Descendants of Tig and Creasy Willis
Family reunions, celebrations, and revivals bring African-American families together
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Descendants of Creasy and Tig Willis are invited to join in the reunion this summer.From mid January until the end of the February of each year is usually a special time of honoring the elders, ancestors, and high achievers in the African American community throughout this county, state, and nation. This period usually begins with the celebration of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and all that was achieved during the modern Civil Rights Movement. It goes on with many celebrations of achievement throughout African American History month. Among the purposes for this time of celebration and honoring is to ensure that we do not forget the achievements that have been realized over the years. Further, the purpose is to especially inspire the young people to contribute to the greater good of their family and the human race. Moreover, we gather for celebrations to show our love for one another and to affirm family. Lastly, we gather to eat mama's or grandma's or auntie's delicious food, hear the old stories, wisdom and instructions of the elders, and at the same time keep the family on one accord, in a sprit of love, joy, peace, gentleness, faith, meekness, and self control.
There is a mini-reunion in many of our homes after each fourth Sunday church service, or after each third Sunday church service, and so forth. This is a good thing. It is equally good to have annual family reunions. My family has had family reunions for thirty consecutive years and prior to that my Grandpa Roy would kill hog and the family would come from far and near on the third Saturday in August for the Anderson family reunion on the farm in Wilkes County. On Sunday they would all attend church service together at Reeves Chapel Baptist Church and then return to church that night for the beginning of a week of revival meeting. Some would stay several additional days into the next week for family fellowship and revival meeting which took place twice a day - at noon time and at night. Those were days that many families look back on as meaningful times in our growth and development.
This year, on the first weekend in August, the Willis-Hanson family will gather for family reunion on Saturday, August 5, at a location to be determined. They will come from far and near and their numbers will likely impact the economy of Washington in a positive way. For indeed the Willis' are a large family and they are anxious to come form all over the country to reunite with one another. The Patriarch of the Willis family is Tig Willis (1874-1948) and the Matriarch is his wife Creasy Hanson Willis (1875-1950). They were members of Cherry Grove Baptist Church. Family oral history has it that 21 children were born to them, but several died at birth and only seven or eight survived to adulthood. The oldest was Mattie Willis (1894-1974) who married Eddie Hudson. They parented six children. Next was Henry Willis (1895-1981) who married Mozelle Parks (1894-1999). They parented 10 children. The third child is Rosa Willis (1899-1998). She married Ossie McCord and they parented six children. After his death she married Deacon James Blakely. Next came Ethel Willis (1900-1990) who married Deacon Roy Anderson (1896-1977). They parented eleven children. Then came Fannie Lou Willis (19021984) who married Robert Walton and they parented seven children. Next came Carrie Willis (1905 1972) who married Jake Tate. They parented three children. Then came Ora Willis who died at a young age. The youngest child was Robert "Big Bro" Willis (1908-1998) who married Ollie Huff. They parented two children.
The descendents of all the above ancestors are invited to join in our continued celebration of family. This especially includes Sunday School and worship service on Sunday, August 6, 2006, at Reeves Chapel Baptist, followed by dinner in the church fellowship hall. The principle coordinator of the family reunion is Ms. Kizzie Hulin Stokes. A resident of Wilkes County and a member of Reeves Chapel, Ms. Stokes can be contacted at Reeves Chapel on first and third Sundays or anytime at her home at 276 W. Wooten St., Tignall, Ga. 30668. Please register your desire to attend by sending $35 for each adult over the age of eighteen. There is no cost for those family members under age eighteen. Please submit your full name, your complete address (include email address if you have one) and the name of your parents and grandparents, as far back as you can get to Tig and Creasy Willis.
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