From my research I have found the Cress family came to Bond and Montgomery Counties in the very early 1800's. They are listed in many places as "early settlers". Many of the File family that located mainly in Bond county lived near the Cress families in North Carolina before the move to Illinois. Marriage records show that several File's and Cress's married while in North Carolina, as well as in Illinois. I believe the Troutman families were among the early settlers also. L. Collins