Grayson County TXGenWeb

J. F. Willis was born in Barber County, West Virginia, in 1857, and received his education in the schools of his native state. At an early age he entered the machine shops of J. J. Newton, near his early home and as an apprentice worked some three or four years, mastering the work in every detail. Not content with the knowledge here gained, he left his native state and worked in many of the biggest and best shops of the north and east for a number of years. In 1880, he left the north and came to Texas, settling in Sherman, where for three years he worked in the shops then established in the city. Then going in business for himself in a very small way upon the very site of his present place of business, South Crocket near the

public square. In order to begin business he purchased a small shop then being conducted by Mr. N. Swain, and stepping in he went to work at the lathe, the bench and the anvil just as necessity required. His attention to business, the rapid manner in which he dispatched his work and the moderate prices charged had its effect and soon he found his business rapidly growing and was in a few short years enabled to hire workmen to turn out the work while he looked after the business end of the enterprise. Mr. Willis was a first-class workman in every respect, he understood every detail of his business, he was an expert and when his business had grown to such proportions that it demanded his attention in the office it found him to be a man of shrewd business judgment, splendid foresight and superb activity. As a workman he was capable, as a businessman he was superior. He thoroughly understands every piece of machinery in his place of business and can easily take the place of any man in his employ. He employs only the very best and most reliable workmen, and so well does Mr. Willis understand the work of his shop that he can stand in the front and listening to the hum of the machinery and the work of the employes can tell whether or not each man is doing his duty. In the busy season he employs some twenty-five hands. The shops are furnished throughout with the very latest and most highly improved machinery, the latest tools and greatest labor saving equipments. The different buildings occupied by his enterprise occupy one hundred feet front and run back about one hundred feet, thus giving 10,000 square feet of floor space, every inch of which is taken up in the operation of the plant. The business is arranged into four separate and distinct departments; one for horse shoeing, another for the anvils and machinery, another for the wood working shops and still another used for the carriage trimming department while the office is cut off into a room to itself.

Mr. Will has given the best years of his life, the best thought of his brain and the best effort of his muscle to his business; he has spent his money freely for the betterment of the plant and it in return has paid him for the effort. Even now he is contemplating some very important changes within the near future, for just now his business house is but one story and within the net few months he will add another story thereto and still greater improve the plant in the way of additional late machinery. As a business man Mr. Willis is quiet and retired, he attempts to make no display but attends strictly to his own business. He has not grown wealthy by any sudden streak of good fortune, but on the contrary has amassed considerable money by hard work and honest toil.