Langbourne Meade Williams Jr. was born in
Richmond, Virginia. He was one of eight children born to Langbourne Meade Williams (September 12, 1872 – April 2, 1932) and Susanne Catherine Nolting (August 29, 1876 – January 13, 1951). He was a descendant of Edmund Randolph, Bartholomew Dandridge and grandson of John Williams of the John L. Williams & Sons banking firm. Williams graduated from the
Episcopal High School in
Alexandria, Virginia in 1921. He received a bachelor's degree at the
University of Virginia in 1924, and gained a
Harvard University master's degree in business administration in 1926. ==References==