Isaac>James>John Milton>Russell Holman Willis
BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE
Russell Holman Willis was born in Marshall MO January 12, 1880 to John Milton Willis and Mary Young Holman Willis.
1884 Missouri State Mission Board donation contributions
list the 4 year old R H Willis, his daddy J M Willis and their family.
Russell Holman Willis, Age 13
In 1884, the family moved to Florida in an attempt to improve his father’s ailing health. The attempt seems to have failed, as his father’s health did not improve much, and he and four of his siblings (Louie E. Willis- 1879-1892, John M. Willis Jr.- 1882-1890, Henry Talbird Willis 1886-1892, and Mary Holman Willis 1894-1904) became gravely ill at different times while living there. While in Florida, his father John Milton Willis gave his heart to God and, like his father-in-law, became a baptist missionary. He preached in Florida for a few years, and then moved Russell Holman Willis and the rest of their family to Lynchburg Virginia. Russell Holman Willis at that time went to Richmond College, like his father, to study law (also like his father).
The difficult times in Florida and the significant move to Virginia according to tradition, left a bitter taste in Holman Willis’ mouth for the ministry, but he remained a devout Baptist for many years. Yet another trait in common with his father, a stern Baptist upbringing seems to have given him moral purpose in his practice of the law, as well as a reputation for being an upstanding and trustworthy business man and attorney.
COLLEGE AND LEGAL SUCCESSES
Graduation announcement in the Richomond Newspaper
R H Willis began practicing law in Buena Vista, VA in 1904 (alongside his 1st cousin A. Willis Robertson) and was apparently visiting Roanoke by 1908 (by one newspaper account he was venturing while on a racy and well published case of prosecuting to ‘handsome ladies’) to make business acquaintances and no doubt looking to expand his practice and fortunes in the much larger city. After his father, John Milton Willis died in May of 1909, he made the move to Roanoke.
Within ten years of beginning his practice, R.H. Willis was a one of two attorneys in the sensational 1911 trial case that lead to the removal of to the mayor, Joel H. Cutchin for corruption. Roanoke was still in transition from being a wild-west-like railroad town to a modern center of commerce and the mayor had allowed several houses of “ill fame” to continue operation-he even provided for the maintenance and well being of said houses. Cutchin went back to practicing law after the trial an was elected as a judge in 1913. He ran again for mayor in 1916 but was defeated.
On or about this time, Russell Holman Willis earned for himself a seat on Mountain Trust Bank’s board of trustees and continued to practice law. He was soon after elected to represent the City of Roanoke in the 108th and 109th Virginia General Assembly and was thusly a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1914 to 1918. He was also invited to give the 1918 commencement speech at VPI, now known as Virginia Tech.
Article from “Who’s In finance and Banking” 1920-22 issue
In perhaps his most famous legal dealing, R Holman Willis was a lawyer in the case that became the scene of The Hillsville Massacre March 14, 1912. Willis, thankfully however was not present in the courtroom during the shooting. Family oral history maintains that he came into possession of the weapon that fired the first shot, but said gun was said to be stolen in a home burglary. He had represented Mr. Allen, who was put to death for his participation in the incident despite a well orated appeal by Mr. R H Willis.
R H Willis, 1916 General Assembly of VA
MARRIAGE
Family oral tradition so tells that Russell Holman Willis was riding on a train, likely from Lexington to Roanoke of vice-versa and was introduced to a woman of notoriety, Bess Bennett Brower. She was an impressive musician and principal of a Lexington elementary school (also second President of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority). He was quite taken by her and impressed by her strong will and personal success. The match would likely have been a very advantageous one for Willis as well, for he was quickly outgrowing his meager baptist mission roots. The two were married on June 18th, 1913.
Family lore also has it that Bess Bennett Brower was a phenomenal bridge player and a social drinker along with it. After much persistence it is said that she persuaded Russell Holman Willis to join the Episcopal church, which he did begrudgingly and insisted that he be baptized alone, which according to tradition he was. There is another version of the same in which Willis was a lay minister until he had a falling out with his pastor. Another old tale goes, that Russell Holman converted in after enjoying a fire with Bess in their later years- Bess looked up at Russel and said “Holman (as he preferred to be called), you’re still a Baptist, and when you die you’re going to be up there in heaven in a stiff collar, with all those Baptists in church praising the lord, while I’m playing cards and drinking sherry.” In any case, Bess raised their children in the Episcopalian tradition as well, braking over a century of Baptist tradition on both sides of Russell Holman Willis’ family.
Bess Bennet Brower c. 1900 from Tri Sigma Sorority
LATER LIFE
In 1932, the Rockydale Stone Company defaulted on a loan granted to them by the Mountain Trust Bank of which Russell Holman Willis was a board member. Willis took on running the quarry and changed the name to Rockydale Quarries, which is still in operation to this day. He retired in Roanoke, and fell ill just after the second World War.
Russell Holman Willis passed away on August 9, 1954.