Harvey E. Williams was born in Fly Creek, New York (Otsego County). In 1827 he moved to Fort Plain and established a tin and hardware store on Canal Street in the village. Later, Williams entered into a partnership with Alonzo E. Tanner and the business became known as the Williams & Tanner Hardware Store. Tanner was originally from Herkimer County, New York. After the death of Harvey Williams, Alonzo Tanner became the President of the hardware store until his death from bronchitis in 1916. The 1916 edition of The American Artisan and Hardware Record states that the Williams & Tanner Hardware Store was one of the oldest mercantile stores in central New York. James H. Williams was the son of Harvey E. Williams. James H. was born in Fort Plain in 1845. For a while he was in business with his father but removed to Brooklyn, New York where he established a Drop Forge Manufacturing factory in 1884. This plant produced hand tools, wrenches, clamps, metal tool laths, magnets, bicycle parts and golf club heads. In 1893 he displayed his merchandise at the World’s Fair in Chicago, Illinois. In 1900 he exhibited at the World’s Fair in Paris, France. In 1904, James H. Williams passed away and is buried in the Fort Plain Cemetery. The Alonzo Tanner family home was located at the corner of River and Willett Street, now the site of the Fort Plain Free Library. In 1909 the family of Harvey E. Williams purchased the Tanner home and gave it to the Fort Plain Library Association in memory of their grandfather, Harvey, and their father, James H. Williams.