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Archiver > NCCARTER > 2001-03 > 0983888936


From: Julie Butter <>
Subject: Re: Guthrie/Willis(ton) - Carteret Co NC (fwd)
Date: 6 Mar 2001 09:28:56 -0500


At some point in time the Willis' droped the (ton) off of the last name in
Carteret County. I'm not sure why, but you see the name written both ways
for the same people, which also adds to the confusion when researching the
Willis(tons).

I would love to connect the Carteret County Willis(tons) to the Virginia
Willis(tons). Perhaps you and my cousin can compare names? She has a
lot of information on the Willis' of Carteret County. I forwarded your
e-mail to her.

There are lots of books with information on the Carteret County
Willis'. They intermarried with the Guthries. The first recorded Willis'
in Carteret County lived on Shackelford Island/Diamond City/Lookout
Woods/Cape Lookout, NC and were whalers.

Here is some information that my cousin sent to me about the early
Carteret County Willis(tons):
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There was a Samuel Guthrie (born about 1735) that married John Williston's
daughter Sarah in 1779 that was living on Shackleford Banks in the very
early 1800's and made the statement to a surveyor that they had always
been there. Samuel was about 80 at the time. This was in a book by David
Stick entitled "The Outer Banks of North Carolina, 1584-1958 that I
have.

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