Willard News — Vol. 58, No. 2. (Nov '25)

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The WFAA 2025 Annual Reunion and Meeting

April 14 – 21, 2025, Concord, Massachusetts

Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future

A Message from WFAA President, Rick Willard

Welcome to my personal recap and attendee thank you of the Willard Family Association’s 2025 Reunion—a historic event marking the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution as well as Celebrating 391 Years of Our Family Legacy in America and our deep ties to the founding of this nation. We celebrated almost four centuries of Willard family history, from Simon, siblings Margery (Davis), and George Willard’s arrival in America in 1634/35 to the revolutionary events that shaped a nascent America.

This reunion was about more than just a family gathering—it was a chance for all history lovers, families, and individuals to honor 250 years since the beginning of American Revolution. Whether you’re a Willard/Davis descendant or just passionate about learning more about our nation’s history, this was a reunion not to have been missed. Together, we celebrated our shared heritage, reflected on our national journey, and created new memories for generations to come.

This note is to thank you for joining us to experience some of the things that make our nation great! It is heartwarming to see the sites where these events happened, and to learn about signatory events where our ancestors’ shaped America’s future in the cradle of history, the greater Boston area. Our roots run deep there and our contributions to its success date back to 1634. We had the opportunity to imagine the times they lived in and in some ways experience their contemporaneous contributions right where they occurred. Our ancestors were friends of the Native Americans, Pious Adventurers, and brave, hearty souls who endured hardships with the patience of our family motto, Gaudet Patentia Duris, or Patience Endures Hardship.

Faneuil Hall

Rev. Todd Willard

Minutemen Reenactors

We are Clergy, Inventors, Architects, Builders, and Settlers. We were called upon to defend our communities in many trying times. We were called upon to deliver not always popular sermons, died patriot deaths, and yet survived to explore the West with Lewis and Clark, become a famous Midwestern Artist Spirit of ‘76, an early auto technology developer/Mayan explorer, even a Barnstorming pilot. Evidence of our ancestors can even be found in the halls of the Capitol Rotunda. And it is special to note that today Willard descendants are to be found in every state of the union!

Our Reunion at the Concord Museum

The Concord 250 Reunion was special. We believe that it could spark a rejuvenated interest in the Willard name, history, and the 117-year-old Willard Family Association of America. If you have family members who want to learn about us check out our WFAA Home Page.

Always know that Willards are fun! Join in that FUN today. Your contributions are welcome!

Thank you,

Rick

Richard G. Willard, Jr.

President

Willard Family Association of America

860-989-3905

In Memoriam — Marjorie Willard Travis

September 17, 2025

Marjorie Willard Travis of Lexington, on September 17, 2025, age 99 years. Daughter of the late Ernest G. Willard and Madge (Clifford) Willard, formerly of Lynnfield Center. Mother of Charles Clifford Travis of Lexington and the late David Philip Travis. A 1948 Graduate of Bates College, Lifetime member and officer of the Willard Family Association of America, Inc. Marjorie was a longtime member of Hancock Church of Christ as well as the Lexington Historical Society. She enjoyed her family and friends and loved to read and to travel. Grateful to son Chuck, caregiver, who made it possible to stay in her longtime Lexington home. A memorial service was held on Wednesday October 8 at Hancock Church of Christ. Private interment was at Lakeside Cemetery in Wakefield. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Marjorie's name may be made to Rosie's Place, 889 Harrison Ave. Boston, MA 02118 or to The Willard Family Association of America, Inc. c/o John_Stephens1@verizon.net. Marjorie's obituary link here.

Reflections on the 2025 Annual Reunion

by Paul Sanderson, Newsletter Editor

The opening verse of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem, Concorde Hymn, reads:

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood,

And fired the shot heard round the world.

Amid last April’s cold breezes, many of our Willard Family members, as well as much of America, celebrated that ‘shot heard round the world,’ at the 250th anniversary celebration

of the start of the Revolutionary War. We weren’t just there as wide-eyed tourists, we were proudly celebrating our Willard/Davis ancestors’ participation in some of the most famous events in American history!

Our group at the Bunker Hill Monument.

Bob Davis and friend in front of

The Minute Man statue.

It was a full week of activities with stops at Faneuil Hall (with an adapted reading of Rev. Samuel Willard’s sermon by member Rev. Todd Willard) and the Bunker Hill Our group at the

Bunker Hill monument Monument, (which we were allowed to climb on the day they were closed due to a special dispensation of being visiting Willards.) Then a tour of Harvard University’s campus (where two Willard ancestors served as president) and afternoon at the Willard House & Clock Museum. Another full full day of sights in Lexington and Concord, including a visit to the Old North Bridge, a stop at an official US postage stamp unveiling ceremony of Revolutionary War commemorative stamps, and the Concord Public Library. I told you it was a busy week.

Then a visit to Acton where we learned more about the Davis branch of the family with visits to the Memorial Library, Isaac Davis Trail, Monument, and saw the Davis plow and sword. Bob Davis dedicated a series of permanent monuments and signs in the Acton area commemorating the role Captain Isaac Davis played in the events surrounding the American Revolution. This will be a significant contribution to the public’s understanding of our shared family history. Friday was the official WFA Family Reunion at the Concord Museum. We were given private tours of the Museum’s collection and the 1775 Exhibit, which were both fascinating. Besides lunch, the day was filled with keynote speakers,

presentations, and lots of socializing and catching up with all our ‘cousins.’ A local news station even showed up to cover the event and interviewed some of the committee. Saturday’s schedule from morning till night included public events, historical reenactments, and parades. Easter Sunday was a free day for church, attending the Red Sox vs. White Sox game, or a quiet collapse before heading home. We all had such fun, learned a lot, and bonded with our clan. I can’t wait for next year’s reunion!

BIG MEDICINE: York Outdoors

Announcing the Special Connecticut Premier of the documentary:

‘Big Medicine - York Outdoors’

The film depicts the modern journey of eight volunteers recreating, by canoe, a portion of the trail that Lewis & Clark’s Corps of Discovery took, from the eyes of York, the Black member and slave of Capt. Clark. York was more than a slave as you will see through the eyes of these participants. He is portrayed by Hasan Davis, who has a great life story in his own right. In his own dramatic style, Hasan depicts York’s experience as a ‘free man’ and then upon return, back to the scourge of the day.

The York Outdoors sponsors are: The National Park Service, The First Church of Christ Wethersfield, the Lewis and Clark Trail Alliance and the Willard Family Association of America, with special guests the Community First School of Hartford. Of note, Alexander Willard was a member of the Corps of Discovery, and his story is as unique as any from the early 1800’s in the West exploration era.

The event is on the night of November 30, 2025 at 5:00pm, the First Church of Christ

Wethersfield in Rev. Keith Jones Hall. There will be a Q&A following the movie. Refreshments are provided.

All are invited and encouraged to donate to the uniquely Hartford experience. Hosted

by a trailblazer himself, Tim Goodwin of The Community First School.

You can learn more about this movie here: YORK OUTDOORS promo video

Additional screenings in Montana, Utah, Missouri, and Oregon are scheduled through Feb. 2026.

Share Your Family Stories With Us

Do you have a tale about our common ancestors that deserves to be told? Perhaps you’ve uncovered an old letter or photograph, or discovered our family member’s role in historical events, or have a family story passed down through generations.

Do you have a Willard family story you’d like to share with us and have it published in our next newsletter? We’d love to hear from you. Our shared heritage comes alive through the stories we preserve and pass down. Do you have a tale about our common ancestors that deserves to be told? Perhaps you’ve uncovered an old letter or photograph, or discovered our family member’s role in historical events, or have a family story passed down through generations.

Whether your story is dramatic, funny or poignant, it deserves to be told. It helps us all understand the family legacy we all share and strengthens the bonds between our members across time. We invite you to submit your ancestor stories for inclusion in an upcoming newsletter. Please contact Paul Sanderson, Newsletter Editor, at newsletter.editor@wfa1634.com and tell us about it.

Undaunted Courage, by Stephen E. Ambrose

Submitted by Paul Sanderson, Newsletter Editor If you’re anything like me, attending last year’s reunion in Seaside, OR, sparked an interest in Lewis & Clark’s Corps of Discovery far beyond what I learned in 8th grade history class. When I got home I went on eBay and bought a used DVD of Ken Burns documentary, Lewis & Clark, and watched it with great interest, now having a frame of reference with the additional knowledge that our ancestor, Alexander Hamilton Willard, was on that historic journey. My brother Mark, who attended the reunion with me in Seaside, bought me a book for my birthday this year: Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West by Stephen E. Ambrose.

For you history lovers who enjoy a good read, this book is a fascinating in-depth account of the expedition. This was no leisurely paddle up the Missouri River as I had envisioned but a true tale of high adventure. There are a few small references to Alexander Willard but the bulk of the book is the account of how two men, Lewis and Jefferson, changed the course of American history. Willard and company returned to civilization like one might return from Mars today with stories few at the time could hardly believe: mountains three times the height of the Appalachians, animals people had never heard of, herds of buffalo a mile wide, and Native American tribes who must have seemed like aliens from another world. The public was enthralled!

The 8,000 mile expedition rivals any great historical adventure, from Marco Polo’s journey to China to Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic voyage. Coming in at 500 pages, the book is not for the casual reader or faint of heart, but for those who are up for a captivating true adventure story with a touch of Willard, you won’t be disappointed. Go on eBay and buy yourself a good used copy.

The Spirit of ’76: A Willard Story

Submitted by Paul Sanderson, Newsletter Editor

Many know this famous painting, The Spirit of ’76, by Archibald M. Willard, which hangs in Abbot Hall in Marblehead, MA. Mabel Willard Terrill’s granddaughter, Shirley Holdman, has written a short, 15-minute play about the reminiscence of the young drummer boy in the

painting. With its simple staging and dialog, it is intended to be performed by schoolchildren through high school students or really any group interested in the subject matter.

This play was written in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary and signing of the Declaration of Independence. A little book, SPIRIT OF '76, written by Henry Kelsey Devereux in 1926 about the famous painting became the perfect source for pertinent facts while writing this play. The drummer boy in the painting was Devereux as a child.

Devereux’s book was the vehicle for bringing the three main figures in the painting to life.

Here we see three generations marching through the smoke from a battlefield, passing by wounded soldiers and broken cannon. Archibald M. Willard, the artist, created symbolism of patriotism and painted on their faces their determination for freedom. The play may be used in 2026 and years to come to reverence our freedom and the history of our past. This play is a gift for America’s 250th Anniversary and is royalty free. If you would like to express your thanks, the Billerica Adventure Series Corp. holds the copyright. Funding is always needed for their non-profit projects, such as publishing this play for distribution.

Donate here.

Annual Fund Donations

Greetings Willard Cousins! The WFAA Board of Directors recently adopted a Strategic Plan for the Association, and a new mission statement:

“Connect, Expand, and Preserve the contributions of the Willard Family to American history.”

Members of the Willard family have made a significant impact on the history of our nation, beginning with the arrival of Major Simon Willard in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1634. Since the founding of the WFAA in 1908, the organization has held reunions, researched genealogies, and collected Willard family artifacts and heirlooms.

The Willard archives now includes thousands of books and objects, and it is time to assess,

organize, and make available the items in the collection to members of the WFAA and the public. At a recent WFAA Board meeting it was decided to name this collection the Marjorie Willard Travis WFAA Archives.

The Willard Family Association Board is asking for your help with a donation to the WFAA Annual Fund. Proceeds will be used to assess, organize, and begin the digitization of the archives. The goal of the WFAA Annual Appeal is to raise $10,000 for this project.

Please consider a year-end gift to the WFAA for this important project. Please consider making a contribution of of $1,000 to $10,000, or more if you have the desire and the ability to do so. Donations may be made online at willardfamilyassociation.org or by sending a

check to:

Willard Family Association of America

c/o John Stephens, Treasurer

17 Millbury Street

Grafton, MA 01510

Thank you for considering making a donation to the WFAA Annual Fund, as we continue our work to preserve the contributions of the Willard Family to American history!

Donate to the Annual Fund

Sincerely,

Richard G. Willard

President

860-989-390

New Ken Burns Series on PBS

As a final note, the new Ken Burns documentary series on PBS, The American Revolution, is a six-part, twelve- hour series on America’s founding struggle, presenting the story of the men and women of the Revolutionary War generation, their humanity in victory and defeat, and the crisis that they lived through. Weaving together accounts of American political leaders and their British counterparts with the perspectives of the so-called ordinary people who waged and witnessed war, The American Revolution will be an expansive, evenhanded look at the virtues and the contradictions in the fight for independence and the birth of the United States. In the first episode, our ancestor Captain Isaac Davis is mentioned prominently in the story. I look forward to seeing the entire series that airs now through mid December on PBS