~beside every great man, there's a great woman~
Grandma Ada lived on a plantation in East Texas where she met Grandpa Ned who lived on another plantation nearby. She was born in 1866 and was owned by the plantation owner who was also a minister, Rev. Robert Devereaux Wyche. His custom was to see that all of his slaves were legally married so he performed the ceremony of her and Grandpa Ned and to this union of 62 years, 10 children were born. Ada was known to her family as the "quiet storm" and unassuming
but made sure that she took care of things behind the scene so others could succeed.
About the Website Creator
Corletia Dunlap Banks
Greetings, I am a great-great granddaughter of Professor Ned E. Williams & Ada Williams (my great grandmother Neddie was their 5th child) and this website is a continuation of his life and the legacy path he left behind. I have worked in education as a clerical/administrative assistant for almost 20 years but in 2017 I decided to step out into my God-given gifts and follow my heart to pursue one of my passions and become a children's book author, poetess and soon to be inspirational and short novel writer to continue the footsteps of my great-great grandfather's educational legacy. This page is just a short bio about him for now but I will be adding more and please stay connected for information on the release of his life story book that I'm working on coming February 2026. I hope you are moved and encouraged by his contributions to education because today we have it pretty good, but back in his day it wasn't as easy but he persevered with determination and guidance by The Most High. As he stated in his handwritten letter about the little history of his life, "My only regret is I wish I had another one to spend," I want to help him fulfill that dream. This is a poem I wrote in dedication to his memory and legacy.
THE FOOTSTEPS I LEAVE BEHIND
The footsteps I leave behind
are solely all my own,
left, right, left, right
from a toddler to full-grown.
The footsteps I leave behind
have no face and no name,
left, right, left, right
simply telling from where I came.
The footsteps I leave behind
are the only ones of its kind,
left, right, left, right
unperfected stride in a patterned line.
The footsteps I leave behind
should not walk back in time,
left, right, left, right
but walk forward with a determined mind.
The footsteps I leave behind
are ordered steps from God,
left, right, left, right
with favor wherever they may trod.
The footsteps I leave behind
may stagger or even sway,
right, left, right, left
but never forgetting who leads the way.
The footsteps I leave behind
may have walked some uncrossables,
left, right, left, right
but knew with God all things are solely possible.
© Corletia Dunlap Banks
{Great-great granddaughter of Professor Ned E. Williams}