Willis West Sr. (abt. 1755 - 1837)

Born about 1755 in Duplin, Province of North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Gainey) West — married about 1768 in Sampson County, Province of North Carolina

Husband of Silvey (Harmon) West — married about 1803 in Sampson County, North Carolina, USA

Descendants

Died 23 Nov 1837 at about age 82 in Fayette, Georgia, United States

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Biography

Willis was born about 1761. He was the son of James West. He passed away in 1837.

Revolutionary War, NC Militia.

Note: America Revolution: West,Willis: b. 1755-1760 N.C., d. 23 Nov1837 Ga.; married (1)Miss Gainey (2) Sylvia. Pvt. N. Carolina Revolutionary war pension # R 18901

Story of Willis' first wife Sarah "Sally" Gainey. Seems Willis was a man of means. He had purchased a family of slaves. The father of the slaves was very upset and unhappy with his new surroudings, and for some reason murdered Sarah. Some of the children then beat the slave to death for killing their mother.

Military: Note: FHC Film #0972536 Rev. War Pensions Claim # 18901. Silvey West, widow of Willis, Rev., NC Troops. Rejected She filed Apr. 6, 1860 from Fayette Co., Ga. Age 96. Based on act of Congress passed Feb. 3, 1853 pertaining to widows of pensioners. Willis, Pvt., went into service from Blagdon Co., NC. ca 1779,18 mo. All the time under Capt. Roundtree, Ret. ca 1780. She married Willis in Sampson Co., NC. in or about Oct. 1789. Willis died Nov. 23, 1837 in Fayette Co., Ga. No minorchildren. Silvey, because of bodily infirmity & extreme old age unable toattend court.

Allen West affidavit, a res. of Fayette Co., Ga., agrees withSilvey's info. Note: Note: Willis West lived in the Westbrook township, Sampson Co., N.C. He was believed to be of Scotch/Iriesh descent. Had children to live in N.C. and Ga. Willis moved to Fayette Co., Ga., soon after 1830. For Rev.War service Willis received 50 acres of land in Fayette Co., (land lot 223). Willis is buried there in family cemetery. The West-Jackson Cemetery.

Willis West resided in Bladen Co., NC and served as Pvt. with the N.C. Continental Line during the Revolutionary War. Served under Capt Roundtree documented with NSDAR. Shortly after the creation of Fayette County in 1821 a few of Willis' children from his first marriage, and five or six of the second set moved to Fayette County. And afterwards Willis and his second wife Silvey joined them.

Willis participated in the Land Lottery Grants made to veterans of the Revolutionary War by the state of Georgia in 1827 and in the 1832 Gold Lottery of Georgia. He owned land in Fayette County, and in the southeast corner of Land Lot 223, 13th District he established a family cemetery. When he died in 1837. He was the first person buried there. It is now located on a knoll in a former cow pasture off Westbridge Road corner of Wagon Wheel Trail. Housing development was begun on property abt 2007.

NOTE: This Willis West Cemetery where our Rev War patriot is buried, is also referred to by some as West Jackson Cemetery because of the Jackson family members buried there, and the Cemetery Book produced by the Fayette County Historical Society refers to the cemetery as such.

Willis West had twenty children, ten with his first wife whose maiden name was Gainey (Sarah) and ten with his second wife Silvey Harmon. Silvey is believed to be buried in this cemetery. Children of Willis West and Silvey Harmon: Annie Jane, Mary Ann, Briton Sr., James, Polly, Isam, Windom, Ursula(Arsula), Joseph, Synthia(Spicey). (Anna "Annie" Jane West and Mary Ann West were twin sisters born October 18, 1804)

Note: For historical purpose the origin of the family name Harmon is traced back to about 100 BC. -per Piver-37

Children of Willis West and Sarah Gainey: Allen, Colin, Edna(1783 Sampson Co, NC-1886 Cumberland Co, NC died age 103 burial unknown and was married to Obediah Lee who is believed to have died in Harnett, NC), (female), Lloyd(tombstone move in 1985 to Shady Grove Free Will Baptist Church Cemetry in Sampson Co, NC and placed on Kirby West's cemetery lot, from half a mile east of Timothy Crossroads on the south side of Hwy 1620 on the banks of Seven Mile Swamp), Nancy, Noel, Handy, Sarah, Willis Jr.

Rev War service: Listed as A123274 on Ancestor List at NSDAR - Willis West (RS-Pvt-NC) as recorded in the NC Revolutionary Soldiers, Sailors, Patriots and Descendants Volume II pg 197 and NC Revolutionary Army Accounts Sec of State Treasurer's & Comptroller's Papers Vol V, Part IV "Book 11", and pension app by Silvey Harmon West: R18901 pg 190.

Burial: West-Jackson Cemetery, Fayette Co., Georgia

Willis was born in 1755, NC. He passed away in November 23,1837, GA. ^[1] Prvt, Continental Army NC per NSDAR

Research Notes

Conflicting birth information in a merge 2/2023:

• Born 1755 in Sampson, Province of North Carolina
• Born about 1761 in Duplin, Province of North Carolina

Sources

1. ↑ Unsourced family tree handed down to Deborah Burke.

See also:

• Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 29 August 2020), memorial page for Willis West Sr. (1755–23 Nov 1837), Find A Grave: Memorial #8260925, citing West-Jackson Family Cemetery, Fayette County, Georgia, USA; Maintained by Barbara Pilgrim Sams (contributor 46601293) .
• Alice West Ferguson
• Britain West Will, Perry Co., Missouri
• Find a grave> Stone photo West-Jackson Family Cemetary, Fayette, GA

• 2023 3 4 Confirmed tie in from Wiki Tree thru Lisa Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley profile, thru Vernon Presley line. per Johnny Webber Piver Jr. (4th great grandson of Willis West Sr.)