Lewis Willis (1734 - 1813)

Born 11 Nov 1734 in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Champe) Willis — married 1754 in Lambs Creek, Virginia

Husband of Anne Byrd (Carter) Willis — married 1774 in Virginia

Husband of Elizabeth (Bromfield) Willis — married 16 Jun 1810 in Fredericksburg, Virginia

Descendants

Died 13 Feb 1813 at age 78 in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Willis served with 10th Virginia Regiment (1777), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Lewis Willis is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-321430
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Lewis Willis is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A127014.

Lewis Willis was born on November 11, 1734, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the child of Henry Willis and Mildred Washington. He served in the American Revolutionary War as Lieutenant- Colonel of the one of the six regiments authorized for continental service by the First Virginia General Assembly in October 1776.^[1][2] Lewis died 15 JAN 1813 and he was buried in the Willis cemetery, Fredericksburg, Virginia^[3]

Marriage

Lewis married three times^[4]. He first married Mary Champe, daughter of Col. John Champe of "Lambs Creek". Lewis and Mary had six children.

Children of Lewis Willis and Mary Champe of "Lambs Creek"

• Mildred Willis^[5]
• John W. Willis^[6]
• Henry Willis^[7]
• Jane Willis^[7]
• Mary Willis^[7]
• William " Gentleman Billy" Champe Willis^[8]

After the death of his fisrt wife, Lewis second marriage was to Anne Byrd Carter (widow Champe). Anne was first married to John Champe, brother of Mary Champe of "Lambs Creek". ^[9] Lewis and Anne Byrd Carter (widow Champe) had three children, with only one of which survived to adulthood.^[10]

Children of Lewis Willis and Anne Byrd Carter (widow Champe)

• Charles Lewis Willis: Died at the age of 3 ^[10]
• Col. Byrd Charles Willis^[10]
• Infant Willis: died in infancy, first name not found^[10]

Lewis thirdly married Elizabeth Bromfield^[11], in 1811, of this marriage there were no children.^[12]

Will

Will of Lewis Willis of the Town of Fredericksburg. Fredericksburg City, VA, WB A (1782-1817), pp. 368-373, w. 2 Mar 1812, codicil w. 2 Dec 1812, p. Hustings Court of Fredericksburg, 8 Apr 1813. Digital image at Ancestry.com - https://tinyurl.com/3t8km6ma

granddaughter Ann C. Wills
granddaughter Mildred A. B. Lewis
granddaughter Lucy L. Minor
my granddaughter (under age) the daughter of my son Henry Willis
grandson Lewis Willis the son of my son Byrd C. H. Willis
my sons William C. Willis and Byrd Willis
granddaughter Mildred B. Sears
granddaughter Catherine (no surname given)
wife Elizabeth E. S. Willis
great grandson James (W? M?) Mercer, his mother Mildred A. B. Lewis
children of my son John W. Willis deceased
children of my daughter Mary Battaile deceased
Exrs: sons William C. Willis and Byrd C. Willis, friend John Minor
Wit: Richard Johnston, De la Fayette Johnston, Benjamin Parke
Wit to codicil: Benjm Parke, Jane G. Parke

Research Notes

Note added to Family Search ancestor profile Lewis Willis-LJLT-ZB3; regarding the listed below research errors that have been corrected.

NOTE: Ancestral Profile for Lewis Willis is complete. Before making any change to this record, please reference the provenance and quality of the record and source to justify the change. Please consider the already attached sources and information to this profile of Lewis Willis before making changes to it.

Note: There is no evidence produced thus far of the following being a child of Lewis Willis and the have been been removed from the family group.

These individuals may fall in the Willis family line somewhere, however, they are not the children of this particular Lewis Willis.

• Deborah Willis /LZJZ-KK1 (1750–1842)
• ​Harry Willis/KZK8-PMG (1766–Deceased)
• Christopher Champe/L27P-FT2 (1764–1854)

​*Leviva Willis/L241-XD4 (​1772–Deceased)

• Joshua Willis/L27P-FPH (1776–Deceased)
• ELIZABETH ANN CHAMPE/L27P-RFP (1748–1817)
• Rhoda Willis/L241-X8N ( -Deceased)

Land

^[13] The following officers produced their commissions and took the oath and subscribed the test, as by law directed, at a Court held for Spotsylvania County, May 4, 1756: [re: Forces from Culpeper against ye Indians above Winchester, on this expedition] Lewis Willis, Gent., as Captain of Foot in Spots. County, under John Spotswood, Esq., commission dated Apr. 29, 1756.

^[14] March 17, 1758. Frances Thornton of Spts. County, widow; John Thornton of same County, Gent., and Mildred, his wife, and Reuben Thornton of same County, Gent., and Elizabeth, his wife, to Lewis Willis of Fredksbg., Gent, Whereas, Mildred Willis, late the wife of Henry Willis, late also of the Co. afsd., Gent., Decd., and mother of the sd. Lewis Willis, Frances Thornton, Mildred, wife of John Thornton, and Elizabeth, wife of Reuben Thornton, Parties to these presents, did by her deed of Dec. 15, 1739, grant to the sd. Lewis Willis, at her death, slaves, stocks, plate, goods and chattels. The sd. Mildred Willis and Henry Willis, her husband, both being long since dead, the sd. parties of the first part, to better perfect the above mentioned Deed, hereby deed to Lewis Willis, the sd. mentioned articles, etc. Witnesses, Charles Yates, Edward Carter, William Champe. April 4, 1758.

^[15] March 11, 1772. Benjamin Grymes, of Spts. Co., Esqr., The Honble. John Taylor and Francis Thornton, Executors of the last will and testament of Honble. Presley Thornton, Esqr., Decd., and Wm. Fitzhugh, Esq., trustees of the estate of the sd. Benjamin Grymes, and Peter Presley Thornton, eldest son and heir at law of sd. Presley Thornton, to Lewis Willis, of Fredksbg., Esqr. Whereas, sd. Benjamin Grymes and Priscilla, his wife, by Indenture, dated , 1767, conveyed to the Honble. Presley Thornton, Esqr., and Wm. Fitzhugh, Esqr., all the est. of the sd. Grymes for purposes therein stated, and amongst other things was a lot No. 61, in town of Fredksbg., which sd. lot the sd. Grymes and Trustees have disposed of to the sd. Willis for £50 curr. Witnesses, James Went, Geo. Bayn, John Talbert, Richd. Parker. May 22, 1772. ^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ Virginia's Soldiers in the Revolution. Bibliography (Continued) The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jul., 1912), pp. 267-281Published by: Virginia Historical Society
2. ↑ https://revwarapps.org/VAS5037.pdf
3. ↑ U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1700s-Current
4. ↑ p. 38-39. "A sketch of the Willis family of Virginia, and of their kindred in other states. With brief biographies of the Reades, Warners, Lewises, Byrds, Carters, Champs, Bassetts, Madisons, Daingerfields, Thorntons, Burrells, Taliaferros, Tayloes, Smiths, and Amblers" by Willis, Byrd Charles, 1847-1912; Willis, Richard Henry, 1849- joint author, Published 1898
5. ↑ p. 39. "A sketch of the Willis family of Virginia, and of their kindred in other states. With brief biographies of the Reades, Warners, Lewises, Byrds, Carters, Champs, Bassetts, Madisons, Daingerfields, Thorntons, Burrells, Taliaferros, Tayloes, Smiths, and Amblers" by Willis, Byrd Charles, 1847-1912; Willis, Richard Henry, 1849- joint author, Published 1898
6. ↑ North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 Detail: Book Title: Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 092 : 1912
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} p. 44. "A sketch of the Willis family of Virginia, and of their kindred in other states. With brief biographies of the Reades, Warners, Lewises, Byrds, Carters, Champs, Bassetts, Madisons, Daingerfields, Thorntons, Burrells, Taliaferros, Tayloes, Smiths, and Amblers" by Willis, Byrd Charles, 1847-1912; Willis, Richard Henry, 1849- joint author, Published 1898
8. ↑ p. 45. "A sketch of the Willis family of Virginia, and of their kindred in other states. With brief biographies of the Reades, Warners, Lewises, Byrds, Carters, Champs, Bassetts, Madisons, Daingerfields, Thorntons, Burrells, Taliaferros, Tayloes, Smiths, and Amblers" by Willis, Byrd Charles, 1847-1912; Willis, Richard Henry, 1849- joint author, Published 1898
9. ↑ Willis Family in William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol 6, No. 4, (Apr 1898) pages 206-214
   Bottom of Page 209:
   "Col Lewis Willis married 2ndly, Anne Byrd (Carter) Champe, widow of his brother-in-law John Champe, sister of his son-in-law Landon Carter, and daughter of Charles Carter, of Cleves and his wife, Anne Byrd, daughter of William Byrd, of Westover. Issue: Charles, died at 3 years of age, Byrd C. Willis, and a child still-born."
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3} p. 59. "A sketch of the Willis family of Virginia, and of their kindred in other states. With brief biographies of the Reades, Warners, Lewises, Byrds, Carters, Champs, Bassetts, Madisons, Daingerfields, Thorntons, Burrells, Taliaferros, Tayloes, Smiths, and Amblers" by Willis, Byrd Charles, 1847-1912; Willis, Richard Henry, 1849- joint author, Published 1898
11. ↑ p. 60-61. "A sketch of the Willis family of Virginia, and of their kindred in other states. With brief biographies of the Reades, Warners, Lewises, Byrds, Carters, Champs, Bassetts, Madisons, Daingerfields, Thorntons, Burrells, Taliaferros, Tayloes, Smiths, and Amblers" by Willis, Byrd Charles, 1847-1912; Willis, Richard Henry, 1849- joint author, Published 1898
12. ↑ Virginia, Marriages, 1740-1850
13. ↑ 1755-1765 Spotsylvania County, Virginia Order Book - Colonial Militia; [William Armstrong Crozier]:
14. ↑ 1751-1761 Spotsylvania County, Virginia Deed Book E; [William Armstrong Crozier];
15. ↑ 1771-1774 Spotsylvania County, Virginia Deed Book H; [William Armstrong Crozier];
16. ↑ https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I24321&tree=Tree1

• Find A Grave: Memorial #106420557
• DAR record https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A127014
• Lewis of Warner Hall: The History of a Family, Including the Genealogy of Descendants in Both the Male and Female Lines, Biographical Sketches of Its Members, and Their Descent from Other Early Virginia Families. Compiled by Merrow Egerton Sorley. Edition illustrated, reprint. Publisher Genealogical Publishing Com, 1935