James E. Williams (mayor)
Encyclopedia
James Etheldred Williams (January 16, 1826– April 10, 1900) was an American
politician who served as a two-term antebellum mayor of Atlanta, Georgia
, during Reconstruction.
Born in Grainger County, Tennessee, the second of ten children, he began working in Knoxville
in the post office and, with his cousins, operated a line of steamboat
s on the Tennessee River
from that city to Decatur, Alabama
.
He moved to Atlanta in October 1851, and with his Tennessee
connections was able to set up a prosperous warehousing business. He built a larger warehouse on Decatur Street in Atlanta with an upper floor that was used as the popular theater of the time, the Atheneum. He ran both until their destruction in 1864 during the burning of Atlanta in the Civil War
. Williams was not physically fit for active service during the Civil War. but after his warehouse was destroyed, he became a fireman under Captain
Samuel B. Sherwood
.
Politically, he was "Always a Democrat, strongly opposed to Whiggery, Know-Nothingism and Abolitionism"1 and was a staunch secession
ist.
He served on the Atlanta city council before and after the war, and served as two terms as mayor (the second was extended to 1868 by order of the commandant of the post of Atlanta, Major General John Pope
).
He then began independent trading, but retired from active business in 1880.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as a two-term antebellum mayor of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, during Reconstruction.
Born in Grainger County, Tennessee, the second of ten children, he began working in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
in the post office and, with his cousins, operated a line of steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
s on the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
from that city to Decatur, Alabama
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
.
He moved to Atlanta in October 1851, and with his Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
connections was able to set up a prosperous warehousing business. He built a larger warehouse on Decatur Street in Atlanta with an upper floor that was used as the popular theater of the time, the Atheneum. He ran both until their destruction in 1864 during the burning of Atlanta in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Williams was not physically fit for active service during the Civil War. but after his warehouse was destroyed, he became a fireman under Captain
Fire captain
Captain is a rank in various fire services.In most American and Canadian fire services, a captain ranks above a lieutenant and below a Battalion Chief. This varies, though, between departments – in the Boston Fire Department, the captain is the officer in overall charge of a fire company...
Samuel B. Sherwood
Samuel B. Sherwood
Samuel Burr Sherwood was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut.Born in Northfield Society , Connecticut, Sherwood graduated from Yale College in 1786...
.
Politically, he was "Always a Democrat, strongly opposed to Whiggery, Know-Nothingism and Abolitionism"1 and was a staunch secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
ist.
He served on the Atlanta city council before and after the war, and served as two terms as mayor (the second was extended to 1868 by order of the commandant of the post of Atlanta, Major General John Pope
John Pope (military officer)
John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...
).
He then began independent trading, but retired from active business in 1880.