A few years back, I came across the story of John H. Williams when reading through the 1881 history of Schuylkill County.
In the bustling anthracite mining hub of Pottsville, Pennsylvania after the Civil War, few entrepreneurs exemplified the American dream quite like John H. Williams, known to Pottsville residents as “Williams the Hatter.”
Born in Salem, Ohio, in 1848, Williams overcame early hardships, running away from home as a teenager to Pittsburgh, PA, and eventually serving as a drummer boy in the 45th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War.
By 1869, attracted by Schuylkill County’s booming industrial economy, Williams established a successful hat business at North Centre and Market streets, quickly rising as one of the youngest and most respected businessmen in Pennsylvania’s Coal Region.
From the 1881 Schuylkill County History:
A self-made man, one of the youngest business men in the county, and the leading dealer in his line in the coal regions, is John H. Williams, better known as ‘Williams the Hatter,’ at the corner of North Center and Market streets, Pottsville.
Born in Salem, Ohio, April 15th, 1848, he is, at the age of thirty-three, as the result of his own energy, industry and enterprise, at the head of such a business as men have toiled for until old age came upon them, and toiled in vain. His father was Dr. Benjamin Williams, a physician of large practice, who died in Rock Island City, Illinois, in 1856, at the age of thirty-seven. His mother, formerly Miss Esther Smith, is living in Sharpsburgh, Pa.
The untimely death of Dr. Williams broke up the family, and John H., then only eight years old, went to live with his grandmother, where he busied himself about four years doing farm work and attending a country school. Early in his boyhood his adventurous spirit asserted itself. His mind was ever reaching out to the great unknown world in which he believed he had a useful career.
At the age of thirteen he ran away from home and found himself in Pittsburgh, Pa., without means or friends and entirely upon his own meagre resources. He sought employment, for he had never been an idle boy, and secured a place as cash boy in the store of H. J. Lynch, where in about three months his manifest capacity for business won him a promotion to the position of salesman. In 1863 he entered the wholesale notion house of McCrum & Glyde, in the capacity of salesman, and remained there until, in 1864, his youthful daring and love of adventure prompted him to offer his services as drummer boy to Company A of the 45th Pennsylvania volunteers. He was accepted, and served until mustered out with such of his comrades as were living at the close of the war.
Returning to Pittsburgh he found employment in the fall of 1865 in the dry goods house of White, Orr & Co., with whom he remained until the following spring, when he found a better position with the firm of Hughes & Hackey. Here he was employed about a year, leaving to engage for a time in other than mercantile pursuits.
But his destiny was to become a merchant, and he could not long absent himself from behind the counter. The great city of New York offered inducements to one of his progressive enterprise, and thither he turned his steps in 1867, and obtained a situation as salesman with Foster Brothers, dry goods merchants on Eighth avenue. A better position being offered him in the dry goods house of Leder & Brother, 340 Bowery, he entered the service of that firm six months later.
In 1869, when the coal region offered rare opportunities for enterprising men of all professions and occupations, Mr. Williams removed to Pottsville, where he was employed in the well remembered dry goods store of J. Galland & Co. until April, 1870. At the latter date he established his present business on a small scale, but with reference to those financial principles which, governing its management since, have placed it foremost among the mercantile houses of the Schuylkill coal region.
The credit which attaches to any man who makes his own way in the world, from childhood to a position of responsibility and business prominence, belongs justly to Mr. Williams, whose portrait appears in these pages.
Honesty, industry, economy, extension and advancement have been his watchwords. As a businessman he enjoys unbounded confidence, as a citizen he identifies himself with projects for the public benefit. As an example to the youth of the county of what a boy with the right stuff in him may accomplish he stands preeminent. He was married February 28th, 1872, to Miss Susie L. Wardle, daughter of William G. Wardle, of Pottsville.”
Williams remained in business in Pottsville well into the 20th century and was involved throughout the community.
He died in 1934 at the age of 86 and is buried in Pottsville’s Charles Baber Cemetery.
Read previous stories about Civil War veterans and the Coal Region
Major Joseph Anthony | Civil War veteran and mining superintendent
Dauphin County’s oldest Civil War veteran | Henry Maurer
How Schuylkill County Civil War Veterans Opposed Confederate Monuments in 1903
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