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1)When my Great-great-great grandfather Sandy Wills risked life and limb by fleeing his slave plantation in Haywood County, Tennessee, he stood before an enlistment officer at an army installation in 1863 and defiantly stated his independence. Because he was illiterate, like most slaves, he didn’t realize they misspelled his last name “Willis”. I’m very proud that for occupation, Sandy is listed as a farmer – my Great-great-great was a revolutionary from the start: he was legally a slave – but in his heart he was already a free man!

2)My Great-great-great grandfather was not the only one to escape Edmund Wills’ suffocating plantation. So did five young men who were undoubtedly like brothers to him. This is Richard Wills’ enlistment form. He was the only one of the Wills Brothers to die before the war ended. Note that they put his occupation as ‘slave’. Read my book to see what I have to say about that!

3)Dick Parker was another revolutionary like my great-great-great grandfather. He told the enlistment officer that his name was “Dick Parker” – but his legal name was really Dick Wills because he was owned by Edmund Wills, too. But he never forgot that his beloved mother named him after his father, Dick Parker Sr., so he defiantly looked the enlistment officer in the eyes and proclaimed his true name and his freedom. With this subtle declaration, he fired the first warning shot that the Civil War was already won before he was even issued a uniform! Dick was the only Wills brother who was promoted to Corporal, which was a huge deal for the slaves-turned-soldiers.

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To contact Cheryl, please visit www.cherylwills.tv

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