ev. John H. Williams, pastor of the First Congregational Church, came to Redlands in the fall of 1893, from Kansas City, Mo., where he had been located for eleven years as pastor of the Clyde Congregational Church. Redlands is his third settlement, his first having been in Marblehead, Mass., from 1873 to 1883. Mr. Williams is a native of Dudley, Worcester county, Mass., and a graduate of Amherst College, class of 1886. He is also a graduate of Andover Theological Seminary, in the class of 1873. During the years from the fall of 1868 to the fall of 1870 he was sub-master of the Salem, Mass., high school, where he had the departments of Latin, Chemistry and Rhetoric. He was married in 1873 to Miss Annie F. Day, daughter of Captain Samuel Day, of Salem. They have four children, three daughters and a son. The oldest daughter graduated this year from the library department of the Chicago University and is now the wife of Edwin Horace Bryan, Jr., of Germantown, Penn. The second daughter is a member of the Senior Class at Stanford University. Two children, a son and daughter, reside at home.

The history of the society of which Mr. Williams is pastor, until the spring of 1885, will be found in the sketches of the Revs. James T. Ford and J. G. Hale. Mr. Hale was succeeded by Rev. D. McCann, who remained one year. The pulpit was afterward supplied by Rev. C. A. Stone, who was pastor for fifteen months. During Mr. Stone's ministry the name of the society was changed to the First Congregational Church of Lugonia. Rev. George Willett succeeded Mr. Stone, his services extending to September, 1892. march 25, 1889, the name of the society was changed again, to the First Congregational Church of Redlands. During Mr. Willett's ministry the society secured a lot on Cajon street and erected the present church, which was dedicated March 9, 1890. For the year preceeding the settlement of Mr. Williams the pulpit was supplied by Rev. H. P. Higby and others.

(Source: Illustrated Redlands, p. 54.)