STAFFORD. It has long since passed into history that a conspiracy, known as the Gun Powder Plot, was to have culminated in blowing up the English Parliament buildings, on the assembling of that body Nov. 5, 1605. The plot was frustrated by an anonymous letter, advising Lord Monteagle, a Roman Catholic member, to absent himself at that time. That letter led to an investigation on the evening of November 4th, when thirty-six barrels of powder was found in a mine under the Parliament houses. Guy Fawkes was arrested at the entrance, and boldly avowed it as his purpose to have fired the train at the time set. He, with seven of his confederates were tried, convicted and executed.

Another conspiracy, known as the Popish Plot, occurred nearly three quarters of a century later. Titus Oates, who claimed to be a Catholic, pretended to divulge a plot in 1678, on the part of the Jesuits, to murder the King and subvert the Protestant religion. Many prominent Catholics were arrested, tried and convicted of conspiracy, or being concerned in the plot. Titus Oates was afterwards convicted of perjury, and there were many reasons to believe that instead of revealing a plot he and his confederates were conspiring against those they accused. Among their victims was William Howard Stafford, an English statesman, who was born Nov. 30, 1612. As the successor of his uncle on his mother's side he became Baron Stafford, and in 1640 Viscount Stafford. On the oath of Titus Oates he was committed to the Tower of London, October 30, 1678. Witnesses on the trial testified that Lord Stafford had incited them to assassinate the King, and he was condemned and executed Dec. 29, 1680, on Tower Hill, London. The sympathy felt for Lord Stafford turned the tide against Oates, and there were no other executions. His brother, Edward Stafford, being also suspected, fled from England to America and settled in Rhode Island. The only representative of the family left in England was a younger brother, who inherited the property and titles of the family. The Duchess of Sutherland, who died in England but a short time ago was a descendant of that brother.

On his arrival in America. Edward Stafford abjured the Roman Catholic religion and embraced that of the Friends, or Quakers. He was married in Rhode Island to Margaret Green. They had three children. Rebecca and Edward died young. Joseph married Orpha Sweet. They had three sons, John Joseph and Stephen. The eldest and youngest died without children. Joseph married Nancy Green. Their eldest son, Joseph, was born April 25, 1759, in Coventry, Kent county, Rhode Island, and although his parents were Quakers he became a soldier in the American Revolution. He was under his relative, General Greene, from that State, who was also of a Quaker family, and of whom it is said that his mother, when she became satisfied that she could not change his determination to go in the army, said: "If thee must go, I do not want to hear of thee being shot in the back." After the Revolution, Joseph Stafford was married to Orpha Sweet, being the second couple bearing similar names. They had ten children, James, Job, Diadema, Caleb, Oliver, Jewett, Prudence, Christopher B., Moses and Joseph. Four of them came to Sangamon county, namely--

STAFFORD, CALEB, was born June 22, 1789, in Coventry, Kent county, Rhode Island

STAFFORD, OLIVER, was born in Coventry, Kent county, Rhode Island

STAFFORD, JEWETT, was born Jan. 13, 1795, at Coventry, Kent county, R. I.

STAFFORD, CHRISTOPHER B., was born July 22, 1797, at Coventry, Kent county, Rhode Island

STAFFORD, WILLIAM, was born 1799 at Coventry, Kent county, Rhode Island