CIVIL WAR VETERAN
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"Lucius Darwin Willett joined the army the last of the Civil War and was discharged. When out of the army he started west, worked for Studebaker Wagon Co. in South Bend, IN, then went to Illinois and worked for an elevator company till the elevator burned down. From there to Beloit, WI, where he bought a three year old colt, broke it to a sulky and with a bull pup for company drove to Magnolia, Iowa, where he worked in a store for a time. "One day a school Director asked him to teach his school. He said I've only had an academy education. I can't teach. Director said, I don't want you to teach, I want you to clean up a bunch of boys that have run every teacher I (hired?) out. Well, he said I'll go out and try it. The first day the ring leaders were good. The largest boy sat on a front seat and the next day he turned around and began talking and laughing with his pal behind him. When told to turn around he just laughed. Almost before he knew it, he was on the floor taking the worst licking he ever had. "From then on there was no more trouble. Years afterward the boy used to meet Mr. Willett in Woodbine and have a good laugh with him. Teaching school was not all he was doing. On March 14, 1871 he was united in marriage to Frances E. Hillis in Magnolia." SOURCE: Unidentified, handwritten sketch, courtesy of Natalie Stanko.

"WILLETT - Lucius D. WILLETT came to Harrison County in September, 1868, and settled on Allen Creek, in Magnolia Township, where he bought a piece of wild land, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres. He improved and lived upon this until the spring of 1877, when he sold and went to Nebraska, remained a short time, but sold, and came back to Harrison County, and bought the place on which he now lives, on section 33, of Boyer Township. "Mr. WILLETT hails from the old Green Mountain State, and was born in Franklin County, Vt, May 28, 1845, when seventeen years of age, went to Malone, N.Y., where he remained a year, and then enlisted in Company A, Third Vermont Infantry. This was under the last call of President Lincoln for troops to subdue the Rebellion. He served six months and was discharged at Burlington, Vt., after which he soon drifted West. "He married to Miss Frances HILLIS in Magnolia, March 15, 1871, and by this union six children were born - Abbie L., Sarah S., Harry C., Pansy M., Frederick E. and Samuel N.

"Mrs. WILLETT was born in Jones County, Iowa, January 6, 1846, and when but a small child accompanied her parents to Harrison County, where she has lived ever since, with the exception of the time she was attend the college at Grinnell, of which school she is a graduate. Both Mr . and Mrs. WILLETT are members of the Presbyterian Church. SOURCE: "HARRISON COUNTY IOWA, ONLINE BIOGRAPHY INDEXES; sketched biographies from three Harrison County histories 1891, 1915, Grove 1851-1861; this sketch probably from one of the first two.

"Last rites for L.D. Willett held Saturday.... Lucius D. Willett, who departed from this life January 9, 1930, was born May 28, 1845, in Bakersfield, Vermont. Here he grew into manhood . On the fifth day of April, 1865, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, in Company "A", 3rd Vermon t Infantry, and was discharged July 11, 1865, at Hull Hill, Virginia. "In 1868, Mr. Willett came west, making an overland trip from Beloit, Wis., to Magnolia. There, on March 14, 1871, he was united in marriage to Frances E. Hillis, who survives him. To the union six children were born, of whom Abbie L. and Samuel N. passed away prior to their father's death, and Mrs. Sadie Sternberg, Mrs. Pansy Torrey, Harry C. Willett and Dr. F. W . Willett, together with seven grandchildren, Arthur W. Sternberg, Theodore Willett Torrey, Samuel N. Willett, jr., Frances L. Willett, Joe S. Willett, Mary Natalie Willett, and Dwight E . Willett, survive. "Mr. Willett was a farmer by occupation. He enjoyed people, living and was full of fun, but along with this went an earnest Christian life. Before leaving Vermont he had joined the Congregational church and upon coming to Woodbine became a charter member of the First Presbyterian Church of this place in which membership he continued until his death. He was a man of consistent life. He never held a grudge, which trait, he thought ill became a Christian whom Christ had forgiven everything, and Christ's commission to His church, he read in this way , "Go ye Lucius Willett into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature," and since he could not go in person, he went by proxy. "Mr. Willett was no respecter of persons, and for years he found great enjoyment in an opportunity for service near his own home, when on each Sunday afternoon, he carried his bible and hymn book to the county poor farm and held a service for the inmates there...." OBITUARY: 'The Woodbine Twiner', January 16, 1930.

CIVIL WAR VETERAN
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"Lucius Darwin Willett joined the army the last of the Civil War and was discharged. When out of the army he started west, worked for Studebaker Wagon Co. in South Bend, IN, then went to Illinois and worked for an elevator company till the elevator burned down. From there to Beloit, WI, where he bought a three year old colt, broke it to a sulky and with a bull pup for company drove to Magnolia, Iowa, where he worked in a store for a time. "One day a school Director asked him to teach his school. He said I've only had an academy education. I can't teach. Director said, I don't want you to teach, I want you to clean up a bunch of boys that have run every teacher I (hired?) out. Well, he said I'll go out and try it. The first day the ring leaders were good. The largest boy sat on a front seat and the next day he turned around and began talking and laughing with his pal behind him. When told to turn around he just laughed. Almost before he knew it, he was on the floor taking the worst licking he ever had. "From then on there was no more trouble. Years afterward the boy used to meet Mr. Willett in Woodbine and have a good laugh with him. Teaching school was not all he was doing. On March 14, 1871 he was united in marriage to Frances E. Hillis in Magnolia." SOURCE: Unidentified, handwritten sketch, courtesy of Natalie Stanko.

"WILLETT - Lucius D. WILLETT came to Harrison County in September, 1868, and settled on Allen Creek, in Magnolia Township, where he bought a piece of wild land, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres. He improved and lived upon this until the spring of 1877, when he sold and went to Nebraska, remained a short time, but sold, and came back to Harrison County, and bought the place on which he now lives, on section 33, of Boyer Township. "Mr. WILLETT hails from the old Green Mountain State, and was born in Franklin County, Vt, May 28, 1845, when seventeen years of age, went to Malone, N.Y., where he remained a year, and then enlisted in Company A, Third Vermont Infantry. This was under the last call of President Lincoln for troops to subdue the Rebellion. He served six months and was discharged at Burlington, Vt., after which he soon drifted West. "He married to Miss Frances HILLIS in Magnolia, March 15, 1871, and by this union six children were born - Abbie L., Sarah S., Harry C., Pansy M., Frederick E. and Samuel N.

"Mrs. WILLETT was born in Jones County, Iowa, January 6, 1846, and when but a small child accompanied her parents to Harrison County, where she has lived ever since, with the exception of the time she was attend the college at Grinnell, of which school she is a graduate. Both Mr . and Mrs. WILLETT are members of the Presbyterian Church. SOURCE: "HARRISON COUNTY IOWA, ONLINE BIOGRAPHY INDEXES; sketched biographies from three Harrison County histories 1891, 1915, Grove 1851-1861; this sketch probably from one of the first two.

"Last rites for L.D. Willett held Saturday.... Lucius D. Willett, who departed from this life January 9, 1930, was born May 28, 1845, in Bakersfield, Vermont. Here he grew into manhood . On the fifth day of April, 1865, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, in Company "A", 3rd Vermon t Infantry, and was discharged July 11, 1865, at Hull Hill, Virginia. "In 1868, Mr. Willett came west, making an overland trip from Beloit, Wis., to Magnolia. There, on March 14, 1871, he was united in marriage to Frances E. Hillis, who survives him. To the union six children were born, of whom Abbie L. and Samuel N. passed away prior to their father's death, and Mrs. Sadie Sternberg, Mrs. Pansy Torrey, Harry C. Willett and Dr. F. W . Willett, together with seven grandchildren, Arthur W. Sternberg, Theodore Willett Torrey, Samuel N. Willett, jr., Frances L. Willett, Joe S. Willett, Mary Natalie Willett, and Dwight E . Willett, survive. "Mr. Willett was a farmer by occupation. He enjoyed people, living and was full of fun, but along with this went an earnest Christian life. Before leaving Vermont he had joined the Congregational church and upon coming to Woodbine became a charter member of the First Presbyterian Church of this place in which membership he continued until his death. He was a man of consistent life. He never held a grudge, which trait, he thought ill became a Christian whom Christ had forgiven everything, and Christ's commission to His church, he read in this way , "Go ye Lucius Willett into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature," and since he could not go in person, he went by proxy. "Mr. Willett was no respecter of persons, and for years he found great enjoyment in an opportunity for service near his own home, when on each Sunday afternoon, he carried his bible and hymn book to the county poor farm and held a service for the inmates there...." OBITUARY: 'The Woodbine Twiner', January 16, 1930.