Benjamin Willis (abt. 1708 - abt. 1756)

Born about 1708 in Thornbury, Chester, Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Ancestors

Died about 4 Oct 1756 at about age 48 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [uncertain]

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Biography

Benjamin Willis, perhaps the youngest son of John Willis and Esther Brinton, was born about 1709. There is not much information about him. On November 27, 1738, in Chester County, Benjamin was paid two shillings for killing a fox.^[1] In 1739 and 1740, Benjamin is listed on the Chester County tax list as a landholder.^[2]

Benjamin's father John, in his will written March 28, 1745, left his homestead and personal estate to his wife Esther with what appears to be a stipulation that Benjamin receive "the remaining part of my plantation" and funds left after paying "my just debts:

...to my beloved wife Esther, the Plantation I now live on with all the improvements thereon containing about 270 or thereabout acres of land with all and singular my personal estate that I now possess...

...to my son Benjamin Willis ... the remaining part of my plantation and above what may be made use of by my executors to pay my just debts be it less or more to be put in possession at the decease of his mother before mentioned. I leave all encumerances whatsoever.^[3]

In August 1746, a Benjamin Willis was defendant in a lawsuit over a debt: Joseph Nicholls, yeoman vs. Benjamin Willis, yeoman, debt.^[4]

It appears there were two different Benjamin Willises who died in Pennsylvania around the same time. One, a member of the Philadelphia Monthly (Quaker) Meeting, who was apparently a different Benjamin, died on May 10, 1755. He was buried at the Arch Street Friends burial ground.^[5] The other Benjamin, more likely this Benjamin, died in the Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, on October 4, 1756.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Chester County Book of Levies, 1699-1748. LDS microfilm 567076.
2. ↑ FamilySearch. Chester County. Tax Transcripts, 1715-1753. Click here.
3. ↑ Chester County, Pennsylvania, CCA Will 971, Will Book B, page 186.
4. ↑ Chester County Court of Common Pleas. Page 715. Image page 715. Click here.
5. ↑ FindaGrave.com. Click here.
6. ↑ Pennsylvania Gazette. List of persons admitted into Pennsylvania Hospital on April 26th, 1756: Benjamin Willis died on October 4, 1756 of "habitual Flux, & Hectic fever." Flux is diarrhea. Hectic fever is a fever that continues to come and go. This indicates he apparently had a bad case of gastroenteritis.