"An Illustrated History of the Big Bend Country; Embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin Counties; State of Washington". Spokane, Western Historical Publishing Company, Publishers, 1904. pp. 855-856. JOHN A. WILLIS, a prominent farmer and postmaster of the postoffice which bears his name in Adams county, was born in Jefferson county, Iowa, January 1, 1859, was educated in the state of his birth, and at the age of twenty-one started in life for himself as a farmer. He rented a farm in Iowa, which he cultivated for six years and in 1886 he came to his present locality and filed upon the homestead where he now lives. With the exception of J. H. Cusick, now a resident of Ritzville, Fred and C. P. Lowe, and David Kirby, Mr. Willis was the first settler in his section of Adams county. As he came to the country with only two hundred dollars he found it very difficult to make improvements on his land, and was compelled for a number of years to work in the harvest fields of Columbia county in order to make a living. In 1889 he broke ten acres of sod on his land, the next year one hundred acres, and since that time he has made his living and more from his land. From time to t! ime he has by purchase added to the extent of his farm until he now has eight hundred acres of choice agricultural land all under cultivation and well improved. His land is abundantly supplied with water, produces a fine orchard and is improved with a handsome house and many large and up-to-date outbuildings, making it one of the best farms in appearance in the county. John A. Willis is the son of Shelby and Sarah J. (Bradley) Willis, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Indiana. The parents settled in Iowa during the early days, and there spent the greater portion of their lives, in fact the mother died there. In 1894 the father removed to Kansas, where he still lives at the age of seventy-six years. He was a Civil war soldier, and his business all during his life has been farming. Mr. Willis is a member of a family originally comprising ten children, of whom six survived Mrs. Mary Wilson, John A., Mrs. Etha Waln, Mrs. Lucy Kelley, James S., and Mrs. May Bicknell. On December 24, 1883, John A. Willis was married to Mary E. Newhirter, daughter of James and Sarah J. Newhirter, both born in Ohio. They were early settlers in Iowa, where they lived until the death of the father in 1896. The mother is now making her home with the subject of this sketch. They were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom are now living, Adam, Mrs. Lydia Foulk, Daniel, Mrs. Willis, Mrs. Rachel Smith, Mrs. Jane Buck, Brough, Marvin, and Mrs. Iva Eason. To Mr. and Mrs. Willis have been born seven children, two of whom have passed away. Those now living are : Chloe, married to Peter Teynor; Wroe, Dean M., Claud, and Claire, the latter four living with their father Achsach and Hazel are dead. Mr. Willis, in regard to politics, was originally a member of the Greenback party, but is now a Populist. He has served four years as county commissioner of Adams county, and in 1892 was appointed postmaster at Willis, and is still the popular incumbent of that office. He has ever been an active man in matters pertaining to the betterment of the educational facilities of his locality and has assisted in the organization of his home school district. He is a member of the W. O. W. and of the Methodist Episcopal church. Submitted by: Georgia Harter Williams, georgiahw@earthlink.net