George was greeted to the worked be his parents Henry H & Elizabeth Curry Willis and a older sister Mary. They lived in Gadsden, Etowah Co. Alabama where Elizabeth's family had settled in 1836, it was then called Cherokee Co. Elizabeth was the daughter of Benjamin E. Curry and Jane H Rowland. It is believed that Henry is the son of George Washington Willis and his wife Mary (although no proof of this has surfaced yet).
Four years after the birth if George, in the 2nd of January 1868, Elizabeth gave birth to twins, Robert Lee and Thomas Beauregard, It is not known how or exactly when Elizabeth died but by 1870 she was no longer with the family. It is presumed she may have died in child birth. Henry is left a widower with four small children and remarries a widow by the name of Margaret E, Crow Nunnalley on 25th December 1870. She soon dies too. Her will being probate August 26, 1871.
Henry H Willis also died sometime between 1871 and 1880. Leaving his children as orphans. In 1880 our four Willis children can be found living with their Uncle Thomas A. Curry, Elizabeth's brother. Although according to the census records Thomas had them listed as servants and not family. Later if the life of George Amos Willis he is quoted as saying that the Curry family did not treat them well, and is interesting to note that to the best of knowledge he did not mention that they were family either.
Sister, Mary Jennie married a man by the name of William H. Sutton on 13 August 1885 and stayed in Etowah Co., Al. No more is know of her at this time.
Thomas B. willis went to Chicago for a time where he met and married a German native, Emma Worvals. They eventually moved out to Texas and had at least 9 children: Ruth, Pearl, Alice, Grace Ida, Charles, George Paul and Nellie. It is said they settled in the Wood Co., Texas area.
Robert L. Willis met and married Sarah Hester Harbuck. They also settled in Wood County. To them were born 11 children: Elwin, caroline, Tressie, Horace, Ellis, Harmon, Nola, William, Floyd, J D and Sheldon.
George met Tressie Lee May in Etowah Co., Al. and they married there on August 9th 1885. Their first two sons wee born there in Gadsden, Robert Andrew and Thomas Clayton. In 1892 they had another son, John Euclid, at this time they were in Arkansas but must not have stayed there for long and probably came to Texas at the same time the other boys and their families did. Anna Jo was born in Dewitt Co. TX in 1895 and next was Jesse Belle was born May 3, 1898 in Waller Co., TX. Well at this point it seems our George is a restless fellow and doesn't seem to stay put for very long. The next in line to be born is George Washington Willis and this birth took place August 31, 1900. George was born in San Jacinto Co., TX. The next child in line, Will, was born somewhere in TX (circa 1900) but died at the age of 4 if typhoid. Jessie had also contracted the typhoid fever although she recovered. (**note** thank goodness for all us descendants). Her older brother's had to take care of her and Will will they were ill as their mother was pregnant at the time. Tressie May was born 24th of July 1904 in TX. Now the last of their children, Benjamin F. Willis, was born in oklahoma in1907. He died young as well, sometime between the years of 1910 and 1920. He is still living at the time of the 1910 census, when we find this family again back in Texas in Childress County.
Sometime before 1920, George finally settled down in Kent county Texas where he stayed and raised his family. He built a small church on his farm in Antelope near Girard, and preached there on Sundays. He worked in the oil fields and was said to have bought a new car every couple of year or so. He was a tall man and some even called him the "Gentle Giant". Tressie on the other hand was only about 4'10" but don't let her size fool you this little gal has spunk and a shot gun to boot. George died 18th of June 1943 and Tressie followed him on the 20th of December 1948. They are both buried in Spur, Dickens Co., Texas.
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| Family Scrapbook | George & Tressie | Etowah Co AL | Willis Descendants | |
| CURRY | Kent Co TX | |||
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