Joseph Willis facts for kids

Joseph Willis was an important religious leader in the early 1800s. Many historians call him the "father of the Baptist religion in Louisiana". He helped start many Baptist churches in the area.

Willis was born in 1758 in North Carolina. His father, Agerton Willis, was English, and his mother was a Cherokee slave. This meant Joseph was born into slavery. His father wanted him to be free and said so in his will. However, some family members tried to stop Joseph from gaining his freedom.

Fighting for Freedom and a New Start

Joseph Willis was a brave soldier during the American Revolutionary War. He fought with a group called the "Marion Men" under General Francis Marion. General Marion was known as "The Swamp Fox" because he used clever tactics like guerrilla warfare, which means fighting in small groups and using surprise attacks.

After the war, Joseph's cousins, General John Willis and Daniel Willis, helped him. They asked for his freedom, and he finally became a freedman. This meant he was a person who had been freed from slavery.

Around the time the United States bought Louisiana (the Louisiana Purchase), Joseph decided to start a new life. He left the Carolinas and traveled west. People say he crossed the mighty Mississippi River on just his horse! The Willis family has strong connections to the early history of America and the Baptist Church. They were also part of a big religious movement in the 1800s called the "Great Awakening."

Spreading the Baptist Faith

Joseph Willis worked hard to spread the Baptist faith. His first attempt to start a church was not successful. But he didn't give up! He tried again and was able to build a strong church in Opelousas. This town is the main city in St. Landry Parish.

Willis is also known as the "Father of the Red Bones." This is a group of people with mixed Native American heritage, mainly from the Cherokee and Lumbee tribes.

When Reverend Joseph Willis passed away, many years later, a large number of mixed-heritage Native Americans traveled to honor him. He is remembered as the first person to preach a Baptist sermon west of the Mississippi River. He is buried at a place called Occupy No. 1 in Louisiana.