Henry Willis

I am working from other peoples research, which I shall acknowledge. I do try to confirm records but it is not always possible to do so. Therefore I shall colour information that I have verified. I also want to note records it would be helpful to look at.
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Henry Willis lived and died before the census and civil registration. We only have limited information to go on. We do not know where he came from.
This information on the Willis family came from Max's Tree which used to be online - I think from the Trewartha family.

Henry Willis married Slaidburn parish church 11Feb 1797
Bridget Turner

their children
John Willis christened Slaidburn 25 Dec 1797
Ellen Willis christened Slaidburn 29 Nov 1799
(I have not found these two in the indexes of Slaidburn on Ancestry)
Edmund Willis christened Clapham *
Henry Willis christened Clapham 8 Nov 1807 born 8 Oct 1807, Dubgarth
Ann Willis christened Clapham 5 Oct 1812 born 5 Sep 1812, Dubgarth
Isabella Willis christened Clapham 5 June 1814, Green Close
Nicholas Willis christened Clapham 17 Oct 1819, Tewit Hall, farmer
Joseph Willis christened Clapham 2 Oct 1821, Tewit Hall
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The images of the parish register of Clapham is on Findmypast.
Henry Willis of Clapham was buried there 29 Dec 1831 aged 24 (son)
Bridget Willis  of Clapham buried 26 June 1833 age 55 (wife)
Henry Willis of Clapham buried 29 Jan 1834 age 78

Joseph Willis of Austwick buried 20 March 1834 age 86.
At this time I do not think this Joseph is related to Henry.
His death was in the Lancaster Gazette March 22 1834
On the 17th inst. at Austwick Mr Joseph Willis at the advanced age of 86, father of Mr. Willis, solicitor of this town.
None of our Willis's deaths were in the newspapers.
I do not think Henry left a will either.
Early wills for this area are at Lancashire Records Office in Preston.
There are two we should look at - both I do not think are our Willis.
For the above
WRW/L/R643/105 1 May 1834
Joseph Willis, Yeoman, Austwick
and probably from his family
WRW/L/R635/102 13 Apr 1811
Joseph Willis, Yeoman, Austwick
If Henry had made a will it would be there.

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*I think this was a mistake, and should have been Edward.
Only the father noted as Henry.
Bridget's father was Edward, it could be that Henry's father was John. Bridget's oldest brother also called John.
Note the gap between Edmund/Edward and Henry 6 years.
This was the time of the Napoleonic wars. The country feared an invasion by Napoleon.
notesfrombywaters.co.uk mentions 1803 muster rolls of Austwick, and 1807 registers of electors in Clapham and Austwick.

If the age on the burial is correct Henry Willis would have been born about 1756.
There seems to be a big age gap between Henry and Bridget. (20 years)
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The parish register for Slaidburn is at Lancashire record office.
But I did find Bishop Transcript marriages for Slaidburn on Findmypast.

Henry Willis of the parish of Slaidburn Husbandman
and Bridget Turner of the same parish Spinster
were married in this church by publication of Banns
this Eleventh day of Febuary in the year one thousand seven hundred and
ninty seven.
By me Joseph Bowman curate
Henry Willis
Bridget Turner - her mark
In the presence of
Henry Maudsley
Wm Slaiter

Wm Slaiter was witness to many of the marriages, so probably has no relevance.
Henry Willis could sign his name.
He was probably a tenant farmer (husbandman).
Bridget Turner was a local girl - we will look at her family later.
Her parents were Edward Turner and Ellen Heaton, and they had a large family from the look of it.
Speculation - the two names of the Willis children which do not appear in Bridget's immediate family are Ann and Nicholas so they might be Willis names.