Aged 88 years - 10 months - 20 days
David Willis was born in Floyd County Virginia April 13?
1836, the son of Jonathan Willis and his wife Arabella Phlegar
Willis. He died at Floyd, Virginia on March 3, 1925 and is survived
by his five children; Mrs. H.P. Hinman, Roanoke; Miss Maggie M.
Willis, Willis; Miss Mary E. Willis, Floyd; Mrs. M.F. Brumbaugh,
Salem; Mrs. H.R. Bishop, Cliffview.
In 1866 he was married to Miss Ellen Phlegar, who died five years
ago.
The home of David Willis at Floyd where he died has been in his
family since 1806 and he had lived there for 78 years where he
_____ at the age of ten years to live with his Grandfather,
Abram Phlegar. Abram Phlegar was one of the men that brought
about the formation of the county and gave the land for the courthouse
square.
David Willis was one of the best known and highly esteemed men
in the county. Since his youth he had been a member of the Lutheran
Church and an Elder of that church for more than forty years.
It can be truly said of him, as it was said of Barnabus, that
he was a good man.
He came of a stock that was faithful in the service of their country.
Hi mothers Grandfather, George Frederick Phlegar, was a soldier
of the Revolution and was with Washington's Army at Valley Forge.
It is said that seven members of the Phlegar Family were soldiers
of the Revolution. This is the same family to which Judge Archer
A. Phlegar, a first cousin and life long friend of David Willis,
belonged.
David Willis grandfather Bennett Willis was a soldier in the War
of 1812.
David Willis himself was a gallant confederate soldier. He volunteered
in the early days of the war and was a member of Company D. of
the famous 54th Virginia Regiment where he rose to be lieutenant
He was in the battle of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Dalton
______, Zions Church and many other great battles of the war.
At Zions Church and before the battle, his company was resigned
to certain picket duty from which duty every member of the company
deserted and went to the enemy accept David Willis, Simon Phlegar
and Washington Werick, but these three bravely held the post until
relieved by another company of their regiment. In the battle
of Zions Church that followed David Willis was severely and dangerously
wounded but rejoined his regiment in the fall of 1864 and was
in the service when Lee surrendered at Appomattox.
All honor is due men like David Willis, brave and loyal in time
of war, faithful, devoted and concentrated in time of peace..
His life a worthy example for those that come after.
In the most trying days that his state and country ever knew he
was one of the most faithful of those whose heroic deeds covered
the soldiers of Virginia and the south with imperishable glory.
Only a few more years and the heroes of that day will all but
be gone from the earth, but, "On fames eternal camping grounds
their silent tents are spread, while glory with her solemn rounds
keeps the bivouac of the dead."