Salem Pioneer Cemetery ~ Leonidas Willis ~ part of the Marion County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
Leonidas Willis
LAST NAME: Willis FIRST NAME: Leonidas MIDDLE NAME:  NICKNAME: 
MAIDEN NAME:  AKA 1:  AKA 2:  AKA 3: 
TITLE: Mr. GENDER: M MILITARY: Civil War, Confederate
BORN: 11 Sept 1831 DIED: 10 Apr 1899 BURIED: 12 Apr 1899
ETHNICITY:   OCCUPATION:  Businessman
BIRTH PLACE:  Huntsville, Alabama
DEATH PLACE: Salem, Marion Co., Oregon
NOTES: 
IOOF REGISTER - Leo Willis, age 67 years and 5 month, died at the corner of Center and Capital sts, of cattarrh of the stomach, "crossed the plains in 1871"; 
1880 CENSUS - enumerates Leo Willis, age 49, occupation fire insurance agent, b. in Alabama (father b. NY & mother b. VA) with wife Carolina, age 41, b. in Georgia, and 4 children - Eugene (21), Percy (15), Leona (13) and Horace (8), and nephew Hugh, age 23 and a photographer. 

BIOGRAPHICAL: Leonidas Willis was one of the three Confederate Soldiers buried in Pioneer Cemetery. 
OBITUARY: 
ANOTHER SALEMITE GONE 
After a Year’s Illness Leonidas Willis Passes Away - Funeral Wednesday.  
Leonidas Willis died at his residence, No. 356 Capital street, in this city at 3 o’ clock yesterday morning, aged 67 years 6 months and 29 days, after a year’s illness, catarrh of the stomach being the immediate cause of death. While Mr. Willis had been in feeble health for several months, he was not confined to his room but for a day or two at a time, and was down town only last Friday; thus his death though not unexpected was quite a shock to his family.
The deceased was born at Huntsville, Alabama, September 11, 1831 and two years later he was left an orphan.  At the age of 16 years he removed with his foster parents to New Orleans.  Five years later he went to Gonzales, Texas, where on Thanksgiving day,--November 26, 1857, he was married.  His wife survives him. 
When the civil war broke out in 1861, his sympathies naturally being with the South, Mr. Willis enlisted in the service of the Confederacy and ere the close of the war saw much active service, his field of operation being principally in Arkansas and Mississippi.  He was colonel of a battalion of cavalry and under command of General Forrest.  
Deceased came to Oregon in 1871 settling in Salem, when he purchased the property where the family home is now located. Soon after reaching this city, he associated himself with J. J. Dairymple and R. M. Wade in the dry goods business and subsequently engaged in the hardware business from which by reason of his failing health, he was obliged to retire.  For the last several years he did a fire insurance and real estate business.
The deceased was in no sense of the word an office-seeker, being content with the lot of a private citizen, although while in Texas he served his county faithfully as district clerk for several years.  He was not a member of any secret order but held membership with the Unity society of this city.  The deceased leaves besides a wife, five children - three sons and two daughters - as follows: Eugene Willis, of the firm of Willis Bros. & Co., of this city: Major Percy Willis, in the Philippines; and Horace A. Willis of Seattle; Mrs. Lenore Piper, of Seattle; and Miss Carrie Willis, of this city. 
Oregon Statesman 14 Apr 1899 3:2 

FUNERAL TODAY - Funeral services over the remains of the late Leonidas Willis, will be held at the family residence at 2 o'clock this afternoon, instead of 1:30 as previously announced. Rev. W.E. Copeland, of Unity church, will officiate at the services and interment will be had in Rural cemetery. 
Oregon Statesman 12 April 1899 5:6

Mrs. E.B. Piper and children, who were called to this city to attend the funeral of her father, Leo Willis, left Sunday afternoon for her home at Seattle, accompanied by her mother, Mrs. Willis, who will visit relatives in the "Queen City" for a month or six weeks. Oregon Statesman 25 Apr 1899 8:6
INSCRIPTION: 
Leonidas Willis
Born Sept. 11, 1831
Died April 10 1899
Colonel in the Confederate Army under Gen. N. B. Forrest 1861 - 65
(West face of monument shared with Carrie and Horace)  


[2nd individual marker]:
Leonidas Willis
Confederate States Army 
Sep. 11, 1831 - Apr. 10, 1899
SOURCES: 
LD 
IOOF REGISTER
1880 OR CENSUS (Marion Co., E. Salem, ED 80, FA #195) 
DAR pg 76
OS 12 Apr 1899 5:6 
OS 14 Apr 1899 3:2 
OS 25 Apr 1899 8:6
CONTACTS: 
LOT: 902 SPACE:  LONGITUDE: N 55° 44.168' LATITUDE: W 123° 03.003'
IMAGES: