Rebekah Lanier Williams is the great-great-great grandmother of Tennessee Williams.

Rebekah Lanier born January 27, 1757, died March 20, 1832, sister of Sarah Lanier; married in Orange County, North Carolina, September 16, 1772 Joseph Williams, and related to Sidney Lanier, the Southern poet.

Rebecca's great-grandfather, John Lanier, was also the great-grandfather of Lucy Lanier, wife of Jones Andrews, and Elizabeth Warren "Patsey" Lanier, wife of William Tucker.

By Ray Gurganus:

[Rebekah and] Joseph Williams reared eight sons and two daughters. The oldest son, Gen. Robert Williams, lived in Raleigh and for many years was adjutant general of the state and also trustee and treasurer of the University of North Carolina. The second son, Joseph Williams, was a farmer and clerk of the Superior Court of Surry County. The third, Col. John Williams, went to Tennessee, rose to prominence as a lawyer, served five years in the United States Senate, was appointed minister to Central America by John Quincy Adams, and was a gallant officer in the Seminole Indian war and also in the war against the Crete Nation, where his regiment did most of the hard fighting in the battle of the Horseshoe.

The fourth son of [Rebekah and] Joseph Williams, William Williams, also moved to Tennessee and was a farmer. The other sons, Thomas and Alexander Williams, also went to Tennessee. Thomas was for many years judge of the Chancery Court of that state, while Alexander became a successful physician at. Greenville, Tennessee.

Another one of these brothers, Hon. Lewis Williams, a twin brother of Judge Thomas, was elected representative in Congress for fourteen consecutive terms and died in Washington City in 1842, before the expiration of his last term. He was for many years called the "Father of the House," and John Q. Adams in his eulogy speaks of the great influence Lewis Williams possessed over members of the House and his power to quell with a word the tumultuous party quarrels. At one period of his political life he was in Congress with seven other Williamses, all related, and no one more distantly than first cousins.

Of the eight sons the youngest was L. Williams, who lived for many years at Panther Creek, North Carolina, and was the last survivor of his brothers. He reared a family, two of his sons being Joseph and Lewis Williams, while his oldest daughter married John A. Lillington, member of another prominent family mentioned briefly in this publication.

United States Senator John Sharp Williams is a descendant of this family, and D. M. Clark, mentioned briefly in this publication, is also a descendant of this family.

Rebecca Lanier Williams (name spelling):
(1) The tombstone seems to be unreadable.
(2) She named her daughter, Rebecca Lanier Williams after her with the "Rebecca" spelling.
(3) The early history of this (my family) by Lewis James Williams III, Joseph Lanier Williams, Rebecca Turner Williams, Lewis Lanier Williams named "Williams 300 Years of Leadership in America: A History of the Descendants of John Williams of Llangollen, Wales" spelled her name as "Rebecca."

I am VERY sure that was the spelling of her name.

From Christopher Harris Williams - the sixth in lineal descent from these folks.

From Christopher Harris Williams
on 11 Mar 2019 ( - the sixth in lineal descent from these folks)

(1) The tombstone seems to be unreadable. (2) She named her daughter, Rebecca Lanier Williams after her with the "Rebecca" spelling. (3) The early history of this (my family) by Lewis James Williams III, Joseph Lanier Williams, Rebecca Turner Williams, Lewis Lanier Williams named "Williams 300 Years of Leadership in America: A History of the Descendants of John Williams of Llangollen, Wales" spelled her name as "Rebecca." I am VERY sure that was the spelling of her name.