According to Immigration records before the 1930's, ship was the only viable mode of transport before trans-Atlantic flight was possible. This ship transported anyone with European bloodline. Millions of Europeans immigrated to the United States in the 19th and 20th century and Willis was among the millions that immigrated to the U.S.
After completing the basic search on where the name Willis derived from and the History on my last name it made me want to research even profounder, so I decide to phone my mother to see what she could share with me. The call lead up to me finding out that, my mother (Alicia), is the daughter of Moses Willis and Edna Sykes. Moses Willis is the son of a great slave owner and Edna Sykes is the daughter of a great Indiana women. Both are deceased now so I couldn't extend the search on finding out more information on my great grandparents. My mother did tell me that my grandfather (Moses) was left a lot of land due to the fact of being a slave owners son I could truly believe that. After talking with my mother she directed me to call her mother (Edna) for more information.
I began to dial my grandmother's number, as the phone is ringing all kind of questions are going through my head. Hello, she answered we give each other the greeting because she's a Muslim. She then asks how you are doing. I responded I fine! I'm trying to write this paper on the history of my family. My grandmother then asks me well, how, I can help. I said well tell me about grandma Easter which is her mother who is deceased. My grandmother shared that her mother who is my great grandmother was the daughter of a great Indiana women. She told me that my great, great, great, grandfather had shot and killed a man in the early or late 1800's and had to flee to the United States so this is probably how our family came to the United States. My grandmother (Edna) also told me that my great, great, great, great, grandmother was the first black lady to start a Baptist Church in the South.
