Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

Jacob Stoker

Male 1812 - 1893  (80 years)


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  • Name Jacob Stoker 
    Born 7 Apr 1812  , Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 22 Feb 1893  Cambria, San Luis Obispo, California, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Sims Ranch, Adelaida, San Luis Obispo, California, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I2538  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Father Michael Stoker or Stocker,   b. 24 Mar 1762, Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 27 Oct 1836, of, Caldwell, Missouri, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age > 74 years) 
    Mother Catherine Eller,   b. 6 Mar 1773, , Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 7 Aug 1856, Kane Township, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age > 83 years) 
    Married 7 Feb 1792  of, Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F295  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Catherine Burcham,   b. 14 Aug 1818, Lawrence Twp, Lawrence, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Aug 1898, Adelaida, San Luis Obispo, California, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 80 years) 
    Married 8 Nov 1835  , Lawrence, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F1447  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES;
      1. 20 Apr 2002 Ancestry.com database: "tedcox3" reports 10 children born between Feb 1837 and Jan 1857 in
      the following counties and states: Henry, Indiana; Caldwell, MO; Adams, IL; Hancock, IL; Pottawattamie, IA; Harrison, IA; and Mill, IA.

      2. Censuses:
      1820 US: Bloomfield Township, Jackson, Ohio, pg. 195, township had a little over 40 families; related families include James Lackey, Michael Stoker, and Michael Graybill. In neighboring Madison Township, related families David Stoker, Peter Graybill, Nancy (Graybill) Henson, and James McDaniel are found. Columns are male 0-10, 10-16, 16-18, 16-26, 26-45, 45+// female 0-10, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+:
      Michael Stoker: 2,1,0,1,0,1//1,1,0,0,1. [Appears to be Michael, his wife Catherine, and their children John, Michael, Rebecca, Catherine, Jacob, and Eller; the three oldest appear gone in this census.]
      Michael Graybill: 3,0,0,0,1,0//1,0,0,1,0.
      James Lackey: 2,2,1,2,0,1//1,2,1,1,5.

      1830 US: Bloomfield Township, Jackson, Ohio, pg. 109-112, note whole township had 527 people living in it, related families include Michael Stoker, Michael Stoker Jr., Alexander Lackey, James Welker, Michael Graybill, and John Stoker:
      Michael Stoker. Males 10-15: 1; 15-20:1; 60-70:1. Females 10-15:1; 50-60:1. [Family appears to be Michael, his wife Catherine, and their two youngest sons Jacob and Eller; unsure who the girl age 10-15 may be.]

      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.]

      1850 US: Dist. 21, Pottawattamie, Iowa, p. 134b, dwelling 1117, household 1117; neighbors: Eller Stoker and Jacob Stoker:
      Jacob Stoker, 39, NC.
      Cathern, 34, OH.
      Nancy, 12, MO.
      Hyrum, 7, IL.
      George, 2, IA
      Adline, 1, F, IA.

      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: Jacob 38, Catharine 34, Nancy 12, Hiram 8, George W. 3, Adaline M. 1. [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 Jacob Stoker in Kanesville, Pottawattamie, IA, p. 26. 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.

      1854 Iowa: Harrison Co., Iowa, FHL film 1022206:
      Jacob Stoker, 3 males, 3 females, 1 voter, 1 militia, 6 total.

      1856 Iowa: Council Bluffs Township, Mills, IA, shows family as residing in state for 10 years:
      Jacob Stoker, 44, NC.
      Catharin A., 39, OH.
      Nancy A., 17, MO.
      Hirum, 13, IL.
      George, 8, IA.
      Adaline, 6, IA.
      King, 2, IA.
      Margret, IA.

      1860 US: Placerville, El Dorado, California, p. 26 of 44, 7 Jul 1860, 1671/1671:
      Jacob Stoker, 46, teamster, NC.
      Catherine, 42, OH.
      Hyrman, 17, IL.
      Geo. W., 12, IL.
      Adaline, 10, IA.
      King L., m. 6, IA.
      M.A., 5, IA.

      1870 US: Can't find.

      1880 US: Silver Cliff, Custer, Colorado, p. 308A, NA film T9-0089 (all are listed as miners):
      Jacob Stoker, self, W, 68, OH.
      King E. Stoker, son, S, 25, IA, OH, OH.
      Robert Flowers, other, M, 24, IA, OH, OH. [Possible relation?]
      Wm. H. Traver, other, S, 21, IA. [Possible grandson.]
      Robert Cleveland, other, S, 43, Scot, Scot, Scot.

      3. Daughter America Stoker b. 16 Jan 1846 in Hancock Co., Illinois and d. 7 May 1847 in Pottawattamie Co., Iowa. Burial: the following name is found on a new memorial stone with 33 other related family members at Graybill/Stoker Cemetery: "America Stoker 1846-1847." It is 3 miles east of Council Bluffs, Iowa in Garner Township on old Highway 6 (also known as McPherson Highway - not to be confused with the new Highway 6), then a right (south) on State Orchard Road for 9/10ths of a mile, then left (east) on Cedar Lane to the first driveway on the left (north). The address is 21090 Cedar Lane and the cemetery is in their backyard. Get permission from the homeowner first. These directions were corrected from previous directions after my visit May 8, 2007.

      4. Twins Peter Stoker and Julia Stoker b. 18 Dec 1851 and Peter d. Dec 1851 and Julia d. 1857 all in Pottawattamie Co., Iowa. Burial: the following name is found on a new memorial stone with 33 other related family members at Graybill/Stoker Cemetery: "Peter Stoker 1851-1851." It is 3 miles east of Council Bluffs, Iowa in Garner Township on old Highway 6 (also known as McPherson Highway - not to be confused with the new Highway 6), then a right (south) on State Orchard Road for 9/10ths of a mile, then left (east) on Cedar Lane to the first driveway on the left (north). The address is 21090 Cedar Lane and the cemetery is in their backyard. Get permission from the homeowner first. These directions were corrected from previous directions after my visit May 8, 2007. [Note 17 May 2002 Ancestry.com database tedcox.3 states death date as 25 May 1853 without documentation.]

      5. 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. 17-31, clarifies early North Carolina counties and land grant practices:
      "Land grants in North Carolina originated with an entry application which was filed in the county where the land was situated and if not lost are now on file there. This was followed, sometimes soon and sometimes years later by an order from the land office for the tract to be surveyed. Sometimes soon and sometimes years later the survey was made and a surveyor's plat filed with the Secretary of State in Raleigh. Then came the grant which may have been issued reasonably near the date of the survey or sometimes several years later. These grants, orders to survey and the survey itself are on file now in the Secretary of State's office at Raleigh...
      Many counties were formed from what originally was Rowan County, namely Surry and Guilford in 1770, Burke and Wilkes in 1777, Randolph in 1779, Iridell in 1788, Stokes in 1789, Buncomb in 1791, Ashe in1799, Davidson in 1822, Yancey in 1833, Davie in 1836 and Yadkin in 1850. Some of these counties were grandchildren of Rowan County; for instance Wilkes was taken partly from Burke and partly from Surry, Randolph from Guilford, Buncomb and Yancy form Burke, Ashe from Wilkes and Stokes and Yadkin from Surry. These facts must be kept in mind when tracing early Rowan County families."

      6. From Sep 2006 Internet, http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge.2509/brownson.html: It appears the Stoker family probably knew the Seymour Brunson family of nearby Lawrence Co., Ohio. Brunson had served with Luke Johnson in 1832. In 1833 he is again with Luke in the area as are Zerubbabel Snow and Amasa Lyman. He is also specifically in Bloomfield, Jackson, Ohio in Nov. 1834 when his son his born and also per letters he wrote. He appears generally in Kirtland thereafter. His journal notes that in July 1836 he visited the church in Bloomfield. He does note the baptism of John Stoker 13 Nov 1837. It was at his funeral in Nauvoo in 1840 that Joseph Smith first revealed the doctrine of baptisms for the dead.

      7. 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...
      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.)...
      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)
      Some members of the Graybill family also joined the church as their baptismal dates and offices they held within the church are listed in the records of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
      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.)...
      The census records and genealogical family groups sheets illustrate some of David and Barbara's journeys. The history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints records members of the Graybill, McDaniel, and Welker families migrated west staying with the main body of the church to settle in Caldwell County, Missouri, near the town of Far West.
      [Picture, pg. 61: "Caldwell County, Missouri. Township 55 North of the base line. Range 28 west of the 5th principal meridian.
      Section 8 NW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 John W. Stoker's land -1837.
      Section 8 SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 James Welker's land -1837.
      Section 9 SW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 Eller Stoker's land -1837.
      (From the map archives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)")...
      During July of 1837 three families of the Stoker clan filed forty acre land deeds in Missouri. They were located seven to eight miles southeast of Far West, Missouri in the Grant Township near Log Creek. They were: James Welker (brother-in-law to David), Eller, and John W. Stoker (David's brothers). (Vital statistics indicate other family members were in this area, but no land records have been located at this time.)...
      The next notable record of David and his family are found in the 'Redress Petition' to the United States government on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This petition listed all those who lost property and effects due to the "Mormon Expulsion" order given by the governor of Missouri. This order simply stated that all of the Mormon church people had to immediately leave or die. Groups of raiding parties against the church members ensured the order was carried out to the extreme. The Stokers and their relatives reported that these 'mobs' had stolen their plow, wagons, tools, mill wheel, beehives, pigs, and horses. Their furniture was damaged, guns and rifles taken, and crops and homes were burned. There are 36 family members listed on the petition. ('History of the Church,' Vol 4)
      The following is one journal recounts how volatile the Log Creek area became: "A sketch that I was an eye witness to in the State of Missourie Charles C. Rich on the 24th of October 1838 Messengers Come into Farwest stating that the mob was on Log Creek burning houses and Loaded waggons and threatening the lives of the people those was a few men Sent out to ascertain the movements of the mob these men returned a bout eleven O clock at night Stating that thare had been considerable Damage Done and also that they had taken three of the Brethern prisoners and intended to kill them..." (Stoker 1993).
      David's nephew and the son of Polly Stoker Graybill, recorded this time also: "I went with my father's family and others, to Caldwell County, Missouri, in the autumn of 1837, and was with the Saints there in their time of terrible trials. We planted a crop which we were never allowed to harvest. I was a member of the State Militia under Colonel Hinkle. The mob came upon us near Farr West, in October, 1838... for weeks they had been stealing and driving off our stock, taking a team of horses from my father, and all the horses I owned" (ibid).
      By 1840 the Missouri Governor's expulsion order had forced every member of the church to leave their homes, many fled into Illinois for safety. David's father, Michael, died during this event. One family tradition is that he was buried in the "Saint's Cemetery" in Far West. (There have been no records found as to when and where he died or is buried.)...
      Other church members fled into Adams County, Illinois as the local citizens promised them safety. David, his brothers, and brother in law found work on farms south of Columbus, Illinois.
      The 1840 census records for Adams County, list David, his son John, and their extended families. After taking time to restock and restore, the Stoker families moved further west as did the body of their church; into the state of Illinois. Their prophet and leader, Joseph Smith sent word to all church members to gather in and around the town of Commerce, Hancock County, Illinois where they could homestead new land and start over. It was a piece of swamp land on the bend of the Mississippi River heavily infested with disease carrying insects. The people drained the swamp land and built a city that housed thousands of church members. The name of Commerce was changed to Nauvoo. Tax and historical records of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints show that some of the Stoker families settled a few miles south of the city of Nauvoo...
      David's brother, Eller Stoker, owned land along the "Carthage road" between the cities of Nauvoo and Carthage. Most of the family members settled in the Bear Creek Township twenty miles south of Nauvoo. (Historical Records, Nauvoo, Illinois)
      County historical records list "Bear Creek" as the name of a city, township, and river but all names encompass the same area. Bear Creek was used as a timber and corn producing area.
      Today corn and soybean farms still cover all of the prairie flats with old trees growing along the water ways. Bear Creek is itself a slow moving creek; with steep banks in places giving indications of the water power the creek can have in flood stages. Residents of the farm town of Basco, Hancock County, Illinois still refer to this area as Bear Creek.
      Basco's official records begin in 1876. Today Bear Creek city and towns are only a remnant of it's former size as the settler's descendants are forced to move out to the larger towns to earn a living.
      Early Church references to Bear Creek are:
      1. Missionary town where the Saints lived among non-Mormons included Carthage, Bear Creek, La Harpe, and Fountain Green. ('Historical Atlas of Mormonism,' p.56)
      2. Went to Bear creek, visited the Saints, held meeting, and preached on the subject of the building of the Nauvoo House and temple;... (Watson p.131)
      3. Went to Knowlton Settlement on Bear Creek... (Watson p.160)
      [Picture, pg. 67: "Log Creek Today. This is the general area of what would have been some of the Stoker families holdings. Located south of Kingston, Missouri."]
      [Picture, pg. 67: "Trees in the background line Log Creek today. Except for the creek all is farm land."]
      The Final Expulsion Order
      Religious persecutions again plagued the fledgling church. During the winter of 1846, the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were again asked to leave. Peaceably at first, but eventually they were driven out in the same fashion as from Missouri. Members were forced to leave their newly built homes and anything they could not put in the wagons or carry. This time they fled across the Mississippi River into the unknown Iowa territory. Mormon journals from the residents living in Bear Creek record the trials they went through. Mobs were again burning homes to force the Saints to leave even though they were not fully prepared for a journey.
      The Bear Creek region is close to the town of Warsaw, Illinois, a place where these mobs could gather and/or flee for safety. Listed below are journal entries from people who lived in the Bear Creek area. I have included this information to give the reader a sense of what the Stoker families endured.
      1. "...On reaching a point midway (between Warsaw and Carthage) they were informed of new depredation by the mob. The sheriff then sent his family to Nauvoo under a small guard and proceeded to the scene of the mobbers. The mobbers saw them coming and took a flight, the posse pursuing with orders to arrest them if possible, if not to fire upon them. After pursuing them for some distance the posses fired upon them and killed two, and wounded it is believed others. This was on Bear Creek about two o'clock this afternoon." (Hosea Stout p39, 40)
      2. "On Saturday, the 5th inst., as Pres. Joseph Smith was on his return from Quincy, to which place he had accompanied Pres. Hyrum Smith and William Law, on their mission to the East, he was arrested, at the Bear Creek Hotel,..." (Times and Seasons, Vol 2., p447)
      3. "...I made ginger beer to sell this summer and I tended the Nauvoo House meat market, good guard, etc. until the 1st of September [1845] and then there began to be trouble in the regions of Bear Creek, Carthage and Warsaw, so that we had to fly to arms again to protect ourselves against the mob..." (Allen Stout p.23)
      4. "July harvested my wheat, which was on ground rented of Mr. Ezra Chase. It was very heavy, but owing to the heavy rains all summer, there was not so good a yield as was expected. During the fall and shortly after harvest, there were a great many buildings burned in the southern part of the county, belonging to the brethren on Bear Creek and Morely settlements. I went on one or two expeditions to repel the burners. To go through a thickly settled portion of country and see where had stood houses, barns, stacks, but now burned to the ground and some tragedies enacted amongst a nation claiming to have attained to the height of civilization. I was not surprised nor grieved to hear that the mob had said that we must, as a people, leave the ensuing spring, as soon as grass grew and water runs and that the authorities of our church had assented to these proposals." (Lorenzo Brown Journal BYU-S p.10)
      5. "This is the number as usually stated, Gregg says: "For a week the burning continued until the whole of Morley-Town was in ashes, with many other residences in the Bear Creek region and that of Green Plains. In all it is stated that as Many as 100 or 125 houses were burned and their occupants driven off." (History of Hancock County p.340)
      6. "In a very few days afterwards, bands of organized mobbers commenced the work of burning our houses in Yelrom, Green Plains and Bear Creek settlements, and throughout the country." (George Albert Smith p.22)
      7. "Governor Ford puts the number at 175, houses and hovel that were burnt the inmates having to flee for their lives." (History of Illinois p.407)
      Between 1847 and 1857 there were at least twelve family members that passed away. Included were: David Stoker who died on the 27 May 1852, his brother: John W. Stoker and his wife Electa Sarah McDaniel, David's brother, Eller Stoker, Michael Graybill (Mary's (Polly) husband), three children of Jacob Stoker and Catherine Burcham, two of John W. Stoker and Electa Sarah McDaniel, and two children of Michael Jr. and Martha McDaniel. It is believed that they with many others are buried in the family cemetery on the east edge of Council Bluffs...
      William and his wife, Almira Winger, settled in Spanish Fork, Utah."

      BIOGRAPHY:
      1. Susan Easton Black, compiler, "Early Members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," (Religious Studies Center, BYU, 1993, copy in Family History Library in Salt Lake City): "Stoker, Jacob, Birth: 12 (7) April 1812, Ash County, North Carolina. Jacob Stoker was baptized a member of the [RLDS] on 8 Oct. 1863 by W.W. Blair. He was confirmed by W.W. Blair, Geo. Morey, and T. Hougas. Sources: Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-71, book A, pp. 162, 308, 430; The History of the [RLDS], p. 332."

      2. 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 Jacob and Catherine Stoker.

      3. Mentioned in the book "The Howard Leytham Stoker Von Dollen Family Histories," FHL 929.273 H833a, by Doris Lewis, 2017 So. 80th Ave., Omaha, Nebraska, 68124:
      P. 87: Michael Stoker, the son of (John) Michael Stoker, was a 28 year old bachelor in Wilkes County, NC when the US census was taken in 1790. The farm which Michael Stoker bought from John Dick was on the north fork of New River in Ashe County. (The boundary line had been changed from Wilkes.) In 1792 Michael married Catherine Eller, the oldest daughter of Peter Eller and Elizabeth Dick. The Ellers and Dicks were settlers in this same area and all of Michael and Catherine's children, except Eller, were born and raised among numerous family members in North Carolina. In 1815, the family joined a migration of relatives moving west into Ohio. This party of Graybills and Stokers, all ages from babies to the elderly crossed the border into Ohio on Christmas Day, 1815. Michael and his son David, who had just turned 21, took part in the first election held in Jackson County on April 1, 1816. John Michael Stoker, Michael's father, settled in Perry County, Ohio, about 60 miles north. While in Ohio the Stokers became members of the newly organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In 1837 [error: Feb 1836?], Michael, Jr., who was now a man and a member of the Priesthood, baptized Eller's future wife and her mother, Margaret and Rhoda Judd. Pauline Stoker of Council Bluffs has Michael Jr.'s old notebook where he kept records of baptisms, birthdays and deaths. On October 27, 1836, Michael and Catherine Stoker sold their land in preparation of the move to Missouri where the Saints were gathering. Michael was then 74 and Catherine 63 years old. Great persecutions took place in Missouri during the next two years and the family had to flee to Illinois for safety. Michael was not among those who reached Illinois, and how or when he died is not known. Catherine was at Nauvoo, IL, when the Saints again had to flee in February of 1846. She settled in Pottawattamie County, living with her eldest daughter, Polly, where she died. She is buried in the Stoker-Graybill Cemetery east of Council Bluffs, Iowa." Also noted: "Jacob Stoker, b. 7 Apr 1812, d. 22 Feb 1893, m. Catherine Burcham."

      4. Part of the Stoker family group mentioned in sister Polly (Stoker) Graybill's biography in the FHL book 929.273 P684pn: "Graybill/Stoker/Eller/Smith/Koons/Pitt Connections," by Norman E. 'Gene' Pitt, 1996, pp. 17-24, note that this book has a considerable downline of the children of this couple: "Michael Peter Graybill, b. 14 May 1787, Jefferson, Wilkes Co. (now Ashe Co.), NC; d. 24 Sep 1856, Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie Co., IA; bur. in the Graybill-Stoker Pioneer Cemetery; Pottawattamie Co, IA; md. 1811, Ashe Co., NC to Mary 'Polly' Stoker. Michael was the s/o John Peter Graybill and Christena Wampler. Polly was b. 24 Nov 1792, Ashe Co. [Wilkes], NC; d. 18 Feb 1864, Pottawattamie Co., IA; bur. in the Graybill-Stoker Pioneer Cemetery. She was the eldest child of Michael Stoker and Catherine Eller... Michael and Polly left North Carolina probably in early 1816, and settled in Bloomfield Twp., Jackson Co., OH. Michael's parents, Peter Sr. and Christena (Wampler) Graybill, accompanied them; also, Michael's brother Henry and sister Barbara who had married Polly's brother David Stoker. Polly's parents, Michael and Catherine (Eller) Stoker, and other Stokers also made the journey with them. [Also John Graybill?] In the early 1830's, the family was visited by Missionary John Fisher from Bloomfield Twp. and was introduced to the early Latter Day Saints church. Those who were old enough were baptized in 1833. Involved in the church, Michael Graybill Sr. and related families anxiously followed the news from Independence, MO. The wanted to gather with the Saints in Caldwell Co., MO to be part of Zion, the new Jerusalem. Michael sold his farm to his father, Peter Graybill Sr., who along with Henry, Michaels' brother, and sister Celia (Graybill) Henson, decided to stay in OH. In 1836, Michael and other relatives packed to make the trip to Far West, MO. They spent the winter with Stoker relatives in Monroe Co., IN, then arrived at Far West in September 1837. The family withstood the dangers and aggravations of mob attacks. They endured many hardships. They had their plows, wagons and horses taken and even their first crop was taken just before it was harvested. With no provisions of food for the coming winter, Michael's sons, Simeon and Levi, left to look for work. They found jobs chopping railroad ties for the Eastern Railroad in Hannibal, MO. But they were unable to collect their pay until the following spring of 1839, when they were allowed to take the amount of their earnings out in goods. This allowed them to obtain wagons and horses and move the related families to Quincy and Nauvoo, IL. Michael Sr. and his family, Simeon's family and Catherine (Eller) Stoker's lived eleven miles southeast of Quincy, IL. After the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in 1844, Simeon went to Nauvoo to help guard the secretly hidden bodies of Joseph and Hyrum. Fearful that the anti-Mormon mob might try to do further violence to Joseph's and Hyrum's bodies, their caskets were filled with sand for the public burial. By 1846, most of Nauvoo had been vacated. Michael Sr.'s and Levi's families had gone west and settled in Kanesville, now Council Bluffs, IA. Some of the related families went on to UT. Michael Sr.'s daughters, Juliana and Mary Ann, were among those who went to UT. Michael Sr.'s sister Barbara (Graybill) Stoker went to UT later. Michael's and Polly's children were David, Catherine, Simeon Peter, Joseph Levi, George Washington, William Lenore, Juliann or (Julia Ann?) Michael S., Jr., Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Sidney Rigdon and Christina."

      5. 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. 118-122: "Jacob Stoker, b. 7 Apr 1812, in Ashe Co., NC; d. 22 Feb 1893, at Adeladia, San Luis Obispo Co., CA. He m. 8 Oct 1835 in Lawrence Co., OH, Catherine Burcham, b. 14 Aug 1817 in Lawrence Co., OH; d. 28 Aug 1898, at Adelaida, CA. He lies buried at Sims Ranch and she at San Miguel, both places in San Luis Obispo. Co., CA. She was a dau. of John and Nancy Burcham. According to family records which give the dates and places of birth of their eleven children, they lived, prior to settling in California, successively in Caldwell Co., MO, Adams Co., IL, Hancock Co. IL, Pottawattamie Co., IA, Harrison Co., IA and Mills Co. IA. An account in a county record book of San Luis Obispo Co., CA, published in 1917, which recorded the marriage, 18 Nov 1870, of their daughter Adeline Melissa Etta Stoker to Isaac Sims, says the family consisting of the parents and five children left Council Bluffs, Iowa (Pottawattamie Co.) by ox team in 1859 and travelled as far as Salt Lake City, UT where they spent the winter. In the spring of 1860 they moved on to Placerville, CA and later in the same year to a ranch near Sacramento. From here they removed to Nevada and in late years lived with their daughter Mrs. Isaac Sims in San Luis Obispo Co., CA where both died and are buried. The children of Jacob Stoker and his wife Catherine Burcham were:
      John Stoker, b. 11 Feb 1837; d. 13 Aug 1839 in Adams Co., IL.
      Nancy Stoker, b. 21 Dec 1838 in Caldwell co., MO; d. 27 Sep 1920 in San Jose, CA; m. 25 Mar 1857, Mr. Traver, prob. William Traver.
      Joseph Stoker, b. and d. 3 May 1841 in Adams Co., IL.
      Hiram Stoker, b. 7 Apr 1842/43 in Hancock Co., IL; d. 16 Jun 1925 at Lovelock, NV; m. 7 Mar 1869 Cornelia Virginia Stauts, b. 15 May 1852 in Philadelphia, PA; d. 22 Jul 1945 at Lovelock, NV. She was a dau. of William R. and Hannah (Pencer) Stauts who left their home in Philadelphia in 1862 travelling by train to the end of the new railroad at Florence and then by ox team to Carson City, Nevada, pausing on the way, for a short itme, at Salt Lake City. They then journeyed on to Empire, Nevada, finally settling a few miles east of Carson City. Here she met and married Hiram Stoker who was carrying on a profitable teamster business. The family lived in Palisade and then in Bullion, Nevada and in 1888 settled in Elko. Here the family lived until 1892 when it removed to Lovelock Valley in Pershing County, Nevada where it settled upon 240 acres of unimproved land that became one of the county's most prominent and prosperous ranches. Hiram Stoker was a prominent citizen in all places where he lived. He started his teamster's enterprise in Sacramento, CA where he hauled the foundation stones for the State Capitol and conducted a freight serveice between Sacrament, CA and Virginia City, NV. He was and ardent Lincoln supporter and took an active interest in state and national politics. On his Lovelock Valley ranch he cleared land, built canals to distribute water to them and was the inventor of the then famous Lovelock Valley hay loader and other farm equipment. [Biographies of his 7 children and many grandchildren follow in the book.]
      America Stoker, b. 16 Jan 1846 in Hancock Co., IL; d. 7 May 1847 in Pottawattamie Co., IA.
      George Washington Stoker, b. 18 Feb 1848 in Pottawattamie Co., IA; d. 5 Feb 1937 at San Miguel, CA; m. 18 Aug 1871 Sarah Jane Downing.
      Adeline Melissa Etta Stoker, b. 2 Nov 1849 in Pottawattamie Co, IA; d. 1930 in San Jose CA; m. 18 Nov 1870 Isaac Sims. Both lie buried in the cemetery at San Miguel, CA. Isaac Sims was born in Indiana in 1838, the 4th child of Matthew Sims who removed to Calif. in 1857 in what was called the Capt. Derby train.
      Peter Stoker, b. 18 Dec 1851, in Pottawattamie Co., IA; d. Dec. 1851.
      Julia Stoker, b. 18 Dec 1851, twin with Peter; d. 25 May 1853 in Pottawattamie Co., IA.
      King E. Stoker, b. 5 Aug 1855 in Harrison Co., IA; d. 1934 in California; m. 1884 Ella Dover.
      Margaret Stoker, b. 8 Jan 1857 in Mills Co., IA; d. 7 Feb 1876 in Carson City, NV; m. 25 Aug 1873, William Withrew. Known child (1) Arthur L. Witherew."

      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 detail 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 on pages:
      98: Michael Stoker/Catherine Eller, born Mar. 9, 1773 [the 9 is overwritten over the 6]. Children:
      Polly Stoker, born Nov. 24, 1792, died Feb. 7, 1864.
      David Stoker, born Mar. 23, 1795, died May 27, 1852.
      Elizabeth Stoker, born Feb. 28, 1800.
      John W. Stoker, born May 16, 1803, died Aug. 2, 1857.
      Michael Stoker, Jr., born Feb. 10, 1805.
      Rebecca Stoker, born Mar. 19, 1807.
      Catherine Stoker, born July 19, 1809.
      Jacob Stoker, born April 7, 1812.
      Eller Stoker/Margaret, born July 28, 1816, died July 18, 1855.
      101: Catherine Eller, wife of Michael Stoker born Mar. 6th 1773.
      John W. Stoker, son of above parents, born Mar. 16, 1803, died Aug. 2, 1857.
      David Stoker was born 23 March 1795, died May 27, 1852.
      Polly Stoker (Graybill), born Nov. 24, 1792, died Feb 7, 1864.
      Michael Stoker, born July 10, 1805.
      Jacob Stoker, born April 7, 1812.
      Eller Stoker, born July 28, 1815, July 18, 1855.
      Elizabeth Stoker (Walker), born Feb 28, 1800.
      108: Jacob Stoker, born Apr. 7, 1812, North Carolina.
      180-181: Catherine Stoker, daughter of Peter Eller and Elizabeth was born March the 9th, 1773 in the State of North Carolina, Rowan County.
      Jacob Stoker, son of Michael Stoker and Catherine Eller was born April 7th, 1812, Ashe County, State of North Carolina.
      Michael Graybill, son of Peter Graybill and Christenia Wampler was born May 1787, North Carolina, Ash County.
      Eller Stoker, son of Michael Stoker and Katherine Eller was born July 28th, 1816, Ohio, Jackson Co., Bloomfield Township, died July 18, 1855.
      Margaret Judd Stoker, daughter of John Judd and Rhoda Shepherd was born May 29th, 1822, North Carolina, Wilks County.
      Michael Stoker, son of Michael Stoker and Katherine Eller was born Feby 10th, 1805, North Carolina, Ash Co.

      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 70s record with those of John Stoker. It states Jacob lived in Bear Creek Township of Hancock County, Illinois. He was in Quorum 3. He was endowed as a Seventy. He lived in Mill County, Iowa in 1857.

      8. 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. [Jacob Stoker], born Apr 7, 1812 in Ashe Co., NC, married [Catherine BURCHAM]. Traveling by ox team the family left Iowa in 1859 and spent the winter in Salt Lake City before going on to Placerville, CA in 1860. Later that same year they moved to a ranch near Sacrament. Jacob was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct 8, 1863 by W. W. Blair probably in Iowa. He was no doubt a freighter. Jacob moved to Nevada and then in the late years of their lives, he and Catherine lived with their daughter, Mrs. Isaac Sims in San Luis Obispo Co., CA. Jacob is buried at the Sims Ranch and his wife is buried at San Miguel, San Luis Obispo Co., CA.
      3. John Stoker, born Feb 11, 1837, died Aug 13 1839 in Adams Co., IL.
      3. Nancy Stoker, born Dec 21, 1838 in Caldwell Co., MO, married William Traver. She died in San Jose, CA."

      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. 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."

      11. 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:
      A. In commenting on the arrival in Illinois from Missouri, the author notes: "Meanwhile Catherine's sons, David (1795-1852), John W. (1803-1857), Michael (1805-1858) and Jacob (1812-) followed her daughter, Elizabeth, whose husband, James Welker, had been offered work on Coleman Wilkes' farm located, no doubt, about two miles southeast of the town of Columbus situated eighteen miles in a northeasterly direction from Quincy. David's married sons, John (1817-1881) and WIlliam (1819-), also joined the group of relatives who worked on farms near Columbus. There is some question whether Eller Stoker settled there with other members of the family at this time. We do know that according to the 1840 Adams County census, he was living in Adams County near the WIlkes' farm in the Columbus township. One family history states that Eller Stoker "...married Margaret Judd, who also had been in Missouri, then living with her widowed mother, Rhoda Judd, on the Des Moines River in Jefferson County, Iowa. Margaret later commented that their only neighbors after their marriage were Indians and Half-breeds."5 Just when Eller and Margaret lived on the Des Moines River or other places in Iowa before their final move to Pottawattamie County, Iowa in 1846 is not known."
      B. "Births and deaths in the Stoker family in 1839. On May 20, 1839 a granddaughter of Catherine Eller Stoker, David's daughter, Christine Stoker McDaniel, gave birth to her first son, John Riley McDaniel, in Adams County. The baby's father, John McDaniel, was a brother to the wives of John W. (1803-1857), Michael (1805-1858), and John (1817-1881). These Stoker boys married Electa Sarah, Martha Carr, and Jane, James McDaniel's daughters. With the fact that her uncles and her brother had married into her husband's family, it's most likely that Christine joined them to live near Columbus. Three days later, at 9 A.M. on Saturday May 23, John McDaniel's sister, Martha Carr, John W. Stoker's wife, gave birth to Michael James Stoker.7 With births also came death. Illnesses were quite frequent. Many of the Latter-day Saints in Adams county suffered between February and September of 1839. Elizabeth Haven wrote to her family, "O my friends, you know nothing about the ague, how it prostrates and bewilders the mind and impairs the health." She considered the Missouri persecutions mild in comparison to "what they have been of late."8 On August 13, 1839 two-year-old, John Stoker, son of Jacob Stoker (1812-) and Catherine Burcham, died. The following year, 1840, Nancy Stoker, the sixteen-year-old daughter of David Stoker (1795-1852) died."
      C. "The 1840 Adams county, Illinois Federal census lists eight Stoker or Stoker related families. Only the heads of the households are listed. The ages and gender of members of the family are enumerated.
      William Stoker- Males: 1 under 5 yrs [Samuel David Stoker, born Mar 24, 1840], 1 between 20 and 30 yrs [William Stoker, born Mar 26, 1819]; Females: 1 between 20 and 30 yrs [William's wife, Almira Winegar, born Fb 27, 1818].
      Michael Stoker- Males: 2 under 5 yrs [Michael James Stoker, born May 23, 1840], and John Alexander Stoker, born Aug 23, 1837]; 2 between 5 and 10 yrs [David N. Stoker, born Feb 2, 1832 and William Moroni Stoker, born Jul 10, 1834]; 1 between 10 and 15 yrs [Gabriel McNeil Stoker, born Feb 2, 1832]; 1 between 20 and 30 yrs [Michael Stoker, born Feb 10, 1805]; Females: 1 between 30 and 40 yrs [Martha Carr McDaniel, born Feb 24, 1808].
      John Stoker- Males: 1 under 5 yrs [Alma Stoker, born Dec 7, 1835]; 1 between 20 and 30 yrs [John Stoker, born Mar 8, 1817]; Females: 1 between 20 and 30 yrs [Jane McDaniel, born Feb 24, 1810].
      John W. Stoker- Males: 2 under 5 yrs [William Eller Stoker, born Jan 4, 1840 and Parley Pratt Stoker, born Jan 2, 1837]; 1 between 10 and 15 yrs [John Randoph Stoker, born Jul 21, 1828]; 1 between 30 and 40 yrs [John W. Stoker, born Mar 16, 1802]; Females: 1 under 5 yrs [Elizabeth Jane Stoker, born Sep 3, 1834; 2 between 5 and 10 yrs [Katherine Martha Stoker, born Apr 14, 1832 and Zibia Meriba Stoker, born Aug 13, 1829]; 1 between 30 and 40 yrs [Electa Sarah McDaniel, born May 26, 1806].
      Eller Stoker- Males: 1 between 20 and 30 yrs [Eller Stoker, born Jul 28, 1816]; Females: 1 under 5 yrs [Melinda Stoker, born Sep 11, 1840]; 1 between 15 and 20 yrs [Margaret Judee, born May 29, 1822]; 1 between 60 and 70 yrs [Margaret Judd's mother, Rhoda Shepherd Judd, born 1777].
      James Walker [Welker]- Males: 2 between 10 and 15 yrs [Jacob Stoker Welker, born Jan 8, 1829 and John Welker, born Mar 16, 1826]; 1 between 15 and 20 yrs [James Wilburn Welker, born Jan 17, 1825]; 1 between 30 and 40 yrs [James Welker, born Aug 19, 1803]; Females: 2 between 5 and 10 yrs [Sarah Welker, born 1834 and Mary Catherine Welker, born Jan 12, 1832]; 1 between 40 and 50 yrs [Elizabeth Stoker, born Feb 28, 1800].
      David Stoker- Males: 1 between 5 and 10 yrs [Michael Stoker, born Sep 12, 1833]; 1 between 40 and 50 yrs [David Stoker, born Mar 23, 1795]; Females: 1 between 5 and 10 yrs [Catherine Stoker, born Jul 25, 1829]; 1 between 10 and 15 yrs [Sarah Stoker, born Jun 26, 1827]; 1 between 40 and 50 yrs [Barbara Graybill, born Apr 1, 1792].
      Jacob Stoker- Males: 1 between 20 and 30 yrs [Jacob Stoker, born Apr 7, 1812]; Females: 1 under 5 yrs [Nancy Stoker, born Dec 21, 1838]; 1 between 20 and 30 yrs [Catherine Burcham].9
      D. "Each member of the church was expected to contribute one-tenth of all his increase from that time until the temple was completed. Often the able-bodied men would donate one day in ten as tithing labor. According to a letter from James Kimball, an LDS church history librarian, records show that Eller and Jacob Stoker worked for an unknown length of time or occupation on this temple project.21 John McDaniel, Christine Stoker's husband, also worked on the Nauvoo temple.22 It's reasonable to believe that many more of the Stoker men put in time working on the Nauvoo temple. Probably many of the Stoker women donated their goods to that cause as well."
      E. "On February 19 [1841], Adam Welker (1841-1926), the eighth and last child of James Welker and Elizabeth Stoker, was born near Columbus, Adams County, Illinois. Misfortune clouded May 3 when Joseph Stoker was born to Jacob Stoker and Catherine Burcham in Adams County. He died before the day was over... On August 11[1841], Melanda Stoker, the 11-month-old daughter of Eller Stoker and Margaret Judd, died."
      F. "In early 1842 the Stokers who lived around Columbus, Adams County, Illinois moved north lock, stock, and barrel to Hancock County. From the soil they could procure the resources necessary to help in building the temple at Nauvoo and sustain those who were to work on it. Some of the Graybills who were living southeast of Quincy joined them. James Welker "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." The narrative written by James' son, John, continues, "We went to work with all the strength and ability that we had and fenced about 20 acres of land and farmed it two years. Because my father [James Welker] and all three of us boys [James Wilburn, John, and Jacob Stoker Welker] were concerned in it, now I will tell you more about what we did in this time of about three years- built a large log stable with a loft on top to hold hay and fodder for our horses and cows."26 There were two ways to claim the Illinois prairie: breaking the soil with a plow or it could be burned and then grass seeds sowed. An English traveler described an Illinois "Indian Summer" as when the "atmosphere becomes dull and smoky, and the sun is shorn of its rays." Months of fires caused the haze which he noted was set purposely by farmers.27 The Stoker relatives, coming north like James Welker to Hancock County, left behind the dreams of building a flourishing Mormon settlement at Columbus. They would develop their farms, and work on the temple at Nauvoo. Indeed, though short "of gold, or ...silver," they used the winter to "drive their [few] fat cattle and hogs to this place, where they may be preserved..." They did head the call "to gather." ...The 1842 Hancock County personal property tax assessment book gives an idea of how much the Stoker households were worth when they moved from Adams County. These assessments were found on pages 187 and 188:
      George Graybill: Horses, $45.00; Cattle, $40.00; Other, $30.00
      Levi Graybill: Horses, $20.00; Cattle, $80.00; Wagons, $50.00
      John Stoker: Horses, $20.00; Cattle, $60.00; Other, $10.00
      William Stoker: Horses, $20.00; Cattle, $30.00; Other, $10.00
      James Welker: Horses, $50.00; Cattle, $60.00; Wagons, $40.00; Other, $30.00
      Michael Stoker: Cattle, $50.00; Other, $20.00
      Eller Stoker: Cattle, $60.00; Wagons, $25.00; Other, $20.00
      Jacob Stoker: Horses, $40.00; Wagons, $15.00; Other, $10.00
      The assessments may or may not reflect the actual value of the items listed. A rough guide to interpret the tax assessments may be as follows: Single horses could be valued as low as $20, but the most frequently cited figure is $40. Cows are usually figured at $10. Oxen may be figured higher. "Other" usually refers to furniture or tools. These tax assessments would indicate that the Stokers were living on farms rather than in the towns.28 Michael Graybill, Sr. and some of his sons stayed in Adams County."
      G. "Stoker children born in 1842. Orson Hyde Stoker was born in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois to Eller Stoker and Margaret Judd. He was probably born on their farmstead south of Nauvoo. A couple of months later Jared Samuel Stoker was born on Sunday March 19 at 3 o'clock p.m. at Bear Creek, Hancock County, Illinois to Michael Stoker and Martha Carr McDaniel. Two and a half weeks later, Hiram Stoker, son of Jacob Stoker and Catherine Burcham, was born in Hancock County, Illinois."
      H. "During the slack time of the winter [of 1844], the Stokers may have often journeyed to Nauvoo to work on the temple and to become involved in the social and fraternal life there. On January 28, Jacob and John Stoker,63 joined Levi Graybill, and brothers, Michael and Eller Stoker, in becoming Masons in the Nauvoo lodge. On February 7, Jacob Stoker was raised to a Master Mason.64"
      I. "As the new year began, the Mormon leaders were anxious that all worthy members of the Church do their temple work before they were forced to leave Illinois. On Monday, January 5, the first Stokers attended the temple as 104 received their endowments. In the second company were brothers, Michael and Jacob Stoker and their wives, Catharine Burcham and Martha Carr McDaniel. Catharine was heavy with child. Back at home on January 16, she gave birth to a daughter with the striking name of America. The Stoker family had celebrated in her name nearly a century of being residents of America. Jacob's grandfather, Johan Michael Stocker, had fled from the frontiers of Germany and France because of persecutions, religious and political. He had witnessed the struggles of becoming an American through his life as a pioneer during the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. Here in America where he had sought refuge, some of his descendants were preparing to flee westward in search of freedom to practice their religion. They would continue the struggle and in the American sense of pioneering, they would prevail. On Tuesday, January 20 more Stokers went to the temple. Eller and his wife, Margaret Judd, were numbered with 175 persons who received their ordinances that day. The next day, in the first company was the Stoker matriarch, Catherine Eller. She was accompanied by her daughter, Elizabeth Stoker Welker who was widowed.76 In the second company were James W. Welker and his wife, Anna Pugh. In the fourth company were John Stoker (1817-1881) and his wife, Jane McDnaiel as well as John W. Stoker (1802-) and his wife, Sarah McDaniel. The final Stokers to receive their ordinances in the Nauvoo Temple were William (1819) and his wife, Almira Winegar.77 They attended on Saturday, February 7 with a huge group of close to six hundred according to George A. Smith's journal. Actually the temple had been closed down on February 3. As Brigham Young writes, "Notwithstanding that I had announced that we would not attend to the administration of the ordinances, the House of the Lord was thronged all day, the anxiety being so great to receive, as if the brethren would have us stay here and continue the endowments until our way would be hedged up, and our enemies would intercept us." The days of temple work in the Nauvoo temple were coming to a close. On Sunday, February 8, Brigham Young with the Council of Twelve, knelt at the altar in the attic of the temple. In prayer they dedicated the building to the Lord. As Brigham Young writes, "We asked his blessing up on our intended move to the west; also asked him to enable us someday to finish the Temple, and dedicate it to him, and we would leave it in his hands to do as he pleased; and to p