Captain David R. Williams of Covington invented the Williams machine gun, used with some success by the Confederacy during the Civil War. In 1872 Williams received a pair of patents for woodworking machinery. He built woodworking machinery as D. R. Williams of Paris, KY, as recently as 1872, then relocated to Covington by 1873. In Covington he used the name Williams Machine Co.
To date we have not had any reports of surviving machines from either incarnation of this maker. If you have such a machine, or know of one, please contact us!
Information Sources
- Brief mention in an 1873 issue of "Manufacturer & Builder".
- Personal communication from a descendant of Williams' first cousin.