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The receiver of this letter, Esther Williams, was Mrs. Thomas Williams of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Her husband (1718-1775) was half-brother to the wife of Stephen West who had settled in Stockbridge as minister. This marriage made stronger a Stockbridge connection with the Williams family. Two sons of Esther and Thomas: William Stoddard (b.1762) and Stephen West (b.1769) studied in Stockbridge and became doctors. The 2 names mentioned in the letter, "Bille" and "Stephen" might refer to those 2 sons.