Willis-Welch-Pettey Story Part 1

I've been busy writing up the Willis-Welch-Pettey story, or at least, what I think I know

The Willis – Welch - Pettey Story

After doing family history for many years, I’ve discovered that it is always a work in progress. It is never finished. I just wanted to write down what I have found and try to make some sense of the families’ comings and goings. Sometimes each new discovery brings with it more questions than answers but every little bit helps me to understand our ancestors and to help me see them as real people.

The earliest Willis I can find is Robert Willis, born 1783 in Jasper Georgia. The family information comes from Ancestry.com and I have yet to find a primary source.

I do know that he married an Isabel Frazer on 16 June 1808 in Wilkes County, Georgia. She was born in 1787 in Jasper Georgia according to Ancestry.com. I have found a photo copy of their marriage record. Isabel was given in marriage by a John Frazer. I guess that might be her father, but it could also be another male relative.

 

The 1820 and 1830 census for Jasper County and the 1840 census for Wilkes county Georgia all show a Robert Willis. There's not much information on these early censuses, just numbers for individuals in age categories. No names to connect the dots.

No more records have yet been found for Robert and Isabel.

The reputed son of Robert and Isabel Willis, William Franklin Willis, was born 14 March 1809 in Jasper County, Georgia. He was married to Ann (Stanley) born about 1812-1817 in N. Carolina. They appear on the 1850 census for Lawrence County, Alabama.

The children of with William and Ann Willis were:

·        Wesley A. born about 1832-1834 Georgia

·        Washington Franklin born 5 May 1834 in Putnam county, GA died 29 May 1894 Panola co. TX. Married  28 May 1856 in De Soto Parish, LA  Emily J. Horn (born 9 Mar 1834, in Edgecombe, NC).

·        Martha J. or G - (born 20 Feb 1837 in Georgia) Married 7 Feb 1854 James Welch (born 1830 Dublin, Ireland)

·        Eliza Van Buren – (born 2 Mar 1842 in Eatonville, GA) Married 1875-1876 Leonard Henderson Thompson (born 1 Jan 1824 Dobson, Surrey co. N. Carolina, died 15 Nov 1906 Austin, TX)

·        Sarah (born about 1844) Georgia

·        Mary E. (born about 1845 in GA d. 1926 Haslam, Shelby Co. TX) married Mr. Williams

·        Frances (born about 1849 AL.)

·        Robert L. (born 1851 Alabama  d. 15 Nov 1906 Austin, Tx)

·        Emma (born 1864 Texas) I doubt this is a biological child. Ann would have been 50 yrs old when Emma was born. More likely a grandchild? She first appears on the 1870 Census for Falls County, TX

Willis Brothers in the Civil War

A possible discovery:
I've found military records for our G G Grand Uncles, William Franklin and Wesley Willis. (brothers of Martha Willis, who was Eliza Jane Welch's mother.) I'm still pursuing this line of inquiry and have sent an email to Texas Archives to see if I can get more information. Don't expect an answer until next week.
It seems that Washington F. contracted hepatitis. Wesley deserted while on furlough.

Marriage Record for Willis and Frazer - 1808

Today's find was rather exciting. I found a copy of Robert Willis and Isabel Frazer's marriage record from 1808. I believe that they are the parents of William Franklin Willis. I need to verify that but, unfortunately, I found the record on Ancestry.com. I'll have to look it up again next time I visit the Conroe Genealogy library.

A John Frazer signed the document. Could he be Isabel's father?

Washington Willis Reappears

I really need to make a note of where I find things. I was looking in my records for a Falls County Texas census for 1870 but couldn't find it. What I did find, though was a tax record for William Willis and two sons, Wesley and Washington F. That means Washington and Emma left Louisiana and rejoined the family during their stay in Falls county. They didn't own land but had between them one horse, one mule and six head of cattle. Wesley was a teamster so it's not surprising that they would have a few cattle or oxen.

They possibly moved there after 1870 and moved away before 1880 which would explain why they wouldn't show up on the census for Falls county. I need to find now where Wesley went. Still no sign of his sister Martha. If she remarried, she may be lost forever.