Mystery Hero in Wagner Photo Collection

The Mysterious John W Williams

I devote this entire post to just one photo which brings more questions than answers.

In John's photos, where I have based a lot of my research, the resides a photo of a Civil War Veteran.

Here is the photo:

I had assumed all along that it was an old Keller relative; many of them fought in the Civil War. And in my imagination, the shape of face looked a bit like Sarah Keller.

So last month, cousin Nancy sent me notes that she had copied from her mother Mildred's recollections. Each of John's photos from the CD is listed by number, with Mildred's recollections of who is who. A very helpful piece of paper!

And on that paper, Mildred identifies this gentleman as John W Williams, who received the Congressional Medal of of Honor in 1843. The photo was taken when he was 72 years old, and is dated November, 15, 1915 (according to Millie).

So a few things about that:

• The Civil War did not begin until 1861. Something does not wash.
• If this gentleman is 72 in the photo, he was born in 1843. That makes sense for a Civil War vet.
• I cannot find any family members at all named Williams. 
• There are, however, plenty of John Williams from the Civil War, and even more than one who were awarded the Medal of Honor. Notes of each of them follow:

1. John W Williams

Birth:	1820
Death:	Nov. 21, 1893
Husband of Clara A. Williams. Father of Susanna Williams Carney, and father-in-law of William Harvey Carney, Civil War Hero, and first African-American recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Family links:  Spouse:   Clara A. Williams (1825 - 1876)  Children:   Susanna Williams Carney (1846 - 1916)* *Calculated relationship
Burial: Oak Grove Cemetery New Bedford Bristol County Massachusetts, USA Plot: Section LL, Lot 78

2. John Williams (born 1832, date of death unknown) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Joint Expedition Against Franklin.

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Born in 1832 in Blair County, Pennsylvania, Williams was still living in that county when he joined the Navy. By October 3, 1862, he was serving as a seaman on theUSS Commodore Perry. On that day, as the ship steamed down the Blackwater River during the Joint Expedition Against Franklin, Virginia, Williams remained at his post despite heavy fire. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor six months later, on April 3, 1863.^[1][2]

Williams' official Medal of Honor citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Commodore Perry in the attack upon Franklin, Va., 3 October 1862. With enemy fire raking the deck of his ship and blockades thwarting her progress, Williams remained at his post and performed his duties with skill and courage as theCommodore Perry fought a gallant battle to silence many rebel batteries as she steamed down the Blackwater River.^[2

3. 

WILLIAMS, JOHN

• Rank and organization: Boatswain's Mate, U.S. Navy
• Entered service at: New York, N.Y.
• G.O. No: 17, 10 July 1863

Citation: Captain of an 11-inch gun aboard the U.S.S. Mohican during action of the main squadron of ships against the heavily defended Forts Beauregard and Walker on Hilton Head, and against ships of the Confederate Fleet, 7 November 1861. Cool and courageous at his battle station, Williams maintained steady fire against the enemy while under the fort batteries during a 4-hour engagement which resulted in silencing the batteries of the forts and in the rout of the rebel steamers. 

4. 

WILLIAMS, JOHN

• Rank and organization: Captain of the Maintop, U.S. Navy
• Accredited to: Louisiana
• G.O. No.: 11, 3 April 1863

Citation: Serving as captain of the maintop of the U.S.S. Pawnee in the attack upon Mathias Point, 26 June 1861, Williams told his men, while lying off in the boat, that every man must die on his thwart sooner than leave a man behind. Although wounded by a musket ball in the thigh he retained the charge of his boat; and when the staff was shot away, held the stump in his hand, with the flag, until alongside the Freeborn.

So there we have it. More mysteries. How this man's photo found itself in with Wagners (virtually all other photos in that collection are identified relatives), we will never know. Unless someone reading this knows something.