Butte County
Biographies
ASA JOHN WILLIS
ASA JOHN WILLIS.—A native of Utica, N. Y., Asa John Willis was born August 13, 1853, the son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Stirling) Willis, both born in New York State. The father was a farmer and business man and owned canal boats engaged in transportation on the Erie Canal. He died in 1859. After the father’s death the family removed to Tennessee, where in partnership with her brother the mother purchased a plantation, but the war coming on caused them to lose their investment. The mother returned to New York State, where she resided till her death.
A. J. Willis was reared in Nashville and Chattanooga, and lived there during the war and witnessed the battles and stirring incidents of those days. In 1865 he began railroading, first as water-boy on passenger trains, then as newsboy, next as brakeman. This was on the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. He continued in this until nineteen years of age, when he came West, in 1872, to Laramie, Wyo., entering the employ of the Union Pacific, first as brakeman and afterwards as conductor. He later took up the work of fireman and was promoted to engineer. In these early days there were stirring times in Wyoming, the Indians being numerous and hostile. Buffalo were also plentiful. He was a personal friend of Buffalo Bill Cody. In those days the trainmen were all well armed with rifles and forty-five Colts, these being necessary to enforce law and order.
Mr. Willis’ first trip to California was in 1872, and in 1875 he located permanently in California, entering the employ of the Central Pacific Railroad as conductor out of Sacramento. Later on he was trainmaster until he resigned to accept a position as conductor with the Butte County Railroad, locating in Chico. As conductor he ran the first and last construction train, and when the road was completed he continued as conductor of the passenger train, serving from July 8, 1903, until November 30, 1915, when he quit railroading, the Butte County Railroad Company discontinuing operation of the road. During this time he built a residence in Chico, which he still owns. After quitting railroading he started a billiard parlor in Stirling and has also built and runs a billiard parlor at the Diamond Match Company’s Camp No. 1.
Mr. Willis has had a long and interesting railroad experience, running from Omaha to San Francisco and from San Francisco to Redding, and during all this period met with good success, having given to his duties the greatest care and close application; so it is natural that he received the best recommendations on his retirement.
Mr. Willis was married in Reno, Nev., to Ida Jones, born in Sacramento, and they have one child, David Earl, who is manager of the Diamond Match Company’s lumber yard at Lincoln. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and is Past Chancellor of Truckee Lodge.
Transcribed
by Sharon Walford Yost.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1144-1145, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Sharon
Walford Yost.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies