James married "Mary" (surname unknown)[3] about 1770, a date based on the birth of their youngest child who was born about 1773. In the 1790 U.S. Federal Census James Willis had 6 males under 16 and 2 females in his household.[4]
The family moved to Georgia in the early 1800's. The couple had several children including:
Mary Willis c1773-Aft. 1815
James Willis c1775-c1845
Zachariah Willis 1778-c1847/8
Reddin Willis c1780-Aft. 1850
Joshua Willis c1783-Aft. 1815
Jacob Willis c1785-1861
Dempsy Willis c1790-1852
All these children are found in the estate records of their father. Payouts from his estate to them here: [5]
James "served the cause of American independence in the Craven County Militia in 1781 and 1782." [6] This was also was evidenced by his pay voucher on 23 Dec 1781[7] Like his father, James became a prosperous farmer and family man.
James Willis Jr. passed away about 1808 or 1809 in Georgia, but details of his burial place are unknown.[8]
Research Notes:
There are no less than 8 James Willises that are relatively close in place and time which has caused researchers much confusion. At least two of these have in relationship a Zachariah with birth dates that are close; the eight also have several in their lines with similar names. An overview of these various James Willises here:[9]
MUSCOGIANA: Journal of the Muscogee Genealogical Society -- VOLUME 19 Fall 2008 NUMBER 2. "A Family and a Church: The Willises and Bethel Baptist Church of Midland, Georgia, 1829-1894" By Hugh I. Rodgers [10] This publication provides details in the life of James Willis Sr. (1717-1798) who around 1800 moved with his children from North Carolina to Georgia. In this record his son James Jr. had mention of but one wife; Mary [unknown].
References to a Mary Wilson and an Elizabeth Wilson (with some online profiles combining the two for "Mary Elizabeth Wilson") have either missing dates and places or have incorrect dates and no State or County references.[11][12] This is problematic for there are 8 or more James Willises in the South-East regions. Some however can be traced to other James Willises that were born on different dates and/or in different places.
Some ancestry sites have suggested a marriage of this James Willis Jr (1744-1809) to one Jenney Granbury. The only reference is to a "Geneanet Community Trees Index" no sources or verifiable records exist. There is a different James Willis (c1777-1816) son of James Willis (1755-1813) and Judith Hardin who was wed to a Jane G. "Jeany" or "Jenny" Willis found in the Virginia/Georgia line of Willises [reference overview of the various James Willises previously cited]. That particular James and Jenny's marriage took place 9 July 1800.[13] All of James Willis Jr. and his wife Mary's children were already born before James and Jenney's marriage.
James's third born, Zachariah Willis, has birth records where his mother is cited as simply "Mary"; an affirmation of research note 2. above.[14]
State of North Carolina, Division of Archives and History, Revolutionary Army Accounts, vol. VII, p. 27, Folio 1; Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977), p. 164.
And as cited in the original iteration of this profile:
Pascal, George Washington. History of North Carolina Baptists, Vol. I, 1663-1805. Raleigh, NC 1930.
DAR Ancestor Index, dar.org
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Paul White for creating Willis-2141 on 2 Aug 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Paul and others.
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with James by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
Y-chromosome DNA test-takers in his direct paternal line on WikiTree: