Two Marked Store Receipts for A. J. Willis

The Arthur J. Willis Collection

Two original paper store receipts

1929-05

A. J. Willis; Arthur J. Willis; Arthur Willis

Michael Gladden Jr.; Michael Gladden

Apopka, Florida, United States of America.

Two marked store receipts for the account of Arthur J. Willis. purchased from M. Gladden Staple and Fancy Groceries, Apopka's longest-running business, owned by Michael Gladden Jr.

On the leftmost receipt, Mr. Willis bought a total of three items from Mr. Gladden. The first item is chops, likely pork imported from Jacksonville, Florida, from one of Mr. Gladden's suppliers. The other two items are not discernible due to the handwriting, likely written down in a rush during a busy day. The receipt was created on May 13th, 1929, and Mr. Willis' total was 21 cents on this date.

On the rightmost receipt, Mr. Willis bought chops again. No other items are present on this receipt. His total is much higher this time, adding up to a pricey $7.17 charged to his account- likely a preexisting due he paid off. The receipt is dated May 24th, 1929, just weeks after the leftmost receipt was issued to Mr. Willis.

Little is known about Arthur J. Willis. With what surviving records are present in the Michael Gladden Jr. Collection, it is known that Mr. Willis was born in Alabama in or around the year 1894. He may have attended Morehouse College alongside Michael Gladden Jr. in the early to mid 1920s, where they might have formally been introduced. Mr. Willis was fully literate and was part of the Apopka Negro Business League alongside Michael Gladden Jr. He and Mr. Gladden would often participate in debates to fundraise for Apopka's historic Black cemeteries. Mr. Willis worked as a tailor, clothes cleaner, and presser. At one point in his life. Mr. Willis was attacked by robbers and permanently blinded. The legendary Black community historian, Ms. Francina Boykin, even lived with Mr. Willis in her early childhood.