Born April 2,
1839 in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. Died May 22, 1900 at the residence of his son
Dr. Daniel Oscar Willis near Leesville, Louisiana. He was the first of four sons
of Rev. Daniel H. Willis Sr. and Anna Slaughter to marry four daughters of
Robert Graham and Ruth Smith. He married Julia Ann Graham on January 10, 1867 at
the home of her father Robert Graham. He was the great grandson of pioneer
Baptist preacher Rev. Joseph Willis.
He enlisted in the Civil War in Capt. Raxdale's Co. E, 16th.
La. Regiment, Gibson's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. Daniel was captured at what
was called General Stonewall Jackson's "Greatest March," Chancellorsville, in
which Jackson
was killed. Daniel was paroled at Meridian,
Mississippi in May 1865.
His obituary from The Weekly Town Talk (Alexandria,
Louisiana) states: He participated in all the hard battles of that army and for
bravery, soldierly bearing, discipline and devotion to duty, he was unexcelled
in his entire Brigade." After his return from the war in 1865 he was made
constable of the Spring Hill ward near Forest Hill, Louisiana. His obituary
continued: "Before death he expressed a wish that he might see his children who
were at home, especially Randall L., his baby boy, whom he had named in honor of
his beloved Brigadier General, Randall Lee Gibson. He also requested that his
Confederate badge be pinned on his breast and buried with him."
Note: Randall Lee Gibson founded Tulane, University. I am named
after my grandfather Randall Lee Willis who was named after Randall Lee
Gibson.
Daniel Hubbard Willis Jr.
and Julia Ann Graham had the following
children:
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4. |
David Eugene Willis was born 19 JAN 1872. He
died 13 FEB 1880 of Appendicitis. |
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5. |
Corine Willis was born 27 SEP 1873. She died 6
OCT 1873 as a small baby. |
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9. |
Stella Willis was born 21 AUG 1881. She died 10
DEC 1881 as a small baby. |
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11. |
Randall
Lee Willis was born 20 MAR 1886 in Forest Hill, Louisiana. He died 14
MAY 1940. |
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