Benjamin C Williams is listed in the 1850 Census in Rock Grove Township, age 63, born PA, farmer, Also in the household is Newcomb Williams age 21, born PA, laborer. I checked the cemetery index for the Rock Grove area and there is no Williams listed, nor is he listed in the Biographical History or are there Williams in the 1880 history. Probate records are in the Stephenson County Circuit Clerks office at the Court House in Freeport. There is an index to those records at both the Circuit Clerks office and also in the Local History Room at the Freeport Public Library. You can write the Stephenson County Genealogical Society, PO BOX 514, Freeport, IL 61032 for a index search. Send a SASE with your query. The land records are kept at the Stephenson County Clerks office at the Court House. They show all land transfers from 1838. A search can be very time extensive. Gary <<< <ARaders@aol.com> 5/21 6:37p >>> Hi Listers, I've just traced one of my ancestors, Benjamin Williams, b 1787 in PA, to Rock Grove in the 1830-1840 time frame. I checked the FHL holdings on line for wills and deeds for Stephenson County, but can't find anything. Do land and probate records for Stephenson County exist? Can someone tell me how to go about finding them? Thanks for your help, Jennifer Reno, NV ============================== The RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: Tens of millions of individuals... and counting. http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/

Gary! Hopefully this email will reach you I sent it earlier, but it got returned saying that that they could not reach your address. Thank you very much for the information that you sent. I will try and get a copy of the Goddard book, if that is available on microfilm. I also received information from the Stephenson Genealogical Society. That information was helpful, but as always has been a source for more questions. This is what I received: Goddard, Lucy Gl: No lot number b: d: October 29,1853 Age: 93 yrs. 10 mos. 8 das. Sp: John Shara (?) Goddard The pages of the Goddard book that you sent show the following: from the Goddard book page 1155 John Goddard, Jr; b.13 or 15 Dec. 1764, Westborough, MA; d. 26 July 1812, Milton VT. Occupation: Farmer - " he was a soldier at age 16" - noi. He mar: 21 Mch. 1786, Hollis, NH = Lucy Stiles; b. 21 Dec. 1762, Hollis, NH; d. 29 Oct. 1853, Lena, IL (cemetery at Lena). Issue - Eight; 2 sons are known, next: a) Caleb Goddard ... b) Benjamin Goddard The only problem so far is that the age does not match up, i.e. she would be 91 Then I found Caleb Goddard in Vermont:(This starts out as a table but it seems to get scrambled even though I use spaces rather than tabs to line things up) 1850 Census, Georgia, Franklin Co. VT 345 358 Sabins, Alvah 57 M Minister Bap 3000 Conn Sabins, Sarah 57 F Conn Sabins, Diantha 21 F Conn Sabins, Anna 18 F Farmer 3400 Vt 346 359 Goddard, Caleb 52 M NH Goddard, Avis 56 F Conn Goddard,Warren 17 M VT Goddard, Julia Ann 15 F VT Shaw, Lucy 90 F NH Julia Hinckley 59 F Conn Wallou, Caroline P. 39 F Vt Wallou, FranklinW. 1 M Vt Wallou, Oscar D 7/12 M NY Thomas, Augustus 26 M Labor 175 VT Thomas, Hariet ? 21 f Vt Thomas, Charles N 9/12 M Vt Thomas, Gaius 66 M VT Thomas, Priam 32 M VT Thomas, Olive 40 F Vt Thomas, Priam 9 M Vt Comments: The data on the Sabins is only included to show that it lists their youngest daughter as a farmer with considerable property, I believe that it was entered into the wrong line. Problems: In the obituaries of Samuel Newell Goddard (sent by H. A. Kippenhan) it says that the Goddards moved to Illinois in the spring of 1850. The enumeration in Vermont was done in August of 1850. Also Julia Hinckley is supposed to have died March 12, 1849. The identity of Lucy Shaw is unclear at the present. My best guess is that it is Caleb's mother, who had remarried after his father's death, but the age difference is more significant now. Were there newspapers in Lena in 1852? were there obituaries? What does ". Sp: John Shara (?) Goddard ' mean in the entry into the cemetery book, could this be Shaw? Is there anything available on the history of Lena on the Internet? Why do the family papers indicate that Avis (Hinckley) Goddard died in Ridotte? Did they own land? Sorry for the many questions and again thank you for the help you have provided so far. Afa