PA-OLD-CHESTER-L Archives

Archiver > PA-OLD-CHESTER > 2006-04 > 1144252421


From: "Sandra Ferguson" <>
Subject: Willis
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2006 11:53:41 -0400
References: <040420060340.43.4431EA9E0001754B0000002B2207021053C8CA089B07039C0609@comcast.net> <09c901c657da$6d29c9a0$596a0cd8@sandabspkoh6u6> <000801c658bf$527169c0$eb88b840@r0d6i8>


As I see you are on the old Chester list, I'm going to post your query
there. There are almost 500 people on the list, so, my goodness, don't
limit yourself to just one person. That's the idea of these lists - to band
together with others of the same interest and share what we know. When you
email an individual you're cutting out all those other people , what they
may know, and what they may be able to suggest that would be of help.
A couple questions and clarifications... who told you the folks came
from Pa? is there any sort of documentation on it, or is it family lore?
If lore, take it with a grain of salt, and a future clue only. If somehow
documented it's helpful to know what that documentation is....it's often
contains a hint as to where to look next. How about later census, where
he was an adult? They should give his state of birth which would sure
narrow things down....if you haven't checked, then be sure to do so.
Sometimes they will give the state where the parents were born, which would
ALSO be great info.
If these folks were Quakers, then they should be included in Quaker
records.....the Friends were prodigious record keepers, and we can almost
always find helpful information in their records..... marriages, births,
deaths, and the recording of certificates all appear. Many times it is
possible to trace a family BACKWARDS, to where they lived even generations
before, by finding the certificate they brought with them to the new
meeting, from the OLD meeting. Quakers couldn't just move into an area and
attend meeting....they had to present a certificate that more or less said
they were good and faithful members of their old meeting. Thus, through
these certificates you can follow their movements to past meetings...from
the meeting names on their certificates. If, as it appears, you 'think'
there were Quakers several generations earlier and a couple unk states away,
you'll need to wait with the Quaker research till you know more. (Have you
checked for local Quaker records where Robert lived.....Ind? I would,
just in case he had been a practicing Friend and happened to marry
out....this would be included in his meeting records. You could get lucky.)
If memory serves, the Indiana State Library has a lot of Quaker records...so
some computer searches and see what you can find.
As you know where he lived (and died) have you tried for a death
certificate? or checked the town or county of death for a newspaper file?
These are both excellent places to find family info. However, every town,
county and state is different....when they started collecting
records....where they are warehoused, etc, so you need, if you haven't
already, to join the county rootsweb site for where he died, and seek advice
from folks knowledgeable about that area. Also, visit that county rootsweb
site and see what information/lookups they might have that could be helpful.
You really can't begin searching for some unknown Willis, unknown given
names and in an unknown area. The trick is to start with what you KNOW
about Robert himself, and hope it holds clues for you to follow up on. You
need to forget about past ancestors and concentrate just on Robert, where he
came from and who his parents were....the rest comes later.
I glanced through the Hinshaws Quaker Enc. and see that there are many
Willis Quakers in NC, in the 1700s....I didn't see anything for a Robert,
but we have no idea if he'd have been born into the Quaker faith, in NC or
anywhere else, for that matter...so, all I can tell you is that there were
many named Willis in various NC meetings - New Garden, Greensboro, Center,
eep River, Springfield, New Hope and Lost creek all had entries, but without
anything more to go on you'll just need to shelve this for the future.
I would normally suggest lookups on the Chester site, but, really, you
don't even know what to ask for....I think you need to concentrate on
Robert, where he lived and died, to see if there are any clues to be had.
Good luck.

Sandra

" I am new at trying to learn about Quakers. I'm told that my line of
Willis were Quakers in the 1700-1800's and came from PA.(Chester--York?)
and> moved from there to N.C. My direct decendent a Robert Willis was b.
1784 in N.C. or VA. Family has always said we were from N.C., and Welsh. I
wonder if you could guide me in my search? So far I have not been able to
find a
Robert b. then and there that fits the bill. Robert was in Grainger TN in
the early 1800's and m. there in 1805. He moved to IN. .Randolph co. in the
1830's. D. there in 1857. I need some help to solve this as I know neither
his parents nor siblings. I do think his father was either John or WM."



--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.4/299 - Release Date: 3/31/2006

This thread: