Louisiana AHGP

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

James K. Willet

James K. Willet, retired merchant, Homer, Louisiana It cannot be expected in a work of this kind, where but brief biographical sketches of prominent men of the parish are presented, that a lengthy, laudatory article should be written of each one, and yet at times there are met with some who have been so closely and intimately identified with the parish, and whose names are so familiar to all, that it is only just to dwell upon what they have done, and the influence of their career on others, not as empty words of praise, but the plain statement of a still plainer truth. Mr. Willet, was originally from Sumter County, Georgia, his birth occurring on November 23, 1853 and is a son of Acial A. Willet, a native of New York State. The latter moved to Georgia with his father when a lad of nine years, grew to manhood there, and was there married to the mother of our subject, her maiden name being Miss Elizabeth White. The mother was born in the Old Dominion, but was reared principally in Georgia.

Mr. Willet was a planter and merchant in Sumter County, Georgia, and there he still resides, retired from active business. He was a soldier through the late war from the first to the last, and has been a member of the Masonic order for a number of years. James K. Willet received a good education in Sumter County schools, and then clerked in his father's store for a number of years, thus receiving a thorough, practical business education, under the tuition of his father. In 1875 he went on a farm, remained there for a couple of years in an adjoining county, and during the year 1876 (Centennial year) he visited different, cities of the North, including New York, Philadelphia, and spent a few months in New York State, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

In 1877 he came to Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, and engaged in cultivating the soil until 1879, when in October of that year he began merchandising at Homer. This he continued for a number of years, and up to January 1, 1889, he was very successful, and had accumulated a comfortable competency. He has since been occupied in settling up old business, and is also engaged to some extent in the brokerage business. Mr. Willet was one of the first to give his support to the establishing of the Homer National Bank, and is a stockholder and director of the same on December 18, 1877, he was married to Miss Many L. White a native of Georgia, who was reared and received her education in Louisiana, she being the daughter of Joseph M. White, one of the pioneers of Homer. The union of Mr. and Mrs. "Willet has been blessed by the birth of one son, Acial M., a lad of ten years.

Mr. and Mrs. Willet are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Willet is a member of the K. of P. He has filled many official positions in this organization, and is at present master of exchequer. He is also one of the stockholders and directors of the Claiborne Agricultural Fair Association and was elected its first treasurer.

Biographical Sketches| Claiborne Parish

Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana, Southern Publishing Company, 1890