Art & Minnie (Hiney) Williams
Art & Minnie Williams

Grandparents in HeartMy grandparents, Art Williams and Minnie Hiney, were married June 17, 1914 in Perry, Iowa. Shortly after the birth of their daughter and my mother, Dorothy in 1915, they moved to Colorado and homesteaded on the Great Divide for a year. They then sold the land and moved to Craig in the rugged northwest county of Moffat where my grandfather ran his barber shop.

Art was born February 13, 1889 in Dexter, Dallas Co., Iowa, and died August 23, 1955 in Denver, Colorado. He was the son of Charles Williams, a barber from Indiana and his wife, Lydia Bell. I don't remember my grandfather very well, as he died when I was young, but I'm told that as a toddler, I used to go into his barbershop every day to have my hair cut and entertained his customers by singing popular songs of the days such as "Marsey Doats" and "Que Sera, Sera". I do, however, remember Grandpa's wonderful rock collection and being taken to Craig's "Ride 'n Tie" Days to see my first rodeo. I also remember the scary reddish boxelder bugs scrounging around his tool shed which, at the time, I thought were the creatures Grandpa meant when he'd tuck me in at night and say, "Don't let the bedbugs bite."

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Craig Empire Courier, November 7, 1923

A.K. Williams this week closed a deal whereby he becomes sole owner of the Victory Way barber shop under his management, having purchased Ralph Yoder's half interest.

Craig Empire Courier December 9, 1931
"Meet A.K. Williams"

A.K. "Art" Williams has been a resident of Moffat county since 1917 when he came here from Iowa to file on a homestead west of Great Divide. He secured the land and his family held down the place while Art commuted between the homestead and Craig where he had secured a job in a barber shop owned by George Welch. He proved up on his land in 1920, opened his own shop in Craig the same year and has been there until the present time.Homestead

My Mother's First Home
The Great Divide Homestead

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Craig Empire Courier - "Chess Club Meetings Begin"

The Craig Chess club has enjoyed two meetings thus far, first at the home of Arthur Williams and second at the home of Willard Hawkins last Thursday night. Attending so far have been Williams, Hawkins, James Mosley, Victor Brown, Murl Williams, Walt Utzinger and Harlan Ross. Others have signified their intention of attending. The chess enthusiasts will meet every two weeks. The next meeting will be held at the home of James Mosley on March 9.

Craig Empire Courier - "Fifteen Years Ago"

A checker contest was held at the Colburn building Friday evening and the losers agreed to crawl on their hands and knees from the First National bank corner to the Williams barber shop. Art Williams was winner of the contest and losers Oscar Burks and E.C. Johnson** paid the penalty by doing the crawling.

**E.C. Johnson who lost was Ed Johnson who was eventually the Gov. and Senator of the State of Colorado.

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Obituary of Art Williams - Craig Empire Courier, August 24, 1955

A. K. Williams, known to almost everyone in the Moffat county as "Art", died in St. Joseph's Hospital in Denver Tuesday morning. He had been in failing health for the past year and some months ago submitted to a serious operation from which he failed to fully recover. When his condition became much worse last week, he was removed to St. Joseph's Hospital where death came at 7:15 Tuesday morning. Funeral services will be held from the Workman's Mortuary in Perry, Iowa, his former home, Friday morning. Mrs. Williams has requested that in place of sending flowers friends, instead, make a contribution to the Crippled Children's Home in Salt Lake City and Harry Darnell of Craig has been selected to have charge of receiving contributions for this fund. His wife and daughter, Dorothy Chloe Behling, who have been with him in Denver during his illness will leave Denver this evening for Perry, Iowa. They are expected back in Craig next week. Arthur K. Williams was born at Dexter, Iowa, Feb. 13, 1889. He was graduated from the Perry, Iowa high school and later attended business college in Des Moines, IA. His marriage to Minnie L. Hiney took place at Perry on June 17, 1914. They had one child, Dorothy Chloe. He entered the barber business as an associate of his father in Perry in 1910 and continued in this business until 1915 when his health failed and he came to Colorado Springs for treatment. By 1917 he had recovered his health and came to Moffat county to take up a homestead in the Great Divide community then being rapidly settled. He opened a barber shop here in 1920 and continued with this business until February of 1954 when he sold out and retired. Although he had a number of hobbies he was not content in retirement and during the past summer resumed work in the barber shop for a part of the time. He served the Town of Craig as a member of the Board of Trustees at one time. He was a member of the Masonic Order. He is survived by his wife and daughter and two grandchildren.

Grandpa's Barbershop

Grandpa's Barber Shop - Craig, Colorado - Circa 1927

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I'd be happy to exchange family information.
Please send e-mail to Sam Behling.

Read more about my grandparents including one my grandmother's diaries describing their trip to California to see the Golden Gate International Expositon in the winter of 1939-40 on Page Two.

See lineage of Williams Family

See lineage of Hiney Family

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