William Wills, Sr., P. O., Slater. Son of William and Polly Wills (Ballard) of Montgomery county, Kentucky, was born in Clark county, Kentucky in May, 1805. Soon after his birth, his father moved to Montgomery county, and there he was raised on a farm and educated. In 1826 he moved to Howard county, Missouri; having, the year before, married Miss Charlotte Benson, daughter of Amos and Sallie Benson formerly of Virginia. The children of this marriage were: Amos, Polly A., James, William, John, Amanda, Martha, Henry and Sallie A. After the death of his first wife, in 1864, he married Mrs. Bathsheba Sly, widow of Richard Sly, and daughter of Reuben and Laura Harris, and of this union were born three children, Laura A., Ollie V. and Charles A. Was mostly occupied with farming in Howard county, except two years, in which he was merchandising in Lisbon. In 1879 he moved to Slater in this county, where he continued the mercantile business, and occupies himself in building, owning now quite a number of dwelling houses. He is the oldest man in the city of Slater, but quite active yet.
