WILLIS, Alvin H.

WILLIS, THOMLINSON, ALLVIN, WILLITS

Posted By: Nettie Mae
Date: 1/18/2003 at 22:17:50

SOURCE: "Biographical history of Crawford, Ida and Sac Counties, Iowa" Lewis Pub. Co., Chicago, 1893

ALVIN H. WILLIS, one of the successful farmer of Crawford county, was born at
Camanche, Clinton county, Iowa, November 14, 1861, a son of George Willis, a native of
Lincolnshire, England. His father, Joseph Willis, was born and reared in that country, and
married Dinah Thomlinson, The came to the United States in 1854, locating at
Camanche, Iowa. They lost nearly all their property in the tornado of 1860. Joseph Willis
died at Lyons, Iowa at the age of seventy-eight years, and his wife died a short time
previous to this. George Willis was a young man when he came to Clinton county, Iowa,
where he learned the trade of a plastterer and brick-mason, and was also a good mechanic.
He married Martha Allvin, a native of Hull, England, and they had six children: Anna,
Alvin H., Mattie, Die, Frank and Joseph. The father died in February, 1886, and his
widow now resided at Camanche, Clinton county.

Alvin H. Willis assisted his father at the plasterers' trade for a time, was employed
in a cigar factory one year, and in 1884 settled on his present farm of 250 acres, which his
father had owned for many years. He has a good, comfortable home, all the necessary
improvements for a well-regulated farm, and everything about the place shows the thrift
and prosperity of the owner. In addition to his farming he is also engaged in stock-raising.
Mr. Willis was married in Clinton county, February, 6, 1884, to Miss Mattie Willits, na
native of Fredericktown, Knox county, Ohio, and a daughter of Martin Willits, a
contractor of Omaha, Nebraska. The mother of Mrs. Willits died when she was a child.
Our subject and wife have two children: Lula F. and George Martin. Politically, Mr.
Willis is a Democrat, and socially, is a member of the Knights of Pythias, No. 179, of
Manilla, and his wife if a member of the Sisterhood of that order.