My Genealogy Hound
Below is a family biography from the book, History of Kentucky, Edition 1 by J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin and G. C. Kniffin and published by F. A. Battey Publishing Company in 1885. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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WILLIAM J. WILLS, a farmer, was born February 20, 1821, in Montgomery County, Ky. He is the youngest of four children, three boys and one girl, born to James S. and Mary (Kelly) Wills, natives of Virginia and of Welsh and English descent. His grandfathers were Euclid Wills and Alexander Kelly, the latter a Revolutionary soldier. William J. Wills was reared to farming and to blacksmithing; received a common school education, and lived with his parents till of age. He moved to Todd County in 1847, where he purchased 160 acres of land. In 1857 he sold out and came to Ballard County and located where he now lives on 202 acres of land, one half of which is cleared. He was married in February, 1850, to Tolitha A. Lee, of Todd County, a native of Logan County, Ky., and a daughter of John B. and Julietta (Davis) Lee, natives respectively of Kentucky and North Carolina, and of Irish origin. He has had born to him by this union seven children: James S., John B., William L. (deceased), Onias, David T., Mary E. (now Miller) and Anah D. Mr. Wills has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for thirty years, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church. He cast his first presidential vote for James K. Polk, and has voted with the Democrats ever since.
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This family biography is one of 186 biographies included in the Ballard County, Kentucky section of the book, The History of Kentucky, Edition 1 published in 1885 by F. A. Battey Publishing Company. For the complete description, click here: History of Kentucky, Edition 1
View additional Ballard County, Kentucky family biographies here: Ballard County, Kentucky Biographies
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