Career
Williams arrived in South Australia in 1839 at the age of 14 and worked on a farm on the River Para. Their partnership was dissolved in 1876. He was member for Barossa 1864–1865 and for Flinders 1865–1868 and 1875–1878.
He retired to his home in North Adelaide.
He was not a brilliant debater, and only spoke on subjects with which he was thoroughly conversant. He made a sizeable fortune through an early investment in the Broken Hill Proprietary Company.
He died at his home "Halberstadt", Jeffcott Street, North Adelaide, after a long illness. Isabel was a daughter of Review
Charles Beaumont Howard and step-daughter of Review
James Farrell. Maria had married Lieutenant M(ichael) Stewart Guy Registered Nurse (c 1840 – 4 July 1869) on 13 July 1867 and had a daughter on 21 June 1868.
Children of John and Maria include:
son 29 March 1873
son 24 August 1876
eldest daughter Isabel Herbert (13 January 1878 – 27 January 1890)
youngest son Hartley (c 1881 – 3 August 1894) died in Christchurch.
