Biography of Samuel Williams, pages 708/709/710.  History of 
DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 
Indianapolis, 1914.



Specific mention is made within the pages of this book of 
many of the worthy citizens of DeKalb county, citizens who 
have figured in the growth and development  of this favored 
locality and whose interest are identified with its every 
phase of progress, each contributing in his sphere of action 
to the well-being of the community in which he resides and 
to the advancement of its moral and legitimate growth. Among 
this number was Samuel Williams, whose record as a public-
spirited citizen, successful farmer and capable official 
gave him a standing in the community excelled by none of his 
fellow citizens.  Samuel Williams was born in Holmes county, 
Ohio, near Millersburg, on September 17, 1841, and died at 
his home two mile west of Auburn, Indiana, on June 30, 1912.  
He was the son of David and Mary (Lupold) Williams, who were 
natives of Pennsylvania, the mother having been born in 
Lancaster county. In 1861, he came to Indiana with his 
brother, Cyrus, who located near Corunna. He was engaged in 
farming with his brother when, at the age of twenty-one 
years, he enlisted for service in defense of his country, 
becoming, on November 26, 1862, a member of Company G, 
Thirtieth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which was 
assigned to Johnson’s division. He was promoted to first 
duty sergeant of the One Hundred Twenty-ninth Regiment 
Indiana Volunteers, and with this command he underwent much 
serve and arduous service in defense of his country. For two 
months in 1863 he was confined to a hospital at Annapolis, 
Maryland, and in 1864 he was furloughed for thirty days. He 
rejoined his regiment at Tullahoma, Tennessee, and at the 
battle of Stone River he was captured, being taken to 
Murfreesboro and sent to the notorious Libby prison, where 
he was detained until paroled, about six weeks later. He 
received an honorable discharge from his first enlistment in 
1864, and then re-enlisted at Corunna in Company F, One 
Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiment, with which he completed 
his military service. He was in the battles of Stone River, 
Chickamauga, Kingston and many other engagements, and in 
August, 1865, was honorably discharged from the service with 
a record of which he had just reason to be proud. His 
brother, Cyrus, was a member of Company G, Thirtieth 
Regiment, Indiana Volunteers, and was a prisoner in Libby 
prison for two months, being finally paroled and returned to 
his command, with which he served until the expiration of 
his service. His death occurred at Auburn in 1880.  After 
the war Samuel Williams returned to DeKalb county and was 
employed as a farm hand by Mr. Brumback for a time. He then 
worked for George Rufner, of Smithfield township, south of 
Hudson, where Levi Kessler now lives.  About 1878, when Mr. 
Rufner moved to Fairfield township, Mr. Williams accompanied 
him and made his home there for a time.  In 1890 Mr. 
Williams was elected recorder of DeKalb county, holding the 
office from 1892 until 1896, and discharged his duties in a 
manner that earned the commendation of all who knew him. 
Upon entering his office as recorder Mr. Williams moved to 
Auburn, but at the expiration of his office he spent three 
years more on the Rufner farm, Mrs. Williams’ father living 
with them. Mr. Williams then bought a farm of one hundred 
acres in 1900, two miles west of Auburn, where he lived 
until his death, Mrs. Williams’ father living with them and 
still making his home with his daughter.  On September 4, 
1892, Samuel Williams was united in marriage to Mrs. Eliza 
A. (Rufner) Ernest, who was born in Stark county, Ohio, near 
Canton, the daughter of George and Nancy (Boyer) Rufner. 
George Rufner was born in Stark county, Ohio, February 5, 
1830, a son of John and Rachel (Smith) Rufner, natives of 
Pennsylvania, the former of Berks county, of German descent, 
and the latter of Adams county, of German and Irish descent. 
He remained with his parents until the spring of 1853, when 
he moved to DeKalb county and settled in Richland township. 
Three years later he sold his farm and bought another tract 
of wild land in the same township, where he lived nine 
years, and in the meantime got his land cleared and under 
good cultivation. He then moved to Smithfield township, 
where he lived for thirteen years, and in April, 1878, he 
moved to Fairfield township and bought a farm of one hundred 
and thirty acres. He was married on November 27, 1851, to 
Nancy Boyer, the daughter of John and Mary (Thomas) Boyer, 
natives of Pennsylvania and of German descent. To them were 
born four children, Eliza Ann, Mary Ann, Josiah and 
Jeremiah. Mrs. Williams was but six months old when her 
parents brought her to DeKalb county and lived with them in 
their various locations until her marriage. Her mother died 
of paralysis on October 31, 1885, and her father is still 
living with her.  In 1871 she was married to Henry M. 
Ernest, to which union were born two children, Mrs. George 
Ralston, of Fort Wayne, and Marion Ernest Williams, who 
lives in West Auburn, and farms his mother’s farm.  He 
married Mrs. Rosa Zimmerman Gushwa, the widow of Frank 
Gushwa, deceased. She is the mother of a son by her first 
marriage, Walter Gushwa. They also have a son, Harold C., 
eleven years old, and  Kenneth, who was born May 10, 1913, 
and died September 9, 1913. Mrs. Ralston is the mother of 
two sons Rodgers, J., who is four years old, and Hubert, who 
was two years old on January 30, 1914. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Williams no children were born, Mr. Williams was an active 
member of the German Baptist church, to which Mrs. Williams 
and her father also belong.  Mr. Williams was, in every 
sense, a good citizen of his community and a credit to the 
county, his genial and companionable disposition giving him 
a good standing with all whom he came in contact, while his 
career as a public official was honorable in every respect. 
Because of his earnest life, honorable record  and splendid 
attainments, he is eminently entitled to perpetuation in the 
annals of this county and to be numbered among the 
representative men of the community which was so long 
honored by his citizenship.

Submitted by: 

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com