Charles A. Williams

Pitt football star, dentist, and mayor of his community, Poke Williams was indeed one of the "Great Men" of the Battalion.

Charles Andrew “Poke” Williams was born May 24, 1895 in Wellsburg, WV to Samuel and Mary Allen West Williams. At the time of the national draft, June 1917, this former Wellsburg High football and basketball star was working in Beech Bottom, WV as a “Time Keeper” for the New York Foundation Company. The company was building a power plant for the American Gas & Electric Company. Williams left this job to fulfill his requirement as a draftee in the United States Army. 

The next two photographs taken in Wellsburg, WV give us a glimpse into a time period in our history when young men from across the country were preparing to leave their hometown headed for war. These same scenes were happening in many small towns; good friends gathering together for a meal and a beer (or several), before a friend headed off to training camp. Williams is seated in the first chair on the right. The back of this photograph with the men sitting around the table was given to Williams by his friends wishing him well. The back reads: 

April 2, 1918 C.A. Williams
From The Gang
May he always think of the following
“Hen” Scott, “Abe” Tilton, “Duke” Hall, “O” Simpson, “Yak” Meyer, “Ed” George, “Iz” George, and James Pryor.
The best o’ luck old boy. Give them hell.
Knock’em on their gutters. Another feed when you return, it won’t cost you a damn cent.
When you’re eating hard-tack, think o’ them rolls we had. Oh boy!
O,James! - more Beer.

The next photograph was taken at the Wellsburg train station with a crowd of draftees from Brooke County ready to go to war. Williams confidently stands in the center of the photo with his arms crossed.

Williams was sent to Camp Lee, VA and served as a Private in the 313th Machine Gun Battalion, Company C. Private Williams turned 22 years old the day he boarded the USS Mercury heading for war in France. Williams took part in the following battle engagements with his Battalion:

• Artois Sector Jul 23 - Aug 18, 1918
• Saint Mihiel Offensive Corps Reserve Sept 12-16, 1918
• Meuse Argonne Offensive on Sept 26, Oct 12, and Nov 1-7, 1918

When the war was over, instead of boarding the ship with the rest of his Battalion, Williams was asked to travel to Paris to compete in a swimming competition for the Inter-Allied Games. The games were held in Pershing Stadium from June 22 to July 6, 1918. Although Williams’ name does not appear in the official publication as one of the contestants, we can surmise that he likely had to compete in qualifying matches against other American soldiers to determine who would go on to compete for the United States against the swimmers from the other countries. While he did not compete in the official games, he did not leave Paris empty handed. His daughter recalled him saying that he was able to “acquire” a key, while in Paris, as a souvenir of his trip. The key happened to come from the Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Williams departed France on July 1, 1919 aboard the USS President Grant and arrived in Boston, MA on July 12. He returned to his hometown and by 1920 he was working as a shipping clerk for a glass factory. However, by the fall of that same year, Williams was offered the opportunity to attend the University of Pittsburgh and play football for the Pitt Panthers. Williams became an instant standout the on the football field playing for legendary coach Glenn Scobey "Pop” Warner, and was selected as the Captain of the 1920 Pitt Freshman football team.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that he walked on the football field and looked so much like Pitt’s All-American football star Bob Peck, that someone greeted him with “Hello, Bob Peck No. 2,” to which Williams replied, “I’m not Bob Peck the Second. I’m Poke the First.” Williams received his nickname Poke from his days in Wellsburg.

Williams enjoyed a successful football career at Pitt, earning his varsity letter in 1921. He was an active member of the student body participating in Druids, Football, Baseball, Track, Basketball, Swimming, Cap and Gown Club, Newman Club, and Dental Club.  He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh’s Dental School in 1925 and moved back to Wellsburg, WV to establish his dental practice. He married Anna Belle Preston and the couple raised four children together.

Williams continued to excel in leadership off the football field by serving his community. Williams served as Mayor of Wellsburg, was the president of the Wellsburg boosters club, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Elks, the Moose, and the American Legion. He was also a member of the American Dental Society and the Pitt Varsity Letter Club.

On July 12, 1966, Williams died in the Wheeling Hospital at the age of 71. He was buried in Brooke Cemetery, Wellsburg, WV. On this centennial of the Great War, Poke Williams is not only being remembered as one of the “Great Men” of the 313th Machine Gun Battalion, but he is also being remembered as one of Pitt’s great football stars, a beloved husband, father and grandfather, and a leader who cared about the people of his Wellsburg community. Poke really was Number 1.

Photos on this page courtesy of Mark Woods, grandson of Charles A. Williams.