John B. Willis (1852-1927) was born in Delaware, Ohio, and died in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1873 and then earned a Master's Degree from Boston University Theological School. He taught in mission schools in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and South America before returning to Boston sometime prior to 1890. There he taught at the New England Conservatory of Music and joined the staff of the popular periodical Youth's Companion. In 1888 Willis married Myrta A. Willis (b. Gale). She died in 1896. In 1900 he married Ella Lance Willis (b. Lance) in Cabot, Vermont. She was a physician who had become interested in Christian Science in the late 1890s. She took the Primary class in Christian Science from Mary Baker Eddy's student Emilie Hulin in 1898 and joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 1, 1898, subsequently listing as a practitioner, and later as a teacher, in The Christian Science Journal for the remainder of her lifetime.
In 1901 both Willises took the Normal class from Edward A. Kimball under the direction of The Christian Science Board of Education. Also in 1901, John B. Willis was appointed to the Bible Lesson Committee and elected as President of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, which he had joined on November 1, 1900, and to which he was elected an Executive Member on March 30, 1901. From 1902 until 1916 he served as assistant editor at The Christian Science Publishing Society. Willis was listed as a practitioner in the Journal from 1917 until 1927. He passed away while traveling by train from Columbus, Ohio, to his home in Wellesley Farms, Massachusetts.
See more letters.
John B. Willis (1852-1927) was born in Delaware, Ohio, and died in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1873 and then earned a Master's Degree from Boston University Theological School. He taught in mission schools in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and South America before returning to Boston sometime prior to 1890. There he taught at the New England Conservatory of Music and joined the staff of the popular periodical Youth's Companion. In 1888 Willis married Myrta A. Willis (b. Gale). She died in 1896. In 1900 he married Ella Lance Willis (b. Lance) in Cabot, Vermont. She was a physician who had become interested in Christian Science in the late 1890s. She took the Primary class in Christian Science from Mary Baker Eddy's student Emilie Hulin in 1898 and joined The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 1, 1898, subsequently listing as a practitioner, and later as a teacher, in The Christian Science Journal for the remainder of her lifetime.
In 1901 both Willises took the Normal class from Edward A. Kimball under the direction of The Christian Science Board of Education. Also in 1901, John B. Willis was appointed to the Bible Lesson Committee and elected as President of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, which he had joined on November 1, 1900, and to which he was elected an Executive Member on March 30, 1901. From 1902 until 1916 he served as assistant editor at The Christian Science Publishing Society. Willis was listed as a practitioner in the Journal from 1917 until 1927. He passed away while traveling by train from Columbus, Ohio, to his home in Wellesley Farms, Massachusetts.
See more letters.