410 LIFE OF J. R. WILLIS— PIERS. 
sented a memorial to the Government s‘rongiy advocating the 
establishment of such an institution, and Willis appeared person- 
ally before a committee which was to report upon the matter. 
Out of this movement grew the present Provincial Museum of 
Nova Scotia. 
Having done good service in the Industrial School, Willis was 
appointed, in 1865, secretary of the newly-formed Board of 
School Commissioners for the City of Halifax. A year or so 
after this he was elected a corresponding member of the 
Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 
In 1875 he retired from his position on the school board, 
which he had occupied for ten years. From this time he was 
without an appointment and in poor circumstances. Finally, he 
was forced to part with the collection * which he had made with 
such care, and which represented the result of many years. 
patient and unremitting labor. This almost broke his heart, 
and when the precious specimens left his house he wept like a 
child. 
During the following year (1876) he was taken ill, and died 
on March 31st. He was buried in the Camp Hill Cemetery. 
Mr. Willis was twice married. His first wife was Mary Anne, 
daughter of Wm. H. Artz, by whom he had three sons and three 
daughters. Of these, one son and two daughters are still living 
Mrs. Willis died in 1865. He married secondly Eliza Moseley, 
and they have had two sons and two dauyhters, of whom one 
daughter is dead. His second wife is still residing in Halifax. 
In character Willis was eccentric. His great enthusiasm, 
however, made up toa large extent for this short-coming, and. 
enabled him to persevere in most of his undertakings. It is said 
that on one occasion Mr. Hutton, formerly gardner to the Horti- 
cultural Society, possessed a century plant which was about to 
bloom. Willis, hearing of this, sat up patiently for two nights 
in order that he might witness the unfolding of the curious blos- 
som. To his friends he was good and true. Being of a merry 
disposition, he was constantly interspersing his quick, animated. 
*A great part of it still remains in Halifax, and is now the property of Mr. W. D. Harring- 
tonand Mr. E. J. Lordley. 
