Person:Henry Willis (10)

Contents 1 Related 2 OVERVIEW 3 Vita 4 Ancestry 5 Family history 6 Records 7 records for "Cochran"		Willis Tapestry Register Data Notebooks Analysis Bibliography Graphics YDNA. Willis Index
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Related

Willis Family in Southwest Virginia

Records for Henry Willis in Southwest Virginia

Henry Willis of Saltville, an alternative view

The many Henry Willis' of Southwest Virginia

Transcript:Land Records for Henry Willis of Southwest Virginia

Person:Peter Cochran (1)

Transcript:Records for Henry Willis in Greene County, TN

OVERVIEW

Records of southwest Virginia suggest that there were two "Henry WIllis'" living in the area. The first Henry Willis (10) appears in records for Washington County and its precursors, as early as 1769. This Henry lived near Saltville, and dissappears from area records by 1785. The second Henry Willis appears in Montomery County by 1779. It is possible that the two Henry's are the same person, though the fact that we have records for a Henry WIllis in both areas more or less simultaneously, suggests that they are separate persons.

Henry Willis settled near modern Saltville, Washington County, VA in 1769. He was one of the first settlers to establish a homesite after the area was open for settlement in that year. Some records suggest he settled on his Saltville property even before the area was open for settlement, perhas as early as 1767. See Proclamation Line The location of his home may have been selected because it was near, or perhaps included, portions of the salt lick that would eventually give the town of Saltville its name.

Vita

Ancestry

Henry's father is thought to be John Willis, who died in 1772 in Botetourt Co., VA. John owned fifty acres on Catawba Creek in Augusta Co., VA. John previously lived in Louisa Co., VA about the time of Henry's birth in 1746. He may have built Buck Mountain Church in Louisa Co., VA. John Willis had two known children Henry Willis (Mary Cochran) and Levina Willis (Peter Kinder). Multiple Willis descendants have take 111 marker test and Big Y 700 Test on Family Tree DNA. All are a match to Daniel Burford. It is interesting Henry named first-born son Daniel.

YDNA (Big Y 700) testing has proven that Daniel Burford is more than likely the grandfather of Henry Willis, husband of Mary Cochran. YDNA Testing of Abner Willis does not match the descendants of Henry Willis. Amos and Abner Willis were not listed as heirs.

Family history

Henry Willis' wife is identified as "Mary Cochran" in court orders of the period. All twelve children were named in an equity suit from Pulaski Co., KY. Children include Daniel Willis (no information), George Willis (no information), John Willis (may be father of William J. Willis married Sarah Hundley Nash), Nancy Willis (Jesse Williams), Margaret Willis (Charles Dotson), Elizabeth Willis (Robert Hunt), Lewis Willis (Rachel Cox, daughter of Allin Cox), Levina Willis (William Clark) Henry Willis Jr. (Sarah Moore, daughter of Henry Moore and Polly Waggoner), Samuel Willis (Minerva Moore, daughter of Henry Moore and Polly Waggoner), Polly Willis (no information), and Patsy Willis (no information).

Records

A entries for a "Henry Willis" are found in the records for Augusta, Botetourt, Fincastle, Washington, and Montgomery Counties VA, and Green and Washington Counties TN. A compendium of such records is provided as at Records for Henry Willis in Southwest Virginia. Some of these records are for the same person living in different locations at different times, and some are for what appears to be different individuals. A "best guess" is provided for the identity of the "Henry Willis" to whom each record probably belongs. Tjods data set is not comprehensive. For examplem, records for Montgomery county have not been systematically examined, and tax and other records for Washington County are not shown here (as yet).

records for "Cochran"

1. ↑ Henry was an adult when he settled in Allison Gap in 1769. That suggests a DOB of no later than c1750. A slightly older DOB has been assumed, but may not be correct.
2.   "Area Reveal Three Families Are Among 'First Permanent Settlers' " By Gordon Aronhime, Bristol Herald Courier, April 13, 1980.
   
   Gordon Aronhime Card File, Library of Virginia
3.   Descendants of Henry Willis of Washington Co., VA are closely matched to the family of Daniel Burford born 1684.
   Burford Family Y-DNA Project on Family Tree DNA
   Willis Family Y-DNA Project on Family Tree DNA