Alice Watkins & William James Williams

Introducing our Great Grandparents

Alice Watkins and William James Williams our maternal great grandparents. They are the Parents of our grandmother Bernadine Irene Williams (Buss).

Great Grandpa William James Williams was born on the family's old homestead located in Paris Township in Kenosha County, Wisconsin.

His father's parents, Lewis Williams and his wife Sarah Jones had 6-8 children that they brought with them from Wales in 1840. They arrived in America and went to the edge of the frontier to a place called Paris Township which is now known as Kenosha, Wisconsin. Their grandson our great grandfather, William James Williams recollects, as a child, seeing Indians living in teepee's in the group of trees along the north edge of their family's farm. The land was sold to them by the Federal Government for 25 cents an acre in the very early days. Family legend has it that Lewis Williams walked all the way to Milwaukee Wisconsin (about 30-35 miles) to purchase the land.

After Lewis Williams died the family farm went to the boys in the family and William Williams (father of William James Williams) bought his brother's share of the farm since they both lived in other parts of the country.

This is the same farm that William James Williams was born on and later inherited.

Our dad Gene Williams Buss remembers visiting his grandparents and that farm when he was a child.

Our Father's Maternal Line of Descendants:

• 3rd Great Grandparents: Lewis Williams & Sarah Jones
• 2nd Great Grandparents: William Williams & Mary Ann Bywater
• Great Grandparents: William James Williams & Alice Watkins
• Grandparents: Bernadine Irene Williams & James Edward Buss
• Parents: Gene Williams Buss & Dorothy Mary Repia McKenzie
• Us: Tim, Kim, Leah, Robbie
• Our Children
• Our Grandchildren

Here are a few more pictures that I have in my computer. They were scanned in by one of Norma's (dad's sister) kids. I'm sorry they aren't really clear but I did make some adjustments to the contrast in photoshop and think they look pretty good compared to the original.

Left: Helen Cornelia Dodge Buss (paternal line)

Right: Alice Watkins Williams (maternal line)

Dad thinks they're holding his sister Marilyn.

Alice Watkins

Left to Right: William James Williams, Daughters- Della, Marie, & Bernadine (our grandmother on our paternal side). In the wheelchair: Alice Watkins Williams

Siblings

This is a picture of the four of us (Tim, Kim, Leah, & Robbie) in the backyard of our home in Racine Wisconsin. We lived at 1427 West Blvd. and when I did a google search on google maps I could pull up a picture of our home. It still looks the same.

I still have wonderful memories of the neighborhood, friends, school, and our home there in Racine. If you look closely you can see the side door to our church. We could literally walk a few steps and be at church. No driving required. I remember that the church was bought by the "Oddfellows Church" and the church has since been torn down and a new home fills its spot.

late 1967

late 1967

Mom holding Kim with Tim standing close by.

1961

Leah and Kimberly

1965

This is one of my favorite pictures of us.

I remember that couch. lol.

(late 1966 or early 1967)

Here we are together with Dad.

Picture was taken in March of 2004.

I can't believe it's been over 6 years since then.

Crazy how time has flown by.

Hohepa Heperi

I found this newspaper clipping in a journal that belong to our Mother, Dorothy. It's about her mother's father, Hohepa Heperi. I re-typed the information from the article so you could read it more easily.

A pioneer era of the Church in New Zealand was regretfully closed with the death of Hohepa Heperi, 94, last of the first seven High Priests to be ordained in New Zealand.

A bulletin carried in the Church News telling of his death, March 2, is followed by this outline of his outstanding accomplishments in Church Work. (I tried to pull up LDS Church News Archives but they only go back to 1988 and the death year is about 1956)

Elder Heperi's parents were of Irish, English, and Maori descent. His Father's name was Heperi Phillip but, loyal to his Maori blood, he dropped the surname Phillip and was known as Hohepa Heperi.

Two of his Maori Ancestors, Tamati Wake Tene, and Eru Patuone Tene , brothers, were associated with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

When only 17 years of age, Elder Heperi married Raupia Hohaia Patuone in 1887. They were both converted and baptized two years later (1889).

From then on, they made it a point to see that their 11 children, one an adopted daughter (Isabella Heperi), were active. This spirit continued to the third generation- a total of 220 descendants. (additional family descendants can be seen below)

Elder Heperi, a giant of a man standing six feet three inches and weighing "17 stones" or 266 pounds, took his wife to the Hawaiian Temple in 1920. She died the following year (1921) and in 1922 he married his second wife, Ellen Ngakura.

Despite his lack of formal education, he had an excellent command of the English language and a complete knowledge of the Gospel through avid reading. His grandmother chose him, when a child, to learn all about the traditions and beliefs of the Maori people. She taught him about the maori genealogy and the great migration. He could recite for hours the genealogy of his forefathers, tracing them back to Jerusalem. He was a scholar to the Maori migration from Hawaii to New Zealand. Much of his later years was spent lecturing on this subject.

When Elder Heperi was married, he spent 22 years in the bush, felling trees and logging them for the government. He then purchased a 500-acre farm in North Auckland where he lived most of his life. The farm was a home for members and missionaries for 50 years.

His Church service includes 25 years as branch president of the Bay of Islands Branch, 20 years as president of the Bay of Islands District with its 16 branches, and five years as a special missionary proselyting among the Maori people all over North Island.

During his travels as a missionary, he would leave his farm in charge of his children and travel for months about North Island. He was 83 years old at the end of this mission.

His life was devoted to encouraging his people to raise their living standards, abolish Maori customs and traditions which were barriers to their progress and not in accordance with the principles of the Church.

Our Descendants that can be added to the list of 220+ descendants from Hohepa Heperi Family Line...

Our Great Grand Parents on Our Mother's Maternal Side:

• Hohepa Heperi + Raupia Patuone

Our Grand Parents on Our Mother's Maternal Side:

• Murdoch McKenzie + Isabella (Nehua-Bryers/McLean/Heperi) McKenzie

Our Parents:

• Gene Williams Buss + Dorothy Mary Repia (McKenzie) Buss

(Us) The Children:

• Timothy Buss + Janice (Prestwich) Buss
• Kimberly (Buss) Walus + Mark Walus
• Leah (Buss) Simmons + Edward Simmons
• Robbie Buss + Edith (Acord) Buss

Our Children (Oldest to Youngest):

• Natalie (Walus) Whipple + Nicholas Whipple
• Mark C. Walus + Liahona (Hamblin) Walus
• Kiri (Simmons) Noe + Texus Noe
• Ashleigh (Simmons) Pollard + Brandon Pollard
• Ariel (Walus) Schwencke + Steppenwolf (aka Chip) Schwencke
• Shelby Simmons
• Jason Buss
• Andrew Simmons
• Courtney Buss
• Gracie Simmons
• Joshua Buss
• McKenna Walus
• Emma Simmons
• Adam Buss
• William Simmons
• Christian Buss

Our Children's Children (Oldest to Youngest):

• Benjamin Whipple
• Kora Whipple
• Gilbert Whipple
• Christian Walus
• Mila Walus
• Arthur Whipple
• Simon Whipple

Spouses and Posterity Updated November 15, 2020

Welcome to Our Family Blog

Hi Everyone.

I've had a nagging voice in my head telling me that I really need to organize, gather information, upload pictures and document what Dad knows while he's still in good health. He has lots of information in his head and lots of documents and pictures. I've arranged to meet with Dad at least twice a month to go through pictures and write down the names, information, and dates associated with the pictures and documents that he and I have.

As I've been thinking about these things and praying about it I thought that making a family blog would be a great interactive way of sharing the pictures and information with everyone. I'd like everyone's participation and input wherever you see the need or have the desire to do so.

I'd like to add contributor's to the family blog so, if you're interested please let me know. This will give you the ability to add pictures and posts whenever you feel so inspired. I'd like to be able to someday put together a book with all of the information gathered here.