Williams was born in 1905 on a farm in Cold Harbor in Hanover County, Virginia, that had been contested during the American Civil War.

His paternal grandfather, George Hugh Williams of Charlotte County, had served in the Confederate Army and was wounded during the Battle of Antietam near Sharpsburg, Maryland.

Williams also coached the Masonic Orphans Home team that won the American Legion junior state championship in 1930.

Upon graduating law school and being admitted to the bar, Williams practiced under Charles W. Crowder and helped organize the Federal Savings & Loan Association in Sandston.

Williams also was active in his Presbyterian church, the Freemasons, Acca Temple Shrine, Odd Fellows, Elks, Eagles and Ruritans social organizations.

As the session began in January 1957, it issued letters requesting information from the NAACP as well as the Defenders of State Sovereignty and Individual Liberties and other segregationist organizations.