Rev. Joseph Willis & Children

Rev. Joseph Willis, Sr. (parents Agerton Willis and a Cherokee Indian women) was born BET. 1755 - 1758 in Bladen County, North Carolina. He died 14 SEP 1854. He is buried at Occupy Baptist Church Cemetery near Pitkin/Tenmile Creek, Louisiana.

(4) Known Children by First Wife

Rev. Joseph Willis, Sr. married first wife Rachel Bradford. She was born ABT. 1762 in Bladen County, North Carolina. Rachel (parent William Bradford) died ABT. 1794 in South Carolina.

Rev. Joseph Willis, Sr. and Rachel Bradford had the following children:

1. Agerton Willis was born ABT. 1785 in Bladen County, NC. He married Sophie Story (parent E. Story & Nancy Brinswood) on 18 APRIL 1811 at Opelousas, La.


2. Mary Willis was born ABT. 1787 in North Carolina. She married first a Johnson. She then married a second husband Thomas Dial.

3. Joseph Willis, Jr. was born ABT. 1792 in South Carolina. He married Jennie Coker at Bayou Chicot, Louisiana.

4. Rachel Willis was born ABT. 1794 in South Carolina.

(2) Known Children by Second Wife

Rev. Joseph Willis, Sr. married second wife Sarah, an Irish girl. She died BET. 1799 – 1802.

1. Jemima Willis was born ABT. 1796 in South Carolina. She married William Dyer.

  1. Sarah Willis was born ABT. 1798 in South Carolina. She married Nathaniel West.


(5) Known Children by Third Wife

Rev. Joseph Willis, Sr. married third wife a Female Johnson. Johnson was born in South Carolina.

Rev. Joseph Willis, Sr. and Female Johnson woman had the following children:

1. Sally Willis was born ABT. 1802 in Louisiana.

  1. William Willis was born 6 JAN 1804. He died 24 NOV
    1881. He married Rhoda Strother. He is buried at Humble Cemetery in Elizabeth, La.
  2. Lemuel Willis was born ABT. 1812 in La. He married Emeline Perkins from Tenmile Creek, La. He died in 1862.

4. John Willis was born ABT. 1814.

5. Martha Willis was born 9 APRIL 1825 in Louisiana.


(2) Known Children by Fourth Wife

Rev. Joseph Willis, Sr. married fourth wife Elvy Sweat. Elvy was born ABT. 1820.

Rev. Joseph Willis Sr. and Elvy Sweat had the following children:

1. Samuel Willis was born ABT. 1836 in Louisiana.

2. Aimuwell Willis was born 1 MAY 1837 in Louisiana. He died 9 SEP 1937 in Leesville, Louisiana. He first married Marguerite Leuemche and then married second wife Lucy Foshel.

Other Possible Children

There were four females listed in the 1830 census between the ages of five and twenty for Rev. Joseph Willis & household. The 1850 Rapides Parish Census also lists an additional four males for Joseph Willis & household: James born circa 1841, William born circa 1845, Timothy born circa 1847 and Bernard born circa 1848.

It would be unlikely that Joseph would have a second son named William. Aimuwell Willis always said he was Joseph Willis’ youngest son. Perhaps these last four males were grandchildren of Joseph or children of Elvy Sweat from a previous marriage.

Historian Ivan Wise wrote in Footsteps of the Flock: or Origins of Louisiana Baptist (1910) that two sons of Joseph died "poisoned on honey and were buried a half mile from the present town of Oakdale, Louisiana." I have not been able to find their graves. One historian wrote that Rev. Joseph Willis had 19 children.