Our Willis clan initially came from Wantage, England and first settled in Dorchester County, Maryland around 1680. Early generations of the family are documented in the research of Gary N Willis. While there were multiple migrations away from Maryland in succeeding years, my branch came to Western North Carolina at some point after 1752. At the time it was largely land occupied by Cherokee Indians. Around 1752, families first started obtaining land grants in these lands, west of the Catawba River, in what was then Anson County, NC. In 1762 the western part of Anson became Mecklenburg County.
William Willis Sr, 1717-1782, of the third generation of Maryland Willis, arrived in Mecklenburg county at some point prior to late 1764. He obtained his first land grant in Mecklenburg County in November, 1764. His land became part of Tryon County in 1769, then Rutherford County in 1779. Most of what we discover about our Western NC Willis roots comes from either the court records of Tryon and Rutherford Counties, or the the land records of Rutherford County.
We know William Sr arrived with his daughter Elizabeth Willis Buchanan, and sons William Jr and Jacob. In the late 1700s in Rutherford Co, these families live on adjacent farms, just north of modern day Polkville, NC. Land records show that William Sr accumulates 300 acres of land in an 1764 grant:
- 16 November 1764, GRANT. William Willis [Sr] 300 acres in Mecklenburgh on both sides of Little Broad river below PETER DUNCAN. Chain Bearers: Jacob Willis [Sr] and Wm. Huddlestone. ABSTRACTS OF LAND PATENTS 1765-1775 Vol. 2 HOFFMAN. Pg 530 #7501 Pg. 127
His daughter Elizabeth, along with husband James Buchanan, live on a 50 acre farm adjacent to William Sr:
- 27 July 1772, SALE. Isaac Hinton to James Buckhannon, for 50 A on N side of Hintons Creek, granted to said Hinton 16 Nov 1764. Wit: James Whitesides, Jacob Willis. DEED ABSTRACTS of TRYON, LINCOLN, RUTHERFORD 1769-1786 Holcum. GR929.3 N811 H725d c.2
Son William Jr and wife Margaret are also on a farm adjacent to William Sr, on 2 tracs of land, which total about 330 acres:
- 28 April 1768, GRANT. William Willis [Jr] 130 acres in Mecklenburgh on both sides of first Little Broad river above Connaways Line. Chain Bearers: Thomas Willis, John Willis ABSTRACTS OF LAND PATENTS 1765-1775 Vol. 2 HOFFMAN. Pg 484. #6437 Pg. 195
- 28 Feb 1775, GRANT. William Willis [Jr] 200 acres in Tryon on both sides of Isaacs Creek of first broad River, joining MARGARET WILLIS. ABSTRACTS OF LAND PATENTS 1765-1775 Vol. 2 HOFFMAN. Pg 677. #9017 Pg. 198
We assume that Jacob and his family live on William Sr's 300 acre farm, which is confirmed upon the death of William Sr.
William Sr dies at some point in 1782. In his WILL, he leaves his farm to the first born sons of his 3 children. This WILL gives us several key pieces of information about our Willis family:
- The children are likely listed in the order of their age: Elizabeth, William Jr, then Jacob.
- The first born sons of each of William Sr's children's families are identified: Arthur Buchanan (son of Elizabeth), Henry Willis (son of William Jr), William Willis (William of Kentucky - son of Jacob).
- Son Jacob is deceased in 1782.
- Jacob's portion of the farm goes to his wife, Elizabeth.
- Elizabeth and son William (William of Kentucky) are living on the farm at the time of William Sr's 1782 death.
1 William Willis Sr 1717-1782, m. unknown
2 Elizabeth Willis c 1736-1793, m. James Buchanan 1737-1805
3 Arthur Buchanan c 1763-aft 1830, m. unknown
3 William Buchanan 1765-1856, m. Elizabeth Jones 1774-1861
3 Joseph Buchanan 1767-1860, m. Sally Jones 1772-1840
2 William Willis Jr c1740-1793, m. Margaret (possibly Nelson or Pickett) 1753-aft 1810
3 Henry Willis c1775-unk
3 James Willis c1777-unk
3 Jacob Willis 1780-1828, m. Lydia Black 1785-1850
3 John (William John) Willis 1789-1866, m. Ann Johnson 1791-1873
3 William Willis 1790-unk
3 Margaret Peggy Willis 1791-unk
2 Jacob Willis c1742-1780, m. Elizabeth Nancy Eaves 1756-1782
3 William Willis 1775-1866, m. Elizabeth Steel 1782-1822
William of Kentucky was the first born son of Jacob, and grandson of William Sr. We are fortunate in that the family of William of Kentucky was well researched. In 1876, John Carroll Power published a book outlining the family histories of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois. The family of William who migrated first to Kentucky, then to Sangamon County, Ill, is well outlined in John Power's book. The title of the book is the History of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois. A searchable copy of it is available on the internet at this link. The family of William Willis of Kentucky is outlined on pages 774-775. In addition, a PDF version of these pages can be downloaded from a post placed on Ancestry.com, at this link.
William of Kentucky received a portion of his grandfather's farm in the 1782 WILL of William Willis, Sr. (Original copy of the WILL available on FamilySearch) Its through his ownership of this land that we are able to confirm that William of Kentucky does belong to the late 1700s Willis clan of Rutherford County, NC. In 1797 William sells his portion of his grandfather's farm back to his Aunt Margaret, in this land transaction:
- 27 October 1796, SALE. William Willis, son of Jacob Willis, of Linhorn Co, Ky, to Margaret Willis, executor of William Willis [Jr] estate of RCNC, 50 Lbs, 100 acres on Little Broad River, granted to grandfather William Willis Sr. Wit: Arthur Buchanan, Joshua Wilson, Harden Daniel #334. 20 Feb 1798. BGSOTC Nov 1995 Pg 170. RCNC Deed Bk 7 Pg 99.
In addition, we have Y-DNA confirmation from a descendant of William of Kentucky that William's roots are of our Willis Maryland Group. Test kit #148947 of THE MARYLAND GROUP within the Willis Y-DNA Project can trace his heritage on a path that goes through John Willis 1818-1866, son of William of Kentucky. So, there is little doubt, as a result of both land records and Y-DNA confirmation, that William of Kentucky's roots are first in 1600s Maryland, then 1700s North Carolina and then on to 1800s Kentucky and Illinois.
Details of William of Kentucky's family are more easily viewed in my family tree, on his profile page. I have aligned the information there to John Power's book. William of Kentucky had at least 4 sons and 4 daughters by his first wife, Elizabeth Steel(e), and 3 daughters by his second wife, Martha Morrison.
I believe William Willis Sr. married second Margaret Hannah, widow of William Hannah who died 1768 in Mecklenburg Co., NC.
ReplyDeleteResponse 1/3 That Margaret Hannah is an extraordinarily complex situation. This is actually how I view it. When William Sr gets his land grant in 1764 there is an adjoining piece of property where a Henry Willis applied for a land grant. After making the application, there are Tryon County court records where Henry serves on a road committee with William (we are not clear as to whether this was Sr, or Jr). Then, there are records of a Margaret, relick of Henry, who comes into court to settle Henry's estate. So, Margaret was the WIFE of Henry Willis first. Next, a Margaret and William Willis get a grant on the property where Henry filed to receive a land grant. What I believe is happening here is that Henry is either a brother to William Sr, or a son of William Sr. Widowed Margaret needs a male on the property deed. So, William Sr steps in to take possession along with Margaret. Note three important things happening that support this conclusion. 1. On the deed, Margaret's name is listed first. If Margaret and William Willis Sr were man and wife, then he would be listed first. 2. The deed refers to "her" improvements thereon. and 3. In future, neighboring, land transactions, the references on deeds to this property, while William Sr is still alive, is always to "land adjoining that of Margaret Willis". So, all this lends credence to my position that Margaret was the wife of deceased Henry. Margaret needs a male to finish out the land grant process, and William Sr (as either brother or father) steps into dead Henry's shoes to help Margaret get that done. Unfortunately, it gets even MORE complex when considering other records in conjunction with this land transaction.
ReplyDeleteResponse 2/3 A Margaret Willis first comes into court to settle Henry's estate. She makes multiple appearances over time. In later appearances, she comes in as Margaret Hannah to settle the estate of both Henry Willis AND William Hannah. There is a very well known Old Tryon County researcher by the name of Miles Philbeck. Miles believes that Margaret was first married to Henry Willis. He died. Before she could fully settle his estate, and after she closes on the land with William Sr, she re-marries to William Hannah. Then, he dies. All this happens within a very short period of time. Finally, she comes into court as Margaret Hannah to close the Estate of both Henry Willis and William Hannah. Now, as if its not already complicated enough. She also has to come into court on some issues involving William Hannah Jr and some cattle that he is taking possession of as a minor. And .... then ... wait for it .... it even becomes MORE confusing a couple years later. In the 1790s, a Margaret Willis comes into court to settle the estate of a William Willis. This Margaret, and this William, are not the Margaret of Henry Willis and William Hannah, the Margaret who gets a land grant in conjunction with Father or Brother -in-law William Willis Sr ... this Margaret who comes into court in the 1790s is the wife of William Jr. And she is settling William Junior's estate. William Sr died in 1782. His WILL is on file in the Rutherford County Courthouse. William Jr appears to have died a fairly young man, and did not have a WILL. Complicated enough for you?
ReplyDeleteResponse 3/3 By the way, Miles Philbeck found documents indicating that the Margaret who married first Henry Willis and maybe second, William Hannah was actually Margaret Hinton, sister to the male Hinton who was the first settler in that area, and who is the namesake for the creek that runs through the land they settled ... Hinton's Creek. The land is located just barely north of modern day Polkville, NC, very near where highways 226 and 10 split. On about 1,500 acres of land lived Henry Willis (wife Margaret Hinton), William Willis Sr (with Elizabeth Hill), William Willis Jr (Married to Margaret Nelson), Jacob Willis (Wife Elizabeth) and James Buchanan (husband of Elizabeth Willis). I know, its confusing. But, hope it helps, someone.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Hill. It does not appear that she is William's wife, although I have noted it as such in my tree. In his WILL he leaves the farm for her use for her remaining life, which is typically done for a wife. However, atypical, he constantly refers to her by her full name .. Elizabeth Hill. If she was his wife, she would be known as Elizabeth Willis. I believe that Elizabeth Hill is his mother in law. William's brother, Andrew Willis, married a Sarah Hill. Sarah's father, Arthur Hill died in 1751. In his WILL he refers to a wife, Elizabeth, a number of daughters, and leaves a little money to his daughter Sarah Willis. I suspect that William was also married to one of the HILL daughters. She likely died before Arthur passed. After Arthur's passing, Elizabeth migrated, with William and his children, down into Western North Carolina. There are records of interactions between the HILL and WILLIS families as far back as the late 1600s. A William Hill acted as a witness in Willis land transactions. So, there is ample history of interaction between the Willis and Hill families in 1600s and 1700s Maryland. Beyond one or two appearances in court by Elizabeth Hill, helped by James Buchanan (married to Elizabeth Willis - oldest child of William Sr), and her appearance in William Sr's WILL, we don't hear anything else about her. We don't have any idea when she passed away. And can find no confirmation on her ties back to Maryland. So, she remains a mystery, but for my educated guess as to who she was.
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