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The Blue Book of Iowa Women A History of Contemporary Women

Compiled by Winona Evans Reeves, 1914.

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Mrs. George W. Randle

Mrs. Ella Williams Randle, is a member of a family very well known in the activities of the Methodist church in Iowa and connected with musical interests.  She was born in Centerville, Feby. 8, 1859, the daughter of John W. Williams and Mary Elizabeth Bradley, names will known in the history of that town.  Mr. Williams was of German descent, born in Freeport, Penn.  He introduced the round note system of musical notation into this section of the state;  thus doing away with the earlier system of square and three cornered notes or the "buckwheat notes," as they were called.  He was church chorister for many years.  He was a manufacturer of pianos and his sons, H. B. and Carl S. Williams, own one of the large piano and organ factories in Chicago.  Mrs. Randle's mother, Mary Elizabeth Bradley, was born in Belfast, Ireland, of Scotch-Irish ancestry.  On Sept. 22, 1880, Ella Williams was married in Centerville to George W. Randle, a prominent business man.  They have six children:  Lulu Virginia, Ruby Mary, Bess Margaret, Albert Williams, Roy Waldo and Ralph George.  She is a member of the Methodist church of which she was organist for eight years, and a member of the official board.  For ten years she was president of the Ladies' Aid, and has been active in missionary society and local charity work.  She is a member of the M. X. L. Club, and of the P. E. O. sisterhood since 1882.  She is a trustee of the Drake Free Library Board.  She is a woman who helps along every good work, which is characteristic of the Williams family.  She is a prominent woman socially and enjoys that phase of life also.

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