Genealogy Richard Remmé, The Hague, Netherlands » Captain Isaac Willis (1774-1867)

Personal data Captain Isaac Willis 

• He was born on November 1, 1774 in Culpeper County, Virginia.
• Resident between 1774 and 1867: Locust Grove, Culpeper Co., Virginia.
• He died on October 3, 1867 in Locust Grove, Culpeper County, Virginia, he was 92 years old.
• A child of William Willis and Elizabeth Garnett
• This information was last updated on December 4, 2022.

Household of Captain Isaac Willis

He is married to Ann Garnett.

They got married on May 22, 1798, he was 23 years old.

Child(ren):

1. James Willis  ± 1805-???? 
2. Larkin Willis  1800-1856 
3. Mary Willis  1803-1872 
4. Arabella Willis  
5. Robert Willis  ± 1803-1886 
6. Benjamin Willis  
7. Sarah Willis  
8. Elizabeth Willis  

Notes about Captain Isaac Willis

Notes for CAPTAIN ISAAC WILLIS: From "Early Churches of Culpeper County, Virginia: Colonial and Ante-Bellum Congregations" edited by Thomas and Green, published by the Culpeper Historical Society, 1987. Chapter III; "History of Crooked Run Baptist Church, 1772-1986" by William Spotswood Burwell and Elizabeth Valentine Garnett:
"... in the Rapidan area stood "Locust Grove," built around 1700. It was the home of Captain Isaac Willis (1774-1867), who married Ann Garnett (1777-1840), of "Quiet Shade," the sister-in-law of Elder James Garnett II. Captain Willis received his commission from James Monroe, Governor of Virginia. 1799-1802. Willis became a member of the Crooked Run Baptist Church at 25 years of age and "remained on of its prominent members." His obituary noted in 1868 that he had 160 descendants and that "not one of them is addicted to intemperance or immoral habits." Two of his grandsons, E.J. and J.C. Willis, became Baptist ministers. "Locust Grove" is now owned by Mrs. John Womeldorph."
A story from the Civil War: "Leigh Garnett Taliaferro (1892-1986) tells the story of her mother Florence (Garnett) Garnett with a Yankee when she was about eight years old at "Locust Grove," the house of her great-grandfather, Captain Isaac Willis. When Yankee officers rode up and tied their horses to the yard fence, Isaac Willis invited them to use the tie rack (as he did not want his fence destroyed). They disregarded this and proceeded to enter the house and demand breakfast. Little Florence stood by to operate the punka to keep the flies away. (Usually little black boys did this.) As the officer rose from the table the corner of the punka struck his head. Florence, afraid she might be killed, ran and hid under her grandmother's long skirt. When the danger had passed, Florence felt better and boasted, "I struck a Yankee!"
(See the notes of Isaac's uncle James Garnett, Sr., and those of James Garnett, II, the cousin his wife Anne, for further information on the Crooked Run Church.)
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Isaac and his wife Anne were 1st cousins.
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From The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 16, #4, pgs. 270-280, "Culpeper County, Virginia, District of Aaron Lane, Virginia, 1800 Tax List":
"Willis, Isaaac: 1 white male, 7 horses owned, 2 slaves over 16"
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****** A deed dated September 22, 1824 in Culpeper County (Deed Book RR, pg. 300). "From Robert Garnett Sr. of Culpeper to Isaac Willis of Culpepper for $3,510.00, 3 tracts on one of which the said Robert Garnett lives containing 212 acres, and one other tract containing 100 acres which was conveyed to Robert Garnett by John Waugh in 1793, and one tract containing 40 acres."
Isaac and Anne are nephew and niece to Robert Garnett. This is the year that Robert reportedly moved to Kentucky on horseback. This is probably his final dispersion of remaining property in Culpeper County, prior to the move. The 212 acre parcel seems to be the core parcel of "The Horseshoe" plantation, on the confluence of the Robinson and Rapidan Rivers, conveyed to Robert by his father Anthony in 1794, and apparently containing the house. The other 2 parcels are apparently adjacent to "The Horseshoe" or at least nearby, and were obtained by Robert in 1793 and 1803. (See notes on Anthony and Robert Garnett.)
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****** A deed dated September 8, 1834 in Culpeper County (Deed Book #2, pg. 2). "From Isaac Willis and wife to George Morton of Orange, for $5,159.00, conveying 3 tracts in Culpeper County containing 212 acres, 100 acres, and 40 acres, being the same 3 tracts purchased by Isaac Willis from Robert Garnett, Sr. by deed dated September 22, 1824, of record in Culpeper."
These are obviously the same 3 parcels of land that were purchased 10 years earlier in 1824. Isaac and Anne apparently never lived on any of the parcels, living on the nearby "Locust Grove" plantation. This deed marked the passing of "The Horseshoe" plantation from the Garnett Family.

According to the 1810 census of Culpeper Co., Isaac Willis's household included: 3 free white males under 10, one free white male between 26 and 45 (presumably Isaac),  one free white female under 10 and one between 10 and 16, one free white female between 26 and 45 and one 45 or over, and 24 slaves.

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Timeline Captain Isaac Willis

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