guss garfield williams

1883-1968

Life Story

Farmer, Community Member, and Patriarch of a Newton County Family

Early Life

Guss Garfield Williams was born on March 13, 1884, in Newton County, Mississippi, according to his obituary, though census records sometimes suggest slightly different years such as 1883 or 1886. He was the son of Nick Williams and Ann Hardy Williams, members of a generation of African Americans who were building independent lives in the decades following the Civil War.

Guss grew up in Beat 4 of Newton County, a rural farming community where most families depended on agriculture for their livelihood. In the 1900 United States Census, sixteen-year-old Guss was living with his parents and working as a farm laborer alongside his father. At that time he had attended school for a short period but had not yet learned to read or write.

Over the following years he developed those skills, and by the 1910 census he was recorded as being able to both read and write, reflecting a determination shared by many African Americans seeking education during the early twentieth century.

Marriage and Family

Around 1905, Guss married Lula Willis. Together they established their household in Newton County, where Guss worked primarily as a farmer. Over the years their home grew into a large and active family.

Their children included:

Sons

Daughters

Through decades of hard work, Guss supported his family primarily through farming, often working rented land in the rural communities surrounding Lawrence.

Life as a Farmer in Jim Crow Mississippi

Like many Black farmers in early twentieth-century Mississippi, Guss faced economic obstacles that were common in the Jim Crow South. Newspaper records show his name appearing on lists of delinquent poll taxes, including notices published in 1917 and 1918. These lists often reflected the financial hardships faced by rural families rather than any lack of civic interest, as poll taxes were frequently used as a barrier to African American voting during this period.

Despite these challenges, Guss remained active in his community and continued supporting his growing family through agricultural labor.

Later Years

By 1940, census records show that Guss Williams was living apart from his wife, Lula, though both were recorded as “widowed” in their respective census entries. Guss was residing in the household of his son Cephas Williams in Newton County, while Lula maintained a separate household with their younger sons James and Lewis T. Williams. Although the census listed them as widowed, later records confirm that Guss lived until 1968, suggesting that the couple was likely living separately rather than being widowed at the time.

Even in his late fifties, Guss remained a hardworking man. The 1940 census recorded him working 48 hours per week as a laborer in private employment, continuing to contribute through physical labor despite his advancing age.

Throughout his life, Guss remained closely connected to his church and community. According to his obituary, he was a lifetime member of Union Chapel Methodist Church in Lawrence, Mississippi, where he worshiped faithfully for many years.

Death and Burial

Guss Garfield Williams passed away in March 1968 in Newton County. His funeral was held at Union Chapel Methodist Church in Lawrence, with Rev. Haynes officiating. Funeral arrangements were handled by Holifield Funeral Home of Forest, Mississippi.

He was laid to rest in the Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery, a resting place shared by many members of the community he had known throughout his life.

At the time of his death, Guss was survived by his wife, children, numerous grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.

Legacy

Guss Garfield Williams lived through a remarkable span of Southern history—from the decades following Reconstruction through the Civil Rights era. His life reflects the experiences of many African American farmers who built families and communities in rural Mississippi despite the economic and social obstacles of the time.

Through his many children and descendants, his legacy continues to remain deeply rooted in Newton County and beyond.

Notes from Historical Records

Birth: March 13, 1884 (per obituary; other records vary)
Parents: Nick Williams and Ann Williams
Spouse: Lula Willis (married about 1905)
Occupation: Farmer and laborer
Church: Union Chapel Methodist Church, Lawrence, Mississippi
Death: March 1968
Burial: Union Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery

Resting Place

Union Chapel United Methodist Church Graveyard

Photos/Albums

Sources

1900 Federal Census
1910 Federal Census
1920 Federal Census
1930 Federal Census
1940 Federal Census
U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2011
U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
U.S., World War I Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918
U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
The Newton Record, Guss Williams Obituary, Wed, Apr 03, 1968 ·Page 11

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