Rev. Daniel Hubbard Willis, Sr.
Rev. Daniel Hubbard Willis, Sr. (b. Dec. 28,1817; d. Mar. 27, 1887)
was my
great-great-grandfather. He was the son of Agerton Willis
and Sophie
Story Willis and the grandson of Rev. Joseph Willis and Rachel
Bradford
Willis.
He was born on Bayou Boeuf, in Louisiana. He married Anna
Slaughter (b.
May 29, 1820 d. Mar. 24, 1876) on March 15, 1838 in La.
Both are buried
at the Amiable Baptist Church Cemetery near Glenmora, La. Their
children
were: Daniel Hubbard Willis, Jr. (1839-1900), Eliza Willis Flowers
(1842-1901), Mary Jane Willis (b. circa 1845), David Willis (b.
circa
1846), Martha Willis (b. circa 1847), Matthew Willis (1848-1925),
Dempsey
Willis (1854-1919), Calvin Willis (1855-1911), and Robert Willis
(1858-1939).
He was the first of Rev. Joseph Willis' many descendants to follow him
into
the ministry. Daniel was called by W.E. Paxton's in "A History of
the
Baptist of Louisiana, from the Earliest Times to the Present" (1888)
"…one
of the most respected ministers in the Louisiana Association."
He
established many churches and was blind the last 22-years of his
life. His
daughter would read the scriptures and he would preach. He was pastor
of
Amiable and Spring Hill Baptist Churches for many years.
The Louisiana Association minutes record, in 1856, that: "Elder D.H.
Willis
was a missionary in the Western part of the Association at the rate
of
$400 per year. Although in ill health he 'traveled 1840 miles,
preached 84
sermons, delivered 44 exhortations, visited 115 families, baptized
19,
restored 2, settled one difficulty, started 3 prayer meetings, and
one
Sabbath School, preached at 21 different places...'"
He settled on Spring Creek near Long Leaf, La. at a community called
Babb’s
Bridge. His daughter-in-law, Julia Ann Graham Willis, said he was the
best
man she every knew.
Randy Willis
randy@randywillis.org
