Willis King (abt. 1792 - 1857)

Born about 1792 in Edgefield, South Carolina, United States

Husband of Nancy (Williams) King — married 30 Dec 1813 in Bulloch, Georgia, United States

Descendants

Died 27 Jan 1857 at about age 65 in Lowndes, Georgia, United States

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Biography

Willis King was an early settler of old Irwin county, Georgia and was born in Edgefield District, South Carolina in 1792, the son of James and Sarah King. The family moved to Georgia and located in Bulloch County were Willis was married on December 30, 1813 to Nancy, a daughter of David Williams and Mary James of Duplin, North Carolina. The ceremony was performed by Benjamin Lanier, Justice of the Peace.

Willis as a road-overseer, and appraiser of estates, etc. He moved his family to what is now Brooks County, crossing with teams and bringing all his worldly possessions. The family settled in 14th District, Lots 25 and 26 in what is now Hickory Head District. Acquiring large tracts of timber land, Willis cleared a large plantation, Hickory Head, and spent the remainder of his life there. An inventory of his estate showed he had 75 slaves.

Willis King served on the first Grand Jury and appears on the first census of Irwin County, Georgia. When Irwin was first formed, Willis King, David Williams, his father-in-law, Charles James, who married David Williams sister, Barbara, all moved there with their respective families.

Willis died on January 27, 1857 at the age of 65 and was buried in a family cemetery on his plantation near Hickory Head. His wife died in 1872 at the age of 80 and is buried by his side.

King Family Cemetery located a few yards east of Livingston Road about 1/4 mile north of the intersection of Livingston Road and Ramsey Road, and near Hickory Head.

Sources

• personal records and information
• 1820 Census Irwin Co., GA
• 1830, 1840 census, Lowndes Co. GA
• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-64KQ-LYN?cc=1401638&wc=95RN-N3N%3A1031315501%2C1031873301%2C1032666501 : 9 April 2016), Georgia > Lowndes > Lowndes county, part of > image 53 of 128; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 10 March 2021), memorial page for Willis King (1792–27 Jan 1857), Find a Grave Memorial no. 124371242, citing King Walker Knight Family Cemetery, Grooverville, Brooks County, Georgia, USA ; Maintained by Joel R Hinton (contributor 47715653) .
• A History of Savannah and South Georgia by William Harden, Vol. II, Cherokee Publishing Co., Atlanta, Georgia, 1981.
• County Marriage Records, 1828–1978. The Georgia Archives, Morrow, Georgia.