University of Virginia Library

RUSSELL HOLMAN WILLIS

Among the younger members of the legal profession
in Roanoke, who have forged to the front ranks may
be mentioned the subject of this sketch. Russell Holman
Willis was born in
Saline County, Missouri,
January 12th, 1881, and
is a son of Mr. and Mrs.
J. M. Willis, formerly
of Culpeper County,
Virginia. Mr. and Mrs.
Willis moved to
Switzerland, Florida,
when the subject of this
notice was five years old
and he grew to young
manhood in the land of
sunshine and flowers.
He was educated at the
Locust Dale Military
Academy, Richmond
College and the University
of Virginia. He
graduated from the
legal department of Richmond College and later took
the postgraduate course at the University of Virginia.

Mr. Willis began the practice of his chosen profession
in Buena Vista, Virginia, in the fall of 1904, and was
eminently successful from the very beginning. He
came to Roanoke, January 1st, 1909, and soon thereafter
formed a partnership with N. H. and S. W. Hairston
under the firm name of Hairston, Hairston & Willis,
with well-appointed offices in the National Exchange
Bank Building. This firm enjoys a lucrative practice
in all our courts and has been employed in many
notable and important cases in recent years. Mr.
Willis is regarded as one of the brightest young lawyers
at the bar and his friends are legion among all classes
of the city's population. In politics he is an ardent
Democrat and loyal at all times to the great party
founded by Jefferson. He stands justly high as a
citizen of Roanoke and it is predicted that a bright
future awaits him along professional and political
lines.