Bill's sister, Margaret "Maggie", was married to Christian Rasmussen and Bill's first wife was Christian's sister, Kathryn Rasmussen. From this union one daughter, Freda Ethel, was born. Kathryn and Bill divorced and on 11 November 1916 Bill married Clara Pospishil Albach. From this union three children were born. This marriage also ended in divorce in 1937.
Bill must have had some premonition that he was going to die. On 5 October 1950 he wrote a note that, after his death on 11 October 1950, was accepted as his Last Will and Testament. He was a farmer outside Wheatland WY and had been sick. He was traveling to Lusk WY to have his gall bladder removed. He died from complications after the surgery. The note he left with original spellings and grammar:
==========
To John Johnson of Wheatland. Now about everything. Lusk Wyo Oct 5 - 50.
I Bill or W. J. Dillon which is one and the same person. I have four children. Fred Dillon of Dodge City Kans. Maggie can locate numbers. Willadine of Laramie Wyo. 206 Dolittle St Glenda McGrath of Medicine Bow Wyo. and Clair of Dixon Wyo.
I am going to be operated on and may not come out of it, so if I don't there is some money in the Strausberg Bank in Colo. also some in the Wheatland State Bank. Give me a deason burial. Pay all bills and divide equally among you four, the personal property, dispose of it as you see fit.
This is no will just orders. W.J. or Bill Dillon
I have two sisters Maggie of Colo. Spgs. Colo. 908 Cascade Ave. Mayme Abbot of Chicago Ill 6305 University Ave.
==========
Note he also had a brother living in Kansas but he failed to mention him. He also listed his eldest as "Fred" when her name was actually "Freda".
There is some family discussion as to his correct first name. He went by "Bill" or "Willie". His first name was probably actually William. He appears as "Willie" in an 1880 census but in 1885 and 1895 state census he is listed as William. As the years rolled by the census show him most often as either "Willie" or simply "W. J.". The last census available, 1940, he is listed as "William J.". It is believed that the "J." was an affectation and appears for the first time in the 1910 census.
Bill must have had some premonition that he was going to die. On 5 October 1950 he wrote a note that, after his death on 11 October 1950, was accepted as his Last Will and Testament. He was a farmer outside Wheatland WY and had been sick. He was traveling to Lusk WY to have his gall bladder removed. He died from complications after the surgery. The note he left with original spellings and grammar:
==========
To John Johnson of Wheatland. Now about everything. Lusk Wyo Oct 5 - 50.
I Bill or W. J. Dillon which is one and the same person. I have four children. Fred Dillon of Dodge City Kans. Maggie can locate numbers. Willadine of Laramie Wyo. 206 Dolittle St Glenda McGrath of Medicine Bow Wyo. and Clair of Dixon Wyo.
I am going to be operated on and may not come out of it, so if I don't there is some money in the Strausberg Bank in Colo. also some in the Wheatland State Bank. Give me a deason burial. Pay all bills and divide equally among you four, the personal property, dispose of it as you see fit.
This is no will just orders. W.J. or Bill Dillon
I have two sisters Maggie of Colo. Spgs. Colo. 908 Cascade Ave. Mayme Abbot of Chicago Ill 6305 University Ave.
==========
Note he also had a brother living in Kansas but he failed to mention him. He also listed his eldest as "Fred" when her name was actually "Freda".
There is some family discussion as to his correct first name. He went by "Bill" or "Willie". His first name was probably actually William. He appears as "Willie" in an 1880 census but in 1885 and 1895 state census he is listed as William. As the years rolled by the census show him most often as either "Willie" or simply "W. J.". The last census available, 1940, he is listed as "William J.". It is believed that the "J." was an affectation and appears for the first time in the 1910 census.
Bill's sister, Margaret "Maggie", was married to Christian Rasmussen and Bill's first wife was Christian's sister, Kathryn Rasmussen. From this union one daughter, Freda Ethel, was born. Kathryn and Bill divorced and on 11 November 1916 Bill married Clara Pospishil Albach. From this union three children were born. This marriage also ended in divorce in 1937.
Bill must have had some premonition that he was going to die. On 5 October 1950 he wrote a note that, after his death on 11 October 1950, was accepted as his Last Will and Testament. He was a farmer outside Wheatland WY and had been sick. He was traveling to Lusk WY to have his gall bladder removed. He died from complications after the surgery. The note he left with original spellings and grammar:
==========
To John Johnson of Wheatland. Now about everything. Lusk Wyo Oct 5 - 50.
I Bill or W. J. Dillon which is one and the same person. I have four children. Fred Dillon of Dodge City Kans. Maggie can locate numbers. Willadine of Laramie Wyo. 206 Dolittle St Glenda McGrath of Medicine Bow Wyo. and Clair of Dixon Wyo.
I am going to be operated on and may not come out of it, so if I don't there is some money in the Strausberg Bank in Colo. also some in the Wheatland State Bank. Give me a deason burial. Pay all bills and divide equally among you four, the personal property, dispose of it as you see fit.
This is no will just orders. W.J. or Bill Dillon
I have two sisters Maggie of Colo. Spgs. Colo. 908 Cascade Ave. Mayme Abbot of Chicago Ill 6305 University Ave.
==========
Note he also had a brother living in Kansas but he failed to mention him. He also listed his eldest as "Fred" when her name was actually "Freda".
There is some family discussion as to his correct first name. He went by "Bill" or "Willie". His first name was probably actually William. He appears as "Willie" in an 1880 census but in 1885 and 1895 state census he is listed as William. As the years rolled by the census show him most often as either "Willie" or simply "W. J.". The last census available, 1940, he is listed as "William J.". It is believed that the "J." was an affectation and appears for the first time in the 1910 census.
Bill must have had some premonition that he was going to die. On 5 October 1950 he wrote a note that, after his death on 11 October 1950, was accepted as his Last Will and Testament. He was a farmer outside Wheatland WY and had been sick. He was traveling to Lusk WY to have his gall bladder removed. He died from complications after the surgery. The note he left with original spellings and grammar:
==========
To John Johnson of Wheatland. Now about everything. Lusk Wyo Oct 5 - 50.
I Bill or W. J. Dillon which is one and the same person. I have four children. Fred Dillon of Dodge City Kans. Maggie can locate numbers. Willadine of Laramie Wyo. 206 Dolittle St Glenda McGrath of Medicine Bow Wyo. and Clair of Dixon Wyo.
I am going to be operated on and may not come out of it, so if I don't there is some money in the Strausberg Bank in Colo. also some in the Wheatland State Bank. Give me a deason burial. Pay all bills and divide equally among you four, the personal property, dispose of it as you see fit.
This is no will just orders. W.J. or Bill Dillon
I have two sisters Maggie of Colo. Spgs. Colo. 908 Cascade Ave. Mayme Abbot of Chicago Ill 6305 University Ave.
==========
Note he also had a brother living in Kansas but he failed to mention him. He also listed his eldest as "Fred" when her name was actually "Freda".
There is some family discussion as to his correct first name. He went by "Bill" or "Willie". His first name was probably actually William. He appears as "Willie" in an 1880 census but in 1885 and 1895 state census he is listed as William. As the years rolled by the census show him most often as either "Willie" or simply "W. J.". The last census available, 1940, he is listed as "William J.". It is believed that the "J." was an affectation and appears for the first time in the 1910 census.
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