1.  Interview of my mother, Nina Gale (Straub) Matthiesen, Virgil's niece.  In the family, his occupation was referred to as a "raisin grower," so apparently he grew grapes.

2.  1900 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com):  Virgil WILLIS (æ 21, b. Jun 1878, MO) is living in Burr Oak Twp., Lincoln Co., MO (p. 213B), with his parents (q.v.).  Viannah FRANK (æ 17, b. Dec 1882, MO) is living in Burr Oak Twp., Lincoln Co., MO (p. 209B), with her parents (q.v.).

3.  1910 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #28 of 43):  New River Pct., Churchill Co., NV, Roll T624_858 (Part 1), p. 22A, SD Nevada, ED 2, SN 16A, enumerated 5 May 1910, official enumeration date 15 Apr 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	12	13	14	17	18	19	20	21	23	24	26	27	28	29
64	64	Willis Virgil M	Head	M	W	31	S	MO	IN	MI	Eng	Agent	Express	W	N	Y	Y	O	F	F	58
		Garrett James W	Hired man	M	W	33	S	AR	AR	TN	Eng	Laborer	Farm	W	N	Y	Y

Listed next to Virgil's parents, William & Ida (BROWN) WILLIS.  Viannah R. FRANK (æ 27, b. MO) is living in Burr Oak Twp., Lincoln Co., MO, with her parents (q.v.).

3.  1920 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com; Image #1 of 17):  Porterville Twp. (T22S.R26E), Tulare Co., CA, p. 76A, SN 1A, SD 6, ED 214, enumerated 2/3 Jan 1920, official enumeration date 1 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).
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	17	18	19	21	22	23	25	26	27	28	29
Sec 23 N	Fm	5	5	Willis Virgil M	Head	O	M	M	W	41	M	Y	Y	MO	IN		MI	Y	Farmer	Farm	EM	4
				______ Viannah R	Wife			F	W	38	M		Y	MO	Bavaria Germany	German	MO

4.  1930 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #5 of 12):  Porterville, Tulare Co., CA, Roll 225, p. 298A, SN 3A, ED 54-54, SD 14, enumerated 9 Apr 1930, official enumeration date 1 Apr 1930 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

1930:  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	9	10	11	12	13	14	16	17	18	19	20	24	25	26	27	28	30	32
63	65	Willis Virgil M	Head	O	R	Y	M	W	51	Wd	N	Y	MO	IN	MI	Y	farmer	farm	E	Y	N	49

5.  California Deaths (online at vitalsearch-ca.com; these scanned page images are blurry and difficult to read):

Last Name:	WILLIS	WILLIS
First Name:	VEANIA	VIANNAH
Middle Initial:	R
Spouse's Initials:	V M	J M
Age Group:	1	1
Age:	41	46
County of Death:	Tulare	Tulare
Death Month:	3	3
Death Day:	21	22
Death Year:	24	24
Year Filed:	24	24
File Number:	16250	21442

6.  SSDI:  Social Security Death Index (online at RootsWeb.com):  not found.

7.  World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-18.  Microfilm Series M1509 (4277 rolls), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC (card images and index online at Ancestry.com):

Roll:	154440
Serial Number | Order Number:	17 | 1917
Name:	Virgil Murray Willis
Permanent Home Address:	Box 208 RFDH2, Porterville, Tulare Co., Cal.
Age in Years | Date of Birth:	40 | June 22 1878
Race:	White
Citizenship:	Native Born
Present Occupation:	Farmer
Employer's Name:	Self
Place of Employment or Business:	RFDH2 Porterville, Tulare Co., Cal.
Name of Nearest Relative:	Viannah R. Willis
Address of Nearest Relative:	Box 208 RFDH-2, Porterville, Tulare Co., Cal.
Signature:	Virgil Murray Willis
Height (tall, medium, short):	Medium
Build (slender, medium, stout):	Stout
Color of Eyes | Color of Hair:	Gray | Dark Brown
Physically Disabled:	No
Date of Registration:	Sept. 12 - 1918
Draft Board:	[can't read city], Tulare Co., Cal.