Kathy...thanks for your response....no wonder we couldn't find a genealogy society while in Joliet....it isn't there. Thanks for that info. Maybe I can get back there again...about a 6 hour drive and search myself...or at least send a querry in a letter. I will see if the library can do a search for a couple names for me and see what comes up with the Pioneers. I take it that by Transcriptions in Bookletts, you mean cemetery transcriptions???? As to probate records....agh...while at the courthouse in Will Co, we did look for probates. I found one for Cyrus BRONSON...it was pretty confusing, and gave no clue to his life before Will Co, Illinois. I have found him on the IGI I believe...and his father was a Simeon..though there is no more info on him other than that. There was nothing for this Titus BRONSON of Will Co either. As my my own ancestor, Pierce B. BISSELL, he supposedly died in Rock Island Co, about 1870. However..there is no probate there for him either. After their move BACK to Rock island from Will Co.....he appears in the census as head of house, but he never again owned land in his own name....only his wife bought and sold the land. I have half suspected that he might have not been living with him...as his occupation was that of a peddlar,but, while in Joliet, he was a Cooper. A Peddlar would be a good cover for him having taken off from the family and gone west. The 1860 census indicates one very strange entry....that he was "insane due to religious excitement". The family has often thought he might have been in a mental institution, but I don't. I highly suspect he converted to Mormanism...and may have indeed gone west...maybe even intending to either send for the family, or come back after them. Interestingly, they had kids right up until their move back to Rock Island....but....not one more kid after that. He and his wife, Sarah, were both in their younger middle years...so that bolsters my speculation that he wasn't actually around or there would have been more kids. However, I stand alone in the family with this theory....but it sure looks obvious to me. Anyway...no probate...nothing....our only hope of finding his parentage, is to try to link him with people of the areas where he was living. The Titus BRONSON fellow is a very strong possibility and....another in Joliet in 1850 is Levi COLE, in his 80s, from Cheshire Co, Westmoreland, NH....he was the father of Arathusia (Mrs. Elijah) DOOLITTLE. Levi Cole and daughter appear on the page or so preceeding Pierce Bissell. Levi Cole is ALSO a Cooper. And....we know that he was known to have been in Watertown, Jefferson Co, NY before his move to Joliet...as were the Doolittles. And...Bissells occurr there in Watertown , just a page or two away also. There is more info on this Levi Cole fellow to further suggest a linkage with Pierce Bissell. Levi Cole's first wife was a Lydia PIERCE and Levi's mother was named Lois. Pierce Bissell named one of his daughters Lois also. I have suspected that Lydia Cole may have married a Bissell and had Pierce B. Bissell...so far unproven. So...a new question would be if anyone had more info on the Levi Cole family. The ancestral file gives quite a bit...but of course...there is nothing further on the one child, Lydia, from his first marriage. I hold out hope that somebody will eventually recognize this and have a tidbit to throw to us. Thank heavens for computers and the internet....this has been a 25 plus year search involving a lot of people....but the above progress only happened after genealogy on line has proliferated. Gosh...sorry to have gone on so....I always have a hard time saying something ~short~. Julie Bissell Tupker > > Hi Julie, > Will Grundy Genealogy society collection is at the fossil ridge library in > braidwood,illinois that's why you couldn't find it. > mailing address is P.O.box 24,wilmington,ill 60481 > check will county site for info and addresses for will county historical > society and joliet has one too I think. > joliet public library has the transcriptions in booklets for the Will County > Pioneers might have them check those. > If you have a death location for your ancestor, have you tried to locate his > probate record in that county? > Kathy >