Md Tn Ala Tx DNA Mystery - Part 2

My Willis of Texas and Tennessee DNA mystery,  info of which I began documenting in Part 1,  has expanded from four people to six.  It's seven,  if I include my family too (JWillis = MySNPs).  All are atDNA intertwined.  There's a likely,  common Willis intersection among us.  We just need to find it.  To help keep everything straight,  I am going refer to each person by the format of ... ancestor(s), of tree owner.  The Willis ancestors and tree owners include:

1 1700s Rutherford Clan of JWillis
2 Frances of Margo 
3 William M, Charley of Vern 
4 George of Trish (private tree, message her for access)
5 Emeline of Betty
6 William S, Sarah of Pat
7 William S, Joseph of JD

Vern and I have Y-DNA results that place us into THE MARYLAND GROUP of the Willis Y-DNA Project.

After looking at the various pieces for a while now,  I have a very strong feeling that the Willis heritage of all these folks have a path that intersects in early 1800s McMinn County, Tenn ... goes back to my late 1700s Rutherford Co,  NC Willis clan ... then to 1600s Maryland.  Hopefully, putting everything I know on a screen,  and circulating it to the six people involved will help solve this mystery.

What I know as of March 29, 2017:


1 1700s Rutherford Clan of JWillis

• My Willis family began with a William Willis Sr 1717-1782 who came from Dorchester County,  Md and landed in western NC in 1764.
• William Sr had sons:  William Jr and Jacob
• William Jr had sons:  Henry, Jacob, James, John (Later known in San Saba, Tx as "William John"), and William.  
• James,  and sons Samuel and William, migrated to McMinn, Co Tenn at some point between 1820 and 1830.
• I have James in land records in Rutherford Co, NC in the early 1820s.  Samuel first shows up in Rutherford Co Court records serving on a jury in 1819.  William was likely too young to have appeared in Rutherford Co records.  So they left Rutherford Co at some point after 1820.
• I have 10 family kits on Ancestry.  Most are indicated as "(administered by MySNPs)." atDNA matches on any of these could indicate a tie back to our 1700s Rutherford Co. Willis clan.
• A closely related family,  4th cousins thru Willis, have 8 kits on Ancestry.  They are indicated as "(administered by JACaltonDavis)" and "(administered by LDVie)".  atDNA matches on any of these could also indicate a tie back to our 1700s Rutherford Co. Willis clan. 
•  
• 1820 Census: Rutherford Co, NC. James prior to McMinn, male 26-44
• 1830 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn. James after arrival in McMinn, male 50-59
• likely died after 1830  
•  
• 1830 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn. Samuel first shows in Census, male 20-29
• 1840 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn., male 30-39
• 1850 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn. Samuel family details., male 50
• likely died after 1850.
•  
• 1830 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn. William first shows in Census, male 20-29
• likely migrated away after 1830. 
•  
• There is a 1840 Census record for a William age 20-29,  but the age of this William would indicate that he is NOT of the same William of the 1830 Census.   And there is no William in the 1850 Census.  I believe the 1830 William left McMinn at some point prior to 1840.  A new,  younger William,  shows up for the first time in 1840, then leaves before 1850.

2 Frances of Margo

• Frances Marion Willis 1835-1888, McMinn Co, Tenn - McMinn Co., Tenn
• Married to Harriet Chambers
• Children: Nero, Sarah, Alice, Frank, Mary, Flora
• His mother was Margaret Pearce.
• Margaret had children: James, Jane and Frances Marion.
• We know that Margaret was of the Pearce family from a court case in McMinn County, Tenn involving Margaret Willis and her father,  James Pearce.
• I believe Margaret Pearce was married to a James Willis,  likely born in McMinn at some point prior to 1815,  died before the 1840 census.
• I believe this younger James was likely the son of another James,  born abt 1780, and from my 1700s Willis clan in Rutherford Co.,  NC. I believe this elder James, and my 3G Grandfather, Jacob, to be brothers.
•  
• 1840 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn. Household of Margaret Willis. 3 children, 1 adult.
• 1850 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn. "Marian" is 15, putting his birth at 1835.
• 1860 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn. We learn Frances' mother is Margaret.
• 1870 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn.
• 1880 Census: McMinn Co, Tenn.
•  
• I believe the Pearce family associated with Frances of Margo is the same Pearce family Sarah of Pat married in to.  Must trace Pearce family lineage to verify.

3 William M, Charley of Vern

• William M Willis 1847-1916,  Georgia - Kaufman County, Texas 
• Married to Margaret Louise Parkman 1847-1935
• Children: Charley, Thomas B, Carra, William Parkman, Mary, Luella, Lessie, Beula, Bessie.
•  
• Charley M Willis 1860-1929,  Chattahoochee, Ga, USA - Henderson Co, Tx
• Married to Lula Belle Oldham 1870-1956
• Children: Marietta, Charles H, Henry, Clarence, Hester, William, Johnny Edward
•  
• 1850 Census: Wilkes, Ga. William M age 3.
• 1860 Census: Chattahoochee, Ga. William N age 9.
• 1870 Census: Chattahoochee, Ga. William M age 22 Charles age 2.
• 1880 Census: Tallapoose, Ala. William age 33. Charley age 12.
• 1900 Census: Comanche, Tx. William age 53. birth: Ga. Father's birth: Ga. Mother's birth: Ga
•  
• 1900 Census: Yazoo, Miss.  Charley age 36. birth: Ala Father's birth: Ala Mother's birth: Ala.  Wife Lula 36 Children: Mary 8, Chas 5, Clarrena 4, Hester 2
• 1910 Census: Henderson, Tx. Charley age 35. birth: Miss Father's birth: Ala Mother's birth: Ky.  Wife Lula 31 Children: Marietta 15, Henry 14, Clarence 14, Hester 11, William C 9, John 2
• 1920 Census: Henderson, Tx. Charley 52. birth: Ala Father's birth: Ala Mother's birth: Ala  
• Death Certificate: indicates place of birth: Ala.
•  
• In the family of William,  I am skeptical of the 10 year age gap between oldest child Charley and the next child Thomas.   Something's not right there.
• Vern believes the middle initial for William M and Charley M stands for Miles.
• The inconsistencies between the 1900 and 1910 Census are maddening.  And while it could be questionable,  one has to assume that these are the same households,  just mass error on the part of census taker?
• I'm not entirely comfortable that in reaching back from the Charley in Yazoo,  Miss in 1900,  we have the right household for the Charley in 1880 Census in Ala.  We already know from the inconsistency between 1900 to 1910 makes the data questionable for 1900,  which calls into question whether one can pick holes in the jump in age from age 12 to 36 over 20 years, from 1880 to 1900.  Something just doesn't seem right in making that jump though.
• And the 1900 Census thru death certificate appear certain that birth of Charley was not Ga.,  naming Miss once and Ala 3 times.
• And the 1900 thru 1920 census are consistent about Charley's father being born in Ala,  not Ga. 
• I simply conclude that we need to keep an open mind that Charley of 1900 Yazoo, Miss and 1910 Henderson, Tx,  might not have his family roots back in Georgia? Or, is that fair?  
• Charley of Vern is in the 1910 census Henderson County,  Texas ... along with George of Trish and Sarah of Pat.    

4 George of Trish (private tree, message her for access)

George Washington Willis 1865-1941, Ala or Ga - Ouachita, La. 
Married to Sarah Jane White
Children: John Wiley, Henry Miles, Katie Irene, Samuel, George Joseph,  Drew Allan, Nettie Elizabeth, Walter Lee,  Annie Lois, Ernest Edwin, Harrold.

1900 Census: Ouachita, La. George age 34 Birth:Ala,  Father's birth:Ga. Mother's birth:Ala.
1910 Census: Henderson, Tx. George age 41 Birth:Miss, Father's birth: Miss, Mother's birth: Miss.
1920 Census: Ouachita, La. George age 55 Birth:Ky, Father's birth: USA Mother's birth: USA
1930 Census: West Carroll, La. George age 70 Brith: Ala, Father's birth: Ala. Mother's birth: Ala.   

Trish has an excellent write-up of the work she has done to date trying to track down the roots of George Washington Willis, posted to his gallery page on Ancestry. 
Note the name "Miles" being common between the families of George of Trish and Charley of Vern. 
     

5 Emeline of Betty

WORK IN PROGRESS .....


6 William S, Sarah of Pat

• William Stephen Willis 1832 - 1879, McMinn Co, Tenn - Texas
• Married to Margarett Davis
• Children: Nancy, William Arthur, Sarah, Joseph Windle, Martha, Margaret
•   
• Sarah Elizabeth Willis 1862-1838, Henderson Co, Tx - Henderson Co, Tx.
• Married to Thomas J Pearce. Son of Robert Pearce born 1808 in either Ala or Mississippi.
• Children:  MANY, with Pearce surname
•  
• 1850 ?
• 1860 Census: Henderson, Texas. William age 28, birth in Tenn.
• 1870 Census: Henderson, Texas. William age 44, birth in Tenn. Sarah age 8.
• 1880 ?
• 1900 Census: Henderson, Texas. Sarah age 37
• 1910 Census: Henderson, Texas. Sarah age 47
• 1920 Census: Henderson, Texas. Sarah age 57
•  
• Sarah Pearce is in the 1910 census of Henderson County, Texas ... along with Charley of Vern and George of Trish. 
• I believe the Pearce family Sarah of Pat married into is the same Pearce family associated with Frances of Margo. Must research Pearce lineage to verify. 
• Sarah of Pat is the sister to Joseph of JD. 
• Note the inconsistency in William's age between the 1860 and 1870 census.  The family composition and ages of the children are consistent between these two census though. We conclude there was just error in recording the age.

7 William S, Joseph of JD

• William Stephen Willis 1832 - 1879, McMinn Co, Tenn - Texas
• Married to Margarett Davis
• Children: Nancy, William Arthur, Sarah, Joseph Windle, Martha, Margaret 
• Joseph Windle Willis 1864-1940, Henderson Tx - Dawson, Tx
• Married to Willie Ann Minerva Piper 1875-1914
• Children:  William Randolph, Walter Reed, Tinnie, Minnie, Scottie, Sherdie, Oma, Ralph, Georgia. 
•    
• 1850 ?
• 1860 Census: Henderson, Texas. William age 28, birth in Tenn.
• 1870 Census: Henderson, Texas. William age 44, birth in Tenn. Joseph age 5
• 1880 ?
• 1900 Census: Van Zandt, Texas. Joseph age 35, birth in Texas
• 1910 Census: Dawson, Texas. Joseph age 45
• 1920 Census: Dawson, Texas. Joseph age 56
• In 1930 and 1940 census too as widower.
•  
• Joseph of JD is the brother to Sarah of Pat.
• JD is in the process of a Y-DNA test.  We should hear results within a month or two.  

Stopped here on Thursday,  March 29th

See PART 3.