he attended private and public schools before attending and in 1871 graduation from the newburgh academy williams had jobs as a timekeeper and bookkeeper before winning a two-year scholarship to cornell university. during that time, from december 1874 to the spring of 1875, he traveled through europe. he graduated from cornell university in 1877. williams received a master's degree in 1889 and a doctor of divinity in 1895 from hobart college. he moved to detroit in 1877 to work in a law office and settle his father's estate.