What Is Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of how one generation is connected to the next. Its importance lies in preserving the past for future generations, tracing family history and origins through historical records, online databases, oral interviews, and genetic records.
It provides a deeper understanding of local history and allows comparison of perspectives across different families or clans regarding historical events.
Additionally, family history can serve as a powerful antidote against adverse life experiences, helping individuals understand who they are and motivating them to strengthen their roots for generations to come.
Our History
Henry Willis and Janie Lee Tyree
Janie Lee Tyree was the daughter of Ann (Thornton) Tyree and Pinckney Tyree who were married in Virginia on August 7, 1888. Ann Tyree’s death certificate shows that she died on June 28, 1936, in Virginia. There is no record of Pinckney Tyree’s death, but it is believed that he died prior to 1900.
Janie Lee was born in the Reedy Church section of Caroline County, near Ruther Glenn Virginia on September 22, 1892. Besides Janie Lee, there were four other children born to the Ann and Pinckney marriage: Rosa Ellen (born 1890), Joseph (born 1891), Willie (born 1892), and Annie (born 1893). Historical documents show that Ann Thornton had several other children by a previous marriage. The Tyree family worshipped, and many were baptized, at the Oxford Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Ruther Glen.
William Henry Willis was born in Culpepper County, Virginia on February 7, 1887. It is believed that his father was George Judson Williams and his mother Mary Viney Willis. Census records indicate that he had 12 half-brothers and half-sisters. Little is known of his childhood life except that in the 1900 census it showed he lived in Culpepper Virginia and in the 1910 census, at the age of 23, he resided in Cranford, New Jersey.
It was in Cranford, NJ that Henry met Janie Lee and they were subsequently married on February 5, 1910, in that same city. The record showed that he was employed as a coachman at that time. A coachman was a person employed to drive a horse-drawn carriage, often for a wealthy household or estate. The coachman was responsible not only for driving but also for the care and maintenance of the horses, the carriage, and any related equipment.
Soon after their daughter Anna was born in Cranford in 1911, they moved back to Janie Lee’s home area in Caroline County, Virginia. While they were living there their other children Mabel, Grace, William Donald, Janie Lee, Lucille, Minnie Elsie, George, Vernell, Gary, Pearl, and Kendrick were born. When they returned to New Jersey their youngest child, Linwood was born in 1929.
Janie Lee died on October 18, 1948, in Camden, NJ after a long illness. She was buried in Pennsauken, NJ. William Henry died on April 1, 1966, in Camden, NJ at the age of 79.
Importance of Preserving Our Past
Genealogy is the study of how one generation is connected to the next. Its importance lies in preserving the past for future generations, tracing family history and origins through historical records, online databases, oral interviews, and genetic records.
It provides a deeper understanding of local history and allows comparison of perspectives across different families or clans regarding historical events.
Additionally, family history can serve as a powerful antidote against adverse life experiences, helping individuals understand who they are and motivating them to strengthen their roots for generations to come.
We are actively researching our genealogy for the Willis line (Grandpop Henry) and the Tyree line (Grandmom Janie Lee). Listed below are a few pieces of information about our descendants.
If you are interested in being part of our Willis Family Ancestry Research Group, please contact us at henrynjaniewillis.family@gmail.com
Maternal Tyree Line
Janie
Lee Tyree was born in Reedy Church, Caroline County, Virginia, in 1892 and died
in Camden, New Jersey, in 1949. Janie was the daughter of Ann Tyree, who was born about
1855 and died after 1930. Janie was listed as a 10-year-old in the home of Ann Tyree in
1900.
Janie Tyree married William Henry Willis in New Jersey in October 1910,
presumably in Union County, where they were enumerated that same year. The family
lived in Caroline County, Virginia, when the 1920 census was taken, and in Camden,
New Jersey, when the 1930 and 1940 censuses were taken. Janie died on 18 October
1948 and is buried in the Sunset Memorial Park in Pennsauken, Camden County, New
Jersey.
Ann Tyree, who was born in Virginia in January 1855, was identified in the 1900, 1910,
and 1930 censuses in Reedy Church, Caroline County, Virginia. She was listed as a
widow who had given birth to 14 children. Seven of these children lived with her in 1900. Janie’s mother Ann Tyree was the 5-year-old Ann who lived in
the home of Sam’l (indexed as Sanel) and Rebecca Tyree in Halifax County, Virginia in
1860.
From the linked family tree, we can see that K. R. descends from Rosa R. Tyree who was born in Virginia in 1879 and who married John Goodall in New Jersey in 1908. Rosa Tyree’s mother is said to be Clara Tyree (born 1856) who was enumerated in Caroline County, Virginia, in 1870 and 1880.
Paternal Tyree Line
The birth records of Culpeper County, Virginia,
covering the years 1864 to 1896, seeking the children of Mary Willis, as per the 1900
census. She had children named Ed Willis (age 15), Henry (13),
Colbert (7), and Sarah (4) listed in her household that year, and they were enumerated
on the same page as George Judson Williams.
There is a large cluster of DNA matches who descend from the mother
of George Judson Williams, who was Nancy Williams (born about 1833, of Culpeper
County, Virginia). Many pedigrees report that Jacob Finks was the father of Nancy’s
children; however, we have been unable to document him. Two key matches descend
from George Judson: D.Y., who is Dorothy Drusilla Yager, and William Jameson.
More DNA matches support that George Judson Williams was the father William
Henry Willis. William gave his father’s name as Judson Willis on his Social Security
application.
According to the 1910 and 1920 censuses, William Henry Willis was born 1886 or 1887.
Sometime after that, he claimed he was born on 7 February 1892. The household of
Mary Willis in 1900 (discussed above) included a Henry who was born about 1887.
Two DNA matches identified who descend from Mary’s son Ed. The process
of building out the trees of these DNA matches shows that Ed’s full name was James
Edward “Eddie” Willis. Eddie was born in 1884 and died in 1976 in Somerset County,
New Jersey. He married Pearl Williams, who was a niece of George Judson Williams!
DNA matches of (Jeanne Willis and William V. Terrell) descend from Eddie’s son,
James Edward Willis Jr., through two different daughters. Therefore, there is DNA
evidence to support the conclusion that William was the son of Mary Willis, who was
born about 1860 in Culpeper County, Virginia. Mary Willis was listed in the 1880 census of Culpeper County as
the daughter of Viney Willis. We believe this is the Viney Willis who migrated north to
Steelton, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, where her son John E. Willis lived. One of
your DNA matches, willislarry100, descends from John.
The documentary and DNA
evidence leads to a conclusion that Viney Willis was the mother of Mary and the
grandmother of William Henry Willis. Viney consistently reported that she
was the widow of William Willis; however, no documentation gathered thus far supports
that relationship.