John Williams, son of Colonel Joseph and Rebecca (Lanier) Williams, the former a soldier in the revolutionary war, grandson of Nathaniel Williams and of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hicks) Lanier, and a great-grandson of John Williams, the immigrant, was born in Surry county, North Carolina, January 29, 1778, died in Knoxville, Tennessee, August 10, 1837. Three of his brothers were active and prominent in public affairs, Lewis serving as representative in congress, and Robert and Thomas L. were distinguished jurists. Upon the completion of his literary studies, John Williams pursued a course of study in law in Salisbury, North Carolina, was admitted to the bar in 1803, and began practice near Knoxville, Tennessee. He served as captain in the Sixth United States Infantry from April, 1799, to June, 1800, and served as captain in the regular army in the war of 1812, also as colonel of a regiment of East Tennessee Mounted Volunteers, which he had raised and which he successfully led into Florida against the Seminoles; he was commissioned colonel of the Thirty-ninth United States Infantry, June 18, 1813, and subsequently served under General Jackson against the Creek Indians in Alabama, participating in the battle of Horse-Shoe Bend, March 27, 1813. He completed the unexpired term of United States Senator George W. Campbell, resigned, served from December 4, 1815, to March 3, 1823, officiating as chairman of the committee on military affairs. He was defeated for re-election in 1823 by Andrew Jackson. He was charge d'affaires to the Central American Federation by appointment from President John Quincy Adams from December 29, 1825, to December 1, 1826; subsequently a state senator, and declined a justiceship in the supreme court of Tennessee. He married Melinda, daughter of James and Mary (Lawson) White.