James Williams was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, matriculating in 1807, and obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1810.
[1] Williams helped to establish the Anglesey Association of the Preservation of Lives from Shipwreck, in the wake of a storm that caused a boat to sink with 140 deaths.
[2] The 19th-century antiquarian Angharad Llwyd, who wrote a history of Anglesey at a time when Williams was at St Mary’s, noted that "this benevolent gentleman, aided by his lady, ever alert in the cause of humanity, are generally among the first on the shore, in case of accident, well supplied with restoratives, and other necessaries, to comfort and protect the suffering mariners.
"[3] Williams was a magistrate and also had an interest in agriculture, contributing some notes to a book on cattle breeding in 1869.
He was also instrumental, with Morris Williams, in the introduction of John Rhys, who at that time was teaching in Anglesey, to Charles Williams, Principal of Jesus College, which led to Rhys obtaining a scholarship to study at the college.