Georgia Biographies Wm. H. Willis File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Barbara Winge barbarawinge@yahoo.com http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Georgia Table of Contents: COLONEL WILLIAM H. WILLIS Col. Wm. H. Willis was born in Jones County, Ga., February 10, 1829. His father, Dempsey Willis, was born in North Carolina, but removed to Georgia when young and followed farming all his life. His mother, Margaret [Curry] Willis, was also born in North Carolina, and bore her husband nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the youngest. Wm. H. Willis was reared in Talbot County, and educated in the common schools. In 1852 he engaged in the mercantile business in Oglethrope, and continued in the same until 1861, when he gave up his business and joined the Confederate army as first lieutenant of Company I, Fourth Georgia Volunteers, and in 1862 was promoted to be captain of his company. In 1863 he was made major, and shortley afterwards lieutenant-colonel, in which capacity he served until the battle of Gettysburg, where he was made colonel of the Fourth Georgia. At the close of the was he returned to Oglethrope, recommenced business and has continued the same ever since. Mr. Willis has been very successful, and his success can only be attributed to great energy and close application to business. He has taken some little part in politics but the greater part of his time is given to his business. In 1872 he was elected to the legislature from Macon County, Ga., and served in the sessions of 1872-73-74-75-76 and '77. May 27, 1864, he was married to Miss Isabella C. Griffin, of Macon County, Ga. To this Union have been born three children, viz: Mamie, Eugene Fletcher, and Charles P. The colonel is a bright member of the F. and A. M. and of the Methodist church, and is a Democrat. Ref: BIOGRAPHICAL SOUVENIR OF THE STATES OF GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1889, F.A. Bettey & Co., Atlanta, pp. 858-859. MUSTER ROLL OF COMPANY I, 4TH REGIMENT GEORGIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY ARM NORTHERN VIRGINIA C.S.A. MACON COUNTY, GA. "MACON COUNTY VOLUNTEERS." WILLIS, William H. - 1st Lieutenant April 29, 1861. Elected Captain of Co. E, in 1862. Wounded at Chancellorsville, VA, May 02, 1863. Elected Major May 30, 1863; Lieut. Colonel Aug 15, 1863; Colonel Aug 05, 1864. At home, sick, close of war. Died in Oglethorpe, Ga. Buried in Oglethorpe Cemetery in Macon County, Georgia. Ref: Lillian Henderson, ROSTER OF THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS OF GEORGIA 1861-1865, Vol. I, 1955, Longino & Porter, Inc, Hapeville, GA, p. 623. Contributed by Barbara Walker Winge ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============