Willis TILLER

Father: William TILLER
Mother: Mary Jane //

Family 1: Frances Laulette HULL

(1) LaGrone, Leila B., editor, "A History of Panola County, Texas 1819-1978" (Panola County Historical Commission: Carthage, TX, 1979), page 328 (entry 363). 
                     __
                  __|
                 |  |__
 _William TILLER_|
|                |   __
|                |__|
|                   |__
|
|--Willis TILLER
|
|                    __
|                 __|
|                |  |__
|_Mary Jane //___|
                 |   __
                 |__|
                    |__

Notes

Updated September 28, 2026. Compiled by Howder (www.howderfamily.com) from the following source(s):

(1) 1900 United States Census for Texas, Panola Co., Justice Precinct No. 1 (Part of), Carthage Town (not incorpoerate): Supervisor's District 7; Enumeration District 64; Sheet 7B; June 7, 1900.

William TILLER is the son of William TILLER (b. Oct 1866 in Texas) and Mary J. TILLER (b. Jun 1869 in Texas). His siblings are Marcellus (b. Jun 1887), Elton (b. Dec 1888), Roy (b. Dec 1889), Glenn (b. Apr 1895), and Noble (b. Apr 1897), all born in Texas.

- Birth date: December 1890; age 9
- Birthplace: Texas
- Attending School: Yes

(2) 1910 United States Census for Texas, Panola Co., Precinct No. 1, Carthage (part of): Supervisor's District 2; Enumeration District 121; Sheet 2A; April 15, 1910.

Willis TILLER is the son of William TILLER (age 42, b. Texas) and Mary TILLER (age 40, b. Texas). Willis is 17 years old, born in Texas and is attending school. His siblings are Marcellus (age 22), Elton (age 21), Roy (age 19), Glenn (age 15), Noble (age 13), and Allen (age 6), all born in Texas.

(3) World War I Draft Registration Cards via Ancestry.com

- Name in Full: Willis TILLER
- Home Address: Carthage, Texas
- Date of Birth: December 19, 1892
- Place of Birth: DeBerry, Texas, USA
- Employment: No employment
- Physical Characteristics: height - short; build - slender; eyes - brown; hair - black; bald - no
- Date: June 5, 1917

(4) 1920 United States Census for Texas, Panola Co., Carthage Town, Justice Precinct 1: Supervisor's District 2; Enumeration District 155; Sheet 5B; January 10, 12, 13, 1920.

Willis TILLER is the son of William TILLER (age 53, a salesman) and Mary Jane TILLER (age 50). Willis is 25 years old is a proprietor of [illegible]. His siblings are Elton (age 31), Glen (age 23), Noble (age 21), and Newsome (age 15). Everyone in the family was born in Texas. They reside on Henderson Street.

(5) 1930 United States Census for Texas, Panola Co., Carthage City, Precinct 1: Supervisor's District 12; Enumeration District 183-1; Sheet 12B; April 10, 1930.

Willie LILLER is the son of William J. LILLER (age 62, a night watchman for the city) and Mary J. LILLER (age 60). His siblings are Elton (age 42) and Noble (age 33). Everyone in the family was born in Texas.

- Address: Cross Street
- Home ownership: the household is renting at $25 per month
- Radio ownership: yes
- Age: 38 years old; single
- Birthplace: Texas, as were his parents
- Occupation: Tailor, Tailor Shop
- Occupation Code: 801V (Tailors and tailoresses)

(6) 1940 United States Census for Texas, Panola Co., Carthage City, Justice Precinct No. 1: Supervisor's District 3; Enumeration District 183-1; Sheet 19B; April 26, 1940.

Willis TILLER is head of household, married to Frances [HULL] TILLER. Frances' son from a previous marriage, Melvin HARGRAVE, also resides there. Frances furnished information to the census taker for this household.

- Address: 306 East Sabine Street
- Home: Owner, valued at $3,000, it is not a farm
- Age: 47, married
- Highest Grade of School Completed: Elementary School - 4th Grade
- Birthplace: Texas
- Residence on April 1, 1935: Same Place
- At Work: No; other
- Income Other Than Salary: Yes

(7) U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards via Ancestry.com

- Name: Willis [no middle name] TILLER
- Residence: Carthage, Panola Co., Texas
- Telephone: None
- Birth: 19 Dec 1892; DeBerry, Texas; age 49
- Contact: Glen TILLER, Carthage, Panola County, Texas (Brother)
- Employer: None
- Description: race - white; height - 5'2"; weight - 135; eyes - brown; hair - black; complexion - dark
- Other Characteristics: Scar on right arm
- Date: April 27, 1942; Carthage, Panola Co., Texas

(8) 1950 United States Census for Texas, Panola Co., Carthage: Enumeration District 183-3A; Sheet 9; April 6, 1950.

Willis TILLER is head of household, married to Francis L. [HULL] TILLER.

- Address: 98 Willington
- Farm: No; Acres: No
- Age: 57; married
- Birthplace: Texas
- Occupation Category: Unable to Work

(9) California, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists via Ancestry.com

- Ship: U.S.S. Herald of the Morning sailing from Pearl Harbor [Hawaii], October 3, 1945; arriving at Port of San Pedro [California], October 9, 1945. - Name: TILLER, Willis
- Date of Birth: 12-19-92
- Birthplace: De Berry, Texas
- Occupation: Painter USMC-Ewa #40044
- Address: Mrs. Frances TILLER; Carthage, Texas

(10) Texas, U.S., Death Certificates via Ancestry.com

- Name: Willis [no middle name listed] TILLER
- Place of Death: Collin County, Rural Precinct 1
- Length of Stay: 4 mo. 17 da.
- Hospital: VA Hospital, McKinney, Texas
- Usual Residence: General Delivery, Carthage, Panola Co., Texas
- Date of Death: January 16, 1951
- Marital Status: Married
- Usual Occupation: Painter; Painting
- Date of Birth: DeBerry, Texas
- Parents: Unknown
- Ever in U.S. Armed Forces: Yes, WW I
- Informant: Records, VA Hospital, McKinney, Texas
- Cause of Death: Rheumatic heart disease
- Autopsy: Yes
- Burial: Removal, 1-17-51; Carthage, Texas

(11) U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index via Ancestry.com

- Name: Willis TILLER
- Birth Date: 19 Dec 1893
- Birth Place: Deberry, Texas
- Death Date: 16 Jan 1951
- Claim Date: 15 Feb 1951

(12) U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans via Ancestry.com

- Name: TILLE, Willis
- Enlistment: 7-30-17
- Discharge: 8-20-18 (Hon)
- Serial No.: 1 492 269
- Pension: C 397 887
- Emblem: Christian
- State: Texas
- Service: Private, Company A, Development Battalion National Army
- Cemetery: Odd Fellow Cemetery; Carthage, Texas
- Marker: Flat Granite
- Applicant: Mrs. Frances TILLER

(13) Find a Grave

- Name: Willis TILLER
- Birth: 19 Dec 1892
- Death: 16 Jan 1951 (aged 58)
- Burial: Odd Fellows Cemetery, Carthage, Panola County, Texas, USA
- Inscription: "TEXAS PVT 133 MG BN 36 DIV WORLD WAR I"
- Memorial ID: 22356041

(14) LaGrone, Leila B., editor, "A History of Panola County, Texas 1819-1978" (Panola County Historical Commission: Carthage, TX, 1979), page 282 (entry 268) and page 328 (entry 363).

- Entry 268 provides much more detail on the Tiller family in Panola Co., TX.
- "son of William and Mary Jane Tiller of Carthage."
- He operated a restaurant and owned a tailor shop; made men's caps; applied gold leaf to office doors and windows.