| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. Censuses:
1820 US: Madison Township, Jackson, Ohio, pg. 192, township had a little over 40 families; related families of Michael Stoker and Michael Graybill are in neighboring Bloomfield Township; columns are male 0-10, 10-16, 16-18, 16-26, 26-45, 45+// female 0-10, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+:
David Stoker: 2,1,0,1,0,0//1,0,0,1,0.
Peter Grabill: 1,0,0,1,0,1//0,0,2,0,1.
Nancy Henson: 0,1,0,1,0,0//0,1,1,1,0.
James McDaniel: 0,0,0,0,0,1//3,2,0,0,1.
1830 US: Madison Township, Jackson, Ohio, p. 93a:
David Stoker: Males 10-15:2; 30-40:1; female 0-5:2; 10-15:1; 30-40:1. [Appears to be David, his wife Barbara, and their children: Christina, John, William, Sarah, and Catherine; appears from children enumerated that Nancy may have been dead by 1830.]
1840 US: Quincy, Adams, Illinois, the following related families living in near proximity to each other (with exception of John McDaniel and his wife Christina Stoker, all of David Stoker's siblings, children, and mother are accounted for and it confirms his father Michael was dead by 1840):
P. 43a:
David Stoker, males 5-10:1; 40-50:1//females 5-10:1; 10-15:1; 40-50:1. [David, his wife Barbara, and their children Sarah (13), Catherine (11?), and Michael (6). Note daughter Nancy not in census which means she was probably deceased by then.]
Simeon P. Grabell [Graybill], males 0-5:1; 20-30:1//females 0-5:1; 20-30:1. [David's nephew: Simeon and his wife Amanda Hill and their two oldest children.]
Jacob Stoker, males 20-30:1//females 0-5:1; 20-30:1. [Younger brother to David: Jacob and his wife Catherine and their oldest child.]
P. 44a:
Eller Stoker, males 20-30:1//females 0-5:1; 15-20:1; 60-70:1. [Youngest brother to David: Eller with his wife Margaret and their oldest child and probably their mother Catherine Eller.]
James Walker [Welker], males 10-15:1; 15-20:1; 30-40:1//females 5-10:2; 40-50:1. [Living next door to Eller and ages work perfectly that this is James Welker and Elizabeth Stoker, who is David's sister.]
John W. Stoker, males 0-5:2; 10-15:1; 30-40:1//females 0-5:1; 5-10:2; 30-40:1. [John and his wife Electa Sarah and their six oldest children.]
John Stoker, males 0-5:1; 20-30:1//females 0-5:1; 5-10:2; 20-30:1. [David's son: John and his wife Jane and their children.]
P. 52a:
William Stoker, males 0-5:1; 20-30:1//females 20-30:1 (father-in-law Samuel Winegar is next door). [David's son William and his wife Almira with their child.]
P. 55a:
Michael Stoker, males 0-5:2; 5-10:2; 10-15:1; 30-40:1// females 30-40:1. [Michael, his wife Martha, and their five oldest children.]
1851 Iowa State: Pottawattamie County. FHL film 1022203. The entire state was counted but only Pottawattamie listed everyone by name in the household and their ages; other counties only listed the head of the household and a numerical count without names of the various ages by sex in the household. No date is given when the census was taken but it was certified in Dec. 1851; however, the other counties show a Sep 1851 date which also appears more likely for Pottawattamie as well in light of ages given some children with known birthdays in October. Census return:
Stoker: William 32, Almira 33, Samuel D. 11, Wm. A. 9, Susan A. 6, Michael 4. [Note that the following related families are in this census and very close neighbors: Simeon P. Graybill, Michael/Polly Graybill with Polly's mother Catherine Eller Stoker, Eller/Margaret Stoker, Jacob/Catherine Stoker, Philip/Catherine Gatrost, David/Barbara Stoker, Edward/Sarah Davis, and William/Almira Stoker. Other relatives in same county but separated by several pages of census include the following families: Thomas/Hannah Pilling whose daughter Hannah, later marries William Lenore Graybill, Levi/Patience Graybill, John W./Sarah Stoker, Hannah Ford whose son Martin later marries Zibiah M. Stoker, and John/Sarah Smith.]
1852 Iowa: the census has William Stoker in Kanesville, Pottawattamie, IA, p. 22. This census is statistical and only lists heads of household with numbers of males, females, and voters. It is not very helpful for families or positively identifying a given individual. The following Stokers are shown as being in the same area: David, Eller, Jacob, John, and William as well as Michael Graybill, Martin Ford, Philip Gatrost, John Smith, George Graybill, and Levi Graybill.
1880 US: Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah, FHL film 1255338, NA film T9-1338, p. 189C:
William Stoker, farmer, M, 61, OH, NC, NC.
Almira, keeping house, wife, M, 62, NY, NY, NY.
John S., labourer, son, S, 22, UT, OH, NY.
Matilda, dau., 6, UT, OH, Den.
Barbara, dau., 4, UT, OH, Den.
Joseph P., son, 2, UT, OH, Den.
Alvin W., son, 3M, UT, OH, Den.
Emily Stoker, dressmaker, wife, M, 25, Den, Den, Den.
2. Per records provided by the Nauvoo Visitor's Association:
a. Seventies' records, Index, 70s Bk B Sel, pg. 259; Quorum Q35.
b. Other sources:
i. Susan Black, Early LDS Members Rec 41:925.
v. Index, Nauvoo Land and Record Files 570.
3. Obituary of son Michael Stoker: "At Spanish Fork City, April 8th, of diabetes, Michael, son of William and Almira Stoker. Deceased was born Sep. 6th, 1847, at Pisgah, Iowa; emigrated with his parents to Utah in 1852. He has left a wife and one child also his aged parents, with brothers, sisters, friends, and relatives. He died a true Latter-day Saint. - Com." Deseret News Weekly, 21 Apr 1875, vol. 24, p. 191.
4. Biography of wife of William and Almira's son William Alfred Stoker from "Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude," DUP, p. 2966, no photo: "Martha (Maren) Larsen Stoker, born 11 Oct 1857 at Hurup, Aalborg, Denmark to Niels Larson and Engar Marie Anderson; died 28 Jun 1936 at Spanish Fork, Utah, Utah; pioneer of 23 Sep 1862 in the Christian Madsen Wagon Train; married William Stoker 1 Feb 1875 in Salt Lake City (he died 9 Apr 1906 in Spanish Fork); Children:
William Alfred, 11 Nov 1875 (died at 3 months)
Almira, 26 May 1877 (twin - died at 2 years)
Alma, 26 May 1877 (twin - died at 7 months)
Niels Michael, 21 Feb 1879
Marie Elizabeth (Houghton), 22 Feb 1881
Stephen Wilford, 6 Oct 1882
Albert Marinus, 4 Dec 1884
David Elmer, 25 Feb 1887
Martha Eleanor (Cutler), 9 Oct 1889
Willard Earl, 31 Dec 1892
Lester Floyd, 28 Nov 1895
Martha (Maren) Larsen was born in Denmark in 1857. She was only five years old when she came to Utah with her parents in the Christan A. Madsen Wagon Company in 1862. She walked most of the way because the wagons were too loaded to carry people. Once in a while her mother would carry her. In 1875, Martha married William Stoker in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. They were the parents of eleven children, all born in Spanish Fork, some of them dying quite young. She was an immaculate housekeeper, and always took an active part in Church work, particularly in the Relief Society. Martha passed away in Spanish Fork, Utah County, in 1936; her hsuband passed away in 1906, also in Spanish Fork, Utah."
5. From the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT [Note: spelling corrected by myself.]. From an article entitled "A Brief History of Sylvanus Cyrus & Catherine Stoker Hulet":
"David Stoker, also, helped with the building of the Nauvoo Temple and some of the homes in the City of Nauvoo. The Hulets and the Stokers left Nauvoo with other Saints during the cold winter of 1846 and crossed Iowa. It was at Mt. Pisgah that Sylvanus met and fell in love with Catherine Stoker. They were married May 19, 1850, by a Reverend March. Evidently, the Hulets and the Stokers had been in some of the groups who had stayed to protect some of the villages as they were not in the first companies to go to Utah. However, it was soon after Sylvanus and Catherine were married that they started on their journey westward from Mt. Pisgah, with a company of Saints led by Aaron Johnson, who was appointed by President Young. At Winter Quarters Catherine's father, David Stoker, was laid to rest.
Catherine's mother, her brothers John, William, and MIchael, and her sisters Christina and Sarah, and Sarah's husband, Edward David, were in the company of the Hulet's. It was the latter part of September when they arrived in Salt Lake City. They thought they had reached their journey's end, but President Young asked the Hulets to go on with some other families to Hobble Creek and help settle that area. It was the first week in October 1850 when they arrived at this place, later named Springville."
BIOGRAPHY:
1. Farmer and Seventies president for 20 years of 50th Quorum.
2. Journal History, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, 20 Jan 1848, p. 25: "Following is the petition for a post office on the Pottawattamie lands, referred to, with the signatures attached. To the Honorable Postmaster Gerneral of the United States. Sir: There are many thousand inhabitants in the vicinity of the Log Tabernacle, which is situated on the Government purchase of the Pottawatamies and in the State of Iowa, whose interest is materially injured, and whose journey, business and improvements are retarded or destroyed by non intercourse; there being no Post Office within forty or fifty miles of said Tabernacle, and the public good requires a convenient office: Therefore, We your Petitioners, Citizens of the United States and residents of said vicinage, pray your Honor to cause, such an office to be located at or near said Tabernacle without delay, to be called the Tabernacle Post Office... [Approximately 2,000 plus all male signatures including] Wm. G. Perkins, Jude Allen, Daniel Tyler, Wm. Stoker, Israel Barlow, William Thompson [and William Thompson, Jr.], Joseph Mangum, William Richey, John B. Richey, William B. Richey, John R. Holden [Wiley Holden and Joshua Holden are immediately adjacent - relations?], Andrew Allen [with Ira Allen, Franklin Allen, Joseph Allen immediately adjacent - relations?], John Coon [with Samuel Coon, Eli Coon, Jacob Coon, and Joseph Coon immediately adjacent - relations?].
3. The book "Mormon Redress Petitions, Documents of the 1833-1838 Missouri Conflict," edited by Clark V. Johnson, contains a copy of the "Scroll Petition" dated 28 Nov 1843 at Nauvoo, IL addressed to the U.S. Congress by members of the LDS Church who had property destroyed by Missouri mobs in the 1830's. Included with over a couple thousand signatures are those of William and Almira Stoker and their two sons Samuel D. and William.
4. Reference to William in daughter Susan Ann Stoker Riley's biography per the book "Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude," Daughters of Utah Pioneers, p. 2592, photo accompanies article: "Susan Ann Stoker Riley, b. 16 Nov 1844 at Nauvoo, Hancock, IL; died 21 Mar 1920 at Burlington, Big Horn, Wyoming; parents are William Stoker and Almira Winegar; pioneer of 20 Sep 1852; spouse was Thomas Katen Riley who died Oct 1923; married 6 Apr 1863; Children:
Mary Almira (Martell), 29 Dec 1864
William Alfred, 24 May 1867 (died as a child)
Thomas Katen, Jr., 25 Apr 1870
Rhoda Jane, 17 Jul 1872
Susan Ann, 10 Jul 1875
Sarah Alnora, 23 Jan 1878
Margaret Ellen, 1 Mar 1880
Christine Archibald, 26 Oct 1882
Effie Pearl, 28 Apr 1885
Michael Clarence, 9 Feb 1888
Susan Ann was born in Nauvoo, Illinois in November 1844, the third child and first daughter. The Stokers, along with other Saints, were forced to leave their homes and flee to Iowa where they lived at Mt. Pisgah for some time. Her family joined the Isaac Stewart Company in june, 1852 for their trek West. A baby sister had been born and died at Mt. Pisgah, and one brother was four and Emily Jane, her sister was just three weeks old. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on September 20, 1852. They visited relatives in Bountiful, and then moved to Spanish Fork (called Palmyra at that time). There they settled on twenty acres of land. In 1856, her father built a two-room adobe home with a mud roof for his family. It was in Spanish Fork that Susan Ann met Thomas Katen Riley, a member of the Martin Handcart Company. They were married on April 6, 1863 when both were just nineteen years of age. They had ten children born to them, one died as a child. In 1876, they were called to settle the Big Muddy. They sold their farm, bought two wagons and two teams of mules. Mary Almira, just twelve years old, drove one wagon with their supplies, and the rest of the family rode in the other one. They returned for a time to Spanish Fork, then were called to go to southern Utah and Arizona where Thomas was in charge of the railroad and Susan and the girls cooked for the workers. Thomas took a second wife, and they had one little girl who died at age four. Susan's oldest daughter was married in 1885, and after the wedding celebration, Thomas and Susan, along with their other children, left the next morning for Ashley, Uintah Basin, Utah. They lived there for about five years where they had a very nice home and a large, productive fruit orchard. Thomas worked at many trades and enjoyed the challenges, and was happy to move on. On a beautiful spring morning in 1893, with tears dimming their eyes, the family once again left their home. With their children who were still at home, they moved to the Big Horn Territory, Wyoming. The journey took more than a month, and was very difficult. It was never ending prairie, badlands and hills. Several other families had joined them by the time they arrived. At first they lived in a tent for the summer. Thomas built a cabin without floors, windows and a door made from a wooden frame with a deer hide stretched across it. In the spring, a city was laid out. Farms were homesteaded and a canal was buillt, a Sunday School was begun with Thomas Riley as Superintendant, and in 1894 a ward was orgainzed. Susan was active in church and in community affairs. It was in Burlington, Big Horn, Wyoming, that Thomas and Susan finally settled down and found contentment. Susan passed away on March 21, 1920, and Thomas passed away on Oct. 5, 1923, they both were in their seventies. They were faithful and had much courage to go where they were asked to go and to make the most of every situation. They are honored for their great pioneering, spirit, and their faith in following their Church leaders."
5. The book "Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah," has a photo of "William Stoker, born March 26, 1819, Jackson County, Ohio. Came to Utah 1852, Isaac Stewart Company. Pres. 50th Quorum Seventies." Photo in database. Page 1191 has this: "William Stoker (son of David Stoker and Barbara Graybill of Ohio). Born March 26, 1819, in Jackson Co., Ohio. Came to Utah in 1852, Isaac Stewart company. Married Almira Winegar 1838, in Missouri (daughter of Samuel Winegar and Rhoda Cummins of Palmyra and Spanish Fork, Utah, pioneers 1852, Isaac Stewart compnay). She was born Feb. 27, 1818. Their children: Samuel D., m. Elizabeth Jones; William A., m. Martha Larsen; Susan A., m. Thomas Riley; Michael, m. Almira J. Wilson; Sarah, d. infant; Emily J., m. Robert M. Boyack; Almira, m. Warren E. Davis; John S., m. Mary E. West. Family home Spanish Fork, Utah. President 50th quorum seventies 20 years. City councilman two terms. Farmer. Died May 19, 1892."
6. FHL film 702: "Journal of John Stoker, b. 1817; Journal starts November 1, 1869." John was the son of David Stoker and Barbara Graybill. The first 35 pages details his mission taken from Utah to Virginia and Tennessee through Council Bluffs, Iowa, which I have summarized and included with his notes in this database. Pp. 36-227, the balance of John's journal, are genealogical notations of family. Many pages are blank. Besides family, the journal also notes many other unrelated Stokers who were probably gleaned from books and other sources. It appears as if maybe his son David may have taken over the book later. Many entries are repetitive at different times. Pertinent data for this family or individual is quoted verbatim as follows:
P. 55: "William Stoker, b. Mar. 26, 1819, Jackson Co., Ohio, leave to Utah 1852."
P. 103: David Stoker, born Mar. 23, 1795, died May 27, 1852. Barbara Graybill wife of David Stoker and daughter of Peter Graybill and Christenia Wampler, died Oct. 3, 1872, Summitt, Utah. Children:
John Stoker, born 8 Mar 1817, died 11 June 1881 Bountiful, Utah.
Sarah Stoker, born 26 Jun 1827, married Edward H. Davis.
William Stoker.
Michael Stoker.
7. Nauvoo LDS Land and Records Office research file (copy in my possession as of 2 Jun 2007 and also partially viewable at www.earlylds.com). Includes family group sheet from Ancestral File and listing in Susan Black's LDS Members Book. Also included:
A. Land Record: T4 R7 (Bear Creek Township) of Hancock Co., Ill. Area is south of Carthage.
B. 70s Record: Qrm 35 per Bk B Sel, LDS Arc, pg. 259. Notes baptism 26 Mar 1835 and 1836 by Michael Stoker, but I don't know that this baptismal information is part of the original documents.
8. From the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT. The following is a partial excerpt from the longer article entitled "David Stoker and Barbara Graybill," which is quoted in its entirety in the notes of David Stoker:
"By August of 1815 David and Barbara had settled into family life in Bloomfield, Jackson County, Ohio. It was on the 24 August 1815 that their first child was born: Christine Stoker. By the spring of 1816, David's parents had also joined them on the new frontier of the Ohio River Valley. David and his father, Michael, are listed on the Jackson County, Ohio, voting registry for an election that was held on 1 April 1816. Also, David's youngest brother, Eller, was born in Bloomfield, Ohio.
John Stoker, second son of David and Barbara, was born north of Bloomfield. He was born on 8 March 1817, in Madison Township, Jackson County, Ohio. William, their next Child, was born 26 March 1819 in Bloomfield Township, Jackson County, Ohio:
[1820 Census:]
David Stoker- Head of Family
One female age 26-45, (Barbara Graybill age 28),
One male age 16-26 (David age 25),
One male 10-16 yrs (unknown),
One female and two males under the age of 10 (Christena age 5, John age 3 and WIlliam age 1).
The record also indicates that four people were engaged in agriculture. Two of these were probably David and Barbara. The record also listed two male slaves. The slaves were listed as one male 26-45 yrs of age and one male under the age of 14.
It is interesting to note that between 1815 and 1824 that the family residential township changed four times. It is unknown why this occurred. Madison and Bloomfield Townships are located next to each other. It is probable that one of the following reasons accounts for this:
The boundaries continually shifted during this time.
The family lived on the border line of the two counties and which one was recorded depended on the person recording the event.
The family was constantly on the move.
After William, the rest of the children of David and Barbara were born in Bloomfield County, Illinois [KP: typo for Ohio?]:
Nancy Stoker- October 1824 (No information on what day)
Sarah Stoker- on 20 June 1827
Catherine Stoker- on 24 July 1829
Michael Stoker- on September 1833
David and his family are not listed on the 1830 census records for Ohio or Indiana. (The family of John Stoker listed on the 1830 census in Ohio is that of David's brother, John W. Stoker.)
A Change of Religion
Between the years of 1830 to 1836 David and Barbara Stoker along with some of the extended family received missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some of these missionaries were: Seymour Brunson, John A. Fisher, and Luke Johnson. All baptized members of the Stoker family into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. John Stoker (David's son) was baptized by Seymour Brunson and Luke Johnson in 1834. David's younger brother, Michael Jr., baptized Barbara in 1836. ('LDS Biographical Encyclopedia.' Andrew Johnson Vol 2 pg. 252. Luke Johnson, Autobiography in 'Millennial Star' 1864, Lewis p 92)...
An article in the local paper records that there was strong religious persecution against members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Vega area. This fighting lead to some families leaving Vega. ('Jackson Herald,' Friday, February 27, 1959 and cited in Jim Stoker's Stoker history 1993)
It was in the fall and winter of 1836 that David Stoker, his father, Michael, with their families and some of the Graybill families left the Ohio valley traveling west. On the 15 August 1838, David bought 52+ acres of land in Harrison County, Indiana. His brother, William, bought 120 acres in Madison County, Indiana. (Bureau of Land Management- Eastern States- General land Office, records of the Ohio River Valley Survey)
Other members of the extended Stoker family were already living in Indiana. David's sister, Elizabeth and her husband, James Welker, were married in Henry County, Indiana in 1828, and it's possible that their first son was born there. Albert Koons, a relative of Catherine Eller (David's mother), lived in Henry County, Indiana along with other Eller families. (The Indiana connections need to be fully researched to understand the detail of the different families movements.)...
In October of 1838 David's second son, William, married Almira Wingar in Farr West, Missouri.
David, Barbara, and their grown children with their families, moved in to Central Iowa settling at a temporary camp the church called Mount Pisgah. They stayed long enough to replenish their supplies and help others as they could. It is noted in John's record (David's son) that some family members were in Mount Pisgah for nearly two years...
Mount Pisgah is located on top of a large knoll. Local residents state that early farmers had removed some of the headstones from the many small cemeteries that dotted the hill. When the railroad came through it built its grades on top of the wagon roads, but there still are many remaining signs of the large community buried in the soil. Dugout depressions can still be seen in the hillsides, while cabin outlines are scattered around the area. The Mormon settlers built many small cabins, fenced in the settlement around the north and east sides down to the Grand River. Gardens were planted, communications centers set up.
Today local volunteers from the neighboring towns, in cooperation with the current land owners, are working to map, restore, and provide some tour trails through the area. One local volunteer told this author that some believe there are a lot more graves there than are known. One of the schools has, as part of a history project, a working to find and map out the old rock wall fence. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns some land on the hilltop and has reconstructed a cabin and take care of the small cemetery. This area provides a small visitors center.
Most of the hill top area is currently private land and is used for grazing purposes only. The land owner is aware of the history of his land and stated he did not have the heart to plow the area under. It has been left for nature to take care of it...
William's family, along with his youngest brother, Michael and his family, and John McDaniel came into the Utah valley with ox teams in the company under the lead of Isaac Stewart. In the History of William Stoker and in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints historical records that Stewart's company consisted of 245 people with 53 wagons. The company arrived into Salt Lake City on the 28th of August, 1852. Some family descendants state that Barbara Graybill Stoker, Sarah Stoker and her husband, Edward Davis, were also in this wagon company. In the 'History of Catherine Stoker and Sylvanus Hulet' it states "Catherine's mother, her brothers: William, and Michael and her sisters: Christina, Sarah and her husband Edward Davis, were in the company of the Hulet's and all arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in the latter part of August. It was early summer of 1850 that Pres. Brigham Young called the Hulet family to settle in the Hobble Creek area. This area would later be known as Springville, Utah. They arrived in the first week of October in 1850. While at Hobble Creek, Michael, married Polly Brittann Hughes on the 1 Dec. 1854. They had met each other on the trail west...
All of David and Barbara's children settled south of the Salt Lake City valley except for: Nancy who died at age 16, and John who settled in Bountiful, Utah with his friend and leader Lorenzo Snow..."
9. The following is a partial quote from an article entitled: "The Michael and Catherine Eller Stoker family as early Mormons in Ohio and Missouri," by Jimmie "B" Stoker, November 24, 1993, as reprinted in the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT. See the notes of Michael Stoker (1762-1838) for the full transcript of this article:
"The following members of Michael Stoker's family attached their names to a petition in 1843 that they had lived in Missouri and had been driven from their state:(21)
David Stoker [Michael's son David (1795-1852)], John Stoker [possibly David's son, John (1817-1881) or Michael's son, John W. (1803-1857)], John McDaniels (1812-1884) [David's son-in-law, husband of his oldest daughter, Christine (1815-1854)], Elles Stoker (1816-1855) [Eller, Michael's youngest son], Mary Stoker (1822-1890) [probably Margaret Judd, Eller's wife]. Catharine Stoker (1773-after 1850) [Michael's wife, Catharine Eller], Jacob Stoker (1812-1893) [Michael's son], Catharine Stoker [Catharine Burcham, Jacob's wife], John Stoker (1803-1857) [Michael's son, John W. Stoker], Sarah Stoker (1806-1857) [John W. Stoker's wife, Electa Sarah McDaniel].
Geo. Graybill (1821-?) [Michael's grandson, George Washington Graybill, son of Polly Mary Stoker (1792-1864)], Michael Stoker (1805-1858) [Michael's son], Martha Stoker (1808-1873) [Martha Carr McDaniel, wife of Michael's son, Michael], Gabrael Stoker (1832-1852) [Michael's grandson, son of Michael (1805-1858)], William Stoker (1819-1892) [Michael's grandson, son of David], Almira Stoker (1818-1884) [Michael's granddaughter-in-law, grandson, William's wife, Almira Winegar], Samuel D. Stoker (1840-1908) [Michael's great-grandson, son of William and Almira], William Stoker (1842-1906) [Michael's great-grandson, son of William and Almira].
Mary Graybill [possibly Michael's daughter, Polly Mary Stoker (1792-1864) or his granddaughter, Mary Ann Graybill (1830-?)], William Graybill (1825-1880) [Michael's grandson, son of Polly Mary Stoker], Adam Graybill [still looking for this relationship to Michael], Sidney R Graybill (1836-?) [Michael's grandson, son of Polly Mary Stoker], Levi Graybill (1818-1912) [Michael's grandson, son of Polly Mary Stoker], Patience Graybill (1825-1895) [Patience Smith, Michael's granddaughter-in-law, wife of Joseph Levi Graybill (1818-1912)], Mary Graybill [possibly Michael's daughter, Polly Mary Stoker (1792-1864), or his granddaughter, Mary Ann Graybill (1830-?), Polly's daughter].
John Stoker (1817-1881) [Michael's grandson, son of David], Jane Stoker (1810-1890) [Michael's granddaughter-in-law, Jane McDaniel, wife of John (1817-1881)], Hannah Graybill [Michael's great granddaughter, daughter of Joseph Levi Graybill], Hyrum Stoker (1840-1887) [Michael's great grandson, son of John Stoker (1817-1881) and Jane McDaniel], Alma Stoker (1835-1897) [Michael's adopted great grandson, son of Jane McDaniel], and Franklin Stoker (1842-1855) [Michael's great grandson, son of John Stoker (1817-1881)]. Lucinda Stoker is also listed on the petition but cannot establish a relationship to Michael Stoker (1762-1838).(22)
Refuge found in Illinois.
The people of Quincy reached out to help the Mormons fleeing from Missouri. Elizabeth Haven Barlow writes, "The people of Quincy had contributed between four and five hundred dollars for the poor Mormons. God had opened their hearts to receive us. May heaven's blessings rest upon them. We are hungry and they feed us, naked and clothed us. The citizens have assisted beyond all calculations."(23)
Footnotes
21. Also included are some of their children who were born after 1838 in Illinois.
22. "Mormon Redress Petitions," pp. 574, 598, 599-601.
23. Elizabeth Haven Barlow in letter to Elizabeth Howel Bullard, 24 February 1839, published in Ora H. Barlow, "The Israel Barlow Story and Mormon Mores." Salt Lake City: Ora H. Barlow, 1968."
10. From an article entitled "The Family" from the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT. For the full transcriptional listing of the descendants of Michael Stoker and Catherine Stoker, see the notes of Michael Stoker - the following only pertains to this immediate family. Generation "1" is Michael Stoker and Catherine Eller:
"The Michael Stoker Family as existed at the time of his death. Those names that are [bracketed] probably were involved in the Missouri experience...
2. [David Stoker], born 23 Mar 1795 in Ashe Co., NC. In 1814 married [Barbara Graybill], born 1 Apr 1792 in Ashe Co., NC, daughter of John Peter Graybill and Christina Wampler. They came with Stoker and Graybill relatives to Jackson Co., OH where David participated in the spring elections of 1816. They moved to Missouri in 1837 and to Illinois in 1839. On May 27, 1852, David died of Cholera contracted while working with his brothers on a ferry at the Missouri River. He was getting ready to bring his family to Utah. His wife, Barbara, came with others of his family three weeks later. She died on October 3, 1872 in Summit, Iron Co., Utah.
3. [Christine Stoker], born 24 Aug 1815 in Bloomfield Twp., Jackson Co., OH., married [John Riley McDaniel], son of James McDaniel and Zibiah McCarley, on Feb 8, 1835 in Jackson Co., OH. Resided in Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Utah. Christine died on May 10, 1854 in Alpine, Utah Co., Utah.
4. [Electa Jane McDaniel], born Nov. 3, 1835 in Jackson Co., OH, married James Eli Ashcraft in 1854. She died Jun 8, 1858.
4. [Tabitha McDaniel], born Jan 29, 1837 in Jackson Co., OH, married William David Norton on 30 Jan 1855 in Alpine, Utah Co., Utah. She died Dec 11, 1920 in Nephi, Juab, Utah.
3. [John Stoker], born Mar 8, 1817 at Madison, Jackson Co., OH, married [Jane McDaniel], daughter of James McDaniel and Zibiah McCarley on Jan 21, 1836. John and Jane, the following year moved to Missouri. In 1839 they moved to Illinois; in 1846 to Mt. Pisgah, Iowa; in 1848 to Salt Lake City, Utah and in 1849 to Bountiful, Utah. In 1851, John was ordained bishop of the North Canyon Ward where he served for the next 23 years. In Nov 1869 to Mar 1870 John served a short time mission for the LDS church. He visited many of his relatives in the Midwest at that time. Four years after his release as bishop, John was set apart as a member of the Davis Stake high council. He also served as a patriarch which offices he held until his death caused by a stroke in the spring of 1881. John died Jun 11, 1881 in Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah.
4. [Alma Stoker], born Dec 7, 1835 in Lick Twp., Jackson Co., Ohio, married Catherine Tolman on Jan 23, 1879. He died Jun 5, 1897.
3. [William Stoker], born Mar 26, 1819 in Bloomfield, Jackson Co., OH, married [Almira Winegar], daughter of Samuel Thomas Winegar and Rhoda Cummins, in Oct 1838 at Far West, Caldwell Co., MO. William moved to Illinois where in 1844 he was living six miles south of Nauvoo on the Carthage road. He moved to Mt Pisgah, Harrison Co., Iowa in the exodus from Nauvoo in 1846. He crossed the plains in 1852 and settled Spanish Fork, Utah Co., Utah.
3. [Nancy Stoker], born Oct 1824 in Bloomfield Twp., Jackson Co., OH. Died about 1840 probably in Illinois.
3. [Catherine Stoker], born Jul 24, 1829 in Bloomfield Twp., Jackson Co., OH, married Sylvanus Cyrus Hulet on May 19, 1850 at Mt Pisgah, Harrison Co., IA. She had moved to Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa with her family. She and Sylvanus moved to Springville, then to Iron Co., where her family was close to her sister, Sarah, and her brother, Michael and their families.
3. [Sarah Stoker], born 26 Jun 1829 in Bloomfield Twp., Jackson Co., OH, married Edward Horace Davis about 1849. They moved to Iron Co., Utah. She died Mar 10, 1908 at Summit Creek, Iron Co., UT.
3. [Michael Stoker], born Sep 12, 1833 in Bloomfield, Jackson Co., OH, married Polly Brittann Hughes on Dec 1, 1854."
11. Partial transcription from an article entitled "Michael Stoker and Catherine Eller." from the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT. See notes of Michael Stoker for full transcription of this article:
"During the Adams County time period some of the Stoker men found work with a farmer named Coleman Wilkes. Mr. Wilkes lived approximately two miles southeast of Columbus, Ohio. He had first offered work and a home to Elizabeth's husband, James Welker, and soon after David, John W., Michael, and Jacob also obtained work with him. Here they labored diligently trying to earn enough to rebuild their supplies and stock which they had lost during the Missouri struggles.
Moving to Bear Creek, Hancock Co., Illinois
On July 1, 1839 the Mormon church's prophet and leader, Joseph Smith, called for all church members to settle in and around the Commerce, Illinois area. The town of Commerce was renamed by the church members to Nauvoo. In 1842 the Stoker family had complied. Packing up their belongings they moved north settling their families around the Carthage/Bear Creek area. James Welker's son, John, recorded: "...he found that there was land that could be entered in Hancock County, about 15 miles south of Nauvoo. He moved there and filed on a homestead. Part of it was prairie land and part was timber. He built a large hewed two roomed log house. Then the next thing was to fence and make a farm to make a living off of" (Ibid).
The 1842 personal property tax assessment book of Hancock County has records for Stoker, Welker, and Graybill families living within the county. These records indicate the possibility that they lived outside of the cities."
Building the Nauvoo Temple
The Stoker families were on hand for the building of the temple for their church. It is recorded in the church history that Eller Stoker, Jacob Stoker, and John McDaniel (husband to Christine Stoker) worked on the temple for a period of time. All families were expected to donate time and supplies to the temple project...
Life was beginning to flourish again for the families, and happy times were with them. On May 23, 1844 Joseph Levi Graybill, Eller Stoker, and Michael Stoker were initiated and passed into the Nauvoo Lodge of Masons. Two weeks later Levi Graybill, Eller Stoker, and Michael Stoker became lodge members, and on June 8th they were raised to Master Masons. While in Illinois, John Stoker, John W. Stoker, John Welker Eller Stoker, and Jacob Stoker were given church callings of Office of the Seventy.
Death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith
Living around Carthage the Stoker, Graybill, and McDaniel families were homesteading lands close to those who most violently disagreed with the Mormons and who were constantly calling for their removal. Sometimes these men formed their own vigilante groups trying to scare the Mormons into leaving. Some of the Stoker men folk were called into military duty within the State Militia as recorded in the history of John McDaniel.
"Early on June 24, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, John Taylor, and fifteen other members of the Nauvoo city council headed to Carthage to answer the charges filed against them. They passed the home of William Stoker located six miles southeast of Nauvoo on the Carthage Road before 8 A.M.... Sometime after noon, the Stokers saw the mounted riders traveling toward Nauvoo. Arriving at their destination at 2:30, the leaders gathered three small cannons and about two hundred firearms which were turned over to the militia. At nearly midnight the militia delivered the Mormon leaders who came voluntarily to the authorities in Carthage... Thursday June 27 Joseph and his brother Hyrum, were martyred. A mob of about one hundred men with blackened faces gathered about five 'clock in the afternoon. Several stormed the jail where the Smith brothers and a few friends were sequestered. Joseph and Hyrum were shot dead, and John Taylor wounded...the assassins and their comrades fled Carthage to Warsaw and then sought refuge west of the MIssissippi River... Friday June 28, with the bodies of the slain leaders placed in two different wagons, covered with branches to shade them from the hot sun, Willard Richards, Samuel Smith, and Artois Hamilton pulled out of Carthage and headed for Nauvoo. Sometimes shortly after noon, the procession with eight soldiers passed by William Stoker's driving teams pulling the two wagons containing the bodies of the martyrs. Mary Stoker Aitken, a granddaughter of WIlliam Stoker and Almira Winegar, wrote, "My father [John Stephen Stoker] told us that his parents had told him that they had seen the bodies of the Prophet and his brother Hyrum Smith, being taken from Carthage to Nauvoo." ...One of the Stoker relative's narrative mentions that "After the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum in 1844, Simeon Graybill went up to Nauvoo to help guard the secretly hidden bodies of Joseph and Hyrum. Fearful the anti-Mormon mob might try to do further violence to Joseph and Hyrum's bodies, their caskets were filled with sand for public burial" (Ibid).
Conflict/Harassment Again.
In 1845 the mobbing and burnings began, starting with the outlying settlements. The Stokers were living within the church area called the Highland branch of Illinois. The babies, weddings, and all manner of social life continued on and in July the families were doing more temple work for their ancestors. Again the families grew; new events were attended to. Jacob and John Stoker also joined the Masons and were later raised to Master Masons.
Sheriff of Hancock County ordered the saints to organize and protect themselves. "John Welker tells how he and his cousins mutually watched out for each other. His account follows: 'The mob (against) the Latter-day Saints was increasing and I but a boy of 18 was the oldest of the boys that was at hoe. My oldest brother was married and doing for himself. I was the one to look after the family after my father died and when the burning out of the later day Saints by the mob commenced close by I was in a settlement 10 miles for whare {sic} they were burning houses and some of my cousins and relative lived close to whare {sic} I lived. We got together and agreed to take turnes {sic} and watch the mob and do the best we could to protect our homes. Some one was out every night watching their movements. They did not come to our little settlement to burn us out, if they had come some of them would have been hurt. Thare {sic} is many things connected with this I will not write.' (Punctuation added.)
Not all of the Stoker relatives were as fortunate as the Welkers, John McDaniel and his wife Christine Stoker, according to one history, "...were greatly persecuted with the other saints and several times were driven out by the mobs. On one occasion they were attacked and forced to flee with a child under each arm while their home was burned" (Ibid).
Nauvoo Temple Dedicated.
In late 1845 the church's Nauvoo Temple was dedicated and many of the saints came to the temple to perform their own religious (endowment) ordinances. Between January 5 and January 21, of 1846 sixteen heads of the Stoker clan had received their own temple endowment.
Michael Stoker Jr. and Catherine Burcham
Jacob Stoker and Martha Carr McDaniel
Eller Stoker and Margaret Judd
Catherine Eller Stoker (widow)
Elizabeth Stoker Welker (widow)
James W. Welker and Anna Pugh
John Stoker and Jane McDaniel
John W. Stoker and Sara McDaniel
William Stoker and Almira Winegar
Records from the Nauvoo temple show that the Stoker family participated in other religious temple activities: Catherine Eller Stoker, Michael Stoker (son), Eller Stoker (son) and wife Margaret (Judd) Stoker (Eller's wife), James Welker and wife Elizabeth Stoker Welker, and Mary (Polly) Stoker (Graybill) all did baptisms by proxy for their deceased relatives."
12. The following is a partial quote from an article entitled: "John Stoker (1817-1881) and Wives: Jane McDaniel, Harriet Susan Willis, and Jane Allen" in the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT." See John's notes for full transcription:
"After the first Mormon expedition pushed through the Rocky Mountains to settle in the Utah territory, President Young and some of his members returned to Winter Quarters during the winter of 1847-48 and began organizing more wagon parties to head west as soon as the snows allowed. During this period President Young organized the chain of command for large groups of travelers. First Heber J. Grant and Wilford Woodruff were each to organize a company. Under their direction leaders would be chosen to govern groups of hundreds, fifties, and then tens.
Families under Brigham Young's supervision were separated into three divisions with numerous companies in each division.
Here Lorenzo Snow was again appointed to be a captain over a hundred families. He in turn selected John Stoker and Herman Hyde to be his two captains, each of them were over a group of fifty families that were then grouped by tens.
In addition to the general instructions to keep order in the camps, President Young passed on additional orders gained from the first companies experiences west: take care of the cattle- do not allow them to be abused, there is to be no yelling nor brawling in camp, attend prayers, put out the fires, and go to bed by 9 p.m.
Lorenzo Snow's company: 99 Wagons, 321 people, 20 horses, 3 mules, 308 oxen, 188 cows, 38 loose cattle, 25 pigs, 158 chickens, 10 cats, 26 dogs, and 2 doves (Barlow 1968).
John and Jane with their family left Kanesville early in the summer of 1848. Records indicate that John's mother and siblings, along with some other Stoker families came west in 1852 under the direction of Captain Isaac Stewart. Within the listed names of the Stewart's Second group of ten are: William Stoker's family, Michael Stoker's family and John McDaniel's family. The names of the individuals within the families were not listed (Church Historical Dept.).
Instructions were then given the saints, who had been divided. Thomas Bullock, clerk of the "Camp of Israel," stated that: "On the 1st day of June, Lorenzo Snow's company moved off the ground to the 'Liberty Pole' on the Platte, in order to make room for other wagons that came pouring in from Winter Quarters. (Roberts 1965).
Liberty Pole camp was located on the Elkhorn River in Nebraska.
In his autobiography, George Morris relates a memorable incident he had during their journey west. His family was assigned to travel under the leadership of John Stoker.
"I thought that I had about overcome the spirit of swearing again, until one day after we had traveled some distance on our way towards the valley. Brother Lorenzo Snow was captain of the hundred, John Stoker of 50, Thomas McLellin of the 10, that I traveled with. We were crossing a bad, miry, creek and the captains were the first wagon and the last one in the line. The captain had made a little miscalculation and stopped his team a little too soon so that there was not room for me to drive out on the bank, so I was stopped down in the mire. The captain was standing on the bank to see us out when I ripped out a terrible oath at him for not allowing me room to get out, it was a terrible oath to be sure. In that same award manner in which I had been to swear before, it was all like a streak of fire and brimstone than anything else. I looked and there sat Brother Snow in his buggy on the bank watching the teams cross, he gave me such a look and the captain that I had swarn at stood there looking right at me but neither of them spoke a word to me. They didn't need to for the look they had given me were quite sufficient. They left me and passed on. When I had got out and cooled down I felt fearful mean but they didn't hear anymore swearing from me" (Morris 1995).
After leaving Liberty Pole for Utah the company was delayed many times during their journey for the purpose of building bridges, rafts, etc., to help the journey of the other saints coming later.
Picture p. 12: "Trail Map of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints western migration. Trail begins at Nauvoo, Illinois and ends at Salt Lake City, Utah. Ensign, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1997."
Salt Lake City:
Lorenzo Snow's company arrived in Salt Lake City on 24 September 1848. With the arrival of President Brigham Young's three divisions of church members, the total number of people in the Salt Lake valley had grown to 5000. So many people arrived in Utah that by the fall of 1848 the one block size fort had three additions equaling two forts. One facing north side and one facing south, the two connected by gates.
When the first company of Mormons reached Utah, besides attending to farming, they built a Fort to shelter the incoming families. As the members would arrive President Young would have them stay only as long as they needed to gather strength, and then he would assign them an area outside Salt Lake City to settle.
It is recorded that by the time the companies arrived in the Utah valley their clothing was pretty well gone.
"Many were without shoes, and the best and only covering they could get for their feet were moccasins. Their clothing, too, was pretty well exhausted, and the goat, deer, and elk skins which they could procure were most acceptable for clothing, though far from pleasant to wear in rain or snow" (Cannon)."
14. Land deeds for William Stoker in 1837 from the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT:
A. "Certificate No. 10.147
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting: whereAS William Stoker of Madison County Indiana had deposited in the GENERAL LAND OFFICE of the United States, a Certificate of the REGISTER of The LAND OFFICE at Fort Wayne whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said William Stoker according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April, 1820, entitled "An Act making further provision for the sale of the Public Lands," for the North West quarter of the North East quarter and the South East quarter of the North East quarter of section twenty one in Township Twenty one North of Range Seven East in the District of Lands subject to sale at Fort Wayne Indiana containing Eighty acres according to the official plat of the survey of the said Lands, returned to the General Land Office by the SURVEYOR GENERAL, which said tract has been purchased by the said William Stoker.
NOW KNOW YE, That the United States of America, in consideration of the Premises, and in conformity with the several acts of Congress, in such case made and provided, HAVE GIVEN and GRANTED, and by these presents DO GIVE and GRANT, unto the said William Stoker and to his heirs, the said tract above described: To HAVE and To HOld the same, together with all the rights, privileges, immunities, and appurtenances of whatsoever nature, thereunto belonging, unto the said William Stoker and to his heirs and assigns forever.
In Testimony Whereof, I, Martin Van Buren PRESIDENT of The UNITED STATES of AMERICA, have caused these Letters to be made PATENT, and the SEAL of the GENERAL LAND OFFICE to be hereunto affixed.
GIVEN under my hand at the City of Washington, the thirtieth day of May in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven and of the INDEPENDENCE of The UNITED STATES the Sixty first byThe PRESIDENT: Martin Van Buren By A Van Buren Sec'y.
Hudson M Garland RECORDER of the General Land Office."
B. "THE UNITED STATES of AMERCA
Certificate No. 10.146
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting: whereAS William Stoker of Madison County Indiana had deposited in the GENERAL LAND OFFICE of the United States, a Certificate of the REGISTER of The LAND OFFICE at Fort Wayne whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said William Stoker according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of the 24th of April, 1820, entitled "An Act making further provision for the sale of the Public Lands," for the North East quarter of the North West quarter of section twenty one in Township Twenty one North of Range seven East in the District of Lands subject to Sale at Fort Wayne Indiana containing forty acres according to the official plat of the survey of the said Lands, returned to the General Land Office by the SURVEYOR GENERAL, which said tract has been purchased by the said William Stoker.
NOW KNOW YE, That the United States of America, in consideration of the Premises, and in conformity with the several acts of Congress, in such case made and provided, HAVE GIVEN and GRANTED, and by these presents DO GIVE and GRANT, unto the said William Stoker and to his heirs, the said tract above described: To HAVE and To HOld the same, together with all the rights, privileges, immunities, and appurtenances of whatsoever nature, thereunto belonging, unto the said William Stoker and to his heirs and assigns forever.
In Testimony Whereof, I, Martin Van Buren PRESIDENT of The UNITED STATES of AMERICA, have caused these Letters to be made PATENT, and the SEAL of the GENERAL LAND OFFICE to be hereunto affixed.
GIVEN under my hand at the City of Washington, the thirtieth day of May in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven and of the INDEPENDENCE of The UNITED STATES the Sixty first byThe PRESIDENT: Martin Van Buren By A Van Buren Sec'y.
Hudson M Garland RECORDER of the General Land Office."
15. From the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT. The following story is about William and Almira Stoker and it is noted as being from the files of Jimmie B. Stoker:
"Florence Stoker as told by her father, John Stephen Stoker, "Biographies of William and Almira Winegar Stoker," typescript sent to Jim Stoker by Alta Aitken Rowley, 360 W. 550 S., Orem, Utah 84058.
"They [William and Almira Stoker] lived in Illinois until the Saints were driven from Nauvoo. They were living along the road between Carthage and Nauvoo at the time of the martyrdom. My father, John Stephen Stoker, who told me this story, said he had heard his mother say she saw the bodies of the Prophet and Hyrum Smith being taken from Carthage to Nauvoo.
"When the saints were driven from Nauvoo, WIlliam and Almira Stoker moved into Iowa. They settled at Mt. Pisgah and lived there for six years. Mountain was the burial ground. They buried a little girl six months old at Mt. Pisgah. They lived a year at Council Bluffs, Iowa. William's father, David Stoker, died of cholera at Council Bluffs [Trader's Point] about two or three weeks before the family left for the west. ["My Great-grandfather, David Stoker, died of cholera just before he was to start west with the saints, from Council Bluffs. His brothers were running a ferry boat across the missouri River. He was living at Council Bluffs or Winter Quarters (Trader's Point?). He decided to help them for a while to get some money to finish the journey west. While working on the ferry, he took cholera and died. he was buried at Council Bluffs. (Florence Stoker as told by her father, John Stephen Stoker, "Parents and Brothers and Sisters of my Grandfather, William Stoker.")]
"William and Almira Stoker left the Missouri River June 20, 1852. They ferried across the river. They came west in Isaac Stewart's company.
"...They arrived in Salt Lake 20 September 1852. They spent about two weeks in Bountiful and Springville, then came to Spanish Fork."
16. From the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT. The following is noted as being from the files of Jimmie B. Stoker:
"History of William Stoker. Kathleen Stoker Overton, "History of Wiliam Stoker," The Eller Chronicles, Vol. XI:2 (May 1997), pp. 46-47.
My Great-great-grandfather, William Stoker, was born 26, March 1819 in Bloomfield, Jackson County, Ohio. His parents, David Stoker and Barbara Graybill, had both been born in Ashe County, North Carolina. David and Barbara and their parents moved to the Great Western Reserve (also called the Ohio) in 1815 where land and opportunity beckoned. They settled in Bloomfield Township in Jackson County and began farming. In 1833 the family was visited by a missionary, John Fisher, and they were introduced to the early Latter-day Saint Church. Most of those who were old enough were baptized that same year. WIlliam was baptized in 1835 at the age of 16. In 1836 some members of the family made a trip to Kirtland, Ohio for the dedication of the Temple and to attend the conference that followed. Then later that same year most of the extended family moved to Far West, Missouri to be with the main body of the Church. William's grandparents, Peter and Christina Wampler Graybill, who were then in their late seventies stayed in Jackson County and died a few years later.
William's family withstood the dangers of mob attacks and many hardships. They later moved to Quincy and Nauvoo, Illinois in 1839. By 1846 most of Nauvoo had been vacated and the family settled in Kanesville, now named Council Bluffs, Iowa. Some remained there never making the trip west.
William was a sturdy man physically. He weighed about 190 pounds and was fairly tall. As a young man he had left farming to earn his livelihood as a wood chopper tempted by the money he could earn against the low wages of farming. His job was to find dense, suitable lumber on or near the banks of the rivers (Mississippi, Ohio, and tributaries), fell it, cut it into lengths, and build a raft just big enough that two men could handle it. They would load it and then with a long, light pole they from the shore and float down the Mississippi hundreds of miles until they arrived at a suitable saw-mill and sold their cargo. After replenishing their supplies of food and other things they would catch a steamboat north to start over again. As with all rugged work, things did not always go well. Sometimes a raft would become disorganized in midstream and it would take a lot of swimming and hard work to get it in shape again. He became an expert breast stroke swimmer.
William married Almira Winegar in Far West, Missouri in October of 1838. Almira was born 27 February 1818 in Homer, New York to Samuel Thomas Winegar and Rhonda Cummings. Her family too had joined the Church in its earliest days. When the Saints were expelled from Nauvoo, they came as far as Mt. Pisgah, Iowa where they lived for six years.
In June 1851 [1852] William and Almira started for Utah. They crossed the plains in the Isaac Stewart Company. While coming to Utah there was a stampede of oxen directly in back of William which threatened disaster to one of the wheels of the wagon. The driver of the oxen could not control them. William realizing the danger of damaging his wagon, as well as danger to members of the company, drew back his whip stock and brought the ungovernable oxen to the ground. This act enraged the owner of the oxen and he threatened to whip William. Immediately others brought Captain Isaac Stewart to the scene and he praised William for doing the right thing and probably saving lives.
The family settled in Palmyra in 1852. Later they helped lay out and settle the city of Spanish Fork, Utah. Here William built a two room adobe house from some of the adobe from the old fort. He later added a room at a time until there were four rooms and a big front porch. He followed the occupation of farmer having taken up land in different parts of the vacant tracts outside of town. He and Almira had nine children."
17. The following partial excerpt is from the article "Michael and Catherine Eller Stoker's Descendants in Illinois" by Jimmie "B" Stoker, July 30, 1994 from the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT, The numbers in the text refer to endnotes at the end of the article. See Catherine Martha Eller's notes for the full and complete transcript which is quite lengthy and only deals with her children in the Illinois period of Mormon history:
"On Friday morning, June 28, with the bodies of the slain leaders placed in two different wagons, covered with branches to shade them from the hot sun, Willard Richards, Samuel Smith and Artois Hamilton pulled out of Carthage and headed for Nauvoo. Sometime shortly after noon, the procession with eight solders passed the William Stokers' driving teams pulling the two wagons containing the bodies of the martyrs. Mary Stoker Aitken, a granddaughter of William Stoker and Almira Winegar, wrote, "My father [John Stephen Stoker (1858)] told us that his parents [William and Almira] had told him that they had seen the bodies of the Prophet and his brother, Hyrum Smith, being taken from Carthage to Nauvoo."59 The news of the martyrdom had reached Nauvoo and hundreds of its inhabitants solemnly lined Mulholland Street about a mile east of the temple as the two wagons bearing the dead prophet and patriarch arrived at 3 o'clock. A gloom had fallen over the city. The following day, Saturday, the bodies lay in state at the Mansion House while thousands of Saints filed past the coffins. Joseph and Hyrum were buried clandestinely in the basement of the Nauvoo House so that anyone trying to collect a reward offered for Joseph's head could not find the remains. One of the Stoker relative's narratives mentions that "After the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in 1844, Simeon Graybill went up to Nauvoo to help guard the secretly hidden bodies of Joseph and Hyrum. Fearful the anti-Mormon mob might try to do further violence to Joseph and Hyrum's bodies, their caskets were filled with sand for the public burial."60"
18. FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 100-101:
"David Stoker4, b. 23 March 1795 in Ashe County, N.C.;d., 27 May 1852 at Winterquarters, Iowa. He m., 1814, Barbara Graybill, b., April 1792 in Ashe County, N.C., d., 3 Oct. 1872 at Summit Creek, Iron Co., Utah. She was a dau. of Peter Graybill and his wife Christina Wampler. (Family Records)
The children of David Stoker and his wife Barbara Graybill were:
(1) Christina Stoker5, b., 24 Aug. 1815 in Bloomfield Twsp. of Jackson Co., Ohio; d., 10 May 1854/56; m., John McDaniel.
(2) John Stoker5, b., 8 March 1817, in Madison Twsp. of Jackson Co., Ohio; d., 11 June 1881. He believed in polygamy and had three wives first of whom was Jane McDaniel; b. 24 Feb 1810 in Racoon Twsp. of Gallia Co., Ohio; d., 20 Jan. 1890 in Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah where both she and her husband lie buried. She was a dau. of James McDaniel and his wife Zibiah McCarley. Children of John Stoker5 and his first wife Jane McDaniel were:
(1) Hiram Stoker6, b., 9 Nov. 1840, at Columbus, Adams Co,, Ill.; d., 5 June 1885 (sic). He did not marry.
(2) Franklin Stoker6, b., 12 Aug. 1842, Hancock Co., Ill.; d., 25 Sept. 1855. No further records.
(3) David Stoker6, b., 28 Sept. 1844, in Hancock Co., Ill.; d. 1. Apr. 1911; m., 3 March 1866, Regena Hogan.
(4) Zibiah Stoker6, b., 21 March 1847 in Pottawattamie Co., Iowa; d., 28 May 1933; m., 5 Apr 1869, Judson Tolman.
(5) Sarah Ann Stoker6, b., 10 Oct. 1851 in Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah; d., 23 Jan. 1922; m., 2 March 1869, Harlan Simmons.
(3) William Stoker5, b., 26 March 1819 in Bloomfield, Jackson Co., Ohio; d., 19 March (May) 1892; m. Almira Winegar, b. 27 Feb. 1818 (1819); d., 6 Nov. 1884. She was a dau. of Samuel T. and Rhoda E. (Cummins) Winegar.
(4) Nancy Stoker5, b., Oct. 1824, in Bloomfield Twsp. of Jackson Co., Ohio.
(5) Sarah Stoker5, b. 26 June 1827, in Bloomfield Twsp. of Jackson Co., Ohio; d, 10 June 1900, Another record, probably an error, says she d., 10 March 1908. She married Edward H. Davis.
(6) Catherine Stoker5, b., 25 July 1829, in Bloomfield Twsp. of Jackson Co., Ohio; d. 8 Nov. 1882; m., 19 May 1850, Sylvanus Hulet.
(7) Michael Stoker5, b., 12 Sept. 1833, in Bloomfield Twsp. of Jackson Co., Ohio. He first married Martha C. Frederick. His second wife was Polly or Britan, or Britiania, or Britania Hughes."
19. FHL book 929.273 St67d "Descendants of William Stoker (1819-1892): with a View of his Ancestors," by Jay and Rachel Phillips Deeben, Feb. 2014, pp. 60-70:
"William Stoker[1] (1819-1892), by Jay C. and Rachel A. Phillips Deeben.
William Stoker, son of David Stoker and Barbara Graybill, was born in Bloomfield Twp., Jackson, Ohio on 26 Mar 1819.[2] He was the third child of a family of six children. William accepted the teachings of the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while living in Jackson County, Ohio with his family.[3] Then on 27 Oct 1836, his grandfather, Michael Stoker (1762) and his wife Catherine Martha Eller sold their property in Ohio,[4] and began their travels to Missouri to join the Latter-day Saints. William probably traveled with his family (David and Barbara) about this same time to Missouri.
After William arrived in Far West, Missouri he met and courted Alrnira Winegar. She was born 27 Feb 1818, in Horner, Cortland, New York.5 Her parents are Samuel Thomas Winegar and Rhoda Cummins. William and Alrnira were married in October 1838,[6] in Far West, Caldwell, Missouri. When you read church history, their marriage occurred during the strife the Latter-day Saints were going through, just prior to being driven out of Missouri.
William didn't leave any journals as far as we could find, but John Welker, a cousin to William did leave some information in his journal. Jimmie "B" Stoker in his writing about "Michael and Catherine Eller's Descendants in Illinois" records an incident from John Welker's journal of the family's travel from Missouri to Illinois. John states, "We traveled through snow and rain and mud and water, laying out in the storms to sleep during the nights. All this I have passed through ... We make our way out of the state of Missouri to the Mississippi River through much suffering and privations."[7]
William and his wife, Alrnira, settled in Quincy, Illinois in the first one or two years after arriving in Illinois. The 1840 Federal Census for Quincy, Illinois lists William Stoker with a male child under five, one male between 20 and 30 years of age, and one female between 20 and 30 years of age.[8] The male child that was listed as being under five years of age would have been William and Almira's oldest son, Samuel David Stoker, born 24 Mar 1840. The male that was between 20 and 30 years of age would have been William and the female of the same age group would have been Almira.
To earn money to take care of their families the Stoker men would have hired out to some of the local farmers and other business owners that needed help. Jimmy "B" Stoker makes reference to the possibility of William hiring out to a farmer by the name of Coleman Wilkes[9] who lived about eighteen or twenty miles east of Quincy, Illinois. How long they may have worked here is not known. But eventually William and his family moved closer to Nauvoo, Illinois where they lived until they were driven out by the mobs.
William and his family were with the church members when they were forced out of Nauvoo, Illinois in the winter of 1845-1846. They crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa and then started their travels to Winter Quarters during 1846. They stopped at Mount Pisgah, Harrison C
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1819 - 1892 (73 years)