Henry Willis (c1740-aft1785)

OVERVIEW

Henry Willis settled in Allisons Gap, near modern Saltville, Washington County, VA in 1769. He was one of the first settlers to establish a homesite after the area was open for settlement in that year. See Proclamation Line The location of his home may have been selected because it was near, or perhaps included, portions of the salt lick that would eventually give the town of Saltville its name.

Vita

	Entry	Source/Basis/Commentary
DOB:	c1740	Henry was an adult when he settled in Allison Gap in 1769. That suggests a DOB of no later than c1750. A slightly older DOB has been assumed, but may not be correct.
POB:
DOD:
POD:
Burial:
Spouse:	Mary Cochran	See Records; A present was made against Henry in 1773 for cohabiting with Mary Cochran; it's presumed that she was the mother of his children.
DOM:
POM:
Father:
Mother:

Ancestry

Henry's parents are currently unknown. He may be the father of Abner Willis (c1775-aft1840), who appears in Washington County tax records beginning in the 1790's, and who settled first in Locust Cove east of Saltville, and later on Little Cedar Creek west of Lebanon.

ChildList

Name	DOB	POB	DOD	POD	Spouse	DOM	POM	Notes

Records

A entries for a "Henry Willis" are found in the records for Augusta, Botetourt, Fincastle, Washington, and Montgomery Counties VA, and Green and Washington Counties TN. A compendium of such records is provided as Miscellaneous Records on a separate page. Some of these records are for the same person living in different locations at different times, and some are for what appears to be different individuals. A "best guess" is provided for the identity of the "Henry Willis" to whom each record probably belongs. Tjods data set is not comprehensive. For example, records for Montgomery county have not been systematically examined, and tax and other records for Washington County are not shown here (as yet).

Records for "Cochran"

Name	Immediate Source	Page	Location	Year	day-Month	Entry
Margaret Cochran	Summers, 1929	538	Botetourt Co, VA	1770	19-Oct	Margaret Cochran, widow of Peter Cochran, to James McAfee. 20 pounds. Release of dower in 32 acres of land.
Mary Cochrain	Summers, 1929	605	Fincastle Co, VA	1773	5-May	Presentment against Henry Willis for cohabiting with Mary Cochran
William Cochran	Summers, 1929	612	Fincastle Co, VA	1773	7-May	On the motion of James Jarvis, administ5ation is granted him on the estate of William Cochran, Decd., he having entered into bond with Stephen Keewood his security agreeable to Law.
William Cochran	Summers, 1929	613	Fincastle Co, VA	1773	7-May	George Adams, Jister Cox, and James Anderson being first sowrn are appointed to appraise the estate of William Cochran, Decd. And make their return according to law.
William Cochran	Summers, 1929	618	Fincastle Co, VA	1773	2-Nov	An inventory and appraisal of the estate of William Cochran deceased returned and ordered to be recorded
William Cochran	Summers, 1929	623	Fincastle Co, VA	1773	3-May	An inventory appraisal of the estate of William Cochran deceased returned into court and ordered to be recorded
Mary Cochrain	Summers, 1929	600	Fincastle Co, VA	1774	3-Mar	Mary Cochrain and James Davis Plaintiffs, against Samuel Simpson and William Wilkins, Defendants: Court finds for the Plaintiffs, since the defendants didn't show at the trial. Plaintiffs given a judgment in the amount of one pound ten shillings, plus cost
Samuel Cochran	Summers, 1929	1042	Washington Co, Va	1779	17-Aug	Samuel Cochran came into court and acknowledged that he hath received 12 pounds of his father's estate from JamesGervis
Elizabeth Cochran	Summers, 1929	1101	Washington Co, Va	1782	21-May	Presentment against Elizabeth Cochran for a base born child.
Dennis Cochran	Summers, 1929	942	Montgomery Co, VA	1800	17-Nov	Dennis Cochran grantor to John Wyatt Grantee, for 260 pounds, 500 ac at confluence of Madams C. with New River