He graduated from Indiana University in 1875, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi,[1] and from the Union College of Law, Chicago, Illinois, in 1876.

Williams was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Richard W. Townshend.

Because of their friendship, Bryan made a whistle-stop visit to Carmi in 1896 to give a presidential campaign speech.

He did not win but received a letter from Williams Jennings Bryan, who expressed an interest in talking with him about plans for 1904.

This article incorporates public domain material from James Robert Williams (PDF).