Albert Rhys Williams
Encyclopedia
Albert Rhys Williams American journalist, labor organizer and publicist. Wrote memoirs about the October Revolution
of 1917 in Russia which he has been both witness and participant.
in a family of David Thomas Williams, a Congregationalist minister, and Esther Rees (Rhys). Both of his parents were immigrants from Wales
in Britain. All brothers of Albert (he was the second of four) followed their father's way and became ministers. Of them, David Rhys Williams (one of two youngest) had a long and distinguished career in the Unitarian ministry.
At the end of 1880s the family settled in the New York State resort community. In 1897 Albert graduated from high school in Hancock, New York
. After that he worked for some time in a lumber yard in Apex, New York, then he moved to Ohio
where he worked at a clothing store. In 1900 he went to a college in Marietta, Ohio
, where he studied until 1904. At Marietta College Albert made his first steps in journalism, being an editor of the college newspaper. Also he helped to organize a union for retail clerks in Marietta.
In 1904-07 Albert studied at the Hartford Theological Seminary, having graduated it with a license to preach. There he also edited a labor column for the Hartford Evening Post. With a preachers license in the summer of 1907 Williams worked at the Settlement House of the Spring Street Presbyterian Church in New York City. In New York Albert met Norman Thomas
(later the Socialist Party presidential candidate) who was then a Presbyterian seminarian. In these years they both organized men's club debates.
In 1907-08 Albert was studying on a fellowship at Cambridge University and the University of Marburg. There he met members of the British Labour Party and other socialists. On his return back to the USA Williams he worked for the 1908 presidential campaign of Socialist Eugene Debs. After that Williams returned to his main profession as a minister of the Maverick Congregational Church in east Boston (1908–14). However he did not abandon the labor and social issues at all; in 1912 Williams raised money and spoke up for the workers during the 1912 textile strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts. There, ln Lawrence Williams first met John Reed, whose acquaintance played a definite role in his upcoming interest in Russia and then his trip to this far overseas country.
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
of 1917 in Russia which he has been both witness and participant.
Biography
Albert Rhys Williams was born in Greenwich, OhioGreenwich, Ohio
Greenwich is a village in Huron County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,525 at the 2000 census. It is served by a branch of the Willard Memorial Library.-Geography:Greenwich is located at ....
in a family of David Thomas Williams, a Congregationalist minister, and Esther Rees (Rhys). Both of his parents were immigrants from Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in Britain. All brothers of Albert (he was the second of four) followed their father's way and became ministers. Of them, David Rhys Williams (one of two youngest) had a long and distinguished career in the Unitarian ministry.
At the end of 1880s the family settled in the New York State resort community. In 1897 Albert graduated from high school in Hancock, New York
Hancock, New York
Hancock, New York may refer to one of the following locations in New York State:*Hancock , New York*Hancock , New York...
. After that he worked for some time in a lumber yard in Apex, New York, then he moved to Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
where he worked at a clothing store. In 1900 he went to a college in Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, where he studied until 1904. At Marietta College Albert made his first steps in journalism, being an editor of the college newspaper. Also he helped to organize a union for retail clerks in Marietta.
In 1904-07 Albert studied at the Hartford Theological Seminary, having graduated it with a license to preach. There he also edited a labor column for the Hartford Evening Post. With a preachers license in the summer of 1907 Williams worked at the Settlement House of the Spring Street Presbyterian Church in New York City. In New York Albert met Norman Thomas
Norman Thomas
Norman Mattoon Thomas was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.-Early years:...
(later the Socialist Party presidential candidate) who was then a Presbyterian seminarian. In these years they both organized men's club debates.
In 1907-08 Albert was studying on a fellowship at Cambridge University and the University of Marburg. There he met members of the British Labour Party and other socialists. On his return back to the USA Williams he worked for the 1908 presidential campaign of Socialist Eugene Debs. After that Williams returned to his main profession as a minister of the Maverick Congregational Church in east Boston (1908–14). However he did not abandon the labor and social issues at all; in 1912 Williams raised money and spoke up for the workers during the 1912 textile strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts. There, ln Lawrence Williams first met John Reed, whose acquaintance played a definite role in his upcoming interest in Russia and then his trip to this far overseas country.
Sources
- Albert Rhys Williams. Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography
- The Modern Encyclopedia of Russian and Soviet History (1986)
- Journey into Revolution (1969). — Lucita Squier Williams, Editor's Note
- Albert Rhys Williams. Public Library (in Russian)
- Albert Rhys Williams. Geo-ethnographical vocabulary (in Russian)
- An Interview with Albert Rhys Williams. November, 1961 (in Russian)