Announcement of the death of John Alexander Williams, Jr., Ph.D. noted WV author, historian
A well-known, respected West Virginia historian, Dr. John Alexander Williams, Jr., of Stanford, CN, died Apr. 30 after an extended illness. He was 86.
Born in Galveston, TX, he was a 1957 graduate of White Sulphur High School (WV) where he was one of the first National Merit Scholarship recipients. The son of the late John Alexander and Mary Agnes Marsh Williams, he was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, William Lee “Bill” Williams.
Receiving his BA in 1961 from Tulane University, MA, 1962, and PH.D. from Yale University in 1966, he also attended the London School of Economics 1959-60 and Interuniversity Consortium for Political Science and Social Research, 1968, in Ann Arbor, MI.
He taught at Yale University (1965), University of Notre Dame 1966-71; University of Illinois-Chicago 1971-72; and West Virginia University 1972-79 before moving into the federal government as an assistant director of research programs for the National Endowment for the Humanities 1980-86; and Library of Congress 1989.
He also served as director of the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee commission 1986-88; and acting director of Educational Policy and Development for the Mine Safety and Health Administration of the US Department of Labor (1997-98).
Returning to teaching in 1989 at Appalachian State University as Professor of History and Director of the Center for Appalachian Studies, he held these positions until his retirement in Washington, DC.
His memberships included the National Historical Publications and Records Commission 1990-94 and Appalachian Studies Association and the Organization of American Historians.
His publications include “West Virginia and Captains of Industry” (1976); “West Virginia: A History” (1976) a part of the Norton series of state histories of which he “ghost” wrote at least two others; “Old Ties and New Attachments” (1992); “West Virginia: A History for Beginners” 1993, “Appalachia: A History” and co-authored “Sinking Columbus” 2000 as well as numerous articles for history journals, and The Charleston Gazette.
He served as a co-script writer for the six and one half-hour video, “West Virginia: A Film History” which premiered on West Virginia Public Television in 1995 and was a contributing writer for the “West Virginia Encyclopedia.”
At the time of his death, he was working on a history of the city of White Sulphur Springs and its relationship to The Greenbrier resort.
Survivors include the love of his life, Norma Colyer, formerly of Morgantown; brother, C. Michael Williams of Maxwelton; sons Alexander K. Williams, New York City; Jared Marsh Williams, Stanford, CN. Matthew R. Williams, Walnut Creek, CA; sister-in-law, Maxine Williams, Lacey, WA., seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, three nieces, four great-nieces and nephews and cousins in Braxton, Lewis, Kanawha, Putman, Upshur counties, WV, and Flushing, MI.
A memorial service and internment will be in Washington, DC, May 17. Memorial donations may be made to the Alice Waugh Memorial Scholarship, Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation, 809 Jefferson St. S, Lewisburg WV 24901 or a charity of your choice.
Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home in Lewisburg is in charge of arrangements. Please send online condolences by visiting www.WallaceandWallaceFH.com
