Hi Paula,
This is excellent additional information. It certainly fleshes out the birthplaces of his children. I have several articles and hand written pieces by his grandson, George, son of Teft Wm, and Bessie, George's sister in law. It's interesting how the histories change and evolve on these lives. I didn't realize he lived in Blue Earth for any extended period of time as the family thinks of him as a local resident. You made me dig deeper. Uncle George clarified it. Here's what he wrote.
"...He moved to Indiana and later to Edwardsburg, Mich were he met and married Elizabeth Miller. They moved to Fallcreek, Minn, from there to Elieata. They later founded the town of Tefton, later named Etna. Later to Peoria Ill, and then to Blue Earth, Minn where they run a farm and then into town and bought a mill. He lost nearly everything and returned to Etna an old age.
The value of real estate owned in Tazewell Co is $300
The value of personal property in Blue Earth is $800 and real estate $2500. "
My grandmother Bessie had rewritten it and added an additional note - these are som moves William T. made that I never heard about but George wrote the copy out. He said he wrote it when he was 17 years old.
Interestingly, the Spring Valley tribune 1897 obituary on him says in 1853, they settled in Fillmore county. It goes on to imply he has 40 years of ministerial work and were faithful members of the church til they died in Etna. Never mentioned Blue Earth. That article and a couple other documents say he was the first Baptist missionary in Minn. My grandmother's document also says they were members of the 1st Baptist Church in Etna for 51 years.
I have an 1880 history of Fillmore county that details the fight over the name of the town. It also say he has in the Baptist Church in Etna upwards of 51 years. They omit any reference to his Blue Earth time. I wonder if it wasn't something he was very proud of so it was left to the dust.
I'd be happy to send you the articles if you would like them for your files. Grandma had several other interesting bits on his life.
Judy