Back to Index

Williams, James Shelby (Sheb) USM

February 29, 1920—Paris News-- Col. J. Shelby Williams, son of Lemuel H. Williams, was born April 22, 1851 was born in Clinton County, Kentucky. Sheb, as he was familiarly called, was named for his uncle.  He came to Texas at age 6 in 1857.  He was educated at the public schools of Paris and at age 19 received practical training in sales as a traveling salesman for Schwab Clothing Company.  In 1873, he married Alice Pierson. In 1882, his skills were transferred to the Williams and Wortham Co., a concern his father established. 

At the same time he was involved in merchandizing, Sheb was also quietly amassing large tracts of land and becoming widely known in farming circles.

As his wealth grew, so did his political influence. In 1892, Sheb solicited and received appointed from President Grover Cleveland as United States Marshal for the Eastern District Court of Texas.  This district had, in 1889, in addition to policing a area running from the Gulf of Mexico to the Red River, received responsibility for all aspects of investigation and prosecution of felonies in the lower half of the Choctaw Nation and all of the Chickasaw Nation of Indian Territory.  Both regions were filled with criminals of various stripes and murder was a common event.  As a consequence, during his years as Marshal, 815 men were imprisoned, 48 violent law breakers met death at the hands of his deputies and an even dozen were hanged. Therefore, at the end of Cleveland’s administration, Williams was re-appointed by President McKinley. 

At the close of his career as a lawman, Sheb became interested in the Klondyke gold rush and moved his family to Alaska.  There, he busied himself in a steamship company and putting in the first steam dredge of mining gold.

Williams then returned to Texas where he threw his energies into making his thousands of acres profitable.  Through the development of specialized cotton seeds, and wise use of commercial fertilizer, Williams increase the production on his farms threefold.  These yields attracted attention not only in Texas but nationally and internationally.  By 1913, his influence in the field was so great he was chair of the commission visiting Egypt, Belgium, and other countries to study cotton farming.

            Sheb died at his home in Paris on February 28, 1920 following a heart attack. 

Submitted by Michael Tower