Born in 1794, William Willis was a distinguished historian, lawyer, and respected citizen of Portland, one of the generation that “inherited the Revolution.”* In 1833 he published his 'History of Portland,' and 31 years later, a revised version using notes he had gathered in the interval. His book is still useful, and has anecdotes of local history and genealogies that are not available elsewhere. He was a founder of the Portland Public Library, and left them his collections, including his hand-written diary. He also served as president of the Maine Historical Society from 1855 to 1865.
Willis was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the son of a merchant, Benjamin Willis, and Mary McKinstry Willis. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard College. He had a law practice in Portland and participated in civic affairs of all kinds, but his passion was history.
In a fond obituary, the Portland Daily Eastern Argus of Feb. 21, 1870 reported that his pallbearers were the ex-mayors of Portland, and that the members of the Cumberland County bar walked behind the carriages. “The procession moved on its way to Evergreen Cemetery, the bell of the First Parish tolling its requiem.”
He was “one so universally loved and respected…and possessed a mind of no common order…he subjected literary and historical witnesses to a rigid cross-examination.”
jj
*A reference to Joyce Appleby's book, 'Inheriting the Revolution,' about the unique qualities of the Americans born between 1776 and 1800.
Willis was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the son of a merchant, Benjamin Willis, and Mary McKinstry Willis. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard College. He had a law practice in Portland and participated in civic affairs of all kinds, but his passion was history.
In a fond obituary, the Portland Daily Eastern Argus of Feb. 21, 1870 reported that his pallbearers were the ex-mayors of Portland, and that the members of the Cumberland County bar walked behind the carriages. “The procession moved on its way to Evergreen Cemetery, the bell of the First Parish tolling its requiem.”
He was “one so universally loved and respected…and possessed a mind of no common order…he subjected literary and historical witnesses to a rigid cross-examination.”
jj
*A reference to Joyce Appleby's book, 'Inheriting the Revolution,' about the unique qualities of the Americans born between 1776 and 1800.
Born in 1794, William Willis was a distinguished historian, lawyer, and respected citizen of Portland, one of the generation that “inherited the Revolution.”* In 1833 he published his 'History of Portland,' and 31 years later, a revised version using notes he had gathered in the interval. His book is still useful, and has anecdotes of local history and genealogies that are not available elsewhere. He was a founder of the Portland Public Library, and left them his collections, including his hand-written diary. He also served as president of the Maine Historical Society from 1855 to 1865.
Willis was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the son of a merchant, Benjamin Willis, and Mary McKinstry Willis. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard College. He had a law practice in Portland and participated in civic affairs of all kinds, but his passion was history.
In a fond obituary, the Portland Daily Eastern Argus of Feb. 21, 1870 reported that his pallbearers were the ex-mayors of Portland, and that the members of the Cumberland County bar walked behind the carriages. “The procession moved on its way to Evergreen Cemetery, the bell of the First Parish tolling its requiem.”
He was “one so universally loved and respected…and possessed a mind of no common order…he subjected literary and historical witnesses to a rigid cross-examination.”
jj
*A reference to Joyce Appleby's book, 'Inheriting the Revolution,' about the unique qualities of the Americans born between 1776 and 1800.
Willis was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the son of a merchant, Benjamin Willis, and Mary McKinstry Willis. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard College. He had a law practice in Portland and participated in civic affairs of all kinds, but his passion was history.
In a fond obituary, the Portland Daily Eastern Argus of Feb. 21, 1870 reported that his pallbearers were the ex-mayors of Portland, and that the members of the Cumberland County bar walked behind the carriages. “The procession moved on its way to Evergreen Cemetery, the bell of the First Parish tolling its requiem.”
He was “one so universally loved and respected…and possessed a mind of no common order…he subjected literary and historical witnesses to a rigid cross-examination.”
jj
*A reference to Joyce Appleby's book, 'Inheriting the Revolution,' about the unique qualities of the Americans born between 1776 and 1800.
Gravesite Details
75 years
Family Members
Siblings
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