William Isiah Capps was born on April 28, 1926 in Smithfield North Carolina to Reverend Willie Hubert and Sophronia Rozetta Capps. He married Nita Liza Hudson and they had two children together, Carolyn Jean Capps Smith and Shirley Deliah Capps.

He died on July 18, 1956 in Fayetteville, North Carolina while on duty with the Fayetteville Fire Department. He died from unavoidable electrocution after an accidental contact with a high voltage wire while repairing an old box alarm system.

He is buried in the Melvin Family Cemetery located at 583 County Line Rd Bladen County, North Carolina, 28382