Joseph Willis Vernon Parish, Louisiana Submitted by:  Gaytha Carver Thompson, December 1997 Compiled by:  Houston Tracy, Jr. ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** CHRONOLOGY OF JOSEPH WILLIS About 1758 Born a slave in Bladen County, North Carolina to Agerton Willis and a (suspected) Cherokee woman. 18 Sept 1776 Will of Agerton Willis written and in it wishes after his death, his son, Joseph be set free. 10 Oct 1777 Letter written by Daniel Willis, Senr. brother of Agerton Willis, deceased and written to Governor Caswell objecting the wishes of his brother to have the greatest part of his estate given to his....Molato boy Joseph and he is a born slave... About 1784 Joseph married to Rachel Brafford or Brasford. (North Carolina did not allow inter-racial marriages) Abt 1785 First known child born in South Carolina:  Agerton Willis II Abt 1787 Daughter born, Mary Willis 29 Nov 1787 Received for the House (State of North Carolina) a Bill to emancipate Joseph, a mulatto slave, the property of the Estate of Agerton Willis late of Bladen (County), deceased.  Mr. (John) Willis (Joseph's cousin, son of Daniel) moved for leave and presented a Bill to emancipate Joseph...which was read, passed the first time and sent to the House of Commons. 01 Dec 1787 The Bill to emancipate Joseph...to confirm the said Joseph Willis and to invest certain property herein referred to in the said Joseph, by the name of Joseph Willis, was read the first time, passed and sent to the Senate. 05 Dec 1787 Same Bill read a second time... 06 Dec 1787 Same Bill read a third time....passed and ordered to be engrossed. 1787 Joseph, a slave, is emancipated by an Act entitled: Chapter 35.  Held before the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina.  Joseph received 320 acres of the at least 2490 acres he was entitled.  He immediately sold all real and personal properties and moved to South Carolina.  With that money he bought a horse, bridle & saddle. Abt 1790 Joseph married an Irish woman known only as Sarah.  Their supposed children Joseph Jr. 1792 born in South Carolina; Rachel 1794; Jemima 1796; Sarah 1798, born in the Natchez District, Spanish Province of Louisiana. Abt 1793 Came with Richard A. Curtis Jr., a licensed but not ordained Baptist Minister, from South Carolina to the Natchez District. Abt 1795 Curtis was arrested for public teachings of his Protestant religion.  Upon his release, he was threatened with deportation to the mines of Mexico as a prisoner. 1795 Curtis writes an open letter to protest Gov. Carondelet's reenactment of the "Black Code" against Protestant worship.  Did not allow more than 9 persons to assemble.  Curtis also detailed reasons for his not departing. 1798 Joseph associated with Curtis (upon his return to the now, U.S. Territory of Mississippi) and William Thompson to constitute a church near Natchez, Mississippi. Nov 1804 Crossed the Mississippi River and traveled to the Attakapas District at Vermillion, about 40 miles southwest of Baton Rouge.  He is to have been the first Protestant minister to preach the Gospel, west of the Mississippi. Besides Vernillion, he preached at night at Plaquemine Brule'. Abt 1805 Returned to Mississippi, due to violent prejudices because of both his color and being a Baptist.  Also to seek ordination by the Baptist Church, so that he could officially baptize and establish member churches. Late 1805 Moved to Bayou Chicot in St. Landry Parish. Abt 1808 Joseph married a yet unknown woman.  Their supposed children all born at Bayou Chicot.  William 1810; Lemuel 1812; John 1814; 3 yet unknown named girls and Martha 09 April 1825. 1810 Appears on the 1st U.S. Census of Louisiana. 1811 Presented his letter, requesting ordination, to the Mississippi Association of the Baptist Church. 13 Nov 1812 Calvary Church was constituted, thought to be the first Baptist Church in Louisiana and the first Protestant Church west of the Ms.  New evidence of an earlier Baptist Church.  At the request of the new church Joseph was ordained at Bayou Chicot by Moses Hadley and Lawrence Scarborough. 1813 Mississippi Association recognizes Calvary Church. 1816 Now that he was ordained he could readily set about his goal to establish other congregations.  Founded Beulah Church at Cheneyville, La. 1817 Established churches at Vermillion (Lafayette), Plaquemine Brule' and Hickory Flat, also known as Aimwell or Debourn.  (Debourn, 5 miles southwest of Oberlin). 1818 The Louisiana Association of Baptist Churches is founded. 1820 Established a church at Bayou Sale in St. Mary Parish.  Appears on the 2nd U.S. Census of Louisiana. 02 May 1824 Established Zion Hill Church at Beaver Creek. 26 Sept 1828 Amiable Baptist Church was constituted. By August 1829 Joseph removes his family to Rapides Parish. 1830 Appears on the 3rd U.S. Census of Louisiana. 01 Jan 1832 Joined Amiable by letter. 1832 Occupy #1 Baptist Church founded. Abt 1836 Joseph married Elvy Sweat.  Their supposed children born in and around Spring Hill Ward.  This area included the east side of 10-Mile.  Samuel 1837; Aimuwell 1839; James 1841; William 1845; Timothy 1847; Bernard 1848. 1840 Appears on the 4th U.S. Census of Louisiana. 12 Jan 1842 William S. Terrel, Isaac Johnston Sr., Elisha Andrews, George G. Masters, William Johnston, William Smith appointed by Amiable Church to wait on the needs of Joseph Willis, due to age and infirmity.  Joseph resigns his pastoral charge to Peter W. Robert. 20 Sept 1850 Appears on the U.S. Census of Louisiana. 1852 Last appearance, before the Louisiana Association.  Gave a personal oratory and summary of his life.  To include personal information, re.: birthdate, etc. 04 Sept 1854 Joseph Willis, "Apostle of the Opelousas" and Father of the Louisiana Association, died.  Buried at Occupy # 1 Baptist Church Cemetery, located at 10 Mile near the Calcasieu River in Vernon Parish, Louisiana. 18 Jan 1958 Memorial Service held at Occupy #1 to commemorate the placement of a large memorial stone at the site of his grave.  16 Baptist ministers and 250 persons were in attendance. References for Chronology of Joseph Willis. A History of Baptist Churches in the United States.    By Albert Henry Newman, D.D. LL.D., published in 1915.    Personal oratory by Joseph Willis before the Louisiana Baptist Association.    First Baptist Church, Minister's Study, in Opelousas, LA. Unpublished manuscript by Randy Willis, a descendant in Texas.      NOTE: This manuscript and the first "existing" Minute Book of  Bayou Chicot Baptist Church were stored in a broken Ice Cream Box Freezer at a store at Bayou Chicot, 1984. Marriage Record # 7, St. Landry Parish, LA.     Agerton Willis to Sophie Story.     St. Landry Parish Courthouse in Opelousas, LA. Newspaper, The Baptist Message, (Official publication of the  Louisiana Baptist Convention)     Sesquicentennial Edition, Volume 1, Page 3, 1962.    "Half Moon Bluff church was organized October 12, 1812  in Washington Parish near Franklinton." Rapides Parish Public Library in Alexandria, LA. January 1995 correspondence of descendant, Sandra M. Loridans  of Jalisco, Mexico. St. Landry Parish, LA., Conveyance Book G, Page 519.    "...Joseph Willis, resident of Rapides Parish..."     St. Landry Parish Courthouse in Opelousas, LA. All the remaining were viewed at the Alexandria Historical & Genealogical Library in Alexandria, LA. The State Records of North Carolina.    Compiled, written & Published by authority of  Walter Clark, Chief Justice of the North Carolina    Supreme Court. Papeles Procedente de Isla de Cuba (The Cuban Papers),  Legajo (Bundle) 32, Folios 537-538. A History of the Baptists of Louisiana from the Earliest Times  to the Present.    By Rev. W. E. Paxton, D. D., published in 1888.    Pages 139-155 (Chapter entitled "The Apostle of Opelousas") &  515-516 (Short biographical sketch). 1st Minute Book of Amiable Baptist Church, 1828-1874. U.S. Census of 1810, Opelousas County, LA   (Later became St. Landry Parish)      Page 325. Shown as Free Person of Color.  1820, St. Landry Parish, LA.    Page 107. 1830, St. Landry Parish, LA.    Page 95. 1840, Rapides Parish, LA.    Page 208. Shown as Free Person of Color. .  1850, Rapides Parish, LA.    Page 66, Part 2. &  Page 84.