LTC Hazael Joseph Williams

LTC Hazael Joseph Williams was born 28 Apr 1830 in Williamsville, Virginia. He was the oldest of the seven children of Hazael and Nancy Rader (McKee) Williams. His father was a carpenter, a profession that the younger Hazael would follow. He married Mary Ann Miller on 1 Jun 1856. The couple would have three children by 1861.

Hazael began his service as a Captain, commanding D Company 5th Virginia Infantry on 17 Apr 1861 immediately after the Commonwealth of Virginia voted for succession. He was promoted to Major on 21 Apr 1862 becoming the adjutant of the regiment. He was again promoted, to Lieutenant Colonel, on 29 August of that same year. His wife had a son, named after General Lee in October 1862. He was promoted yet again, to full Colonel, on 15 Nov 1862. COL Williams was commanding the regiment at the battle of Winchester on 15 Jun 1863 where he was wounded in the thigh. Eventually returning to the unit, he was wounded again, this time in the left shoulder, at the battle of Cedar Creek on 19 Oct 1864.

After the war Hazael and Mary welcomed another son who was born in November 1865 and Hazael returned to working as a carpenter and contractor as well as a farmer. The couple had four more sons and a daughter by 1874. One of those sons died in infancy in 1872. Mary died of cancer on 28 Aug 1877 leaving eight children under the age of sixteen. Hazael married Rebecca Jane McCormick in October of the next year. He and Rebecca had a daughter a year later and a son in June 1882. Elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in December 1891 he served until December 1892. In failing health for some time towards the end of his life, Hazael died at the age of eighty-one on 18 Jul 1911.

Colonel Williams rests forever in the Mount Tabor Lutheran Church Cemetery in Middlebrook, Virginia. 

NOTE: this memorial was published on the 100th anniversary of LTC Hazael's death.