COLLIN COUNTY BOY COULD
HAVE BEEN GOVERNOR
[Guy Williams]
Courier
June 1950s
by Capt. Roy F. Hall
Possibly not
many people in the county know that Collin County came very near placing one
of its citizens in the Governor's chair in Arkansas. This country boy, Guy
Ellsworth Williams, rose through many positions of honor and trust in that
state, and served as its attorney general from 1942 to 1949. He may have
been the governor of Arkansas had he not, in a way, declined it.
Williams was
born on a farm in the old Lazy Neck community, southeast of McKinney,
September 11, 1892, the son of Benjamin l. Williams who had brought his
family to that place from Arkansas. His father talked continually of
returning the Fayetteville, Arkansas, but was never able to do so. But this
affected young Guy to the extent that at the age of 16 packed his telescope
suitcase, bought his ticket and took the train for the University of
Arkansas with two dollars in his pockets.
With no money he
had to work his way through. This he did as assistant janitor and also
labored on the university farm on Saturdays and other off days. He graduated
in 1912, and took the position as principal of the public school at
Greenwood, Arkansas. He taught next at Jacksonville, and took a course in
the Fort Smith Bus8iness College. Graduating here, he became a court
reporter of the 12th Judicial District of Arkansas, and while doing so
studied law and was admitted to the bar.
He removed to
Lonoke, Arkansas, and joined his brother, Oscar, in law practice. Here he
met and married Miss Fay Adams, and here too, his two children were born, a
son and a daughter. At this place he was elected prosecuting attorney, and
also operated a farm, cotton gin and an automobile agency. Here too he was
appointed assistant attorney general, after which he practiced law a few
years and in 1942 was elected attorney general of the state. In 1949 the
governor of Arkansas appointed him as Judge of the Second Division Chancery
Court at Little Rock. His wife, Pay, speaking for his political future says,
"...the Chancery Judgeship is the fruition of everything he wants."
It appears that
when young Guy Williams took the train for another state that night of 1907
in Wylie, Collin County, we lost a mighty fine citizen, and Arkansas gained
an attorney general and a judge, Judge Guy E. Williams is a brother of Mr.
Sid Williams of 1401 North Bradley, McKinney, who served several terms as
Justice of the Peace in this city.
Surname Index
Recommended Citation:
"Guy Williams,
EARLY SETTLERS OF COLLIN COUNTY." Collin County, Texas History
and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
[Accessed Fri February 13, 2004 ].
