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==Marriage to Chicora Graham==​

==Marriage to Chicora Graham==​

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On September 10, 1928, Williams married the former Chicora Lee Graham (December 17, 1905 &ndash;  April 13, 1998)<ref name=ssdi/> of Sterling City near [[San Angelo, Texas]|San Angelo]], Texas. Chicora, known as "Chic," was the daughter of Oscar H. Graham (died 1949) and Evie Lee "Mernie" Graham<ref>''Claytie'', p. 32.</ref> (1878–1972).<ref name=ssdi/> Chicora attended Trinity University, then in[Waxahachie in Ellis County, and graduated from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. She taught school in tiny Gail in Borden County on the South Plains  even before she obtained her degree. Chicora was named for an [[Native American]]girl, who slipped food to Chicora’s paternal grandfather, Captain Joe Graham of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] Army, while he was a Union [[prisoner of war]]. Chicora’s aunt was the first to bear the name, and Chicora’s granddaughter, known as "Chim," is the third Chicora in three generations of the Williams family.<ref>''Claytie,'' p. 33.</ref>​

On September 10, 1928, Williams married the former Chicora Lee Graham (December 17, 1905 &ndash;  April 13, 1998)<ref name=ssdi/> of Sterling City near [[San Angelo, Texas]|San Angelo]], Texas. Chicora, known as "Chic," was the daughter of Oscar H. Graham (died 1949) and Evie Lee "Mernie" Graham<ref>''Claytie'', p. 32.</ref> (1878–1972).<ref name=ssdi/> Chicora attended Trinity University, then in Waxahachie in Ellis County, but graduated from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, , named for former Governor Sullivan Ross. She taught school in tiny Gail in Borden County on the South Plains  even before she obtained her degree. Chicora was named for an [[Native American]]girl, who slipped food to Chicora’s paternal grandfather, Captain Joe Graham of the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] Army, while he was a Union [[prisoner of war]]. Chicora’s aunt was the first to bear the name, and Chicora’s granddaughter, known as "Chim," is the third Chicora in three generations of the Williams family.<ref>''Claytie,'' p. 33.</ref>​

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Clayton and Chicora married immediately after her graduation from Sul Ross, and the couple honeymooned in the [[Grand Canyon]] of [[Arizona]], with Chicora’s mother, "Mernie," accompanying them. Mernie lived with the Williamses after her husband's death and later with their only son,  Clayton Wheat Williams, Jr., an oilman who was the 1990 Texas [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nominee; he lost to [[liberal]] [[Ann Richards]]. Clayton, Jr., is wed to the former Modesta Simpson, and he has five children from two marriages. Clayton and Chicora also had a daughter, Janet W. Pollard (born 1935), the widow of [[Midland]] oilman Robert W. “Bob” Pollard (1935–2004),<ref name=ssdi/> and the mother of four sons.<ref>''Claytie,'' p. 16.</ref>​

Clayton and Chicora married immediately after her graduation from Sul Ross, and the couple honeymooned in the [[Grand Canyon]] of [[Arizona]], with Chicora’s mother, "Mernie," accompanying them. Mernie lived with the Williamses after her husband's death and later with their only son,  Clayton Wheat Williams, Jr., an oilman who was the 1990 Texas [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nominee; he lost narrowly to [[liberal]] [[Ann Richards]]. Clayton, Jr., is wed to the former Modesta Simpson, and he has five children from two marriages. Clayton and Chicora also had a daughter, Janet W. Pollard (born 1935), the widow of [[Midland]] oilman Robert W. “Bob” Pollard (1935–2004),<ref name=ssdi/> and the mother of four sons.<ref>''Claytie,'' p. 16.</ref>​

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==Business ventures==​

==Business ventures==​

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From 1919 to 1920, Williams worked as an engineer for the Oil Belt Power Company in Eastland, located east of [[Abilene]], Texas. For four years, he was a surveyor and an engineer for the Texas and New Mexico state highway departments. In 1924, he became the chief engineer for the Texon Oil and Land Company, in which position he developed an interest in geology though he had no formal training in the field. He became one of the earliest licensed geologists in Texas,<ref name=handbook/> having taken the lead in the discovery of the Settles and Harding oilfields in Howard County near Big Spring, and the first discovery well in the Ellenburger field. Upon Williams’ recommendation, Texon in 1926 drilled the deepest well in the United States until that time, the University 1-B well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/12/today_in_texas_history_carl_g.html|title=Today in Texas History: Carl G. Cromwell drills world's deepest oil well| publisher=blogs.chron.com|accessdate=November 17, 2019}}</ref> In 1927, Williams established a water and ice works plant in Crane, south of [[Odessa, Texas|Odessa]], which he operated until 1935, having by that time resigned from Texon.<ref name=handbook/>​

From 1919 to 1920, Williams worked as an engineer for the Oil Belt Power Company in Eastland, located east of [[Abilene]], Texas. For four years, he was a surveyor and an engineer for the Texas and New Mexico state highway departments. In 1924, he became the chief engineer for the Texon Oil and Land Company, in which position he developed an interest in geology though he had no formal training in the field. He became one of the earliest licensed geologists in Texas,<ref name=handbook/> having taken the lead in the discovery of the Settles and Harding oilfields in Howard County near Big Spring, and the first discovery well in the Ellenburger field. Upon Williams’ recommendation, Texon in 1926 drilled the deepest well in the United States until that time, the University 1-B well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/2008/12/today_in_texas_history_carl_g.html|title=Today in Texas History: Carl G. Cromwell drills world's deepest oil well| publisher=blogs.chron.com|accessdate=December 2008; no longer on-line}}</ref> In 1927, Williams established a water and ice works plant in Crane, south of [[Odessa, Texas|Odessa]], which he operated until 1935, having by that time resigned from Texon.<ref name=handbook/>​

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In the late 1920s, Williams enrolled for a year of law school at the [[University of Texas at Austin]]<ref name=c31>''Claytie'', p. 31</ref> but returned to his independent oil and ranching business.<ref name=handbook/>​

In the late 1920s, Williams enrolled for a year of law school at the [[University of Texas at Austin]]<ref name=c31>''Claytie'', p. 31</ref> but returned to his independent oil and ranching business.<ref name=handbook/>​