WILLIAMS, James William, Canadian Anglican bishop, born in Overton, Hampshire, England, 15 September, 1825. His father, Reverend David Williams, was for many years rector of Banghurst, Hampshire. The son's preliminary education was received under his father. For a time he attended the grammar-school at Crewkerne, Somersetshire, whence he went to Pembroke college, Oxford. In 1851 he was graduated, taking high honors in classics. The bishop of Oxford admitted him to deacon's orders, and in 1856 the bishop of Bath and Wells ordained him priest. He held curacies in Buckinghamshire and Somersetshire, and for two years occupied the post of assistant master in Leamington college. In 1857 he accepted an invitation to organize a school in connection with Bishop's college, Lennoxville, province of Quebec. He went to Canada, became rector of the school, and shortly afterward succeeded to the chair of classics and belles-lettres in the college, which post he continued to hold until his elevation to the episcopate. Under his direction both school and college took a high place. In 1863 Bishop Mountain, of Quebec, died, and the synod promptly selected Mr. Williams to succeed him in the see. At that time the jurisdiction of the bishop was very extensive. In 1793 it had extended over the whole of Upper and Lower Canada. From time to time its limits have been curtailed, and it is now confined to that part of the province of Quebec which extends from Three Rivers to the Straits of Bellisle and New Brunswick, on the shores of the St. Lawrence and east of a line drawn from Three Rivers to Lake Memphremagog. The new bishop of the diocese was consecrated at Quebec on 11 June, 1863. Bishop Williams is a close student of literature. As a pulpit orator he occupies a high place. The charges that he delivered to the clergy of the diocese of Quebec at the visitation held in Bishop's college, Lennoxville, in 1864, and in June, 1888, in Quebec city, at the close of his twenty-fifth year as bishop, attracted attention. His lecture on "Self-Education" (Quebec, 1865) and several papers before the Literary and historical society of that city have also been much admired. Dr. Williams, during the twenty-five years of his episcopacy, confirmed 11,176 persons, ordained 47 deacons and 43 priests, and consecrated 37 churches.