Civil War: Company G, 8th California Infantry
Samuel Willis was born in North Carolina about 1841, the son of Daniel Willis and Maria. He eventually made his way to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he obtained passage to San Francisco, California. During the Civil War he enlisted as a private at San Francisco on April 3, 1865, and was mustered into Company G, 8th California Infantry, as a "colored undercook." Private Willis was mustered out at Fort Point (San Francisco) October 24, 1865, for disability (Orton, 818). Private Willis fell through an open hatch on a steamer and broke a rib, which resulted in kidney damage when it was not treated. After the war Samuel returned to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he married (1) Mary A. Jones about 1868. He appears as a resident at New Bedford with Mary and their children in 1870 and 1880 (US Census). After Mary's death in 1883 he married (2) Georgiana Johnson at New Bedford on October 27, 1887. Samuel filed for a Civil War veteran's pension at New Bedford August 8, 1890, and received application No. 870,177 and certificate No. 650,262. After his death in 1892, Georgianna filed for a Civil War widow's pension at New Bedford June 13, 1892, and received application No. 552,775 and certificate No. 367,693, which included a payment for a surviving minor child, Mabel C. Willis, for whom Georgiana was appointed guardian.
NOTE: According to J. Carlyle Parker, compiler of "A Personal Name Index to Orton’s Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867,” Samuel Willis was among the 31 African-Americans who served within the integrated companies of the California Volunteers during the American Civil War (pg. 153). His name does NOT appear on the African-American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
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Children:
(with Mary; all born New Bedford)
- Sarah J. (1869)
- Mary A. (1872)
- Maria L. (1875)
- Samuel (1880-before June 1883)
- Mabel C. (July 16, 1883)
Samuel Willis was born in North Carolina about 1841, the son of Daniel Willis and Maria. He eventually made his way to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he obtained passage to San Francisco, California. During the Civil War he enlisted as a private at San Francisco on April 3, 1865, and was mustered into Company G, 8th California Infantry, as a "colored undercook." Private Willis was mustered out at Fort Point (San Francisco) October 24, 1865, for disability (Orton, 818). Private Willis fell through an open hatch on a steamer and broke a rib, which resulted in kidney damage when it was not treated. After the war Samuel returned to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he married (1) Mary A. Jones about 1868. He appears as a resident at New Bedford with Mary and their children in 1870 and 1880 (US Census). After Mary's death in 1883 he married (2) Georgiana Johnson at New Bedford on October 27, 1887. Samuel filed for a Civil War veteran's pension at New Bedford August 8, 1890, and received application No. 870,177 and certificate No. 650,262. After his death in 1892, Georgianna filed for a Civil War widow's pension at New Bedford June 13, 1892, and received application No. 552,775 and certificate No. 367,693, which included a payment for a surviving minor child, Mabel C. Willis, for whom Georgiana was appointed guardian.
NOTE: According to J. Carlyle Parker, compiler of "A Personal Name Index to Orton’s Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867,” Samuel Willis was among the 31 African-Americans who served within the integrated companies of the California Volunteers during the American Civil War (pg. 153). His name does NOT appear on the African-American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
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Children:
(with Mary; all born New Bedford)
- Sarah J. (1869)
- Mary A. (1872)
- Maria L. (1875)
- Samuel (1880-before June 1883)
- Mabel C. (July 16, 1883)
Civil War: Company G, 8th California Infantry
Samuel Willis was born in North Carolina about 1841, the son of Daniel Willis and Maria. He eventually made his way to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he obtained passage to San Francisco, California. During the Civil War he enlisted as a private at San Francisco on April 3, 1865, and was mustered into Company G, 8th California Infantry, as a "colored undercook." Private Willis was mustered out at Fort Point (San Francisco) October 24, 1865, for disability (Orton, 818). Private Willis fell through an open hatch on a steamer and broke a rib, which resulted in kidney damage when it was not treated. After the war Samuel returned to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he married (1) Mary A. Jones about 1868. He appears as a resident at New Bedford with Mary and their children in 1870 and 1880 (US Census). After Mary's death in 1883 he married (2) Georgiana Johnson at New Bedford on October 27, 1887. Samuel filed for a Civil War veteran's pension at New Bedford August 8, 1890, and received application No. 870,177 and certificate No. 650,262. After his death in 1892, Georgianna filed for a Civil War widow's pension at New Bedford June 13, 1892, and received application No. 552,775 and certificate No. 367,693, which included a payment for a surviving minor child, Mabel C. Willis, for whom Georgiana was appointed guardian.
NOTE: According to J. Carlyle Parker, compiler of "A Personal Name Index to Orton’s Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867,” Samuel Willis was among the 31 African-Americans who served within the integrated companies of the California Volunteers during the American Civil War (pg. 153). His name does NOT appear on the African-American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
---
Children:
(with Mary; all born New Bedford)
- Sarah J. (1869)
- Mary A. (1872)
- Maria L. (1875)
- Samuel (1880-before June 1883)
- Mabel C. (July 16, 1883)
Samuel Willis was born in North Carolina about 1841, the son of Daniel Willis and Maria. He eventually made his way to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he obtained passage to San Francisco, California. During the Civil War he enlisted as a private at San Francisco on April 3, 1865, and was mustered into Company G, 8th California Infantry, as a "colored undercook." Private Willis was mustered out at Fort Point (San Francisco) October 24, 1865, for disability (Orton, 818). Private Willis fell through an open hatch on a steamer and broke a rib, which resulted in kidney damage when it was not treated. After the war Samuel returned to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he married (1) Mary A. Jones about 1868. He appears as a resident at New Bedford with Mary and their children in 1870 and 1880 (US Census). After Mary's death in 1883 he married (2) Georgiana Johnson at New Bedford on October 27, 1887. Samuel filed for a Civil War veteran's pension at New Bedford August 8, 1890, and received application No. 870,177 and certificate No. 650,262. After his death in 1892, Georgianna filed for a Civil War widow's pension at New Bedford June 13, 1892, and received application No. 552,775 and certificate No. 367,693, which included a payment for a surviving minor child, Mabel C. Willis, for whom Georgiana was appointed guardian.
NOTE: According to J. Carlyle Parker, compiler of "A Personal Name Index to Orton’s Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867,” Samuel Willis was among the 31 African-Americans who served within the integrated companies of the California Volunteers during the American Civil War (pg. 153). His name does NOT appear on the African-American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
---
Children:
(with Mary; all born New Bedford)
- Sarah J. (1869)
- Mary A. (1872)
- Maria L. (1875)
- Samuel (1880-before June 1883)
- Mabel C. (July 16, 1883)
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