Harrison County, West Virginia Biography of Carson Allen Willis, M. D. ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Sue Schell, , March 2000 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, Pg. 326 Carson Allen Willis, M. D. A leading and prominent member of the medical fraternity of Harrison County is Carson Allen Willis, M. D., who has been engaged in practice at Clarksburg continuously since 1911, with the exception of the period during the World’s war when he was enlisted in the United States Army Medical Corps. He has built up a large and representative practice at Clarksburg, and his standing in his profession is that of a thoroughly capable reliable and reputable physician and surgeon. Doctor Willis was born on a farm at Bridgeport, Harrison County, West Virginia, February 24, 1878, a son of Jesse H. and Olive A. (Gawthrop) Willis. The parents are now numbered among the oldest and most highly respected couples of Harrison County where they both were born, educated and reared and where they have always resided. The father was a pioneer breeder of thorough-bred race horses in West Virginia and followed the races with a “string” of horses for many years. His farm lay close by Bridgeport, and a part of it now a portion of that city. His many years of active life were attended with success and now, having passed the four-score span of life by seven years, is living in comfortable retirement. When the Civil war come on during the sixties, Jesse H. Willis tendered his services to the Union Army, but was rejected because it was thought that he had tubercular trouble, although this trouble was later diagnosed as asthma, from which he was a sufferer for years. During a part of the Civil war he served as a teamster. Mr. Willis never sought political honors, but in politics he has long been known as a stalwart republican. While he has never joined any church, his food and faithful wife has long been a member of the Baptist Church. They had and reared two sons: Walter Warren and Dr. Carson Allen. Carson Allen Willis was reared on the farm and after graduating from the Bridgeport high school was for a part of two years a student in the West Virginia University, preparing himself to take up the study of medicine. He completed the prescribed course in the medical department of the University of Maryland, at Baltimore, and received his degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1904, following which for the next seven years he practiced his calling at Jenningston, Tucker County, West Virginia. In 1911 he located at Clarksburg, where he soon built up a desirable general practice and gained the confidence and esteem of a large following. Doctor Willis volunteered his services to the medical department of the United States Army, and in July, 1918, was commissioned a first lieutenant and sent to Camp Lee, where he served until February, 1919. He had been recommended for a commission as a captain, but the commission, like many others, was held up because of the signing of the armistice. Some time subsequent to his honorable discharge, he received letters from the War Department notifying him that he was listed with the rank of captain in the Medical Reserve Corps, his present rank. He is now serving as full-time medical officer of the Veterans’ Bureau, with headquarters at Clarksburg. Doctor Willis is a member of the Harrison County Medical Society, the West Virginia Medical Society and the American Medical Association. In his fraternal relations he is a Knight Templar Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. His political belief is that of the republican party, but he has taken no active part in political matters. Reared a Baptist he has always remained true to that faith. In 1904 Doctor Willis was united in marriage with Miss Hazel Sandusky, and they are the parents two children: John and James.