Cindy, Hi...I checked out my census index for your guy, Thomas Willis...and find that in 1850, he appears in Rock Island County, Illinois, Dist 37 township page 259. I am VERY interested in movement between these two counties of Rock Island and Will Co Illinois in the years around 1840 to 1860. My gg grandfather, Pierce B. Bissell , birthplace unknown, born about 1816-20 moved between these two locations in 1850-53. I have placed people with the same VT , and Mass origins in both locations as well. There are some possible interesting coincidences regarding the name you requested...as in the locations I found it in various years. Please contact me directly to discuss some of this. I can help you possibly locate him in other censuses..,.and I would be very curious as to the exact location in 1860. 1850 Rock Island Thomas Willes 63 MD Polly 56 MD William 30- MD Albert 38 MD Jane Hill 35 MD Thomas Hill 10 ILL George 8 ILL Katherine 6 ILL Charles 4 ILL It would appear that Jane was a widowed daughter perhaps...and the kids were grandkids of old Thomas. Note...there appear to be other Willis's nearby...including a John Willes next door. There is also a Lambert Willes 33 MD and family there in Rock Island. In 1860....I find two likely possibilities Thomas S. Willes Ripley Co, Washington Twp, INDIANA page 488 Thomas Willis, Iroquois Co, Loda page 300 I am most interested in determining if your Thomas was the one in Iroquois Co...which is close to Will Co, right? If so...he appears just a few pages away from another Bissell family....one which I have connected back to those VT and Mass locations I referred to earlier. I don't see Thomas Willis in 1870. The closest I came to a Willes/Willis or variant spelling of the right age...was a Wm Willes 84 born NY Montgomery Co, Walshville Twp page 256. I may have him located in 1840....but not before that. I would certainly like to know where he was hanging out to see if there are any possible connections. Please share with me,if you would be so kind, what you might know about this guy and his wanderings. I would like to keep in touch Julie BISSELL Tupker