WILLIS FAMILIES
GREENE COUNTY, TN TAX LISTS AFTER 1817
Contributed by Stevie Hughes
 
YEARS 1818 THROUGH 1827 NO LONGER EXIST        
                 
1828 CAPT. KELLEY'S COMPANY   COMMENTS      
SYLVANUS WILLIS POLL ONLY; NO LAND SYLVANUS, BORN C. 1798, SON OF JOHN AND ESTHER WILLIS
JAMES B. WILLIS POLL ONLY; NO LAND JAMES, BORN C. 1800-10, SON OF JOHN AND ESTHER WILLIS
JAMES MORROW 107 ACRES, HOLLY CREEK JAMES MORROW MARRIED ESTHER WILLIS ON 9-28-1831
ROBERT NIXON POLL ONLY; NO LAND JAMES B. WILLIS MARRIED FRANCES NIXON ON 1-24-1828
JAMES OLIPHANT 183 1/2 ACRES, SINKING CREEK FRANKLIN WILLIS (WILLIAM F.??) MARRIED RHODA
OLIPHANT  ON 5-6-1866
                 
1829 CAPT. KELLEY'S COMPANY          
SYLVANUS WILLIS POLL ONLY; NO LAND        
JAMES WILLIS POLL ONLY; NO LAND        
                 
1830 CAPT. KELLEY'S COMPANY          
SYLVANUS WILLIS POLL ONLY, NO LAND        
JAMES WILLIS POLL ONLY, NO LAND        
                 
1831 CAPT. LINTZ COMPANY            
DIFFICULT TO READ; MAY INCLUDE A WILLIS SURNAME??        
                 
1832 CAPT. SAMUEL GASS COMPANY          
JOHN "WALLIS" POLL ONLY, NO LAND JOHN, BORN C. 1807, SON OF JOHN AND ESTHER BROWN WILLIS
           (WILLIS) POLL ONLY, NO LAND THIS IS THE DISTRICT 12 AREA THAT WILL BE FORMED
          IN 1836 WHERE ZOPHER JOHNSTON, CHRISTOPHER COOPER
          AND SEVERAL JOTHAM BROWN SONS AND GRANDSONS LIVE.
1833 CAPT. SAMUEL GASS COMPANY          
JOHN "WALLIS" POLL ONLY, NO LAND        
                 
1833 CAPT. SUSONG COMPANY          
JOTHAM WILLIS 1 1/4 ACRE LAND   JOTHAM, SON OF JOHN AND ESTHER BROWN WILLIS.
          JOTHAM WILLIS IS DEAD BY 1834, LEAVING A WIDOW
+ 2 DAUGHTERS
                 
1834 LISTS - NO WILLIS NAMES; LIST IS PROBABLY INCOMPLETE      
                 
                 
PAGE 2 1828-1876 TAX LISTS          
                 
1835 CAPT. KELLEY'S COMPANY          
JOHN WILLIS POLL ONLY          
SILVANY WILLIS POLL ONLY          
                 
YEARS 1836 THROUGH 1839 ARE MISSING.  FOR 1836, REFER TO THE CIVIL DISTRICTS LISTING WHERE
THE WILLIS SONS LIVE
        IN DISTRICT 12 (JAMES) AND DISTRICT 13 (JOHN+SYLVANUS)
                 
YEARS 1840 + 1841              
DISTRICT 12 JAMES WILLIS; POLL ONLY THIS IS THE HARDIN CHAPEL+CROSS ANCHOR AREA 
          ZOPHER JOHNSON; CHRISTOPHER COOPER AND SONS/GRANDSONS
          OF OLD JOTHAM BROWN ALL LIVE IN THIS AREA.
1842                
DISTRICT 10 JOHN WILLIS POLL ONLY DISTRICT 10 IS THE TOWN OF GREENEVILLE
DISTRICT 12 JAMES B. WILLIS 29 ACRES; $150 OTHER PROPERTY      
                 
1843                
DISTRICT 10 JOHN WILLIS POLL ONLY JOHN WILLIS SR., SON OF JOHN AND ESTHER BROWN WILLIS.
DISTRICT 12 JAMES WILLIS 29 ACRES JAMES B. WILLIS, SON OF JOHN AND ESTHER BROWN WILLIS.
DISTRICT 13 LEE M. BULLEN+LOYD BULLEN WIDOW OF JOTHAM WILLIS, NANCY WILLIS MARRIED LEE M.
BULLEN ON 12-24-1839.
          (LEE AND NANCY BULLEN, BURIED IN UNMARKED GRAVES AT MT. BETHEL CHURCH)
1844                
DISTRICT 10 JOHN WILLIS POLL ONLY        
DISTRICT 10 JAMES B. WILLIS 39 ACRES; $240 OTHER PROPERTY JAMES HAS BOUGHT LAND IN TOWN.
DISTRICT 12 JAMES WILLIS 29 ACRES; $150 OTHER PROPERTY      
                 
1845                
DISTRICT 10 JOHN WILLIS POLL ONLY        
DISTRICT 10 JAMES B. WILLIS 39 ACRES; $240 OTHER PROPERTY NOTE JAMES B. WILLIS HAS NOW
            MOVED FROM DISTRICT 12 AND NOW
            LIVES IN TOWN.
1846                
DISTRICT 10 JOHN WILLIS POLL ONLY        
DISTRICT 10 JAMES B. WILLIS 39 ACRES; $240 OTHER PROPERTY      
DISTRICT 10 WALTER WILLIS POLL ONLY   WALTER, BORN 12-10-1824, IS NOW A TAXABLE "POLL"
            WALTER, SON OF JAMES B. WILLIS AND FIRST WIFE.
                 
1847 NOTE: JOHN WILLIS SR. IS NOT IN THE TAX LIST UNTIL 1850.  IN 1851, HE IS IN
  DISTRICT 13, NEAR THE ROAD TO MT. BETHEL CHURCH.
DISTRICT 10 JAMES B. WILLIS 41 ACRES; $300 OTHER PROPERTY      
DISTRICT 10 WALTER WILLIS POLL ONLY        
                 
PAGE 3 TAX LISTS 1828-1876          
                 
                 
1848                
DISTRICT 10 JAMES B. WILLIS 41 ACRES; $300 OTHR PROPERTY JAMES B. WILLIS IS DEAD BY MID-YEAR 1848.
DISTRICT 10 WALTER C. WILLIS POLL ONLY   WALTER IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF JAMES' ESTATE.
DISTRICT 13 STEPHEN F. WYRICK    POLL ONLY   STEPHEN, BORN 3-4-1827, STEPSON OF SYLVANUS WILLIS
            IN 1850 CENSUS HE IS IN WASHINGTON CO. WITH PARENTS.
            THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR HE APPEARS IN A GREENE CO. TAX LIST.
            STEPHEN DIES 8-16-1854
                 
BY 1849, ONLY ONE OF THE ORIGINAL BROTHERS, JOHN WILLIS SR., IS ALIVE IN GREENE COUNTY.  
1849                
DISTRICT 10 WALTER C. WILLIS POLL+$77 OTHER PROPERTY      
DISTRICT 10 JOHN H. WILLIS POLL+24.50 OTHER PROPERTY JOHN H. BORN 10-8-1826.  FIRST TIME IN LIST.
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL ONLY   DAVID, BORN JUNE 1828.  DAVID IS IN THE 1851 TAX LIST
            AS "SON OF JOHN WILLIS".
DISTRICT 12 JAMES H. WILLIS POLL ONLY   JAMES H. BORN 5-1-1828.  MARRIED 9-13-1847 TO
            HILA MARTHA JOHNSON, D/O ZOPHER JOHNSON.
            IN 1850 JAMES H. AND HILA ARE "TENANTS" ON THE
            ZOPHER JOHNSON FARM IN DISTRICT 12.
1850                
DISTRICT 10 JOHN H. WILLIS POLL+$100 OTHER PROPERTY JOHN H. IS FOR THE FIRST TIME IDENTIFIED IN THE TAX ROLLS AS
            "SON OF JAMES WILLIS", WHICH MAKES HIM BROTHER TO WALTER.
DISTRICT 10 WALTER C. WILLIS POLL + $300 OTHER PROPERTY      
DISTRICT 10 JOHN WILLIS "SR." POLL ONLY   FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE ELDER JOHN WILLIS IS IDENTIFIED AS
            "SENIOR".  THIS INFERS HE HAS A SON, JOHN JUNIOR, COMING 
             "OF AGE" (JOHN C. WILLIS, BORN C. 1832).
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL ONLY        
DISTRICT 12 JAMES WILLIS POLL ONLY   HE IS JAMES H. WILLIS, HUSBAND OF
            HILA MARTHA JOHNSON AND THEY LIVE ON
            HER FATHER, ZOPHER JOHNSON'S FARM
1851                
DISTRICT 10 JOHN H. WILLIS POLL+$100        
DISTRICT 10 WALTER C. WILLIS POLL+$350        
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL ONLY   DAVID IS ANNOTATED AS "SON OF JOHN".
                 
DISTRICT 12 JAMES WILLIS POLL ONLY   THIS IS THE FINAL YEAR JAMES H. AND HILA JOHNSON WILLIS
            ARE IN GREENE CO.  THEY ARE IN MISSOURI BY 1852.
1851 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4            
PAGE 4 TAX LISTS 1828-1876          
                 
1851 CONTINUED              
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS 12 ACRES+$65   JOHN WILLIS (SR.) IS NOW LIVING ON THE ROAD
            TO MT. BETHEL CHURCH, JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN.
            ON 8-17-1850, JOHN PURCHASED 12 1/4 ACRES ON
            HOLLEY CREEK IN DISTRICT 13 FROM JOHN MCGAUGHEY SR.
             (1792-1874, BURIED AT MT. BETHEL CHURCH CEMETERY.)
            IN LATER YEARS, DISTRICT 13 WILL INCLUDE THE NOW
            RURAL AREA OF TUSCULUM WHERE THE COLLEGE
            FOUNDED BY REV. SAMUEL W. DOAK (1785-1864) IS LOCATED.
             (SAMUEL DOAK IS BURIED AT MT BETHEL CHURCH CEMETERY.)
                 
                 
1852                
DISTRICT 10 W. C. WILLIS POLL+$400        
DISTRICT 10 J.H. WILLIS  12 ACRES+$75   THIS MAY BE A DUPLICATE ENTRY FOR JOHN WILLIS SENIOR
            WITH 12 ACRES OF LAND IN DISTRICT 13??
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL ONLY        
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS 12 ACRES+$65   JOHN WILLIS SR; THE 12 ACRES IN BOTH DISTRICT 10 AND 13 COULD
            BE A DUPLICATE ENTRY.  IT IS PROBABLY THE SAME LAND THAT
            HAS BEEN REASSIGNED FROM DISTRICT 10 INTO DISTRICT 13,
            WHICH BORDERS DISTRICT 10.
1853                
DISTRICT 10 WALTER C. WILLIS POLL+$450        
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL          
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS 13 ACRES   HE IS JOHN WILLIS SENIOR.
                 
1854                
DISTRICT 10 WALTER C. WILLIS POLL+$450        
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL          
DISTRICT 10 J.C. WILLIS POLL   THIS IS JOHN C. WILLIS, SON OF JOHN WILLIS (SR)
            JOHN C., BORN C. 1832, BROTHER TO DAVID, IS FOR THE FIRST TIME
            A TAXABLE "POLL".  BOTH PROBABLY WORK FOR WALTER.
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS 12 ACRES   HE IS JOHN WILLIS SENIOR.
                 
1855                
DISTRICT 10 JOHN C. WILLIS "OVERSEER"   THIS MEANS HE IS "EXEMPT" FROM THE POLL TAX.
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL        
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS POLL   HE IS JOHN WILLIS SENIOR.
                 
PAGE 5 TAX LISTS 1828-1876          
                 
1856                
DISTRICT 10 W.C. WILLIS POLL+$600        
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL          
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS 12 1/2 ACRES   HE IS JOHN WILLIS SENIOR.
                 
1857                
DISTRICT 10 W.C. WILLIS POLL+$700        
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL          
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS POLL   HE IS JOHN WILLIS SENIOR, WHO APPEARS TO HAVE SOLD HIS
            12 ACRES OF LAND AFTER 1856.
1858                
DISTRICT 10 W.C. WILLIS POLL+$45        
DISTRICT 10 JOHN WILLIS POLL     HE IS JOHN H. WILLIS, BROTHER OF WALTER, BOTH SONS OF JAMES.
DISTRICT 10 DAVID WILLIS POLL        
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS POLL   HE IS JOHN WILLIS SENIOR.
                 
TAX YEARS 1859 AND 1860 ARE MISSING.        
BY 1860, ONLY ONE OF THE 4 BROTHERS ARE ALIVE, AND HE IS JOHN WILLIS, SR. (BORN C. 1807), WHO IS SHOWN AS A
"COOPER" IN THE CENSUS.
 
AS THE POPULATION HAS EXPANDED, ADDITIONAL CIVIL DISTRICTS, BEYOND THE ORIGINAL 17, HAVE BEEN CREATED.
1861                
DISTRICT 10 W.C. WILLIS POLL+$250        
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS 143 ACRES+$1,400   HE IS JOHN H. WILLIS, SON OF JAMES B. WILLIS.
            THIS IS THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT LAND OWNERSHIP BY
            ANY OF THE WILLIS MEN.  ON 1-18-1860, JOHN H. WILLIS,
            PURCHASED 143 ACRES ON HOLLEY CREEK FROM HIS
            BROTHER-IN-LAW, WILLIAM B. MCCORD.  THE LAND WAS
            PREVIOUSLY INHERITED BY THE MCCORD SIBLINGS.
DISTRICT 24 DAVID WILLIS POLL     SONS OF JOHN WILLIS SR. HAVE NOW MOVED SLIGHTLY S/W OF
DISTRICT 24 JOHN C. WILLIS POLL   THE TUSCULUM AREA INTO DISTR. 24 WHICH BORDERS DISTR. 13.
DISTRICT 24 HUGH WILLIS POLL   HUGH, BORN C. 1836?? (AGE 25??), SON OF JOHN, IS "OF AGE".
            THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR HUGH IS SHOWN IN A TAX LIST, ALTHOUGH
1862           HE IS IN THE 1870 AND 1880 CENSUS AND HIS WIDOW IS IN 1900???
DISTRICT 10 W.C. WILLIS POLL+$200        
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS POLL     HE COULD BE EITHER JOHN H. OR JOHN WILLIS SENIOR???
DISTRICT 24 DAVID WILLIS POLL        
DISTRICT 24 JOHN C. WILLIS POLL        
DISTRICT 24 WILLIAM WILLIS POLL   THE 2 YOUNGER SONS OF JOHN WILLIS SR. (WILLIAM AND ALFRED)
DISTRICT 24 ALFRED WILLIS POLL   ARE NOW "OF AGE" FOR THE POLL TAX.  ALFRED WILLIS, BORN
            ABOUT 1842, WILL MARRY IN NOV. 1862.  HE DIES BEFORE 1866.
                 
TAX YEARS 1863 THROUGH 1866 ARE MISSING (CIVIL WAR PERIOD)      
                 
1867                
DISTRICT 10 WALTER C. WILLIS POLL+$150        
DISTRICT 10 JAMES WILLIS POLL    HE IS JAMES H. WILLIS, BORN 2-25-1841,
        WHO IS NOW A  TAXABLE POLL. 
            HE IS S/O JAMES B. WILLIS.
DISTRICT 12 WILLIAM WILLIS POLL   HE IS WILLIAM F. WILLIS, BORN C.
        1842, SON OF JAMES B. WILLIS,
            CIVIL WAR SOLDIER BURIED AT MT.
            BETHEL CHURCH CEMETERY.
DISTRICT 24 JOHN WILLIS "OVERSEER"        
DISTRICT 24 DAVID WILLIS POLL        
DISTRICT 13 NO WILLIS SHOWN.  THIS COULD BE EITHER AN ERROR IN THE TAX LIST; OR A MISSING PAGE??
                 
                 
1868                
DISTRICT 10 W.C. WILLIS POLL+5 TOWN LOTS+$150      
DISTRICT 10 JAMES WILLIS POLL ONLY   JAMES, HALF-BROTHER OF WALTER, SONS OF JAMES B. WILLIS.
         
DISTRICT 12 NO WILLIS NOW IN DISTRICT 12.   WILLIAM F. WILLIS APPEARS TO HAVE DIED LATE 1867/EARLY 1868.
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS 143 ACRES +$1,400   JOHN H., BROTHER OF WALTER, SONS OF JAMES B. BY 1ST WIFE.
DISTRICT 24 DAVID WILLIS "OVERSEER"   DAVID PURCHASED 9 3/4 ACRES OF LAND FROM THOMAS D. CAVENER. BROTHER,
        CARSON, IS LISTED AS THE LANDOWNER??
DISTRICT 24 JOHN WILLIS POLL   JOHN C. WILLIS, BROTHER OF CARSON, SONS OF JOHN WILLIS SR.
DISTRICT 24 CARSON M. WILLIS 9 3/4 ACRES+$90+POLL CARSON, BORN C. 1844, IS NOW A TAXABLE POLL.
DISTRICT 24 "MEARY" R. WILLIS 20 1/2 ACRES+$250   SHE IS MARY ALEXANDER WYRICK WILLIS, WHO IS THE
            WIDOW OF SYLVANUS WILLIS.  THE LAND IN DISTRICT 24 WAS
            PREVIOUSLY INHERITED FROM HER FATHER, STEPHEN ALEXANDER.
            DISTRICT 24 IS NEAR THE WASHINGTON COUNTY LINE WHERE SYLVANUS AND MARY WILLIS LIVED FROM C. 1840-1867.
                 
1869                
DISTRICT 10 W.C. WILLIS POLL+5 TOWN LOTS+$100      
DISTRICT 13 JOHN WILLIS 143 ACRES + $1,400        
DISTRICT 24 DAVID WILLIS POLL     ALL THE MEN IN DISTRICT 24 ARE SONS OF JOHN WILLIS SENIOR.
DISTRICT 24 JOHN WILLIS POLL   HE IS JOHN C. WILLIS (JUNIOR)
DISTRICT 24 CARSON M. WILLIS POLL        
DISTRICT 24