John H. Williams, Hardware Merchant

In 1855 John H. Williams was the proprietor of a hardware store on Columbus Avenue in downtown Sandusky. He sold foreign and domestic hardware, and a variety of hardware, tools, safes, and bank vaults. In the 1860 U.S. Census, he, his wife Elizabeth, and their five children were residing on 109 Wayne Street in Sandusky, Ohio. Patent number 59,700 was issued to John H. Williams in 1866 for improvements to a cider and wine mill.

During the Civil War, John H. Williams, along with several other individuals, was arrested after a failed attempt by Southern sympathizers to release prisoners from the Johnson’s Island Prison Camp. After an investigation, Williams and the others were released.

An article in the September 25, 1864 issue of the New York Times discussed the conspiracy.

John H. Williams and his family left Sandusky in 1871, moving to New York City. Mr. Williams died on April 8, 1896. His remains were brought back to Sandusky by railroad, and burial was at Oakland Cemetery in the family lot. An obituary which appeared in the April 17, 1896 issue of the Sandusky Register stated that John H. Williams had many friends in Sandusky, and he had been an active leader in the Democratic Party. The article continued, “He was generous to a fault and always ready to aid those he could."