Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B. L. Wt. 2423-400, John Willis, Va.
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Service
Va

Willis, John

Number
B.L. Wt. 2423-400-Major
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Va

Willis John

B. L. Wt. 2423-400-Major
Issued Apr. 30, 1792, to William Irvine Jr. Legalee of Jason R. Reid assignee of Henry Lee admin of Alexander Skinner dec'd assignee.
No papers.
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January 6, 1937

Miss Laura Bishop
44 Brookwood Drive, N. W.,
Atlanta, Georgia

John Willis
B.L. Wt. 2423-400
BA-J/MLB

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War records of John Fleming who died in Surry County, North Carolina, in 1794, and whose will mentioned his wife, Jane and children: - Martha, Sarah, Nancy, William, Mordecai, John Middleton and Edmond; also, of a John Willis who served as first lieutenant in 1775, advance to captain in 1776 and made major of the Fifth Virginia Regiment in 1779.
There is no claim for pension or bounty land on file based upon service in the Revolution of the John Fleming described by you, under any spelling.  Such claims are the source of Revolutionary War data furnished by this office.  The record has been found of only one John Willis who was an officer in that war, which follows below.
The Revolutionary War records of the office show that Warrant No. 2423, for four hundred acres of bounty land, was issued April 30, 1792, on account of the service of John Willis as Major in the Virginia Line, War of the Revolution.
This office has no record of statements made in the application for bounty land because of the destruction of papers in such early applications when the War Office was burned in 1800, therefore no further data relative to John Willis.
If you wish to know the location of the land granted to John Willis, you should apply to the Commissioner of the General Land Office Interior Department, this city, and furnish that official the number of the warrant, the acreage and date of issuance.
Very truly yours,
A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant to the Administrator
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Rev. and 1812
Wars Section
MEE/eel

February 18, 1929

Tom E. Willis
Fairview State Bank Bldg.
Fairview, Oklahoma

Sir:
I advise you from the records of this bureau it appears that Warrant No. 2423 for four hundred acres of bounty land was issued April 30, 1792, on account of the services of John Willis, Major in the Virginia Line, War of the Revolution.
There are no further data on file as to his services and none whatever as to family owing to the destruction of papers in such claims when the War Office was burned in November, 1800.
On January 7, 1929, you were furnished, through Honorable M.C. Garber, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. the history of Henry Willis, W.C. 26295, War of 1812.
Respectfully,
Winfield Scott,
Commissioner.
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Received Dec 29, 1936
Mail Sub-div.
Vets. Adm. Reader 39

44 Brookwood Drive, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia
December 28, 1936

U.S. Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:
Please send me all the data your records contain concerning these men:
John Fleming who died in Surry Country, North Carolina in 1794 and whose will mentioned his wife Jane and his children Martha, Sarah, Nancy, William, Mordecai, John Middleton, Edmond.
John Willis who was First Lieutenant, Second Virginia Regiment in 1775; advanced to Captain in 1776; and made Major of the Fifth Virginia Regiment in 1779.
Sincerely yours,
(Miss) Laura Bishop
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June 1st, 1928
Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington D.C.

Subject: Inquiry concerning Major John W. Willis, and Henry Willis, of the Revolutionary Army

Dear Sir:
I am an ex-service man, having served in the World War, and am now a Captain in the Reserve, and I am seeking data concerning forefathers, who were in Virginia and who served throughout the Revolutionary War.
I have always been informed that I am a descendant of either John W. Willis, or John Willis, who served in the Continental Army, and who I am informed was either a Major or Captain in the army, and who was captured by the British troops, and confined in New York and was exchanged on or about the 29th day of January, 1781, by Abraham Skinner, Commissary of Prisoners, at New York.  Or of Henry Willis, who was also an officer in that army from Virginia.  Both of these officers were member of the Virginia Organizations, and were entitled to Half-Pay under Acts of congress, and each of them were recipients of Land Warrants issued by the State of Virginia, for their services in that war, either in Ohio, Kentucky or Tennessee.
My great Grandfather was one of these officers.  The family records and everything connected with their history has been destroyed, and I am compelled to rely on such information as the records of the pension office can give.  One of the above officers and perhaps both of them, took lands in either Edmonson or butler County, Kentucky and emigrated there and lived there at the time of their death so I am informed.  My grandfather was a solider of the war of 1812, and I am informed that he was born in either Edmonson or Butler County, Kentucky.  He was a pensioner of 1812, and I have no record of his history, save that he died near Caneyville Grayson County, Kentucky, in the later 60's or early 70's and his widow, my grandmother on the Willis side of the family, drew a widows pension from the government on account of my grandfather's service in the war of 1812, and I am advised she lived in Grayson County Kentucky when she applied for pension, but she may have lived in Edmonson County at said time.  I have no record of her Christian name, I am of the impression that my grandfather's Christian name was Henry, but of this I am not certain.
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As I remember it my grandmothers pension voucher came to her at Caneyville, Kentucky a portion of the time.
I am of the impression that my Great Grandfather Willis, served in either the 5th, or 8th Virginia Regiments, and perhaps others, and my Grandfather served in Kentucky Riflemen, but may have served in a Virginia Organization, but think this doubtful.
Will you please give me such information as the records of you office discloses with reference to the organizations in which these officers served in both the Revolutionary war, and the war of 1812, the date and places of their birth and death, the names of the organizations in which they served, and such other information as your records discloses concerning them, and whether pensions were granted them for their service.
There was only one family of Willis' who came to the state of Kentucky from Virginia, and they were Revolutionary Soldiers, and land Warrants were issued to them for and on account of their service in the Revolution, and they settled either in Edmonson or Butler County, Kentucky.
Thanking you in advance for any information which you may be able to give me pertaining to this matter I am, Yours very truly, Tom E. Willis
TEW/MH.