Very little is known of Antonio Williams’ life prior to his arrival in Invercargill, sometime around 1859. He was one of the town’s first residents, working first as the cook at the first Royal Hotel. He quickly built a reputation for his knowledge of natural medicines, earning him the nickname “Black Doctor” – though he was most likely of Latin American descent. Antonio was also known for an eccentric style of clothing, often wearing a toga and bell-topper hat.

The first house he built was an A-frame style, using wood offcuts, sticks creepers, leaves and twigs, “around the sloping trunk of a large growing broadleaf tree which grew for a considerable distance at an angle, and then turned to the perpendicular” (Fulton, 1920). It was noted as being “of no particular colour, but of many”. It was situated on a section owned by J.T. Thomson on the corner of Dee and Leet Streets, and opposite the Melbourne Hotel.

In 1863, Antonio was given notice from the Land Office to vacate his property. His response was to return the letter, adding a drawing of a dagger across the top of its page and writing "Misters Macdonald, and Russelle Esq. ... I will kille you so help mi godde, I warne you for your life..." Antonio Williams / Knowne as de Blaque Docter.” A court case followed. A painting of his house and a copy of the letter can be found at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery.

Finally forced to leave, he relocated a short distance further north on Dee Street but bad luck followed and in February, 1864, a violent gale overturned his new hut.

Antonio died on 19 May 1872. He is buried in free ground at the East Road Cemetery, Invercargill.

In 1922, Robert Valpy Fulton, M.D. of Dunedin published his book 'Medical Practice in Otago and Southland in the Early Days: A description of the manner of life, trials, and difficulties of some of the Pioneer Doctors, of the places in which, and of the people among whom, they laboured' but before that some chapters were serialised in the Otago Witness. One chapter was devoted to Antonio Williams.

See Bibiliography for sources