William J. Howser ^{2 3 4 5 6}

   Another name for William was William J. Houser.⁷

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Alt. Birth, 1835, Kentucky, United States. ^{2 4} This birth year was referenced by his age of 25 on the 1860 US Census. It was also referenced by his age of 44 on the 1880 US Census.

2. 1840 US Census, June 1840, Oldham, Kentucky, United States. ⁸ 1840 US Census
Page 159, Roll 121
, Oldham County, Kentucky
Males
5-10: 1 = (William, son, age 6)

(Living with parents.)

3. 1850 US Census, 14 August 1850, District 1, Spencer, Kentucky, United States. ⁷ 1850 US Census
Page 79, Family 120, Roll 219
District 1, Spencer County, Kentucky
William I. Houser..17..KY..Farmer

(Living with widowed mother.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 30 Sep 1833, then his age should have been 16 instead of 17.

4. 1860 US Census, 7 June 1860, District 1, Spencer, Kentucky, United States. ⁴ 1860 US Census
Page 19, Family 121, Dwelling 121, Family 121, Roll 395
District 1, Spencer County, Kentucky
William Howser..25..KY..Farm Laborer

(Living with widowed mother.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 30 Sep 1833, then his age should have been 26 instead of 25.

5. 1870 US Census, 2 July 1870, Eminence Township, Logan, Illinois, United States. ⁵ 1870 US Census
Page 28 & 29, Dwelling 192, Family 199
Eminence Township, Logan County, Illinois
William Howser..37..KY..Farmer

(Living with wife and 2 sons at home of married 1st cousin, Nancy J. Houser and her family.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 30 Sep 1833, then his age should have been 36 instead of 37.

6. 1880 US Census, 8 June 1880, Eminence Township, Logan, Illinois, United States. ² 1880 US Census
Page 242C, District 48, Dwelling 101, Family 104, Roll 227
Eminence Township, Logan County, Illinois
William J. Howser..Self..44..KY..Farmer

(Living with wife and 3 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 30 Sep 1833, then his age should have been 46 instead of 44.

7. 1900 US Census, 2 June 1900, Barnett Township, DeWitt, Illinois, United States. ³ 1900 US Census
Sheet 1B, District 34, Dwelling 20, Family 20
Barnett Township, DeWitt County, Illinois
Farm owned, no mortgage
William J. Howser..Father-in-Law..Sep 1833..66..KY

(Living with wife at the home of their married daughter, Edna.)

8. Cemetery: Woodlawn Cemetery, After 23 December 1908, Clinton, DeWitt, Illinois, United States. ⁶ Find A Grave Memorial #34749754

9. Obituary: Clinton Register, 1 January 1909, Clinton, DeWitt, Illinois, United States. ⁶ W. J. HOWSER, who had been sick about a week with pneumonia, died at his home near Midland City. He was born in Spencer county, Kentucky, September 30, 1833. In the war of '61 he enlisted in Company B, 15th Kentucky Infantry., where he served only a short time, being compelled to leave on account of ill health. In 1863, in company with his mother and two sisters, he came to Illinois and settled on a farm in Logan county. Here he was united in marriage to Miss Laura EDDY, of Atlanta, Ill. To this union five children were born, Frank and Walter preceding him last May; two daughters died in infancy. He leaves to mourn his death the wife, one daughter, Mrs. J. E. Black, near Midland City, and two sisters, Mrs. William P. HOWSER and Mrs. P. W. HOWSER, both of Atlanta, Illinois. Deceased was a member of the Christian church and was a good citizen.

(Source: Clinton Register, DeWitt County, Illinois, 1 Jan 1909)
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William married Laura P. Eddy, daughter of James Eddy and Burilla, on 30 March 1864 in Atlanta, Logan, Illinois, United States.^{1 2 3} (Laura P. Eddy was born in 1844,^{5 9} died in 1921 ⁹ and was buried in 1921 in Clinton, DeWitt, Illinois, United States ⁹.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. 1870 US Census, 2 July 1870, Eminence Township, Logan, Illinois, United States. ⁵ 1870 US Census
Page 28 & 29, Dwelling 192, Family 199
Eminence Township, Logan County, Illinois
John Eddy..34..KY..Farmer
Nancy J. Eddy..33..IL..Keeps House
Mary Gardner..12..IL
Hugh Gardner..10..IL
James Eddy..8..IL
William Eddy..6..IL
Burila Eddy..2..IL
Mary Miller..43..IN..Keeps House
Shelby Eddy..3m..IL
William Howser..37..KY..Farmer
Laura Howser..25..KY..Keeps House
Frank Howser..6..IL
Walter Howser..4m..IL

NOTE - I believe that the enumerator made a mistake in not showing the William Howsers as a separate family even though Nancy, the wife of John Eddy, was a Howser. I can not tell if they all lived in one household or not. Maybe it was one big happy family. They had three adult females who were "keeping house" for the clan. I have no idea who Mary and Hugh Gardner were even though they were the oldest and listed first. There was a Mary Houser who married into the Gardner family. I also have no idea who Mary Miller was even though she was listed just before the youngest son, Shelby. She may have been a previously married sister of Laura or John. William Howser was a 1st cousin to Nancy J. Houser.
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2. 1880 US Census, 8 June 1880, Eminence Township, Logan, Illinois, United States. ² 1880 US Census
Page 242C, District 48, Dwelling 101, Family 104, Roll 227
Eminence Township, Logan County, Illinois
William J. Howser..Self..44..KY..Farmer
Laura Howser..Wife..37..KY..Keeping House
Frank Howser..Son..16..IL..Farm Laborer
Walter Howser..Son..10..IL..At Home
Edna Howser..Dau..8...IL..At Home
Jane Niblack..Boarder..78..KY..At Home

3. 1900 US Census, 2 June 1900, Barnett Township, DeWitt, Illinois, United States. ³ 1900 US Census
Sheet 1B, District 34, Dwelling 20, Family 20
Barnett Township, DeWitt County, Illinois
Farm owned, no mortgage
William J. Howser..FathL..Sep 1833..66..KY
Laura Howser..MothL..Jul 1845..54..KY..married 35 years..5/3
Minnie Howser..Niece..Jun 1882..17..IL..At School
Pearl Howser..Niece..Aug 1884..15..IL..At School