Special to The Enterprise
Once upon a time, a quaint white cottage on E. Blue Ridge Street was a welcoming sight for those entering Stuart. Times have changed—the street has changed, and the people have changed. The cottage remains, but it has deteriorated into a tumbledown shack, with a caved-in roof and a dismantled porch. The once meticulously groomed lawn, bordered with flowers, is now overgrown with weeds and debris. The lovely roses, suitable for cutting, no longer exist to adorn the front porch railing but have been replaced with old boards and clutter.
Known locally as the “Judge Ruth” curve, the bend in the road near the cottage was one that teens and others navigated carefully—they had no desire to appear in court before the Honorable Judge Ruth Olive Williams, who lived there. Judge Williams is a legend in these parts, a remarkable woman whose path to the bench was far from ordinary.
When she was first appointed as a trial justice, she was one of only two female judges in Virginia. Her journey to being a judge was an unusual route.
Williams grew up about five miles south of Stuart in the Five Forks community, attending small local schools until her family moved to Stuart in 1924, when she was 11. She later attended Stuart High School, graduating in 1930 as valedictorian.
Initially, she planned to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a teacher, but she changed her mind and enrolled at National Business College in Roanoke, where she excelled in stenographic skills.
Returning to Stuart in November 1932, during the Great Depression, no jobs were available and she struggled to find employment. She briefly worked for R.E. Woolwine, and attorney Will Joyce recognized her exceptional shorthand skills and hired her to record proceedings and evidence for an upcoming trial in Patrick County Circuit Court. The case, involving the murder of local law officer Bunyon Sheppard in a stolen car incident, was of significant local importance.
Since her reputation had become known as a responsible court reporter with superior Gregg shorthand skills, many courts in the area sought her services.
In 1942, Judge John D. Hooker resigned as trial justice to join the U.S. Naval Reserve. Judge J. Turner Clement appointed Williams to fill the vacancy. When Hooker returned from military service, he resumed his role. During this time, Williams served as Clerk of the Court. She was later hired as a legal secretary at Hooker and Hooker, a prominent local law firm.
In 1948, when Judge Hooker left his trial justice appointment to become Commonwealth’s Attorney for Patrick County, Judge Kennon Whittle reappointed Williams to the bench. She continued in that role as Judge of the Combined Courts until 1956, when she transitioned to Judge of Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court.
In 1969, she was appointed as the Judge of General District Court and continued in that position until her retirement at age 65 in 1978. She was one of the few judges in the state who served without the benefit of receiving a law degree; however, her experience as a court reporter, Clerk of Court, and legal secretary had well prepared her for her duties. She served with firmness, fairness, and compassion. She was regarded as being well informed on the law and kept up with changes.
When she first began as a trial justice, court was held on Saturdays, allowing her time for her other duties during the week. In later years, she held traffic and criminal courts on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and heard civil matters on Wednesdays.
Judge Williams’ life was not completely dominated by her career in the courts. Her influence extended beyond the courtroom. Williams was deeply involved in community activities, serving as:
- President of the J.E.B. Stuart Women’s Club
- Treasurer of the American Red Cross Chapter
- Member of the Patrick County Historical Society
- Active member of her church
However, she considered her most significant civic contribution to be fundraising for the R.J. Reynolds-Patrick Memorial Hospital, which opened in December 1962.
“It was one of the greatest accomplishments in Patrick County,” she once said.
The hospital has since undergone many changes and is currently closed, though Braden Health is working to restore it to serve the county once again.
Williams also served at the state level, participating in Governor Mills E. Godwin Jr.’s Traffic Safety Study Committee and holding a position on the Executive Committee of the Association of Trial Justices of Virginia.
Williams was the daughter of James F. Williams, who was employed in road construction, and Marcella Barnard Williams. She had two sisters: Marjorie, who married local orchardist J. Carl Ayers, and Rachel, who lived with her in the white cottage on Blue Ridge Street, with the porch railing once surrounded by blooming roses.
Judge Ruth Olive Williams passed away on March 2, 1988.
Today, the cottage she once called home stands in disrepair, a shadow of its former self. But perhaps, one day, it will be restored—and the roses will bloom once more, welcoming travelers to Stuart on E. Blue Ridge Street.
(Sources: Patrick County Historical Society, Bassett Historical Society, The Enterprise, The Martinsville Bulletin, personal history written by Judge Ruth O. Williams, Patrick County Heritage Book.)
