Biography of John Williams 1796-1839

The Reverend John Williams on Board Ship with Native Implements, in the South Sea Islands. Lithograph by J. H. Lynch after Henry Anelay's original

On 29th June 1796 John Williams was born.

On October 1816 John Williams (age 20) and Mary Chawner were married.

A Life of John Williams. Mary Chauner, at the time she first met Mr. Williams (age 20), lived with her parents in London. Her father, years before, had visited London and had heard the famous John Hayatt preach in the tabernacle. He was so dehghted that on his return home, he gave a glowing report of what he had heard. His wife and daughter had a great desire to hear the preacher. A few years later they came from Denston Hall [Map], the country home, into London to live. Mary became a member of the tabernacle, and through Mr. Wilks, also became interested in missionary work. Her prayer was that she might be sent to tell the heathen of the love of Christ. That prayer was answered, for she afterwards because the wife of John Williams; and it was said of her: "In Christian courage, she was equal to her fearless husband and in patience she surpassed him."

Two pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Williams were placed in the Missionary Society's Museum in London. Mrs. Williams was a little woman with sparkling eyes and a sw^et face. You need not wonder that Mr. Williams chose her as one worthy to help him in his work beyond the seas.

On the 17th of November 1816, just a month after their marriage, Mr. Williams and his young wife embarked in the Harriet for Sydney, Australia.

In 1834 John Williams (age 37) and [his wife] Mary Chawner returned to Britain, where John supervised the printing of his translation of the New Testament into the Rarotongan language. They brought back a native of Samoa named Leota, who came to live as a Christian in London.

A Life of John Williams. [20th November 1839] The natives were very shy. Mr. Williams (age 43) observed a number of native boys playing on the shore and thought this to be a sign of peaceable intentions. But Captain Morgan was suspicious on account of the absence of the native women, saying that he knew when they were bent on mischief they sent the women out of the way. Mr. Williams landed and offered his hand to the natives, but they refused to take it. To win their confidence he divided some cloth among them. Mr. Harris had walked up the shore followed by Mr. Cunningham. Stooping to put some stones into his pocket, Mr. Cunningham was startled by a yell and the sight of Mr. Harris rushing out of the bushes. He shouted to Mr. Williams to run for the boat, and looking round he saw Mr. Harris fall, and a nuniber of natives beating him with clubs.

Mr. Williams ran down the beach with the savages after him, who soon beat him down and thrust him through wnth arrows. Their companions in the ship were helpless, even to attempt to get possession of the bodies.

Returning to the ship the Captain exclaimed: "We have lost Mr. Williams and Mr. Harris. They are dead. The natives have killed them." What sorrow the intelligence of this tragedy carried through the Christian isles of the Pacific it would be difficult to describe. In the Society, the Hervey, and the Samoan islands, each man mourned as if he had lost a father. The pathetic cries of the Samoan chiefs were, "Our father, our father! He has turned his face from us! We shall never see him more. He that brought lis the good word of salvation is gone!"

The melancholy tidings did not reach England until the 6th of April, 1840.

20th November 1839. The Massacre of the Lamented Missionary, The Rev. J. Williams (age 43) and Mr Harris. Rev. Williams in the water, James Harris and other missionaries in a boat in the distance, being attacked by the local people of Erromanga, Vanuatu. Published by G. Baxter, 1841.

On 20th November 1839 John Williams (age 43) and his colleague John Harris were killed by the inhabitants of the Island of Erromango in the Vanuatu archipelago who, reportedly, then ate his remains.

St Werburgh's Church, Hanbury [Map]. Sacred to the memory of Mary, widow of Thomas Chawner, Gent, late of Denstone Hall, Staffordshire [Map], in this ccountry, who died in the Lord, Jan^y 14^th 1842: aged 85 years.

This tablet is erected by her two surviving children, Thomas Chawner, and Mary Williams, relict of that devoted and enterprising missionary [John Williams (age 43)] to the South Sea Islands, who was massacred by the natives of Erromango whilse hazarding this life for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Nov^r 20^th 1839.

Note. Mary Chawner married the missionary John Williams who was killed, and reportedly eaten, by the inhabitants of the Island of Erromango in the Vanuatu archipelago.