1853 - Wayne County, Tennessee County Court Minutes
  September 1848 - June 1854

  [page 340] Monday April 4, 1853: Ordered by the Court that Fielding CHURCHWELL be 
  appointed Overseer of the opening and Clearning out and Keeping up of the road of third 
  Class from the mouth of Blowing Spring Branch to the County line at the head of Brush 
  Creek as Viewed and marked out by Richard H STAGGS and other and that he have Abram 
  STAGGS George W LEE Richard H STAGGS Seborn BREWER Riley BREWER Joseph S ROBNETT 
  Willis STAGGS John LEE Isham BREWER Allen ROBNETT and all the hands in that bounds 
  to work under his direction Issd April 6, 1983

1860 Census - Wayne County, Tennessee
District #17 - 2 Aug 1860

  927 927
  Willis D. Staggs  29 M Laborer  30 Tenn
  Melinda           31 F             Tenn
  Gideon L.          8 M             Tenn
  George             5 M             Tenn
  Fredonia           3 F             Tenn
  Mahala             2 F             Tenn

1870 Census - Wayne County, Tennessee
6th Civil District - 25 Aug 1870

  6 6
  Staggs, Willis D.   39 M W Chopping Wood  175  Tenn
  Malinda             42 F W Keeping House       do
  Gidion L.           17 M W Chopping Wood       do
  Geo. W.             15 M W At Home             do
  Fredonia A.         13 F W Assist in House     do
  Mahala              12 F W At Home             do
  Nathan               9 M W                     do
  Hiram                8 M W                     do
  John S.              4 M W                     Tenn
  Polly                1 F W                     do

1880 Census - Wayne County, Tennessee
14th District - Not Dated

  134 137
  Staggs, Willis D.   W M 49      Farm Laborer   Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Malindia            W F 51 Wife Keeping House  Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Mihaley             W F 22 Dau  At Home        Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Nathan              W M 20 Son  Farm Laborer   Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Hiram               W M 18 Son  Farm Laborer   Tenn Tenn Tenn
  John                W M 14 Son  Farm Laborer   Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Polley              W F 12 Dau  At Home        Tenn Tenn Tenn
  William C.          W M 10 Son  At Home        Tenn Tenn Tenn

  135 138
  Staggs, George W.   W M 26      Farm Laborer   Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Sarah E.            W F 20 Wife Keeping House  Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Presley             W M  1 Son  At Home        Tenn Tenn Tenn

1900 Census - Wayne County, Tennessee
14th Civil District - 6 June 1900

  58 60
  Staggs, Willis   Head W M Aug 1830 69 M 48     Tenn Tenn Tenn Farmer
  Malinda S.       Wife W F Dec 1828 71 M 48 9 7 Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Mahala           Dau  W F Mar 1858 42 S        Tenn Tenn Tenn
  Jemima A.        GDau W F Jun 1893  6 S        Tenn Tenn Tenn

From Garry Wayne Brewer:

Willis D.Staggs was a member of the 2nd Mounted Tennessee Intr. Company A. He was married to Melinda
Brewer Staggs,they were married on 4th Oct.1851 by Lowrn Poag m.g. on forty eight creek, Tenn.  He
states in his declaration of pension that he was disability from injuries while in a force march from
near the Alabama line to Clifton,Tenn,then to Fifty four on the North Western Rail Road,which brought
on sperinatoihea and left him with a severe cough,and was with him till his death in 1904.

Garry Wayne Brewer asserts that Willis' death occurred 26 Oct 1904 in Wayne County Tennessee and that
Malissa's death occurred 27 Dec 1905 in Wayne County Tennessee.