Joseph “Pa Joe” Williams

Joseph Williams, the influential and prominent boat captain of the J. S. Relief and The Express was born in late 1800s in Blue Hills, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. He received his early education at the all-age school in Blue Hills. He met the lovely Francis Stubbs and after expressing their love and a short courtship, they were joined in holy matrimony.

Par Joe, as he was affectionately called, was a skilled Boat Captain who sailed between Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Grand Turk and Blue Hills, Turks and Caicos Islands. His nine-ton vessel sailed to Port-au-Prince every two weeks on a 130-mile journey. They would take thousands of dried conch to be sold in Haiti. On their return voyage, they brought as much as 1500 sticks of sugar cane and 75 barrels of mangoes, oranges and many other fruits to be sold in Grand Turk to make money to feed their families.

His skills as a Captain were put to the test on September 13, 1945, when a hurricane hit the region at approximately 4:00 pm. It was only through the grace of God that he survived, although 54 seamen from the Turks and Caicos Islands perished during that hurricane. When they returned home, all of the boats were gone with most of the men. However, boats from the United States were in the country with building supplies to assist in rebuilding homes and provided tents for families whose homes were destroyed.

Mr. Jeffery Richard Capron, at the age of 105 reflected on his time sailing with Captain Joseph Williams and described him as a good and compassionate captain. At the end of his pilgrimage on earth, Retired Boat Captain, Joseph Williams made peace with his God and his loved ones and asked Jesus to live in his heart. He was delighted that heaven’s doors were left ajar for him. After sailing the high seas for many years, he went to his eternal rest with his ancestors.