• Paul Williams was almost certainly the brother of Rufus; family tradition according to “Chotty” [McMorran] is that Paul's children/grandchildren were frequent visitors at Miron Williams’ home in Michigan.3228, p 2

• “Chotty’s” notes indicate no proof of the parentage of Paul, Rufus and Prudence.1565, p 2

• Mr. Hiram J. Spicer, youngest son of Major Miner Spicer, born here in 1816, is still living on a portion of the land purchased by his father for himself, and others in 1810. Mr. Spicer says that the entire party who, with his father settled on these lands in 1811, including Paul Williams, were from Groton, New London Co., Conn. But he does not know anything of the Williams ancestry, or the maiden name of Mrs. Paul Williams.1547

• So also, when, from a few years before 1800 on for more than half a century, the tide was moving westward into Central and Western New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and territories still further on toward the Rockies; there were Allyns and Geers and Morgans and Gallups and Williamses and a good many others from North Groton [became Ledyard in 1836] swept along with it.2863, p 26

• 1816 Tax List, Portage County, Ohio.1538, p 65

• Under the State Constitution of 1802 up to 1825 it was only known as Portage township, at which time Gen. Simon Perkins and Paul Williams platted and laid out a town upon and surrounding the intersection of Main and Exchange Streets in Uppertown, and, it being on the top of the summit, at an average of 400 feet above the Lake, called it Akron.3231

• He [General Perkins] did not, however, own all the land at the exact spot where he felt the town should be located. A section southeast of Main and Exchange was owned by one of the first settlers of Portage Township, Paul Williams, a native of Connecticut.
Williams had come to the Reserve in June, 1811, with Miner Spicer, of Groton, Conn., and the two men had selected sites where they decided they would like to settle. During the following winter, on February 12, 1812, Williams and Spicer bought adjoining tracts in Tract 8, Portage Township, from Joseph Perkins. Williams paid $273 for 109.13 acres, or $2.50 an acre.
After acquiring his land, Williams brought in his family, built a log cabin near the present intersection of Buchtel and Broadway, and began farming.
Agreeing on the town-founding plan, Williams and Perkins quickly came to terms and in the late spring of 1825 the two men employed Joshua Henshaw to lay out a town. Williams owned approximately a third of the town site; General Perkins owned the remainder. Each man retained title to his portion.
For some unknown reason, Williams had nothing named for him to perpetuate his memory. This may have been because he died soon after the town was founded, on May 17, 1828, and his properties were divided among his many heirs.3053, pp 80-2

• Williams, who had come to Portage Township with Miner Spicer in 1811 to select land for homes, purchased his tract, containing 109.13 acres, from Joseph Perkins on February 6, 1812, for $273, or $2.50 an acre. On the same day, Perkins sold Spicer 260 acres adjoining Williams’ tract on the east, for $650.
Williams and Spicer became the first settlers of Portage Township. Williams built his home at what is now the corner of Broadway and Buchtel Avenue while Spicer built near the present corner of Exchange and Spicer.3053, p 555

• Previous to the commencement of work upon the Ohio Canal, in 1825, the territory now covered by the thriving and populous city of Akron was an almost unbroken wilderness, excepting a small portion of the Sixth Ward (the original village of Middlebury) and the partially cultivated farms of Miner and Amos Spicer and Paul Williams, these gentlemen being the first settlers in Portage township.3085, p 32

• When the commissioners decided to run the canal across the portage, General Simon Perkins of Warren (one of the commissioners) formed a partnership with Paul Williams, and bought up 1,000 acres for a trifling sum of money. They laid out the beginnings of Akron in 1825 and reaped a rich harvest. The Irish who came west to dig the canal put up a hundred cabins in the village. In 1827 when the canal was opened about 600 people were living in Akron. It was in the Reserve, but it was in no wise New Connecticut.1648, pp 200-1

• The farm house of Paul Williams, a one story frame building, on the laying out of the new village, was found to stand in about the center of South Broadway, a little south of Middlebury street, and was accordingly moved a few rods to the eastward, where, as the well known Babcock house, it still stands, in a remarkably fair state of preservation.3085, p 38

• Leaving Groton again in June of 1811, with the sturdy conveyance of an ox team and wagon, and this time accompanied by his family, his brother Amos, and Paul Williams, he [Major Minor Spicer] once more reached the spot that was for more than twoscore years to be his home.3165, p 323

• For a time, Minor Spicer, Amos Spicer and Paul Williams, with their families, constituted the entire settled population of the township.3165, p 324

• The first settler in the Akron territory outside Middlebury was Major Miner Spicer, who laid out a 260-acre farm in what was later “Spicertown,” in 1810, and settled there the following year, after a four-month trip from Groton, Conn., by ox team. With him were his wife, his brother Amos and his cousin, Paul Williams. This same cousin, Paul Williams, was to be the first settler in the original town-site of Akron. But this was not until the next decade.3232, pp 14-5

• In the following June, he [Miner Spicer] again started for Ohio, this time with his family. He was accompanied by his cousin, Amos Spicer, and Paul Williams who had purchased a 109-acre tract immediately west of his land. The party, traveling by ox cart, did not arrive in Portage Township until September.3053, p 651

• The year following his wife's death, Major Spicer married her sister, Hannah Allen, widow of Barnabus Williams. Her husband may have been the son of Paul Williams, who also came as early as 1811.3233, p 872

• Paul Williams, one of the founders of the original town of Akron, was a native of Connecticut who came to Portage Township in 1812 with Miner Spicer after having purchased a 109-acre tract from Joseph Perkins, of Groton, Conn., for $2.50 an acre.
Mr. Williams built a log cabin at what later became the corner of Buchtel Avenue and Broadway and engaged in farming.
In 1825, Mr. Williams joined with General Simon Perkins in founding Akron, approximately one-third of the original town site being his land.
Mr. Williams died on May 17, 1828. He was survived by his widow, Sarah; two daughters, Clarissa (Mrs. George Babcock), and Hannah; and a number of grandchildren including Horace Weston, and Oliver S., Eliza and Eunice Williams, children of his deceased son, Barnabas Williams.
On one of the earliest maps of Akron, a short street between Main and the Ohio Canal, south of Exchange, was named Williams Street, but for some reason now unknown the name of this street was later changed to Orleans.3053, p 647

• On 1816 Portage County, Ohio Tax List.1538, p 65

• I looked at our library (I’m in Akron) and surprisingly there wasn’t much about Paul Williams! I would think that there would be more about him since he was one of the first folks here! ...Another book said that he donated half of the land for Spicer Hill Cemetery, so he may be buried there. I’m sorry to say that I’ve never heard of it, but it may have a different name now. Since he donated half the land, he may be buried there.3234

• NEW STREET SIGN IN AKRON HONORS CITY’S CO-FOUNDER – NAME AGAIN REFLECTS PAUL WILLIAMS’ PLACE IN HISTORY
Akron Beacon-Journal (OH) – Tuesday, July 4, 2006 [excerpts]
It took 120 years, but Akron co-founder Paul Williams got his street back, thanks to three Akron police officers and the City Council president.
City officials unveiled the new street sign for Paul Williams Street –– formerly Orleans Avenue –– Monday morning.3235

• 1800 Groton, New London, Connecticut. 20011/20010.3236
• 1810 Groton, New London, Connecticut. 11101/31101.3237
• 1820 Census: Portage, Portage County, Ohio. 8 in household. Family composition: 010101/11201. On same page with Miner Spicer & Barnabas Williams.3053, p 555,3161

• Find will or probate of him. SL film # 378319 & 891376.

• Thank you for this information. We will add it to our biography files. I’m afraid that I haven’t been able to locate any additional information on the parents of Paul Williams. I am finding the same info you have discovered, but not much else. Please keep us in mind when you learn more about one of Akron’s founders.3238

• Parents given as Richard Williams, b 1730, and Eunice Williams, b 1733.1923

• So also, when, from a few years before 1800 on for more than half a century, the tide was moving westward into Central and Western New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and territories still further on toward the Rockies; there were Allyns and Geers and Morgans and Gallups and Williamses and a good many others from North Groton swept along with it.2863, p 26

• The Two Original Akrons
The square town at the bottom of this map was founded in 1825 by General Simon Perkins and Paul Williams.3053, p 97

• Portage Township, named for the ancient Indian portage between the Cuyahoga and the Tuscarawas rivers, was the birthplace of Akron. Within its boundaries both of the original Akrons were located, the one platted in 1825 by General Simon Perkins and Paul Williams and the one platted in 1833 by Dr. Eliakim Crosby and General Perkins.
Portage Township was set aside in 1798 by the trustees of the Connecticut Land Company, owner of the Western Reserve, as an “equalizing township.”3053, p 554