Andrew Jackson Willis 1815-1880

WORK IN PROGRESS ....

Ancestry user bridgetgillis44 got in touch with me in Nov 2018.  She was helping another user,  Sadonna Willis,  with their family tree.   They could trace their lineage back to an Andrew Jackson Willis 1815-1880,  but then hit a dead-end. This Willis group was living in the area of Franklin,  Alabama,  somewhat near where our group's Alabama Branch was located.   She wanted to know if it was possible that Andrew Jackson descended from our group's Jarvis Willis.

I can't see how that would be possible.  Within the Willis Y-DNA project,  there is a kit with the Andrew Jackson heritage:

• Andrew Jackson Willis of Alabama was born in 1815 in the Mississippi Territory and in 1818 moved to Franklin County, Alabama, with his mother Mary (or Maria) and two siblings by covered wagon. His father is unknown at this time. He married Atimissa Sparks and had numerous children. He fought and was wounded at Gaines Mill in the Civil War while serving in the 26th Alabama Regiment. He died in 1880. (65516)

Kit #65516 is of haplogroup R-L21 and remains ungrouped within the project,  not matching any other kits.   Our Maryland group is of haplogroup R-M269,  the most common of haplogroups within our project.   And the markers of kit #65516 are not close to our groups markers.   So, there is little doubt that their group is not related to ours.

However,  Sadonna has a brother who will be submitting a Y-DNA kit to the Willis project.  Presumably,  his results will match those of kit #65516.  Combined, they'll then form a new group.  But,  I am intrigued by this group,  given it lived in close proximity of the Alabama branch of our Maryland group. Sadonna gave me access to view her Ancestry DNA results.  I took a look at the top 50 Willis matches on Sadonna's match list,  to see if I can help flush out this group's lineage:

1 Harold Willis - Dead-end 1907 Richard Allen, no info
2 gregromano48 - Dead-end 1936 Alma, no info
3 DanielErwinWeaver - Dead-end abt 1913 Viola, no info
4 Mary Cairns - William M 1843 to Sarah Jane-1876 (Coosa, Ala)
5 dkirby5679 - Andrew Jackson 1815 (Coweta Ga) to John L 1849 to Andrew Jackson 1874 to Sallie Maude 1892
6 Ronald Cunningham - Katherine 1882 (no location)
7 Deborah Hester - Andrew Jackson 1815 (Corinth Ga) to John L 1849 to Andrew Jackson 1874 to Luda Catherine 1903
8 swmcnutt - James L 1800 (Carteret NC) to Andrew Jackson 1815 (Coweta Ga) to Samuel Willis 1851 to John Thomas 1874 to Lurla Alveria 1905
9 R.L. - William R 1863 (no location) to Veto 1887 to Alma 1934
10 AndrewDill99 - locked tree
11 Vernon Willis - Burrell 1832 (Ga) to Dumpy 1840 to Johnie 1874 to Jack 1898 to Vernon 1917 to Emory to Emily.
12 jenn1con - Vernon 1983
13 rickwillis116 - James L 1795 (Germany) to Andrew Jackson 1815 (Miss) to John L 1849 to John Leonard 1918.
14 Rita White - Jasper M 1861 (no location) to Margaret Elizabeth 1885
15 Anthony Gray - Andrew Jackson 1815 (Coweta Ga) to Daniel 1855 to Minnie 1886
16 Larry Bird - GLO Willis group
17 bishopscreek - Andrew Jackson 1846 to Thomas Jefferson 1868 to Katie (no date)
18 Jessica Reeves - locked tree
19 thedirector62 - Andrew Jackson 1878 to Katy 1902
20 Clifton Taylor Boyd - Maryland Group Willis.  Likely a Fisher match.
21 Mary Hamilton - too thin on info.
22 pcfolz - Syntha 1760 (Wilkes Ga).  Likely a Hovater or Scott match?
23 joninolan1 - Deborah 1750 (no location).  Likely James or Taylor match.
24 Tracy Day - Alice Lee 1874 (Franklin, Ala)
25 trm1907 - Ethel 1893 (Franklin, Ala)
26 A.B. - Martha Willis 1827 (Ala)
27 Phillip Prince - Likely match on Davis, Smith, or Green
28 R.B. - locked tree
29 shrlystrn - Martha 1827 (Ala)
30 Christopher Huff - Grover Cleveland 1886 (Ala)
31 Deborah Bourland - Louisa 1825 (Ala)
32 P.B. - 1600s Willis in Middlesex, Va. Likely match on Davis.
33 rodmcg93263 - Ludie 1903 in Ark.
34 G.E. - John Thomas 1874 (Ala)
35 momma8152 - Willis in UK.  Likely match on Fisher, Scott, Watson, James or Taylor. 
36 tpledger03 - Tolbert 1807 (Tn) to William 1835 (Hardin, Tn) to James 1856 (Hardin, Tn) to Rose 1882 (Ark).  Match on Fisher, Taylor or Smith?
37 Cricketbak - Daniel 1765 to Lewis 1812 (SC).  ?? No other surname overlaps. 
38 jerryehester - Syntha 1760 (Wilkes Ga).  Could be a Smith match?
39 crowmeg030 - Andrew Jackson 1815 (NC) to Andrew Jackson 1846 (Franklin, Ala) to Alfred 1871 to Mary Amanda 1893 (Franklin, Ala)
40 ojanna1 - Andrew Jackson 1815 (Ga) to Alfred 1872 to Walter (Hill Co, Tx) to Andrew Jackson
41 mccoyami33 - Mary 1759 (Pittsylvania Co, Va).  Likely Davis, Smith or Scott match. 
42 PhillipMcNatt - tree too thin
43 E.G. - Willis of Chester, Pa.  Likely Sparks match.
44 writer09 - Charles 1809 (Warren, Ky) to Andrew Jackson (Coweta, Ga) to Louisa (Miss) 1839
45 Marshall Plunk - Evie 1898 (Hill Co, Tx)
46 bobbyewilliams28 - 1600s Willis in Mass.  Likely Davis, Watson or Green match.
47 Amanda Gentile - Syntha 1770 (Wilkes Ga). Likely Davis, Scott, Fisher, or Smith match.
48 Kathy Plemmons - GLO Willis group. Likely Allred, Watson or James match.
49 bneal005 - GLO Willis group.  Likely Allred, Smith or Green match.
50 N.G. - Syntha 1770 (Wilkes Ga).  Likely a Smith match.



To be continued ....