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Williams, Alpheus Starkey

soldier, journalist, lawyer, jurist, congressman, was born Sept. 10, 1810, in Saybrook, Conn. From 1840 to 1844 he was judge of probate for Wayne county, Mich.; was recorder of the city of Detroit; and from 1843 to 1847 was editor and owner of the Detroit Daily Advertiser. He served through the Mexican war as lieutenant-colonel; and in 1849 was appointed postmaster of Detroit. When the civil war began he was made major-general of militia, and was president of the state military board. He was subsequently appointed a brigadier-general in the national army, and performed much service on the upper Potomac. From 1866 to 1869 he was minister resident to San Salvador.

In 1874 he was elected a representative from Michigan to the forty-fourth congress; and was re-elected to the forty-fifth congress. He died Dec. 21, 1878, in Washington, D. C.