|
|
Facts and Events
__________________________
Estate Records
- Willis, David, dec. Appraisal of estate returned March 1838.
- ["A Brief of Wills and Marriages in Montgomery and Fincastle Counties, Virginia, 1733-1831”, compiled by Anne Lowry Worrell, pg. 56]
Sources
- Transcript:David Willis in Kegley, 1982
- Transcript:Will of Sarah Stapleton, wife of Charles, Montgomery,VA, 1819
- Transcript:Willis entries in Kegley, 1980
Notes
- Genforum
John Willis had a brother Isaiah Willis (b. abt.1742 Chester County, PA, m. Catherine (last name unknown), d. aft. 1829, Franklin County, VA) who had at least five sons and at least two daughters.
Isaiah moved to Halifax County, VA in 1764 and later lived in Franklin County, VA. At least three of his children - James, John, and David - lived in nearby Montgomery County, VA.
Isaiah had five sons
- (1) James Willis (m. Barbara Kimball, March 18, 1795, Montgomery County, VA) James and Barbara apparently moved away shortly after their marriage. Isaac Rentfro performed their marriage. (Worrell, "Wills and Marriages in Montgomery County, VA, 1733 - 1831," p. 43). Isaac Rentfro is also the one who performed the Montgomery County marriages of James' brother David Willis in 1791 and another brother John Willis in 1793. Isaac Rentfro was permitted to perform marriages in Montgomery County in August 1790. He performed very few marriages in Montgomery County. This is the only information I have on James.
- (2) John Willis (d. Oct. 1818, Montgomery County, VA). John married Esther Brown on January 1, 1793 in Montgomery County, Virginia. Surety was Isaac Rentfro, who married John's brothers David Willis and James Willis. (Worrell, "Marriages in Montgomery County, VA, 1733 - 1831," p. 43 and p. 56 ) Jotham Brown served as the Surety. The Browns, Stapletons, and WIllises had several intermarriages
- Montgomery County Deeds, 1800: "Benjamin Craig from Phebe Brown, Christopher Cooper, Salvanas Brown, JOHN WILLIS, David Brown, John Brown, Lydia Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Mary Brown, Jotham Brown, Mirey Brown, and William Brown, heirs of Jotham Brown, deceased, 104 acres, part of 200 acres granted Robert Brooks in 1796, at head of Terry Creek, branch of Little River."
- John is listed in the 1810 Montgomery County census with 3 males under 10, 2 males 10 - 16, 1 male 26 - 45, 1 female under 10, 1 female 10 - 16, 1 female 16 - 26, one female 26 - 45.
- On June 25, 1813, John received a patent for 120 acres in Montgomery County "on the waters of Elliotts Creek waters of the south fork of Roanoke adjoining Samuel Langdon" (VA Grants 63, page 447). The family of the wife of David Willis, John's brother, were the Elliotts for whom the Creek was named, and who also lived on this creek.
- John's estate was appraised in 1818.
- (3) David Willis (m. Sarah Stapleton April 5, 1791, Montgomery County, VA, d. 1836, Montgomery County, VA). David's children included William, Sally, Nancy, Elizabeth, Charles H., and JAMES. David was married by Isaac Rentfro, who also married James Willis and John Willis in Montgomery County. Surety was Richard Wells.
(Worrell, "Marriages in Montgomery County, VA, 1733 - 1831," p. 43) (Note: Isaac Rentfro was "permitted to celebrate the rites of matrimony in this County" (Montgomery) in August 1790.) There is a lot of information available on David, who seems to have been a likable and trusted man. The following is just the family related information .... David "of Montgomery County" sold 288 acres of land in Franklin County to James Welch in Franklin County (see following paragraph). James Welch was soon to marry David's sister, Rhoda Willis. David had bought the 288 acres the previous year from his father, Isaiah Willis (see below).
- David did not live for very long in Franklin County. His connection with Franklin County is that on April 2, 1792, his father Isaiah Willis of Franklin County sold David the 288 acres of land "on the branches of Pig River ... beginning at Isaiah Willis Corner ... in Hills line near the Whistling Hill ... crossing a branch ... near the head..." On September 30, 1793, David then sold the 288 acres to James Welch, newly married husband of Josiah's daughter, Rhoda: "David Willis & Sarah his Wife of the County of Montgomery ... to JAMES WELCH (FR. Co.) $55 ... 288 acres ..... adj Hills line near Whistling Hill ... crossing a branch ... Henry Jones old line" (same land as above)(Deed Book 3, page 69). David lived on Elliot Creek, which was named after his wife's family. He died in 1836. Executors of his will were his sons Charles and William (Montgomery County Will Book 6, page 34).
- Apparently, David's son, James is not your James. James married Betsy Hall July 14, 1823 in Montgomery County. Surety for the marriage was his brother Charles H. Willis. I do not have any other information on this James.
- (4) William Willis (d. 1813, Franklin County, VA).
From:TNGENWEB
John WIllis=Esther Brown
Esther Brown, born c. 1775, dau. Jotham and Phoebe Brown. Esther married John Willis on 1-1-1793 in Montgomery County, Virginia. John Willis died in Virginia in 1818. Esther and her son Sylvanus Willis were the administrators of John’s Estate. Esther’s family was enumerated in the 1820 Montgomery County census. By 1830, it is believed Esther and her children migrated to Greene County, Tennessee. A female age 60-70 is believed to be Esther Brown Willis in the 1830 household of John Willis, age 20-30. Based on Greene County census records and marriages, the sons of Esther Brown Willis included:
- (1) John, who married Annie Allison in 1827;
- (2) James B., who had first married in Montgomery County, Virginia; then remarried Frances Nixon in 1828 in Greene County, Tennessee;
- (3) Sylvanus, who married the widow Mary (“Polly”) Alexander Wyrick in 1831;
- (4) Jotham, who married Nancy Wilson in 1830. Jotham B. Willis died before 1834 in Greene County when his Estate in the town of Greeneville appears in the 1834 Tax List.
- (5) a 5th son, who is as yet unidentified. Two marriages are found in the early Greene County marriages for females with the Willis surname. One is Sally Willis, who married Robert Foster Junior in 1830. Sally Willis was a widow of the deceased fifth son of John and Esther Brown Willis. The second marriage is for Esther Willis, who is believed to be the daughter of John and Esther Brown Willis: (6) Esther, who married James Morrow in 1831
From:TNGENWEB<br.
One male descendant of John and Esther Brown Willis is participating in the Y-DNA Project for the Willis surname. At the time of this writing, the Willis Surname Project has no DNA matches in their database to this descendant. The male Willis DNA is classified as Haplogroup R1b, which indicates “general” western European descent. The Willis male DNA has striking similarity to that of the Zopher Johns(t)on Family, who were related by marriage over a 50+ year time period. This could, of course, simply be “coincidental”. Efforts are ongoing to locate other Willis male descendants who will participate in the Y-DNA testing.
References
- United States. 1820 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M33).
1820 U.S. Census Population Schedule
Name: David Willis
Home in 1820 (City, County, State): Lee, Virginia
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 18: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1 [b. bef. 1776]
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture: 2
Free White Persons - Under 16: 2
Free White Persons - Over 25: 2
Total Free White Persons: 5
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 5
- United States. 1830 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M19).
1830 U.S. Census Population Schedule
Name: David Willis
Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Lee, Virginia
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 60 thru 69: 1 [b. bet. 1761-1770]
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 5
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 7
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 7
- ↑ Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
- GenForum.
(3) David Willis (m. Sarah Stapleton April 5, 1791, Montgomery County, VA, d. 1836, Montgomery County, VA). David's children included William, Sally, Nancy, Elizabeth, Charles H., and JAMES. David was married by Isaac Rentfro, who also married James Willis and John Willis in Montgomery County. Surety was Richard Wells.
(Worrell, "Marriages in Montgomery County, VA, 1733 - 1831," p. 43) (Note: Isaac Rentfro was "permitted to celebrate the rites of matrimony in this County" (Montgomery) in August 1790.) There is a lot of information available on David, who seems to have been a likable and trusted man. The following is just the family related information .... David "of Montgomery County" sold 288 acres of land in Franklin County to James Welch in Franklin County (see following paragraph). James Welch was soon to marry David's sister, Rhoda Willis. David had bought the 288 acres the previous year from his father, Isaiah Willis (see below).
David did not live for very long in Franklin County. His connection with Franklin County is that on April 2, 1792, his father Isaiah Willis of Franklin County sold David the 288 acres of land "on the branches of Pig River ... beginning at Isaiah Willis Corner ... in Hills line near the Whistling Hill ... crossing a branch ... near the head..." On September 30, 1793, David then sold the 288 acres to James Welch, newly married husband of Josiah's daughter, Rhoda: "David Willis & Sarah his Wife of the County of Montgomery ... to JAMES WELCH (FR. Co.) $55 ... 288 acres ..... adj Hills line near Whistling Hill ... crossing a branch ... Henry Jones old line" (same land as above)(Deed Book 3, page 69). David lived on Elliot Creek, which was named after his wife's family. He died in 1836. Executors of his will were his sons Charles and William (Montgomery County Will Book 6, page 34).
Apparently, David's son, James is not your James. James married Betsy Hall July 14, 1823 in Montgomery County. Surety for the marriage was his brother Charles H. Willis. I do not have any other information on this James.
http://genforum.genealogy.com/willis/messages/5983.html
|
|
