Known as "Hon. Nathan Willis" of Pittsfield MA. The Willis Family was one of the old and honored New England families of English origin.
The following is taken from the "History of Pittsfield":
Among the strong men of Pittsfield, in the period we are considering, was Gen. Nathan Willis, who is described in the genealogy of the Willis family, as the son of Nathan; who was the son of Thomas; who was the son of Benjamin; who was the son of Benjamin 1st; who was the son of Dea. John Willis, a Puritan of distinction and great respectability, who first appears in 1637, at Duxbury. In 1650, Deacon Willis was one of the grantees of the town of Duxbury, to which he removed the next year, and which he represented in the General Court without interruption for a quarter of a century.
Nathan was born in 1763, at Bridgewater, where he spent his early years as a nail-maker and iron-forger. Removing to Rochester in 1790, he became a merchant; and engaging also in ship-building and navigation, accumulated what was then considered a large fortune. In 1814, at the age of fifty, he removed to Pittsfield, where he made farming his chief occupation, although engaging sometimes in mercantile pursuits, and to a small extent in manufactures. "As a business-man," says his biographer, "he was remarkable for exact punctuality; and never, it is believed, during his long life, suffered any one to be disappointed in pecuniary transactions through the non-fulfillment of his promise. Esteemed for his integrity and economy, and confided in his good sense and judgment, he became the strong man of the democratic party, was repeatedly chosen representative and councilor, and represented both Plymouth and Berkshire counties in the Senate." He was, also, twice the Democratic candidate for lieutenant-governor, and was delegate from Pittsfield, in the constitutional convention of 1820.
He married in 1787, Sophia, daughter of Col. Benjamin Tupper of Chesterfield, who died in 1790; and in the same year, he married Widow Lucy Dagget, daughter of Noah Fearing of Middleboro, who died in 1860.
General Willis had thirteen children; the best known of whom is Col. George S., who was born at Bridgewater, in 1810, and educated at Union College in the class of 1832. Afterwards he was a merchant and agriculturist in Pittsfield. He was high-sheriff of Berkshire, and several times selectman, and has been otherwise prominent in town-affairs.
The obituary of Gen. Nathan Willis, cites the following in referencing his ancestry: . . ." who was one of the five sons of John W. esq., the emigrant ancestor who was at Duxbury, in 1637; settled in Bridgewater, as early as 1656, and was its first representative (at Plymouth,) in 1657; and to 1681, had represented it 17 years. He d. in 1693.
The following is taken from the "History of Pittsfield":
Among the strong men of Pittsfield, in the period we are considering, was Gen. Nathan Willis, who is described in the genealogy of the Willis family, as the son of Nathan; who was the son of Thomas; who was the son of Benjamin; who was the son of Benjamin 1st; who was the son of Dea. John Willis, a Puritan of distinction and great respectability, who first appears in 1637, at Duxbury. In 1650, Deacon Willis was one of the grantees of the town of Duxbury, to which he removed the next year, and which he represented in the General Court without interruption for a quarter of a century.
Nathan was born in 1763, at Bridgewater, where he spent his early years as a nail-maker and iron-forger. Removing to Rochester in 1790, he became a merchant; and engaging also in ship-building and navigation, accumulated what was then considered a large fortune. In 1814, at the age of fifty, he removed to Pittsfield, where he made farming his chief occupation, although engaging sometimes in mercantile pursuits, and to a small extent in manufactures. "As a business-man," says his biographer, "he was remarkable for exact punctuality; and never, it is believed, during his long life, suffered any one to be disappointed in pecuniary transactions through the non-fulfillment of his promise. Esteemed for his integrity and economy, and confided in his good sense and judgment, he became the strong man of the democratic party, was repeatedly chosen representative and councilor, and represented both Plymouth and Berkshire counties in the Senate." He was, also, twice the Democratic candidate for lieutenant-governor, and was delegate from Pittsfield, in the constitutional convention of 1820.
He married in 1787, Sophia, daughter of Col. Benjamin Tupper of Chesterfield, who died in 1790; and in the same year, he married Widow Lucy Dagget, daughter of Noah Fearing of Middleboro, who died in 1860.
General Willis had thirteen children; the best known of whom is Col. George S., who was born at Bridgewater, in 1810, and educated at Union College in the class of 1832. Afterwards he was a merchant and agriculturist in Pittsfield. He was high-sheriff of Berkshire, and several times selectman, and has been otherwise prominent in town-affairs.
The obituary of Gen. Nathan Willis, cites the following in referencing his ancestry: . . ." who was one of the five sons of John W. esq., the emigrant ancestor who was at Duxbury, in 1637; settled in Bridgewater, as early as 1656, and was its first representative (at Plymouth,) in 1657; and to 1681, had represented it 17 years. He d. in 1693.
Known as "Hon. Nathan Willis" of Pittsfield MA. The Willis Family was one of the old and honored New England families of English origin.
The following is taken from the "History of Pittsfield":
Among the strong men of Pittsfield, in the period we are considering, was Gen. Nathan Willis, who is described in the genealogy of the Willis family, as the son of Nathan; who was the son of Thomas; who was the son of Benjamin; who was the son of Benjamin 1st; who was the son of Dea. John Willis, a Puritan of distinction and great respectability, who first appears in 1637, at Duxbury. In 1650, Deacon Willis was one of the grantees of the town of Duxbury, to which he removed the next year, and which he represented in the General Court without interruption for a quarter of a century.
Nathan was born in 1763, at Bridgewater, where he spent his early years as a nail-maker and iron-forger. Removing to Rochester in 1790, he became a merchant; and engaging also in ship-building and navigation, accumulated what was then considered a large fortune. In 1814, at the age of fifty, he removed to Pittsfield, where he made farming his chief occupation, although engaging sometimes in mercantile pursuits, and to a small extent in manufactures. "As a business-man," says his biographer, "he was remarkable for exact punctuality; and never, it is believed, during his long life, suffered any one to be disappointed in pecuniary transactions through the non-fulfillment of his promise. Esteemed for his integrity and economy, and confided in his good sense and judgment, he became the strong man of the democratic party, was repeatedly chosen representative and councilor, and represented both Plymouth and Berkshire counties in the Senate." He was, also, twice the Democratic candidate for lieutenant-governor, and was delegate from Pittsfield, in the constitutional convention of 1820.
He married in 1787, Sophia, daughter of Col. Benjamin Tupper of Chesterfield, who died in 1790; and in the same year, he married Widow Lucy Dagget, daughter of Noah Fearing of Middleboro, who died in 1860.
General Willis had thirteen children; the best known of whom is Col. George S., who was born at Bridgewater, in 1810, and educated at Union College in the class of 1832. Afterwards he was a merchant and agriculturist in Pittsfield. He was high-sheriff of Berkshire, and several times selectman, and has been otherwise prominent in town-affairs.
The obituary of Gen. Nathan Willis, cites the following in referencing his ancestry: . . ." who was one of the five sons of John W. esq., the emigrant ancestor who was at Duxbury, in 1637; settled in Bridgewater, as early as 1656, and was its first representative (at Plymouth,) in 1657; and to 1681, had represented it 17 years. He d. in 1693.
The following is taken from the "History of Pittsfield":
Among the strong men of Pittsfield, in the period we are considering, was Gen. Nathan Willis, who is described in the genealogy of the Willis family, as the son of Nathan; who was the son of Thomas; who was the son of Benjamin; who was the son of Benjamin 1st; who was the son of Dea. John Willis, a Puritan of distinction and great respectability, who first appears in 1637, at Duxbury. In 1650, Deacon Willis was one of the grantees of the town of Duxbury, to which he removed the next year, and which he represented in the General Court without interruption for a quarter of a century.
Nathan was born in 1763, at Bridgewater, where he spent his early years as a nail-maker and iron-forger. Removing to Rochester in 1790, he became a merchant; and engaging also in ship-building and navigation, accumulated what was then considered a large fortune. In 1814, at the age of fifty, he removed to Pittsfield, where he made farming his chief occupation, although engaging sometimes in mercantile pursuits, and to a small extent in manufactures. "As a business-man," says his biographer, "he was remarkable for exact punctuality; and never, it is believed, during his long life, suffered any one to be disappointed in pecuniary transactions through the non-fulfillment of his promise. Esteemed for his integrity and economy, and confided in his good sense and judgment, he became the strong man of the democratic party, was repeatedly chosen representative and councilor, and represented both Plymouth and Berkshire counties in the Senate." He was, also, twice the Democratic candidate for lieutenant-governor, and was delegate from Pittsfield, in the constitutional convention of 1820.
He married in 1787, Sophia, daughter of Col. Benjamin Tupper of Chesterfield, who died in 1790; and in the same year, he married Widow Lucy Dagget, daughter of Noah Fearing of Middleboro, who died in 1860.
General Willis had thirteen children; the best known of whom is Col. George S., who was born at Bridgewater, in 1810, and educated at Union College in the class of 1832. Afterwards he was a merchant and agriculturist in Pittsfield. He was high-sheriff of Berkshire, and several times selectman, and has been otherwise prominent in town-affairs.
The obituary of Gen. Nathan Willis, cites the following in referencing his ancestry: . . ." who was one of the five sons of John W. esq., the emigrant ancestor who was at Duxbury, in 1637; settled in Bridgewater, as early as 1656, and was its first representative (at Plymouth,) in 1657; and to 1681, had represented it 17 years. He d. in 1693.
Family Members
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