His grandfather was Stevenson Archer, member of the U.S. House of Representatives and chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals.

St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland gave Williams an honorary Doctor of Laws in 1899.

[1][2][3][4] After graduating in 1873, Williams started practicing law in Bel Air, Maryland.

[2] From 1880 to 1882, he served as school commissioner of Harford County by appointment of the circuit court.

He was nominated by his party for governor in the 1903 Maryland gubernatorial election, losing to Edwin Warfield.

[1][2][5] In 1914, Williams was appointed a member of the Maryland State Board of Bar Examiners and stayed in that role until he resigned in 1921.