1978-1995: Paul Forrest Williams was born in 1932 in Dullleton, California to Byron Williams and Big Sandy Native, Alice Norden. By 1935, the family had moved to Havre, Montana. Paul must have had a close relationship with his maternal grandfather, Paul Norden, of Big Sandy since he and his mother were frequently listed with at least one of his Big Sandy relatives in the social columns in the Big Sandy Mountaineer throughout the 1940s. Paul was employed at Nels Hokanson's in 1949. In January 1950, Paul married Beverly Stengen in Havre. Their two children were both born in Havre in the early 1950's. Paul's name is in a news article in the Havre Dailey News(May 1950): "18 National Guardsmen transferred to inactive status". Paul worked in Havre for the Vita Rich Dairy and Culligan Water in his younger years. He was employed with the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station at Fort Assiniboine in October 1956. Paul is listed in the Big Sandy Mountaineer (October 1956) as the new Marshall of Big Sandy. Two weeks later, the Chouteau County Board approved him as Deputy Sheriff of Big Sandy, Chouteau County. Paul was appointed as Big Sandy's Chief of Police in December 1957, and by June 1958, he was appointed as a full-time deputy in Big Sandy. As a full-time deputy sheriff in December 1958, his salary was $239.70 per month. Paul served 22 years as Deputy Sheriff.
Paul F Williams was appointed to fill the remaining time in John Saksa's term as County Sheriff. Paul continued his Law Enforcement occupation for another 17 years. Over the years as Sheriff, he made countless speeches and presentations at every gathering or meeting in the County. Starting in 1982, he was actively involved in the Salvation Army and served in various volunteer capacities. The local Jaycees named Sheriff Williams as Boss of the Year in 1984. Paul wrote for The River in October 1986, " ...someone committing a crime in Chouteau County is nearly twice as likely to get caught as in the overall average for Montana." Paul and his staff were very much involved in getting a new Law Enforcement Center built-in 1985/1986. By the time the new facility was completed, the old Jail was 105 years old and had been through so much of the County's history. What the loyal readers of the Big Sandy Mountaineer have been reading over the last three months in the Sheriff's of Chouteau County installments took place with that old building as a centerpiece. Over the years of Paul's terms as Sheriff, there were a few unhappy citizen, yet Paul won every election up until his sudden death. In August of 1995, the Sheriff suddenly died and left a whole county of citizens sad and a little shaken. " Everyone living in Chouteau County lost a friend with the death of Sheriff Paul Williams. Paul knew nearly everyone in the County and cared about every one of us."
