This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Adams, Schmitt, Heyer, Bonslett, Rosing, Cossman, Klein Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Zg.2ADI/245.2.1.1 Message Board Post: Hi Tammy; Thanks for your response! My GGGrandfather Nicholas Adams had four children (1 girl, three boys) and two stepchildren (daughters). MY GGGFather lived in Goodale (now Grant Township) in Lake County. He and his wife Gertrud (maiden name Schmitt) do show up in the St. John the Baptist records. They also show up in all U.S. census records from 1850 through 1880 in Lake County. I am pretty sure that they were parishioners at St. John's at least until St. Peter's began in Volo. There was at least one (and I am reasonably sure that there probably two) other men at that time in Johnsburg with the name Nicholas Adams. One of them married a woman named Anna Stephens; this family eventually settled near the town of Staceyville Iowa. I am pretty sure that the other "Nicholas Adams" stayed on in Johnsburg and left many descendants there. I believe that this is the man remembered today as one of the founders of the town. All three men were born and emigrated from the Eifel region of Germany, and its apparent that they attended the same church. In any case, here are the names of the children of my GGGrandparents: Catharina (b 1845 in Ohio, d 1858 in IL) kept her father's last name Heyer. Otillia (or Delia, Adelia, Tilla, Tillie) (b1846 in Ohio, d 1930 McHenry Co. IL) kept her father's name of Heyer until marriage. Married Jacob Bonslett in 1863 in Johnsburg. Otillia had four children, including 1 son named Bernard. Gertrude Adams (b1849 in IL, d1924 in Lake Co. IL). Married Frank Rosing in 1863. Gertrude had 12 children, including 1 son named Bernard. Bernard John Adams (my GGrandfather) (b1850 in IL d 1928 in Lake Co. IL) Shows up on one census as "Ben" and on a later one as "Benjamin". Married Margarett Cossman in Johnsburg in 1874. My GGrandparents had 10 children, including 1 son named Bernard Francis (AKA "Ben"). John Adams (b 1856 in IL, d19??) Married Anna Klein in Johnsburg in 1877. The family shows up in the 1880 census for McHenry County with two daughters, Gertrude and Susanna. Subsequent St. John records show seven children a total of seven children: besides Gertrude and Susanna, son Adam, son Bernard (b1882), daughter Maria, daughter Gertrud, and daughter Josephine. My dad's recollection is that this family had 12 children; 9 daughters and three sons, and that they moved to Chicago. The oldest daughter Gertrude married a man named Thurlwell, and I believe they lived in McHenry Co. Mathias Adams (b1857 d185?) This child does not show up in the 1860 census. I suspect that he may be the "Infant Adams" whose funeral notation shows up in the St. John's Record in 1859. Let me know if this info rings any bells. Regards, -Dave Adams-