John Lee Williams Papers
Scope and Content
The collection includes unpublished manuscripts for the second edition of Williams' book, The Territory of Florida. The unpublished second edition was intended to be an expanded and revised edition including important sections on the Everglades and Big Cypress, Florida's counties, and the Second Seminole War through 1842 (material probably written between 1844 and 1853). The collection also includes biographical materials, clippings, minor receipts and deeds, and letters written by John King of Charleston to Williams' stepson, Washington M. Ives, concerning property in St. Augustine.
Dates
- Creation: 1820-1853
Creator
- Williams, John Lee, 1775-1856 (Person)
Access
The collection is open for research.
Biographical/Historical Note
John Lee Williams (1775-1856) was born in Salem, Massachusetts. He moved with his family to a farm in New York when he was young. Disliking a farmer's life, he went to Hamilton College, attending law school and tutoring to pay his tuition. In 1820 the widowed Williams moved to the newly acquired territory of Florida. He lived in Pensacola, Tallahassee, and Picolata, just outside St. Augustine. In 1823, while living in Pensacola and practicing as an attorney, he was appointed by Governor William Duval to a commission to select a site for the new capital of Florida. He and his fellow commissioner, Dr. William Simmons of St. Augustine, ultimately selected Tallahassee. In 1829, whle living in St. Augustine, Williams married Martha Mackey Ives.
Williams authored A View of West Florida in 1827 and his best-known book, The Territory of Florida, in 1837. He had quit his law practice and spent the last years of his life exploring and working on a revised second edition of The Territory of Florida.
Source: Biographical materials in the collection, and James Cusick, "After 150 Years, a Lost Manuscript Comes to Light," Chapter One, University of Florida Smathers Libraries, Summer 2003.
Extent
0.2 Linear feet (2 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Unpublished manuscripts for the second edition of the book The Territory of Florida by John Lee Williams.
Physical Location
University of Florida Smathers Library Building
Acquisition Information
A portion of the collection was donated circa 1958 by Edward S. Kelly, great-grandson of John Lee Williams. A second portion was donated in 2003 by Nancy Meers, great-granddaughter of Williams. The full story of the acquisition was published by James Cusick, curator of the P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History, in the Summer 2003 issue of Chapter One.
Alternate Form of Material
Items in this collection have been digitized and are available via the University of Florida Digital Collections (UFDC) as part of the Pioneer Days in Florida project, which is generously supported by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). Please read the Permissions for Use statement for information on copyright, fair use, and use of UFDC digital objects.
Genre / Form
- Title
- A Guide to the John Lee Williams Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid created by Dept. Staff
- Date
- April 2012
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Prepared Using Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is written in English.
- Sponsor
- Digitization funded with the generous support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Repository Details
Part of the Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida Repository
George A. Smathers Libraries
PO Box 117005
Gainesville Florida 32611-7005 United States of America
352-273-2755
special@uflib.ufl.edu