Office of the President. Joseph R. Williams Papers
UA.2.1.1

Summary Information

Repository
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Creator - Correspondent
Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892
Creator
Williams, Joseph R.
Title
Joseph R. Williams papers
ID
UA.2.1.1
Date [inclusive]
1827-1867
Extent
0.5 Cubic feet
Language
English

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan."

Return to Table of Contents »

Biographical Note

The first president of the Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University), Joseph Rickelson Williams, was born at Taunton, Massachusetts on November 14, 1808. Soon after his birth his parents moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts. Williams was the oldest son of Captain Richard and Rebecca (Smith) Williams and a lineal descendant on his father's side of the Puritan Governor Winslow. Richard Williams was a highly respected shipmaster and after his retirement from the sea, he held the office of Postmaster of New Bedford.

At the age of sixteen, after an unfulfilling two year apprenticeship in a Boston counting house, Williams entered Sandwich Academy where he studied under Luther Lincoln. Mr. Williams graduated from Harvard in 1831 with distinguished honors. After leaving college he studied law in the office of John Paris of Worcester, was admitted to the Bar, and began practicing law in New Bedford.

Because of ill health he relinquished his profession and came to Toledo in 1835 as the agent of a New England company seeking land investments. He remained in Toledo until 1839 when he moved to Constantine, Michigan where he invested heavily, particularly in the construction and operation of flour mills. While in Constantine, Williams became actively involved in politics; was a member of the state constitutional convention of 1850; twice the Whig candidate for Congress, and twice the Whig candidate for the United States Senate against Lewis Cass. In May 1853 he returned to Toledo and purchased the Toledo Blade, a local newspaper. Under his management the  Blade became the leading advocate of Republican principles in Northern Ohio. He took prominent and influential positions in public affairs, especially in political matters. In 1856 Williams sold the  Blade to Clark Waggoner and G.T. Steward and became President of the Michigan Agricultural College.

After holding this position for three years he was compelled to resign due to neuralgia, a painful nervous disease.

After spending a few months in the Bahamas, Williams returned in 1860 and was elected to the State Senate of Michigan, of which he was made the presiding officer. With the resignation of Lieutenant Governor, Hon. James Birney, Williams became the acting Lieutenant Governor of the State. He held this position until his death from a hemorrhage of the lungs on June 15, 1861 in Constantine, Michigan at the age of 52.

He left a wife, Sarah Rowland Langdon Williams, whom he had married on May 28, 1844 at Buffalo, New York. She was a daughter of John Langdon. Three daughters survived Williams: Charlotte Langdon, the wife of John F. Kumler; Sibyl, the wife of Kent Hamilton; and, Rebecca, the wife of William H. Cooper of New York.

Return to Table of Contents »

Scope and Contents note

The first seventeen folders of this collection contain letters of correspondence with Joseph R. Williams prior to his acceptance of the presidency of the Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University). Many of these letters are from his father and other family members. Additionally, there are letters to Williams, operating as a land speculator in Ohio and Michigan, from friends and business associates in Massachusetts and New York. The letters reflect a precarious economic system in the 1830s and 1840s, and they also discuss local and national politics in some detail. Folders 26 through 37 contain letters of application to M.A.C. during the years 1857 and 1858. The remainder of the collection includes speeches, legal documents, patent materials, and biographical and autobiographical material.

Return to Table of Contents »

Administrative Information

Publication Information

Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections April 1965

Conrad Hall
888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu

Revision Description

 R. Viol, January 1979 February 2007

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Legal Status note

Copyright: Michigan State University. Property Rights: Michigan State University.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Custodial History

Papers were transferred by Madison Kuhn and Jeffrey Staines. Other materials were the gift of Kenneth Priestly, 1959-02-22. Transferred by Michigan State University Museum. One copy of a letter was donated by John B. Pickard.

Return to Table of Contents »

Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. Dedication. (1857)
  • Michigan Agricultural College.
  • Toledo Blade (Newspaper).

Genre(s)

  • Legal instruments
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Photographs
  • Speeches, addresses, etc.

Geographic Name(s)

  • Massachusetts -- Politics and government
  • New York (State) -- Politics and government
  • United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century

Personal Name(s)

  • Pickard, John B
  • Priestly, Kenneth

Subject(s)

  • Economics -- Michigan
  • Patents

Return to Table of Contents »

Collection Inventory

Correspondence 
Box Folder

 1827, 1830, 1833 

 871 1

 1829-1835 

 871 56

 1834 

 871 2

 1835 

 871 3

 1836 

 871 4

 1836-1838 

 871 57

 1837 

 871 5

 1838 

 871 6

 1839-1840 

 871 58

 1840 

 871 7

 1841 

 871 8

 1841-1859 

 871 59

 1842 

 871 9

 1843 

 871 10

 1844 

 871 11

 1845 

 871 12

 1846 

 871 13

 1847 

 871 14

 1852 

 871 15

 1853 

 871 16

 1855 

 871 17

B-F 1857 

 871 18

G-L 1857 

 871 19

M-R 1857 

 871 20

S-W 1857 

 871 21

 1858 

 871 22

 1859 

 871 23

 1860 

 871 24

 1861 

 871 25

John McKinney correspondence 1857 

 871 54

John Greenleaf Whittier (poet) correspondence [typed copy of response to request to write poem for opening of M.A.C.] April 29, 1857 

 871 55

Return to Table of Contents »

Letters of Application 
Box Folder

A-F 1857 

 871 26

G-J 1857 

 871 27

K-N 1857 

 871 28

O-S 1857 

 871 29

T-Y 1857 

 871 30

Return to Table of Contents »

Box Folder

Answers to applicants' letters 1857 

 871 31

Letters of Application 
Box Folder

A-C 1858 

 871 32

D-F 1858 

 871 33

G-J 1858 

 871 34

K-N 1858 

 871 35

O-S 1858 

 871 36

T-W 1858 

 871 37

Return to Table of Contents »

Box Folder

A Literary Discussion: On Presenting Science and Literature in Popular Form 1831 

 871 38

Oration - Antislavery Sentiment 1835 

 871 39

Deed of Trust 1848 

 871 40

Petition to the College 1854 

 871 41

Agricultural Periodical requests 1857 

 871 42

Agricultural College Lyceum Philomathian Society 1857-1858 

 871 43

Stump Machine Material 1857-1858 

 871 44

Patent Material 1857-1858 

 871 45

Address by President Williams 1858 

 871 46

Address on Agricultural Education 1858 

 871 47

Petition of student for increased wages 1860 

 871 48

Speech of Senator Williams 1861 

 871 49

Out-of-state students and army list 1867 

 871 50

Historical information concerning flour mills in Constantine, Michigan and letter from Sarah R. Williams Undated 

 871 51

Biographical and Autobiographical material Undated 

 871 52

Photocopy of a photograph of Williams' gravestone; table of content of a magazine publishing his article on whaling Undated 

 871 53

Photograph 
Box

People. Williams, Joseph R. 

 People Photographs

Return to Table of Contents »