Grand County High School - Mograndah Yearbook (Moab, UT)

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peopte ot Moab, the organizations ot Grand County, even governmental agencies, ot the scenic values and the need for their preservation. It Was these ettorts ot Dr. Williams, through the Moab Lions Ctuh, the Times independent, county and city officials, that the Arches National Monu- ment came into existence as it is today. Time and the elements cut the crevices, rounded the corners, and mettowed the texture ot the Arches. So time and the elements changed the countenance ot Dr. Williams. The changes ot nature,s forces upon the sandstones only made them more impressive, more aesthetic. A cen- turyts living, White taking away the earmartcs ot youth, only added toenevotence and character to the tace ot Dr. Williams which comes not only from time, hut also from knowing that lite has heen Welt tived. August 3, 1853, was the hirth date ot Dr. Vvittiams. He was horn in a smatt tog cahin with a dirt ttoor in Pike County, Missouri. His father was a farmer. Une ot Dr. Williams' earliest memories is ot helping his mother feed the chickens. The childhood education ot Moah's future citizen was obtained the hard Way tamitiar to many early pioneers ot the West. Dr. Williams continued his puhtic education until he was 18 years of age. During the summers he Worked as a tarmhand to earn enough money to provide his schoot needs. it was during one of these summers that he became overheated White working in a corn tietd. For the next three years he could do no Wort: during the hot summer time. it was in search tor a climate agreeatote for his health which hrought him to the west and event- uatty to Utah. tcontinuect on page 345 6

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Superinlendenfs Q X Message s - 1 HTime marches onu and the puhiica- ' tion of each Mograndah hrings unique .N innovations. i can think of no feature of the Mograndah at any time more worth- while than the dedication of the 1953 . Mograndah to Dr. J. VV. Williams, Moah,s Grand Old Man. The dedica- Q tion comes on the eve of Dr. Williams ' Centennial. He will he 100 years of age KE on August 4, 1953. Few men reach that age, and certainly few men live as rich MRS. KNIGHT and full life as has he. I was hut a few months old when Dr. Williams arrived in Moah to tai-ce up the practice of medicine, and he told me a few years ago that I was his first child patient after his arrival here. I have always considered that an honor. From that time on he played an important role in the iives of all children through trying times of scarlet fever, whooping cough, mumps and other ailments common to growing up. Few of the resi- dents of early days will forget his home calls made on foot if distance permitted, hut in a huggy if the cali happened to he to Castle Valley or more distant paris. HOne man in his time plays many partsf, Such has heen the lite of Dr. Wil- liams. He owned and managed the Williams Drug Store for many years. He had an agency for the Studehaicer wagons and huggies in the early days. He has aiways heen a great lover of the out-of-doors and it was iargeiy through his untiring efforts aiong with others of the community that the Arches National Monument was made a monument. His hohhy of collecting Indian relics, Navajo rugs, native stone, petrified wood, etc., attracted many hundreds of tourists to his museum. He was a successful poultry grower for a numher of years. He also managed a smaii grocery store in his museum huiiding. At the present time he owns and operates the Williams Trailer Vil- lage, Moah's most up-to-date trailer park. And so we see Dr. Williams, life has heen a husy one. He is stiii active and vitally interested' in his community. His day starts early and one caiiing at the post- office generally meets Dr. Williams around 8 a. m. calling for his mail. He is rarely idle. He has set a pattern few people could foiiow as well, and one which it would profit anyone to emulate. 8