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 |Home| News| Past Reunions| Family| Area| Plans| Maps| Ideas| Sign the Guestbook | View the Guestbook | Contacts|  The first Williams reunion was held in Rogers, Arkansas June 16-17, 1994. Chuck Workman and the late Bessie Cain Chandler organized this reunion for the descendents of Mollie Davis and William Lemuel Williams. There were six of the grandchildren living at that time, and all but one were able to attend. Not much was known about earlier generations or what other "cousins" were out there.   About 32 attended (not including children)this reunion including some from Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Oregon, and Utah. It was the beginning of renewed relations and coming full circle. A video was shown of a cousin, Chuck Ellington who served with General Patton in WW II during the General's drive to rescue the men trapped at Bastogne in Dec. 1944 as well as opening up some of the German concentration camps. The group toured Rogers and saw several homes that grandparents, aunts, and uncles had occupied. 
 A story of two brothers who didn't see or speak to each other for 50 years.My mother's older sister, Berenice Dickinson Williams married William Abidjah Cain in Rogers, Arkansas in 1915. They had three children, James William (1917), Charles Edwin (1919), and Bessie Williams Cain (1922). Their father was a successful business man in Fayetteville, where the family resided. Bill became involved with another woman, an affair that would tear the family apart. Bill and Berenice were divorced around 1941. During the divorce proceedings a rift developed between the children. Both sons were married by that time. Due to his strong religious beliefs against infidelity, Charlie felt that his father was to blame for the divorce and severed relations with him. Young Bill believed that regardless of who was at fault, nothing would be gained by estrangement from either of their parents. Bessie then only 17 years old, tended to side with Bill;s way of thinking. The differences in opinion caused some conflict between the brothers that were to fester over the years. "Sister Beenie", as Berenice was called by the family, it is said died with a broken heart in March of 1944. She was just 51 years old. When Berenice died, Charlie obtained leave from the Navy and arrived in Fayetteville in time for the funeral. There had been no improvement in the relationship between the two brothers. There were bad words between them at the funeral home, for Charlie accused Bill of not taking better care of their mother while he was away in the service. She was to be buried in the Williams family plot in Paris, TX, and as the family boarded the train to accompany the casket to Paris, Charlie loudly proclaimed his anger, much to the embarrassment of the family. I know. I was there. Later that day in Paris, at the grave site, Bill extended his hand to his brother and said that they should put their differences behind them. Charlie turned his back and walked away. They did not see each other or even speak for the next 50 years. Bill had tried several times to reconcile with his brother, but Charlie stubbornly refused. As plans for the first family reunion in 1994 were being made, it occurred to me that this would be the perfect time to get the two brothers together again. No one in the family thought it possible. But after being badgered by his family, Charlie and his wife, Minnie Mae, did show up for the reunion. Everyone was flabbergasted! At the reception the first night the two brothers shook hands and talked quietly for a short time. The accompanying photograph shows 5 of the 6 grandchildren of William Lemuel and Mollie Davis Williams for the first and last time. (The 6th grandchild, Chuck Ellington was unable to make the reunion.) James William Cain died in November, 1998; Virginia Jackson Leflar in January 2000, Charles Gilbert Ellington in August 2000; Charles Edwin Cain in February 2001; and Bessie Williams Cain Chandler in October of 2001. I'm the last one, and I miss my cousins very much.  The photo is rather fuzzy. First row, seated from left to right - Bill Cain, Charlie Cain, Virginia Jackson Leflar. Back row standing left to right - Chuck Workman, Bessie Cain Chandler
Special thanks to the families of Bill and Charlie Cain who gave their
permission and encouragement for for this story in hopes that it may be an
inspiration to our other cousins. Chuck Workman, January 2002.
All photos this page courtesy Chuck Workman
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This page last updated February 15, 2002
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