical Souvenir: Howard University Medical Department. Washington D.C. R. Beresford. 1900.
5). Hilyer, Andrew F. Colored Washington: Efforts For Social Betterment. Washington D.C. 1901.
6). Washington, District of Columbia, City Directory, 1914
8). "The Radical County Convention." The Anderson Intelligencer, August 22, 1872, p. 2.
9) "Protracted Radical Meeting." The Anderson Intelligencer, September 12, 1872, p. 2.
9) "Radical Nominating Convention." The Anderson Intelligencer, October 10, 1872, p. 2.
9) "Election Notice." The Anderson Intelligencer, October 24, 1872, p. 3.
9) "Removal of the County Auditor." The Anderson Intelligencer, February 20, 1873, p. 3.
9). The Fairfield herald [SC], March 5, 1873, p. 3.
10) The Anderson intelligencer [SC], September 18, 1873, p. 2.
11) "Fourth of July in Anderson." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], July 9, 1874, p. 2.
11) "Republican County Convention." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], September 10, 1874, p. 2.
11) "To the Citizens of Anderson County." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], October 29, 1874, p. 5.
12) "Seeking Mischief." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], October 19, 1876, p. 3.
12) The Anderson intelligencer [SC], September 21, 1876, p. 3.
13) "Republican Duplicity." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], October 19, 1876, p. 2.
14) The Anderson intelligencer [SC], October 26, 1876, p. 4.
14) "The San Domingo Meeting." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], February 1, 1877. p. 3.
14) "To the Colored People of Anderson County." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], March 14, 1878. p. 3.
15) "Come One, Come All!!" The Anderson intelligencer [SC], June 20, 1878, p. 3.
16) "A Card." The Anderson intelligencer [volume], July 4, 1878, p. 4.
17) "Public Examinations at the Greeley Institute." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], July 11, 1878, p. 3.
17) "The Radical County Convention." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], August 8, 1878, p. 3.
17) "The Municipal Election." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], August 15, 1878, p. 3.
18) "The Radical's Last Kick." The Anderson intelligencer. [SC], September 26, 1878, p. 3.
19) "The Radical County Convention." The Anderson intelligencer [SC], April 29, 1880, p. 3.
20) "Appointments in Treasury Department" The Evening critic. [volume], July 1, 1881, p. 1.
21) "His People Defrauded." The Washington Times [DC], June 19, 1895. p. 8.
21) "Deaths." The Washington times. [volume], February 12, 1917, COMPLETE AFTERNOON EDITION, Page 11, Image 11
7). "Death Record." The Washington Herald, February 11, 1917, p. 16.
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