KinNextions
Known Family as of Jan. 21, 2006 (Public Version)

Living LIVING married Elizabeth JOHNS.

Elizabeth JOHNS [Parents] 1, 2 was born 3, 4 27 Sep 1897. She died 5 22 Jul 1969 in Brantley Co., GA (formerly Wayne) and was buried 6, 7 in New Smyrna Cemetery, Brantley Co., GA. Elizabeth married Living LIVING.

William Boley LYENS [Parents] was born 26 Apr 1862. He died 21 Sep 1954 and was buried in Smyrna Baptist Cemetery, Lulaton, Brantley, Georgia. William married Sarah Ann JENKINS.

Other marriages:
HIGHSMITH, Sarah Ann

Some sources have listed as William B LYONS. His gravestone and many of his children's gravestones list LYENS.

Sarah Ann JENKINS [Parents] was born 20 Jul 1859 in Wayne, GA. She died 10 Dec 1943 and was buried in Smyrna Baptist Cemetery, Lulaton, Brantley, Georgia. Sarah married William Boley LYENS.

They had the following children:

  F i Ellis Leona LYENS was born about 1890 and died Y.
  M ii
Charles W. LYENS was born 29 Mar 1882 in Wayne Co., GA. He died 18 Nov 1959 in Brantley, GA and was buried in Smyrna Baptist Cemetery, Lulaton, Brantley, Georgia.
  M iii Franklin Archie LYENS was born 24 Oct 1884 and died 9 Oct 1918.
  F iv Inez L. LYENS was born 24 Dec 1887 and died 1 Mar 1946.
  F v
Abbey M. LYENS was born May 1890 in Wayne Co., GA.
  F vi
Jesse LYENS was born 3 Jul 1892 in Wayne Co., GA. She died 2 Jun 1897 and was buried in Smyrna Baptist Cemetery, Lulaton, Brantley, Georgia.
  F vii Pearl E. LYENS was born 3 Apr 1900 and died 3 Apr 1922.
  M viii
Living LIVING.

John Hamilton WALKER was born estimated 1840. He married Sidney "Sibbiah" JACOBS.

Sidney "Sibbiah" JACOBS was born estimated 1854. She married John Hamilton WALKER.

They had the following children:

  F i Annie E. WALKER was born 18 Aug 1867 and died 4 Apr 1906.
  F ii Martha Jane WALKER was born 29 Jul 1874 and died 16 Jul 1911.

William Thomas PURDOM [Parents] was born 3 Jun 1854. He died Y and was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Brantley, GA. William married Sarah Susannah WILLIS on 16 May 1872.

Could this Thomas Purdom be the husband of Sarah Suzannah Willis? Timing is right.

1 Sara Susanna WILLIS
 + William Thomas PURDOM b: 3 JUN 1854 d: 1923
   2 Martha PURDOM
   2 Gatsy O. PURDOM
   2 John L. PURDOM
   2 Thomas H. PURDOM
   2 Glenn A. PURDOM
   2 Amirintha PURDOM b: 1873
   2 Bertha PURDOM b: 1875
   2 Michael PURDOM b: 1877
   2 William PURDOM b: 1880
   2 James Lewis PURDOM b: 18 APR 1886
   2 Cora Washington PURDOM b: 23 NOV 1892

Sarah Susannah WILLIS [Parents] 1 was born 2 14 Nov 1855 in Waynesville, Wayne, Georgia. She died 9 Nov 1939 and was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Brantley, GA. Sarah married William Thomas PURDOM on 16 May 1872.

They had the following children:

  F i
Living LIVING.
  F ii
Living LIVING.
  M iii
Living LIVING.
  M iv
Living LIVING.
  M v
Living LIVING.
  F vi
Amirintha PURDOM was born 1873.
  F vii
Bertha PURDOM was born 1875.
  M viii
Michael PURDOM was born 1877.
  M ix William Archibald PURDOM was born estimated 1880.
  M x
James Lewis PURDOM was born 18 Apr 1886 in Wayne, GA.
  F xi
Cora Washington PURDOM was born 23 Nov 1892.

Archibald PURDOM [Parents] was born 10 Oct 1835 in Wayne Co., GA. He married Harriet Eliza LEWIS on 27 Dec 1852.

Harriet Eliza LEWIS [Parents] was born 1835 in GA. She married Archibald PURDOM on 27 Dec 1852.

They had the following children:

  M i
Living LIVING.
  M ii William Thomas PURDOM was born 3 Jun 1854 and died Y.
  F iii Sara Jane PURDOM was born 14 Mar 1856 and died 3 Mar 1941.
  F iv Susan Matilda PURDOM was born 3 Oct 1857 and died 29 Dec 1922.
  F v
Ruth Isabel PURDOM was born 1859.
  F vi
Mary Margaret PURDOM was born 1861 in GA.

William Jasper WILLIS [Parents] 1 was born 2 12 Feb 1848 in Raybon, Wayne (now Brantley), GA. He died 12 Aug 1925 and was buried in Smyrna Baptist Cemetery, Lulaton, Brantley, Georgia. William married Ella Gatsey WILLIS.

Jasper was a Primitive Baptist Preacher. The story is told of when he was called to preach that he put it off just as long as he could. One night he woke Ella and said "Ella, I've just got to preach or die." She said, "Well, preach Jasper, preach". That day they went to Symrna and he preached. He remained a preacher for the remainder of his life.

Ella Gatsey WILLIS [Parents] was born 27 Jan 1869 in FL. She died 6 Jun 1950 in Wayne, GA and was buried in Smyrna Baptist Cemetery, Lulaton, Brantley, Georgia. Ella married William Jasper WILLIS.

They had the following children:

  F i
Mary J. WILLIS was born 1887 in Nahunta, Wayne, GA.
  F ii
Maggie L. WILLIS was born 1891 in Nahunta, Wayne, GA.
  M iii George Washington WILLIS was born 22 Jul 1893 and died 27 Apr 1952.

George (Washington?) WILLIS [Parents] was born 1819 in NC. He married Mary (WILLIS).

James and George are brothers based on info provided by Kenneth Willis (Nahunta, GA) and compelling evidence listed below.
The full name for George is most likely George Washington Willis. His daughter, Ella Gatsey Willis, married her cousin, William Jasper Willis, and named their son George Washington Willis. Ella G. is shown living with James and Gatsey Willis in the 1880 census and is listed as a niece born in FL.


1880 census: FL, Columbia, 9-Jun-1880
Willis, William W. 47,      GA, NC, NC
     , Cinthia E. 32, wife FL, Penn, FL
     , Robert Samuel, 9/12 son  FL, GA, FL

Willis, Mary    46 GA, NC, NC
     , Laura L. 9 daughter FL, GA, GA
     , Annie    6 daughter FL, GA, GA
Question: Where did Ella and Marietta go?
Answer:  Ella G. Willis is shown living with James and Gatsey Willis in the 1880 census and is listed as a niece born in FL.
This seems to clearly make George and James as brothers. Marietta is not in FL or GA.


1870 census: FL, Columbia, Lake City 13-Jul-1870
Willis, George  51 NC
     , Mary    35 GA
     , Marietta 6 FL
     , Ella G.  1 FL

Willis, William W. 35 GA
     , Sarah A.   36 GA
     , Elizabeth   8 FL
     , Martha     18 GA
Hair, George       60 SC

1860 census: FL, New River, 22-Jun-1860
Willis, William     34 GA  <-- either error in age or different person. I believe correct age is 26 (jmc)
     , Sarah S.    38? GA <-- either error in age or different person.
     , Jane A       9 GA
     , George W.    8 GA
     , Eliza R.     7 FL
     , Benjamin F.  2 FL
     , William A. 3/12 FL

Willis, Thomas C. 40 GA

Willis, Alexander 80 NC


1850 census: FL, Hamilton, District #3, 7-Nov-1850
Willis, George     31 NC <- Could this be the same George listed in the 1850 GA, Wayne census?
     , Julia A.   27 NC
     , Sarah A.   23 GA
     , William W. 17 GA
     , Robert H.  15 GA
     , Newton T.  12 GA
     , Martha      2 GA


Question: Possible connection to George W. Willis in Craven County, NC shown below?
Answer: Probably not.

                                            /Thomas Willis , Sr. b: ABT 1625 d: BEF 6 FEB 1669/70 =>
                                    /Thomas Willis , Jr. b: 8 SEP 1662
                                    |       \Mary (Willis) b: ABT 1633 d: 27 SEP 1684
                            /Richard Willis b: ABT 1680
                    /Samuel Willis b: ABT 1726 d: 1782
                    |       \Martha (Willis)
            /Samuel Willis d: ABT AUG 1805
            |       \Sarah (Willis)
    /Major Willis , Sr. b: 1779 d: 2 NOV 1844
George W. Willis b: 1819 d: 1881
    \Penelope Thomas d: AFT 1823

Mary (WILLIS) was born 1834/1835 in GA. She married George (Washington?) WILLIS.

They had the following children:

  F i
Marietta WILLIS was born 1864 in FL.
  F ii Ella Gatsey WILLIS was born 27 Jan 1869 and died 6 Jun 1950.
  F iii Laura L. WILLIS was born 18 Apr 1870 and died 24 Oct 1943.
  F iv
Annie WILLIS was born 1874 in Columbia, FL.

John LEE 1 married Averilla JOHNS.

He was named guardian of Archibald and Jeremiah Johns, sons of Levi Johns, Jr., on 7 Jun 1824 (according to Judge Huxford's notes)

Averilla JOHNS [Parents] 1 was born 2 1804. She married John LEE.

John Adams WILLIS [Parents] 1 was born 2 22 Aug 1857 in Waynesville, Wayne, Georgia. He died 8 Jun 1935 and was buried in Smyrna Baptist Cemetery, Lulaton, Brantley, Georgia. John married Annise M. CRAWFORD.

Annise M. CRAWFORD [Parents] "Annie" was born 6 Apr 1870. She died 30 Mar 1954 and was buried in Smyrna Baptist Cemetery, Lulaton, Brantley, Georgia. Annie married John Adams WILLIS.

They had the following children:

  F i
Maddie (Maddis) M. WILLIS was born 1889 in Lulaton, Wayne, GA.
  F ii
Francis WILLIS was born 1891 in Lulaton, Wayne, GA.
  M iii James R. WILLIS was born 11 Apr 1893 and died Jun 1978.
  F iv
Ivy B. WILLIS was born Jun 1895 in Lulaton, Wayne, GA.

James Duncan CRAWFORD CSA [Parents] was born 18 Dec 1845 in Jesup, Wayne Co., GA. He was buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Brantley, GA. James married Martha Jane HERRIN on 12 Apr 1865 in Wayne Co., GA.

Martha Jane HERRIN [Parents] was born 29 Nov 1847 in Wayne Co., GA. She died 13 Sep 1930 in Brantley Co., GA and was buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Brantley, GA. Martha married James Duncan CRAWFORD CSA on 12 Apr 1865 in Wayne Co., GA.

                  /Enoch HERRIN
            /Heron "Mack" HERRIN b: Abt 1770 d: summer 1817
    /Daniel HERRIN b: 10 Mar 1810 d: 1887 or 1888
    |       \Ann D --?---
Martha Jane HERRIN b: 29 Nov 1847 d: 13 Sep 1930
    |       /John William AMMONS b: Abt 1760 d: 1852
    \Jemima "Kermima" AMMONS b: 1818 d: Abt 1836
            \Jemima UNKNOWN b: Abt 1770

They had the following children:

  F i Annise M. CRAWFORD was born 6 Apr 1870 and died 30 Mar 1954.

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