Jared Easling was born in upstate New York. His father was John J. Easling. Jared Easling married Mary J. Ross and they lived in Keithsburg, Mercer Co., IL from the early 1840's to the late 1860's. Jared Easling raised his nephew, William, who was born about 1845 in Keithsburg. (Jared also had a son named William G. who was born about 1850.) William (the nephew) is believed to have been the son of Nat (Nate, Nathaniel) Easling and an Indian woman who died in childbirth with their second baby. Jared is listed on the 1850 Census but no documentation has been found to verify "Nathaniel" as the correct name of William's father. "Nathaniel" supposedly died about 1855 but I don't know where. I have traced my Easling's back to the mid-1700's in New York and later (late 1700's) into West Stockbridge, MA, where they show up on the 1790 Census. The only other "Easling" info I have on the Mercer Co. Easlings is one of Jared's daughters died young and is buried in one of the local cemeteries and also that "my" William (the nephew) enrolled in the Civil War from Illinois. Bonnie Frasca