Person:James Willis (1)

!Dan Willis also has a copy of the will of Samuel Willis (brother of Joseph),

dated January 31, 1782.  In this document Samuel appoints his two brothers,
Joseph and James, to be the executors of his last will and testament.  This
document verifies the existence and names of at least three Willis brothers,
but no mention is made of their parentage.

!The current Craven County was first known as the Archdale Precinct of Bath

County, North Carolina -- established as early as 1696, but no later than 1705.
The name was changed to Craven and it was formally organized as a separate
county in 1712.

!Other records used to research this line are found in a Family Bible in the

possession of Janet Barrow, daugther of Clifford and Nona Lee (Willis) Toler.
Janet currently lives at 7105 Highway 17 North, Vanceboro, North Carolina,
28586; phone number is (919) 244-0823.
Janet was raised in an area of Craven County (NC) known as "Willis Neck",
located along Highway 17 between Vanceboro and Ernul.

Ancestry uncertain

It appears to be only speculation that James and his brothers were the children of Samuel Willis. An alternative theory is that their father was Richard Willis.