Ida Brown's obituary and death certificate both say she was born in Lansing, [Ingham Co.,] MI; however, we should consider these two records as one datum because the informant for both was probably the same person.  As the 1850 and 1860 censuses put her parents in Barry Co., MI, and her father, Ira Brown, states in his pension application that he lived in Hastings, [Barry Co.,] MI, with no mention of ever having lived in Lansing, I have stuck with Hastings as her birthplace.  Keep in mind that children are far more likely to be mistaken about their own birthplace than their parents and that informants for death certificates and obituaries are notoriously unreliable about the birthplace of the deceased.

1.  Interview of my mother, Nina Gale (Straub) Matthiesen, daughter of Nina (Willis) Straub. 

2.  Livingston County, Missouri, Marriage License Records and Index, Vol. 2,  (LDS Film #0965985), p. 275:  Marriage Certificate of William Willis & Ida Brown. 

3.  1880 Census Images (online at Ancestry.com; Image #9-10 of 18):  Chillicothe Twp., Livingston Co., MO, pp. 103A-103B, PN 9-10, SD 7, ED 166, enumerated 5 Jun 1880 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

1880:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

13

24

25

26

77

85

Willis William

W

M

27

Husband

/

Farmer

IN

IN

IN

______ Ida

W

F

23

Wife

/

Keeping house

MI

OH

OH

______ Virgil

W

M

2

Son

/

MO

IN

MI

______ Minor?

W

F

9/12

Dec

Daughter

/

MO

IN

MI

[next page]

Brown, Wallace

W

M

15

Bro-in-law

/

Farm Hand

AR

OH

OH

Wallace BROWN is Ida's brother; their parents were born in NY, not OH.  This film may rank as the most difficult film I've ever tried to read.  The daughter has to be Nina, but try as I might, it does look more like "Minor," than "Nina."  Listed two households from William's brother, Levi WILLIS, who is listed five households from their widowed father, John R. WILLIS. 

4a.  1890 Census:  the 1890 census population schedules were destroyed.

4b.  Veterans' Schedules:  U.S. Selected States, 1890 (Broderbund CD-131):  not found, but there are no MO records on CD.

5.  1900 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #14 of 25):  Burr Oak Twp., Lincoln Co., MO, Roll T623_871, p. 213B, SD 9, ED 47, SN 7, enumerated 12 Jun 1900, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1900 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

1900:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

27

150

153

Willis William

Head

W

M

May 1853

47

M

23

IN

IN

IN

Stock buyer

Y

Y

Y

R

H

______ Ida

Wife

W

F

Aug 1856

43

M

23

6

6

MI

NY

MI

Y

Y

Y

______ Virgil

Son

W

M

Jun 1878

21

S

MO

IN

MI

Telegraph Operator

0

Y

Y

Y

______ Jewel R

Son

W

M

Dec 1884

15

S

MO

IN

MI

Day laborer

6

Y

Y

Y

______ Nellie C

Dau

W

F

Aug 1886

13

S

MO

IN

MI

6

Y

Y

Y

______ Gladys

Dau

W

F

Jun 1888

11

S

MO

IN

MI

6

Y

Y

Y

______ Theodocia D

Dau

W

F

Aug 1898

2

S

MO

IN

MI

Dean Nina

Dau

W

M

1879 Dec

20

Wd

1

1

MO

IN

MI

Y

Y

Y

____ Emma

GDau

W

F

1899 Feb

1

S

MO

MO

MO

Both of Ida's parents were born in NY.  Nina was either separated or divorced, not widowed.  Lucy Emma was born in 1898, not 1899.

6.  Family Quest Archives:  Nevada Federal Census 1910:  Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Elko, Lincoln, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, and Lander Counties Counties.  Heritage Quest CD T624-858.  Ward 4, New River Precinct, Churchill Co., NV, p. 22A, SD Nevada, ED 2, Sh 17, enumerated 5 May 1910 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

1910:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

17

18

19

20

21

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

63

63

Willis William

Head

M

W

56

M

32

IN

IN

IN

English

Farmer

General Farm

E

Y

Y

O

F

F

57

______ Ida

Wife

F

W

53

M

32

4

4

MI

MI

MI

English

Y

Y

______ Gladys

dau.

F

W

20

S

MO

IN

MI

English

Teacher

Public School

W

N

Y

Y

N

______ Delight

dau.

F

W

12

S

MO

IN

MI

English

Y

Y

Y

Ida had five surviving children and at least eight total.  Both of Ida's parents were born in NY.

7.  Family Quest Archives:  Nevada Federal Census 1920:  Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Eureka, Lander, Esmeralda, Humboldt, Lincoln, Lyon and Ormsby Counties.  Heritage Quest CD T625-1004.  Page was initially labeled "Fallon Precinct," but another hand crossed it out and put "New River." Ward 1, City of Fallon, Churchill Co., NV, p. 26A, SD 1, ED 2, SN 11, enumerated 5 Jan 1920 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

1920:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).
3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	17	18	19	21	23	25	26
81	99	Willis Ida	Head	0	F	F	W	63	W	Y	Y	MI	OH	MI	Y	None

Both of Ida's parents were born in NY.

8.  1930 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com; Image #3 of 4):  686 West Williams Ave., Fallon City, that part in New River Election Precinct 1, Churchill Co., NV, p. 10A, SN 2A, ED 1-4, SD 1, enumerated 3 Apr 1930, official enumeration date 1 Apr 1930 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

1920:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

24

25

26

27

28

30

31

*

686

50

50

Knobloch Harry

Head

O

3500

R

N

M

W

35

M

26

N

Y

GA

GA

NY

Y

Clerk

City

W

Y

Y

WW

________ Delight

Wife

F

W

32

M

22

N

Y

MO

IN

MI

Y

None

________ Harriet

Daughter

F

W

8

S

Y

NV

GA

MO

None

________ Carl

Son

M

W

3

S

N

NV

GA

MO

None

Willis Ida

mother in law

F

W

72

wd

N

Y

MI

OH

MO

Y

None

*West Williams Ave.

Ida obviously didn't know where her parents were born; yet, she was dancing around the truth.  Both of Ida's parents were born in NY, then lived for a time in Ohio before moving to Michigan, then Missouri, so Ida obviously had these locations kicking about in her memory. 

9.  Nevada State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.  Filed 3 Feb 1912.  Standard Certificate of Death:  William Murphy Willis.  State Index No. 585; Local Registered No. 11. 

10.  Obituary of William Murphy WILLIS from the Churchill County Eagle, 10 Feb 1912. 

11.  Nevada State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics.  Filed 27 Nov 1943.  Standard Certificate of Death:  Ida Willis.  State File No. 1431; Registrar's No. 72. Gives Ida's birthplace as Lansing, MI. 

12.  Obituary of Ida (BROWN) WILLIS from the Fallon Eagle, 27 Nov 1943. Gives Ida's birthplace as Lansing, MI. 

13.  From the Chillicothe Constitution, Chillicothe, [Livingston Co.,] MO, Thursday 18 May 1899:

Ira B. Brown, formerly sexton at the city cemetery, died at his home in Kansas City, Sunday afternoon, after a lingering illness, from old age and as complication of diseases.  Interment in Chillicothe Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock.  Funeral services from the home of Wm. Willis, corner Third and Walnut streets.

Which means our subjects moved from Chillicothe to Lincoln Co., MO, some time between 18 May 1889 and 12 Jun 1900.

14.  From the Chillicothe Weekly Constitution, Chillicothe, [Livingston Co.,] MO, [Saturday,] 30 May 1901 (online at Ancestry.com):

Miss Canna Willis Dead Miss Nellie Canna Willis, daughter of William and Ida Willis, died at the home of her parents near St. Louis, Wednesday at 10:05, of lung trouble.  Miss Willis was a niece of Mrs. Cy Kirk's and granddaughter to the late I.B. Brown.  The remains were brought to Chillicothe Thursday, and the funeral took place at 4 o'clock from the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cy Kirk, north Cherry Street, Rev. F.W. Allen conducting the services.  Interment was made in the City Cemetery.

12.  Edgewood Cemetery Index (online at the Livingston County MOGenWeb site; contributed by Robert Phillips):

Last Name	First Name	Birth Date	Death Date	Vet
WILLIS	CANNA		05/22/1901