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Willis

About 1640 or before, Colonel Francis Willis arrived in Virginia from England. In England — clearly outlined and identified in his will of 1689 — he left an uncle John, his sister Grace, brothers William and Henry, and several nephews, a Francis among them. At the same time, some assert that it was a Lewis Willis in Virginia before 1690 who was the father of the Henry Willis who married the Widow Mildred (nee Washington) Brown and helped establish the city of Fredericksburg. Early details are murky, but the central points are accurate.

Sources: Willis, A Sketch of the Willis Family; Sorley, Lewises of Warner Hall; Tyler Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography; Porter, Willis's of Virginia; Waters, Genealogical Gleanings, vol. 1, p. 239

generation no. 1

Francis Willis I, born c 1550, died 29 October 1596. Scholar St John's College 1557, BA 16 February 1562-3, MA 16 February 1565-6, BD and DD 17 July 1587; president of his college 1577-90, vice chancellor 1587; vicar of Embley, Northamptonshire 1569-72; rector of Kingston Bagpuze 1581; vicar of Cumnor, Berkshire 1579; canon of Bristol 1576; dean of Worcester 1587; and vicar of Cropthorne, Worcestershire 1589.

Sources: Foster, Alumni Oxonienses; Waters, Genealogical Gleanings, vol. 1, p. 239

Francis Willis II
John Willis, gentleman, of Winchester, born 1587, died before 1689. Married — — . Matriculated New College 23 January 1607, age 20; BA 29 April 1611; MA 20 January 1615; rector of Ovington, Hampshire 1618.
Hugh Willis, born 1625, died before 1689
Frances Willis
Elizabeth Willis

generation no. 2

Francis Willis II

William Willis, died before 1691, will dated Dorset, November 1679.
Henry Willis, born c 1638, died before 1689
Colonel Francis Willis III, born c 1612-25, died c 1691 (see will). Of St. Algate's Parish, Oxford, later parish of Ware River, Gloucester VA, will proved East Greenwich, Kent 1691, married Jane, no issue
Grace Willis, married — — Feilder, son Charles

generation no. 4

Henry Willis, born c 1638, died before 1689.

Francis Willis IV, born c 1658-60
William Willis, born c 1662
Susanna Willis, born c 1664
Mary Willis, born c 1666, married — — Herren
Alice Willis, born c 1668

generation no. 5

Captain Francis Willis IV, born c 1658-60, died c 1719-26. Inherited Virginia estates of uncle Francis of parishes of Gloucester and East Greenwich.

Francis Willis V, born 1689 in Ware River, member of House of Burgesses 1748, married (1) Lady Anne Rich, daughter of Edward Rich, born 1695 and died 10 June 1727
Henry Willis, born February 1692

generation no. 6

Colonel Henry Willis, born February 1691-92, died 14 September 1740. Founded city of Fredericksburg. Married (1) 2 November 1714 Ann Alexander, widow of John Smith of Purton.

Sources: Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 4, no 2

Mary Willis, born 5 August 1716, married Hancock Lee 1733
Francis Willis VI, born 1718
David Willis, born 1720
Henry Willis, born 1722, married Elizabeth Gregory, no male issue
John W. Willis, born 1724, married Elizabeth Madison
Robert Willis, born 1725

Married (2) 30 October 1726 Mildred Howell, daughter of John Howell, the "widow Brown," who died November 1732.

John Willis, born 16 July 1728, died 5 March 1750, no issue
Elizabeth [Mary/Isabel] Willis, born 12 January 1729
Ann Willis, born 14 September 1731, married Duff Green c 1756

Married (3) 5 January 1734 Mildred Washington, who died 5 September 1747, widow of Roger Gregory, cousin of her predecessor.

Colonel Lewis Willis, born 11 November 1734, married (1) Anne Carter, (2) Mary Champe
Isabell Willis, born 10 June 1733
Ann Willis, born 30 January 1736

generation no. 7

Mary Isabel Willis, born 12 January 1728-29, died after 1782. Married c 1750 Howell Lewis.

Note: Despite some uncertainty about her first names, this daughter of Colonel Henry Willis is by numerous secondary records demonstrably both the daughter of Mildred Howell and the wife of Howell Lewis, her first cousin.

Will: Francis Willis, of Gloucester and East Greenwich

6 July 1689

Francis Willis of the parish of Ware River, in the county of Gloucester, in Virginia, but now a resident in the parish of East Greenwich in the county of Kent, gentleman, 6 July, 1689, proved 25 April, 1691.

My body to be decently buried, my executor not exceeding one hundred pounds sterling at my funeral, in costs and charges.

To my loving sister, Grace Fielder one hundred and twenty pounds sterling to be paid in manner and form following; that is to say, fifteen pounds per annum during her life, or until the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds be fully paid, which first shall happen. To Charles Fielder, the son of my sister Grace, aforesaid, one hundred pounds sterling, in payments of twenty pounds per annum until the sum of one hundred pounds be fully paid.

To my cousin, Elizabeth Butler, and her daughter, Elizabeth Willis, sisters to Hugh Willis, clerk, deceased, the sum of ten pounds sterling apiece.

To my cousins; Francis and Elizabeth Willis, sisters to Hugh Willis, clerk, deceased, the sum of ten pounds sterling apiece.

To Francis and Christopher Willis, the sons of the said Hugh Willis, the sum of ten pounds sterling apiece.

To the widow of Hugh Willis, ten pounds sterling.

To Susannah Willis, the daughter of my brother, Henry Willis, ten pounds sterling.

To my cousins John and Joane Lipton, one hundred and thirty pounds sterling and to her two children; Henry and Mary, one hundred and thirty pounds sterling apiece.

To my cousin, Mary Herron, the daughter of my brother, Henry Willis, deceased, the sum of three hundred and fifty pounds sterling.

To Alice Willis, daughter of said brother, Henry Willis, three hundred and fifty pounds sterling.

To my loving cousin, Elizabeth Ironmonger, one hundred pounds sterling and to her two sons; Charles and Matthew Ironmonger, one hundred pounds sterling apiece.

To William Willis, the son of my brother, William Willis, deceased, one hundred and fifty pounds sterling.

To the poor of the Parish of St Fowles Als St Algate in the city of Oxford, the place of my birth, one hundred pounds sterling. And all my legacies I desire may be paid within eighteen months after my decease.

To my dear and loving wife, Jane Willis, the sum of one thousand pounds sterling, to be paid her in the first place, within one year after my decease, and all the household vessels of plate, linen and bedding which she brought over with her from Virginia to England [ & all other personal estate].

I give unto the said William Willis, the son of my brother, William Willis, deceased, all that land and plantation which his father formerly lived upon and held of me, with the appurtances, situate on the South side of Crany Creek, containing one hundred acres or thereabouts, to him and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten or to be begotten, and for want of such heirs, then to the right heirs of me, the said Francis Willis.

I give and devise unto the said Francis Willis, the son of my brother, Henry Willis, all the rest and residue of all my other estate and estates, whatsoever in land, goods, moneye, cattle and Chattells that I now at this time stand seized or possessed of in Virginia and not herein already devised, also one thousand pounds, to be paid him within eighteen months after my decease.

I ordain and make William Willis, the son of my brother, Henry Willis, deceased, sole executor of this my will and testament.

I give unto Mr. Edward Polter, of the Parish of St Peters in the East in Oxford city, milliner, and Mr. George Richards of London, merchant, whom I desire and appoint to be overseers &c, the sum of ten pounds sterling apiece.

Wit; Richard Jones, Margaret Nicholson, Joseph Busfield.

Source: Waters, Genealogical Gleanings, vol. 1, p. 239

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