William was born and baptized as a Quaker, as Elizabeth Middleton & her family were Quakers. He served in the Civil War, 1st Lt, Co F, 94th IL Volunteers Infantry 1862-1865.
His name is on a very small portion of farmland near Downs in 1866. He is listed as being a charter member of the Grand Army of the Republic in the "Heritage of the Prairie" booklet, Vol. II, with history of Empire & West Townships of McLean County, IL.
William was a carpenter on the census in Leroy, IL and was the town sheriff and ruled with a sand-filled billy club instead of a gun.
About 1888, the family moved to Little River Kansas where while building a large family house William fell from the 3rd floor to the cellar level & landed across a keg of nails on his back. He lived, but could not work as a contractor/builder/carpenter again. He applied for his Civil War pension. His pension records say he had rheumatism, scurvy and heart trouble brought on from the war and was quite ill every since his third marriage.
Members of his family moved to Omaha, Neb. area & after Etta married at the Little River home in July 1897. William & Sarah moved to Neb. also.
William married Phoebe (Phebe) Jane Borden 3/1/1849 in Montgomery Co., Ohio. She was born 7/23/1829 in Ohio. She died 9/16/1856 in Randolph Grove, McLean County, (n. of Heyworth, IL & south of Bloomington). She is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery, Leroy, IL. Empire Twp. (tombstone says Phebe J. wife of William Calhoun, died 9/16/1856, aged 27 yrs. 1 mo., 24 days.)
According to a Calhoun family note, William moved with his parents to Greene County, Ohio approximately 1830 & then to Montgomery County, Ohio about 1836 near Dayton, Ohio. After he was married his family moved to Bloomington, Illinois area with his wife Phoebe & son Louis Kossuth Calhoun.