Like many pioneer towns in the mid-1800s, Grafton Township and its surroundings saw significant increases in population from specific nationalities, specifically the English, German, and Irish. Each mainly settled in the same area. For instance, many families from Wales settled west of the future village of Huntley. And of those families, the Williams family occupied much of that land. The first of the Williams family to arrive in America was James Williams. James originally stayed in New York, where he worked for a period to gain enough money to move west. Around 1847, he did just that, traveling by horse and wagon to a largely unsettled area in McHenry County, Illinois. In just a few short years, that land near where he settled would become Huntley Grove. After his arrival, more members and relatives of the Williams family traveled to Huntley to settle, along with many other settlers from Whales. Much of the Williams family settled along what is today Harmony Road, and their names can be seen dominating the plots along this country road.
James Williams was also had the title of "Deacon." He was very active with the First Congregational Church and, along with town founder Thomas S. Huntley, was one of the original members and founders of the church in 1852. He continued to be active with the church until his death in 1898.
One of his sons had some significant contributions to the town's history. Dave Williams was a business man in town, owning one of the early mills in Huntley. Another detail about Dave was that he was elected the mayor of Huntley in 1894.
By 2013, much of the family is dispersed, the original farm owned by James Williams is gone, and the name is all but a distant memory. But the Village of Huntley can thank this one pioneer family for their contributions in creating the town we know today.
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| Deacon James Williams |
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| Former mill owner and mayor, Dave Williams |
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