The following is from the JASPER CO. IL History 1822 pp384-385: "Cornelius Taylor kept a ferry in Lawrence Co. and was or had been considered an honest man. He had for some time been in the habit of loading his wagon with meat and other provisions, and starting off with the ostensible purpose of going to St. Louis to market. After a time Mr. Taylor was suspected of being a little crooked and after watching a little, his neighbors became convinced of the fact. It was observed that Taylor made some trips in a remarkably short time, and at other times he would be gone for several months, and that on his return from these trips, a quantity of counterfeit silver and paper money would get into circulation in the county. These indications, with other circumstances, led to his being suspected of complicity with some gang of counterfeiters and some of the best citizens secretly agreed to watch him. On his next trip to St. Louis, his neighbors found that Taylor suspected their intentions, and so loaded up his wagon after nightfall. In that way, his absence was not noticed until he had been gone several days; but they being determined not to be cheated in that manner, gathered up a crowd and followed the wagon tracks (it will be remembered that wagons were very scarce in those days), which soon left the St. Louis road and struck out northwest. They followed the tracks then, with more zeal than ever, knowing there must be something wrong, until they came to a thicket or thick woods, almost impenetrable, about seven miles north, and a little west of where Newton now stands, near the mouth of a little creek that empties into the Embarras River, known since that day by the name of "Mint" Creek, where they found, not the wagon, but a little cabin under the brush, in which they found a man by the name of Acre Williams, who after being hung up by the neck two or three times until nearly dead, agreed to tell all he knew. He, after a few more threats from his tormenters, delivered up a lot of molds, dies and other materials for making counterfeit silver and paper money. The dies, etc. were taken to Lawrenceville and destroyed in the courthouse. He (Williams) claimed that he was only hired by the counterfeiters to keep house, hunt and cook for them. He said the principal man of the counterfeiters was named HORNBACK. He gave other names also, but the principals all got away, but the men getting their tools and implements, it broke up their business at that place, but we have yet the creek (that took the name from the Mint that had been run there) to remember the circumstance by." (This was about 1822 to 1824.) I am told that Jasper was formed from Edwards Co.? Believe it or not, I believe this could be my husband's HORNBACK. We also have Williams in his line and that too may connect. Can anyone shed any more light on either Hornback or Williams of Jasper Co. or do any lookups in this history to see if there could be any more? OR, any lookups anywhere else in whatever you might have in Jasper Co. to see if you have any Hornbeck, Hornback, Horback, Hernbeck, all variations used by my line. Thanks for your help. I can do some PERSI lookups in return. ----Shirley Hornbeck - hornbeck@s-hornbeck.com MY HOME PAGE: <http://www.s-hornbeck.com/home.htm> HORNBECK SURNAME RESOURCE CETER: <http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~hornbeck/hsrc/home.htm> THIS & THAT GENEALOGY TIPS: <http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~hornbeck> OWNER OF Rootsweb Discussion Lists for BAKER, BERGER, HARDWICK, HETZEL, HORNBECK, MYERS, PAF 2.31 USERS and PAF 3. USERS RESEARCHING Hornbeck and Hardwick - anywhere, anytime Berger, Benz, Myers, Hauf of Schenectady, NY Hetzel, Giessle, McClean of Allegheny Co., PA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++