Recently, Carol Van Deest of the Johnstown Historical Society, located in Ohio northeast of Columbus, reached out concerning Isaac Williams, the son-in-law of Rancho Santa Ana de Chino grantee Antonio María Lugo and owner of the ranch for nearly fifteen years until his death in September 1856.
For about as long, however, Williams, who was born in 1799 in northeastern Pennsylvania not far from Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, lived in Johnstown and these years included much of his formative ages of 10-26. Carol's detailed research has provided a great deal of information about his life in Ohio prior to his heading west through Missouri to New Mexico and then to Los Angeles, where he arrived in spring 1832.
After close to a decade as a merchant in the Mexican pueblo, Williams married María de Jesús, daughter of Lugo, and, just after his father-in-law received the grant to the Chino rancho, he and his wife relocated there. While much of this history is recounted in this blog and elsewhere, Carol has provided some very valuable history regarding Williams' life before coming to California.
Check out the webpage and enjoy!
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