WILLIAMS, JOHN (1796-1839), English Nonconformist missionary, was born at Tottenham near London on June 29, 1796. He was sent by the London Missionary Society in 1816 to Eimeo, in the Society Islands, where he rapidly acquired a knowledge of the native language. After staying there for a short time, he finally settled at Raiatea, which became his permanent headquarters. His success was remarkable. The people rapidly became Chris tianized and adopted many of the habits of civilization. Williams travelled unceasingly among the various island groups, planting stations and settling native missionaries whom he himself had trained. From the Society Islands he visited the Hervey group, where he discovered, and stayed for a considerable time on, the island of Rarotonga. Besides establishing Christianity and civili zation among people, he also, at their own request, helped them to draw up a code of laws for civil administration upon the basis of the new religion. While at Rarotonga he, with the help of the natives, built himself a 6o-ft. ship, "The Messenger of
Peace," within about four months; with this he returned to Raiatea, and made voyages among other island groups, including Samoa and the neighbouring islands. Williams returned to Eng land in 1834 (having previously visited New South Wales in 1821) ; and during his four years' stay at home he had the New Testament, which he had translated into Rarotongan, printed. Returning in 1838 to the Pacific, he visited the stations already established by him, as well as several fresh groups. He went as far west as the New Hebrides, and, while visiting Eromanga, one of the group, was murdered by cannibal natives Nov. 20, 1839.