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 pins, likely for his trade as a tailor. The receipt was created on June 1st, 1929, and Mr. Willis' total was 21 cents on this date.

On the rightmost receipt, Mr. Willis bought patches, likely also for his tailoring business in the heart of Apopka's Black business district. No other items are present on this receipt. His total is 40 cents, adding to his tab of $6.23.

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.