Charles Brown Willis

Charles Brown Willis M T K Y Photo: One we don’t have is in Helm, Defend, 70. His source: Mrs. Robinson; Helm now owns photo. “In reference to your query, all that I have is a CDV (possibly post-War) of Charles Brown Willis posing in civilian attire with his cavalry hat.”[4265] Good photo from Larry Olinger. Born: 12 December 1844,[4266] in Fauquier County, [4267] Virginia.[4268] Married: On 6 March 1879,[4269] He married Fanny Fowke Robinson (17 February 1848–30 April 1899). Her parents were Samuel Robinson II and Caroline Bradford.[4270] [NOTE:2006-10- 17b mss shows wh/ w/ wh/ source pre-edit.] [NOTE:Keep info from Robinson Family Chart for verification from distinct source. Also bc it gives different name for father.] She was born on 17 February 1848.[4271] Fannie F. Robinson Willis, wife of Chas. Brown Willis; 1848–1899; buried Cedar Grove Cemetery, Bealeton.[4272] He married Fanny Fowke Robinson on 6 March 1879 in Washington, D. C. Her parents were Samuel Robinson and Caroline Bradford. She was born on 17 February 1848 in Fauquier County, and died on 30 April 1899 in Washington, D. C. She is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery at Bealeton.[4273] [Lynn, I know this is a lot of duplication. I am leaving it for now because I haven’t decided how to resolve it yet. —Susan] Died: 11 August 1886, [4274] at Staunton.[4275] Assumed to be buried on Staunton, Virginia, Western State Hospital Grounds.[4276] “Apparently he had some kind of breakdown and was placed in Western State Hospital in Staunton, Va where he died. According to my aunt who is in her 90s she said there was foul play suspected as when he died, they went to Staunton. They did not have enough money on them to bring his body home. When they went back to get him, nobody knew where he had been buried. So his body is somewhere on the grounds of Western State Hospital.”[4277] Obituary: “Mr. Willis was a member of the ‘Black Horse Cavalry,’…” [4278] See Obituary Chapter. Children: Brown and Fannie had two children. Mabel Iona was born on 24 May 1880 in Virginia and died on 6 November 1969 in Warrenton. She never married. She is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery at Bealeton. Flora Octavia was born on 18 October 1881 in Virginia and died of pneumonia on 18 October 1919 in Bealeton. She wed Alfred Marion Johnson.[4279] Another source verifies that Flora married Alfred Johnson.[4280] “They had two children, Mabel Iona Willis b.24 May 1880 and Flora Octavia Willis (my grandmother) b. 18 Oct 1881.” [4281] Parents and Siblings: Martha Jane (Johnson) Willis[4282] and Robert [Willis].[4283] The cavalryman had at least one sibling, Laura [Bland[4284]] (Willis) Robinson.[4285] [NOTE:ask Bettie Harmon for CBW’s mother, siblings, four grandparents.] Eml’d 11 Feb 2006. She replied, said she will send info when she returns to VA from FL in May. Other Family: His paternal grandfather was John Preston [Willis].[4286] While a prisoner of war, Brown wrote to his cousin Lillie Johnson. “Charles and his sister, Laura, married a brother (Thomas Holmes Robinson) and sister (Fannie Fowke Robinson.)”[4287] Fannie (Robinson) Willis was sister of Jesse Robinson.[4288] He was once thought to be in this Company, but recent evidence shows that he was a train engineer and not in the unit.[4289] Laura Bland Willis (12 December 1846–2 February 1913), married Thomas Holmes Robinson (22 May 1840–15 June 1916). Thomas was brother of Fanny F. (Robinson), Charles’s wife. Fanny’s sister, Annie (Robinson), married Austin A. Colbert [BH]. Brown and Austin were brothers-in-law.[4290] Further, Laura was niece of John Johnson [BH]. Hence, Brown Willis was Johnson’s nephew. See Letters Chapter for correspondence between Johnson [BH] and Laura.[4291] Martha Jane (1 July 1821–19 December 1892), was daughter of Thomas Y. Johnson. She was 16 years older than her youngest brother, John Johnson [BH].[4292] “Charles had two children, Mabel Iona Willis (never married) and Flora Octavia Willis (my grandmother).”[4293] Brown’s daughter Flora wed Alfred Marion Johnson on 21 April 1906 in Liberty Methodist Church, Atwell. His parents were Thomas Johnson and Frances Walden. He was born on 9 September 1880 in Virginia, and died of cardiac arrest on 24 November 1957 in Bealeton; he is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery.[4294] Flora “married Alfred Marion Johnson, [and] had 3 children, Willis Walden Johnson (never married), died at 30 yrs of age. Mabel Caroline Johnson( married Charles Womer Olinger), and Fannie Belle Johnson (my mother).”[4295] Brown’s grandchildren were Willis Walden Johnson, who died of pneumonia not three weeks past his 30th birthday; Mabel Caroline (Johnson) Olinger, who lived to see the 21st century; Fannie Bell (Johnson) Manuel.[4296] Stories, Letters & Biographies: “Your very welcome letter came to hand this morning.”[4297] See Letters Chapter. “He was captured at the age of 17,… exchanged,… continued to serve,… was captured,… [imprisoned for a year],… released [in] June 1865 [at age 20].”[4298] See Biographies Chapter. “Mrs. Robinson, Miss Fannie and myself wish to get married soon. I hope it meets with your approbation. Yours very Truly, CB Willis Nov 14th, 1876.”[4299] “Apparently sometime after his children were born, CB [meaning Brown] began acting very odd….”[4300] See Stories Chapter. CSR: 5’6”, fair complexion, fair hair, grey eyes; enlisted 15 March 1862 Bealeton; captured 28 May 1862 Hanover Courthouse; exchanged 5 August 1862; captured 7 May 1864 Spotsylvania Courthouse; Fort Delaware 21 May 1864; released on Oath 15 June 1865 Fort Delaware. Additional Information: He was called “Brown”.[4301] Brown Willis arrived at “Western Lunatic Asylum,” Staunton, Virginia, on 8 April 1885.[4302]

Need to source all of following before pasting it in to headings.

Charles Brown Willis Obituary, Chas.B. Willis Obit.tif image file (of undated clipping from unnamed newspaper) provided by Bettie (Manuel) Harmon as attachment to “Obit and note re: CB Willis,” email from BLTIF@aol.com (previously cited) to author, 11 June 2003. Same image file shows obituary and proposal note. Both transcribed in 2005 by editor from image. Hereinafter cited as Brown Willis Obituary, c. 1886.

Letter from Charles Brown Willis to Mrs. Robinson, 14 November 1876, Chas.B. Willis Obit.tif image file (of Willis’s handwritten note) provided by Bettie (Manuel) Harmon as attachment to “Obit and note re: CB Willis,” email from BLTIF@aol.com (previously cited) to author, 11 June 2003. Same image file shows obituary and note. Both transcribed in 2005 by editor from Tif image. Hereinafter cited as Letter from Brown Willis to Mrs. Robinson, 14 November 1876. Fannie Fowke (Robinson) Willis’s mother, Mrs. Robinson was Caroline (Bradford) Robinson, per Robinson Family Chart, 1999, in possession of Margaret Robinson (Mrs. G. Ripley Robinson, Camp Lee Farm, Midland, Virginia). Her husband’s grandfather was Jesse Balou Robinson, brother to “Miss Fannie”.

Bettie L. (Manuel) Fischer Harmon

Is this footnote for the email with which this attachment came? Yes. “I have … his obit. If you would like a copy… let me know.”[4303] Bettie (Manuel) Harmon, “Descendants of Charles Brown Willis,” Charles Brown Willis.rtf Word attachment to “Black Horse Cavalry member,” from BLTIF@aol.com (previously cited) to author, 21 April 2002. Harmon, “Descendants of Charles Brown Willis,” 21 April 2002. Reduced to four pages on 19 February 2006. Kept info on cavalryman, wife, children; names on grandchildren.

Item Four (Eighteen Pages) Received from Bettie 21 April 2002 Bettie’s line in green. Bettie Lou6 Manuel (Fannie Bell5 Johnson, Flora Octavia4 Willis, Charles Brown3, Robert2, John Preston1) The primary footnote for the info on descendents.[4304] Secondary.[4305] Secondary note for online sketch.[4306]