Two Marked Store Receipts for A. J. Willis

The Arthur J. Willis Collection

Two original paper receipts

1929-05-14 - 1929-05-23

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 milk. The receipt was created on May 23rd, 1929, and Mr. Willis' total of 20 cents was added to his tab of $7.37. Mr. Gladden later indicated that Mr. Willis paid $5.00 to his tab, leaving $2.37 remaining.

On the rightmost receipt, Mr. Willis bought ham, an indiscernible product, and lard. His total was $1.85, bringing his tab to $4.21 on May 14, 1929.

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.