Moses Williams

Who Was Moses Williams? 

Moses Williams was a very influential Boston banker, lawyer, public health advocate, politician and served on the board of several real estate enterprises for much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Williams, or his heirs, owned the entire block of 93-103 Cross Street between 1883 and 1922. Though he did not work out of the buildings himself, he leased the offices to other businesses such as P. Derby & Company (for more information click here). He lived from 1846 to 1919, and during the 73 years of his life excelled in a variety of things. Scroll down to see some of these many accomplishments and learn more about this Boston Renaissance Man and his connection to this plot of land.

Fighting the Bigger Issues

Moses Williams, alongside other wealthy and influential members of society, formed the Antituberculosis Society to help fight the disease in both his hometown, Brookline, and the greater surrounding area. Williams cared not only for the financial prosperity of his community but also for the overall health and well-being of his fellow community members. Williams was elected President of the Society at the time of its founding in 1907 and continued to serve or help in some fashion until his death in 1919. As shown in the article to the left, the society had a great deal of support from the masses and Williams can be thanked for helping to foster the environment necessary to "conquer plague."

Legislator in Brookline

For almost the entirety of Moses Williams' adult life, he was involved in local politics in some fashion. In 1873, as the article to the left describes, Williams was elected in the Brookline Republican Caucus by a landslide victory as a representative to the general court. Throughout the rest of his career, Williams was mentioned in other Brookline Town Government articles, such as one mentioning him as on the board to petition the widening of Beacon Street. Williams was not only a concerned citizen but also an involved one who used his influence and status to enact change in his community.

An Avid Owner

In the later years of his life, Moses Williams became heavily involved in the real estate industry and served as a trustee for several areas in Boston. In addition to the parcel of land on Cross Street, Williams was a trustee for the Summer Street Trust that dealt with a block of land on Summer Street with his business partner Edmund D. Codman (for information on Codman, click here). The article to the left describes a transaction by the Trust. Williams took interest in a variety of civic areas, and his direct connection to Cross Street helps relate the parcel to the bigger fabric of Boston.