Stephen Willis was a brick mason who arrived at Monticello around 1770 to help build the South Pavilion, and stayed on to work through 1778. He returned to work at Monticello again for a brief period in 1796-1797.
1768 August 25. "Edward Lee (Albemarle) and John Moore ( ) v. Stephen Willis (Hanover). To bring a suit for bricklayer's work done for the def. See the account, amounting to £12-11-11."[1]
1768 September 7. " ... also to issue writ in Lee v. Willis."[2]
1769 April 15. "Lee v. Willis. Inclosed Al. Cap. to sher. of Hanover."[3]
1769 June 12. "Lee v. Willis. Took Pl. cap."[4]
1769 June 16. "Lee v. Willis. Delivd. writ to Tompkins sher. of Hanover."[5]
1770 March 9. "Lee v. Willis. Attamt. Inclosed to sher. of Hanover."[6]
1770 October 2. "Assumd. to Jno. Moore for Steph. Willis £2-10s-7d … Pd. Stephen Willis £30."[7]
1770 December 1. "Gave R. Sorrels on acct. of Steph. Willis an order on R. Harvie or Peter Harvie for goods to amt. of £4."[8]
1771 August 4. "Stephen Willis and Richd. Taylor came up to work."[9]
1771 September 11. "Stephen Willis sais it takes 15 bushels lime to 1000 bricks."[10]
1771 November 6. "Pd. John Lewis on acct. of Stephen Willis £20. … Accepted Stephen Willis's ord. in favr. of Thos. Underwood who assigned to R. Adams £20."[11]
1771 November 19. "Accepted the followg. ord. of T. Warren to be charged to Stephen Willis by his order ...."[12]
1771 December 19. "Pd. W. Johnston residue of S. Willis's order 3 3/4 d."[13]
1771 December 21. "Stephen Willis sais it takes 15. bushels of lime to 1000. bricks. Old Sharpe sais a bushel of limestone will weigh 114 lb and if well burned will make 2. bushels of lime."[14]
1772 April 7. "Assumd. to pay James Vaughan for Steph. Willis 35/10 1/2."[15]
1772 October 10. "<Assumd. to> Mr. Vaughan's acct. agt. Stephen Willis which I am to pay is £2-11-4 1/2."[16]
1772 December 21. "Stephen Willis directs me to get Mr. Harvie's acct. agt. him which answer, as also the sum of 7. or 8£ to Thomas Bates of Curles and pay the balce. to R. Adams."[17]
1773 May 4. "Pd. John Lewis on order of Stephen Willis £7."[18]
1773 August 24. "Having mislaid George Dudley’s agreemt. signed by himself sometime in the fall of 1772. I will here set it down as well as I can recollect it. ... pay him 14/ a hundred for his place bricks, and as much more for the stocks as Stephen Willis should adjudge and I was to advance him as much during his work as would buy him provns. to carry it on."[19]
1773 September 28. "Dr. Gilmer's accts. which I am to pay ... for Stephen Willis 0-4-6."[20]
1773 December 3. "Pd. for Dr. Gilmer the following sums, to wit ... for Stephen Willis 0-4-6."[21]
1774 June 2. "Agreed with Willm. Pond to make bricks for me this summer. He is to have 2/6 a thousand for making & burning the place bricks. The price of the stock bricks is to be fixt by Stephen Willis."[22]
1778 March 21. "Pd. Stephen Willis old balance £18-18."[23]
1778 July 23. "Two of Stephen Willis's people begin to work."[24]
1778 September 25. "Pd. Stephen Willis £14-8."[25]
1778 November 11. "Pd. Stephen Willis £115-13-3. Balance of £50-0-3 still due."[26]
1779 June 19. "Pd. Poindexter for Steph. Willis in full £51-12."[27]
1796 August 31. "Furnished Stephen Willis a pr. shoes 12/6. 11 1/4 yds. oznabrigs @ 1/10."[28]
1796 October 2. "Pd. Stephen Willis 9.D."[29]
1796 November 9. "Charge Steph. Willis a pr. shoes for Ned 8/6."[30]
1796 November 17. "Pd. Steph. Willis for John Steele 2.D."[31]
1796 November 30. "Settled with Stephen Willis as follows[:] Amount of debets £95-8 Sundry credits 11-9-9 1/2 gave him ord. on Lott 15- do. on C. Johnston 10-10 assumd. to John Shell 14-7-4 balce. still due St. Willis 44-0-101/2 [=] £95-8 Note the above includes the Work of St. Willis, Ned, & Shell ...."[31]
1796 December 18. "Drew on Charles Johnston in favr. Stephen Willis for £20."[33]
1797 May 2. "I now draw on him [Charles Johnston] ... for Stephen Willis 24-0-10 ... Note the draught in favor Willis pays him off the last part of the balance settled ante Nov. 30."[34]
