Ella E. Williams (b. Brigham) (1849-1930) was born in New Marlboro, Massachusetts, and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated from South Berkshire Seminary in New Marlboro, and in 1878 married Louis M. Williams, a druggist and merchant, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. By 1880 they were living in Putnam, Connecticut. Around that time, Williams became what she termed a chronic invalid. In about 1885 her husband sold his business and they moved to Winfield, Kansas, where he bought land and started a bank.They planned to live there during the winter months for the following five years, returning East for the summers. The first summer they were back East, Williams's brother-in-law, a Congregational minister, told her about Christian Science. Soon thereafter she sought Christian Science treatment from one of Mary Baker Eddy's students and began reading Eddy's Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
By the time she returned to Kansas that winter, her health had been restored, and she began giving her family members Christian Science treatment. She took Eddy's Primary class at the Massachusetts Metaphysical College in November 1887 and began publicly practicing Christian Science upon her return to Kansas. The Williamses moved to Chelsea, Massachusetts, in 1889. Williams joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts (also known as The Mother Church), on October 5, 1892, and was elected a First Member of the church on March 30, 1901. Three of her children, Elizabeth L. Hamilton (b. Williams), Robert L. Williams, and Henry T. Williams, joined the Mother Church on April 4, 1896, and her daughter U. Louise Ring (b. Williams) joined on June 3, 1899.
Williams was listed as a practitioner in The Christian Science Journal from 1893 until 1930. In the early 1890s she began organizing Christian Science meetings in Chelsea, which grew steadily until she helped found First Church of Christ, Scientist, Chelsea, Massachusetts. She served a term as First Reader there, and in 1902 she was called to serve a term as Second Reader of The Mother Church. She also served as a Sunday school teacher in The Mother Church for periods of time over many years. She was appointed to the Committee on Business in 1909. By 1906 Williams was living in Boston, and she moved to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, around 1923. She passed away while visiting her daughter Louise in Philadelphia.
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Ella E. Williams (b. Brigham) (1849-1930) was born in New Marlboro, Massachusetts, and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated from South Berkshire Seminary in New Marlboro, and in 1878 married Louis M. Williams, a druggist and merchant, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. By 1880 they were living in Putnam, Connecticut. Around that time, Williams became what she termed a chronic invalid. In about 1885 her husband sold his business and they moved to Winfield, Kansas, where he bought land and started a bank.They planned to live there during the winter months for the following five years, returning East for the summers. The first summer they were back East, Williams's brother-in-law, a Congregational minister, told her about Christian Science. Soon thereafter she sought Christian Science treatment from one of Mary Baker Eddy's students and began reading Eddy's Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
By the time she returned to Kansas that winter, her health had been restored, and she began giving her family members Christian Science treatment. She took Eddy's Primary class at the Massachusetts Metaphysical College in November 1887 and began publicly practicing Christian Science upon her return to Kansas. The Williamses moved to Chelsea, Massachusetts, in 1889. Williams joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts (also known as The Mother Church), on October 5, 1892, and was elected a First Member of the church on March 30, 1901. Three of her children, Elizabeth L. Hamilton (b. Williams), Robert L. Williams, and Henry T. Williams, joined the Mother Church on April 4, 1896, and her daughter U. Louise Ring (b. Williams) joined on June 3, 1899.
Williams was listed as a practitioner in The Christian Science Journal from 1893 until 1930. In the early 1890s she began organizing Christian Science meetings in Chelsea, which grew steadily until she helped found First Church of Christ, Scientist, Chelsea, Massachusetts. She served a term as First Reader there, and in 1902 she was called to serve a term as Second Reader of The Mother Church. She also served as a Sunday school teacher in The Mother Church for periods of time over many years. She was appointed to the Committee on Business in 1909. By 1906 Williams was living in Boston, and she moved to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, around 1923. She passed away while visiting her daughter Louise in Philadelphia.
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