All census records from 1870 forward reported that William was born in Illinois, but in 1860, the birth state for William and two of his younger siblings was shown as Indiana.

He married Anna M. Shamlen Greenly in 1881.

Anna was born in 1866 in Pennsylvania, the eldest of five known children born to Emanuel B. Greenly and Sarah Winkleman.  Emanuel and Sarah came to Hancock County, Illinois, in the mid to late 1870s with their young children.  Sarah died in 1879 and a year later Emanuel remarried; subsequently he, with his second wife and at least two of his children, moved to Moravia, Appanoose County, Iowa.

In addition to being counted in their father's home in 1880, Annie and her youngest sister, Gertie, were also included in the home of George W. Green and his wife, Mary, in Hancock Township. When Annie and William married, it was George Green who sent a note to the County Clerk, giving approval for Annie to marry, signing the note "as father".  He also wrote: "I hereby certify that I raised the girl..."

Annie's marriage documents were prepared with the surname Green and her tombstone is inscribed with Green - and yet, Annie did not lose touch with or forsake her father. When Gertie wanted to get married in 1890 she wrote to Emanuel (apparently George Green had passed away) and Emanuel replied with a letter in which he fondly addressed Gertie as "Dauter Baby" and spoke warmly of Annie, who had visited him recently and was planning another visit in the near future. Follow the above link to Emanuel and Sarah to read Emanuel's letter - it's a gem.

Perhaps Sarah was ill for an extended period prior before her death and unable to care for her children.  Whatever the circumstances, it's apparent that Annie spent a significant part of her youth in the Green home and there was a strong tie between Annie and her surrogate parents.

George W. Green was a Justice of the Peace and on March 3, 1881, he performed the marriage of William and Annie in Hancock Township.  We can reasonably presume they were married in the Green home.  Marriage documents

William and Annie initially lived in Hancock Township near Joetta and the first several of their eight children were born there.  By 1900 they had established themselves in Tennessee Township, McDonough County, where they farmed for over 30 years.

Annie died April, 6, 1932, in Tennessee Township.  William died on June 29, 1935, in Hire Township, according to State of Illinois death records; his tombstone is inscribed with the year 1936.  They were buried at Friendship Cemetery, McDonough County, as were, we believe, all of their children.

The children were:

i.	Elmer F. George, died in 1884.  The date of his death has previously been deciphered as September 22, 1884.  The characters showing his age at death have deteriorated.  Burial at Friendship Cemetery.
ii.	Mabel Frances George, born December 10, 1886 (or 1885), in Hancock Township.  She died February 9, 1910, and was buried at Friendship Cemetery.
iii.	Flora L. George, born in 1888, died in 1916, interment at Friendship Cemetery.
iv.	Joseph T. George, born March 24, 1891, in Hancock Township.  He died in 1970 and was buried at Friendship Cemetery.
v.	Clifton E. George, died in 1963, buried at Friendship Cemetery.  The year of birth inscribed on his tombstone is 1893.  Clifton's 1917 Selective Service registration indicated he was born on January 8, 1894, in Tennessee Township, McDonough County.
vi.	Clyde Ralph George, born April 9, 1897, registered for Selective Service in 1918.  He stated he was born at Joetta, i.e., Hancock Township.  He died September 4, 1993, at LaHarpe, Hancock County, and was buried at Friendship Cemetery.
vii.	Elbert H. George: in the census of 1910, Annie reported she was the mother of 8 children, 5 living.  Mabel Frances had died early that year.  Elmer had died very young.  There is a marker at Friendship Cemetery for Elbert H. George, born March 27, 1901, died September 21, 1901.  We suspect Elbert was Annie's seventh child, but have yet to find confirming evidence.
viii.	John William George, born July 21, 1903, died October 2, 1914, both locations probably Tennessee Township, McDonough County.  Interment at Friendship Cemetery.

Jacob George, 30, male, farm, value of real estate 650, value of personal estate 700, born Hesse
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Catharn George, 31, female, born Hesse Ger
Mary E, 9, female, born OH, attended school within the year
John H, 7, male, born OH, attended school within the year
Louisa, 4, female, born IN
William P, 2, male, born IN
Lewis F, 4/12, male, born IN

George, Jacob, 41, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 6000, value of personal estate 2000, born Hesse Darmstadt ?, both parents foreign born, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Catharine, 41, female, white, keep house, born Hesse Darmstadt ?, both parents foreign born
Mary E, 18, female, white, born IL, both parents foreign born
John H, 17, male, white, born IL, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
Louisa, 15, female, white, born IL, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
William, 12, male, white, born IL, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
Cornelius, 8, male, white, born IL, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
Catharine, 5, female, white, born IL, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
Clara, 4, female, white, born IL, both parents foreign born
Dora, 10/12, female, white, born IL, both parents foreign born, born Aug

Greenly, Emanuel, 24, male, white, carpenter, value of personal estate 100, born PA, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Sarah, 19, female, white, keeping house, born PA
Annie, 2, female, white, at home, born PA
Barbara, 1, female, white, at home, born PA
Ruglo, Elizabeth, 18, female, white, domestic servant, born PA, attended school within the year

Family #87
Cosgrove, Michael, white, male, 71, married, farmer, born Ireland, both parents born Ireland
Martha J, white, female, 58, wife, married, keeping house, born KY, both parents born MD
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Family #88
Morgan, Joseph, white, male, 33, married, farmer, born AL, [parents born - no entries]
Mariah, white, female, 29, married, keeping house, born OH, both parents born Hesse
William, white, male, 4, single, born IL, father born AL, mother born OH
George, William, white, male, 22, single, farmer, born IL, both parents born Hesse

Greenly, Emanuel, white, male, 51, widower, farmer, born PA, both parents born PA
Anna, white, female, 12, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born PA, both parents born PA
Barbara, white, female, 10, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born PA, both parents born PA
Mary, white, female, 8, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born PA, both parents born PA
John, white, male, 6, son, single, attended school within the year, born PA, both parents born PA
Wilmina G, white, female, 3, daughter, single, born PA, both parents born PA

Green, George W, white, male, 58, married, farmer, born PA, father born MD, mother born PA
Mary A, white, female, 62, wife, married, keeping house, born PA, both parents born PA
Anna M, white, female, 14, daughter, single, born IL, both parents born PA
Wilmina G, white, female, 3, daughter, single, born IL, both parents born PA

George, William P, head, white, male, Nov 1857, 42, married for 18 years, born IL, both parents born Germany, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 111

Anna M, wife, white, female, Feb 1866, 34, married for 19 years; mother of 6 children, 5 living; born IL, both parents born IL, could read, write and speak English

Mable F, daughter, white, female, Dec 1885, 14, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Flora L, daughter, white, female, May 1888, 12, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Joseph T, son, white, male, Mar 1891, 9, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Clifton E, son, white, male, Jan 1894, 6, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Clyde R, son, white, male, Apr 1897, 3, single, born IL, both parents born IL

DeWitt, Floyd, boarder, white, male, July 1885, 14, single, born IL, both parents born IL, farm laborer, months not employed - 0, could read, [no entry for schooling], could read, write and speak English

George, William, head, male, white, 52, married (1st) for 29 years, born IL, both parents born Ger-German, spoke English, farmer, general farm, working on own account, could read and write, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 108

Annie, wife, female, white, 44, married (1st) for 29 years; mother of 8 children, 5 living; born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write

Joseph, son, male, white, 19, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write

Clifton, son, male, white, 17, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, did not attend school after Sept. 1, 1909

Clyde, son, male, white, 13, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

William Jr, son, male, white, 6, single, born IL, both parents born IL, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Fisher, Wilber, nephew, male, white, 14, single, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

George, William, head, renter, male, white, 62, married, could read and write, born IL; both parents born Hessen - Ger, native tongue German; spoke English

Annie, wife, female, white, 53, married, could read and write, born IL, both parents born PA, spoke English

Clyde R, son, male, white, 22, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farmer, general farm, working on own account, farm schedule 91

Normandine, Elys, granddaughter, female, white, 11, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

[Normandine], Ruby, granddaughter, female, white, 9, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, born IL, both parents born IL

George, William P, head, owned his home, [no entry for home value], did not own a radio, lived on a farm, male, white, 72, married, age at first marriage - 22, could read and write, born IL, both parents born Germany, spoke English, farmer, stock farm, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no, farm schedule 13

Anna M, wife, female, white, 65, married, age at first marriage - 15, could read and write, born IL, father born PA, mother born IA, spoke English