WILLIAM GOFF, farmer, and stock-raiser, Sec. 9; P.O. Sweetwater; was born in Green Co., Ky., Aug. 19, 1822; second son of William and Amy (Trent) Goff, natives of Kentucky, and the parents of seven children, three of whom are now living; the parents came to Menard Co. in 1825, and stopped for about a year in Clary's Grove; they then removed five miles southeast of where the city of Petersburg is now located; soon after their removal, the father died; the mother, who was a noble specimen of the pioneer woman, not only cared for the fatherless children, but succeeded in retaining their "claim" and laid up some money. Our subject passed his youth and early manhood amid the wild surroundings of the then new country, receiving little or no education, and, when 12 years of age, earned his first money by riding horses while "tramping out wheat;" with this money he purchased a pig; this was his first business transaction; in a short time, he had quite a heard of young cattle; he continued trading until about 30 years of age; about this time, he entered forty acres of land in Mason Co.; at the expiration of two years, he sold his land in Mason Co. and purchased eighty acres in Sugar Grove Precinct, Menard Co., upon which he has since resided and to which he has added until he now owns a nicely improved farm of 285 acres; he commenced life as a poor boy, but, by hard work and economy, he has made what he now possesses; he is emphatically a self-made man. He was united in marriage with Mary D. Westfall Oct. 24, 1840; she was born in Pennsylvania Oct. 24, 1824; her parents removed to Des Moines, Co., Iowa, in 1834; from this union there were ten children, eight of whom are now living - Theodore L., Commodore P., Leonard K., Louisa E., Frederick W., Murray M. and Emma and Ella, twin sisters.