Lillie

Jessie Lillybelle Skipper Williams was the mother of Hank Williams. She gave birth to three children. The first one died soon after birth. The second one, Irene, was born on August 8, 1922 and the third, Hank, was born on September 17, 1923. mother Lillie herself was born on August 12, 1898 in Butler County. She was a large broad-boned woman who could be funny, tender and who was always strong-willed without much self-doubt. She married Lon Williams November 12, 1916. He went to war in France and was hit by a wine-bottle in a dispute over a woman. Back home he worked for a lumber-company but suffered from an brain aneurysma and was taken to a Veterans Hospital. Mother Lillie raised the children from 1929 on by herself. In 1931, Lillie Williams settled her family in Georgiana, Alabama, where she worked as the manager of a boarding house. She managed to find several side jobs to support her children, despite the bleak economic climate of the Great Depression. She worked in a cannery and served as a night-shift nurse in the local hospital. Hiriam and Irene also helped out by selling peanuts, shining shoes, delivering newspapers, and doing other simple jobs. With the help of U.S. Representative J. Lister Hill, the family began collecting Lon's military disability pension. Despite Lon's medical condition, the Williams family managed fairly well financially throughout the Depression. (Wikipedia) As strong-willed mother she quarreled with Audrey about what was best for Hank. She died 26 February, 1955.