Willis

Page 606 of Walter Romig's Michigan Place Names says:

it was first called Potter for Willis L. Potter, a farmer who owned most of the land on which his village in Augusta Township was built; the village owes its existence to the coming through of the Grand Trunk Railroad in 1880; it was given a post office as Newcomb on Sept. 27, 1881 but changed to the first name of Mr. Potter on Dec. 15, 1887 [Beakes; 1889; PO Archives]."

Willis is located north-east of Milan. The village tried to use the name of Potter but after checking it was found that another Potter already existed in Michigan.

Last Changed on August 10, 2005 by Ronald R. Morey.