I haven't been able to connect my Henry Willard to any of the immigrant family listed in the home page link above but I think that it is at least a likely possibility that he was a part of the German Willards (Vieillard) in Maryland.  DeWalt and Peter Willard would have been the right age to be the father of Henry, but neither of them seem to have had a son named Henry. [More discussion of Henry's possible parentage on my Willard home page.]

Henry "Harry" was born about 1760, place unknown (though it may have been Germantown, MD).
Henry's great-granddaughter, Edna Burton, seemed to have a strong memory of hearing about her "grandfather" Henry in the Revolutionary War. If Henry was in that War he would have been 16-21, or he was born a little earlier.  If he was of German extraction, he certainly wasn't a Tory; the Germans were not British sympathizers.

About 1783 Henry married Elizabeth Malissa “Lissey” Counts, daughter of John & Mary Magdaline (Summers) Counts who were living in Shenandoah Co, Va., a German-speaking area (another hint that Henry was German).  [On the 1880 census her son, Henry Jr, living in northern Illinois, lists her birthplace as Prussia, however her son, James, living in southern Missouri, said she and Henry were born in IL.  But James was living with his son at the time and his son may have answered the questions wrong.]
They were probably married in Shenandoah Co (N Cent Va), but no record of their marriage has been found there.

The northern part of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where the Counts-Willard family lived was first a part of Frederick Co, Va, which has been created in 1738.  It became part of Dunmore Co in 1772, which was renamed Shenandoah Co 1778, then in 1831 (after they had moved away) it became part of Page County, near Luray. [The town of Luray was laid out in 1812, so it would not have been there when the Willards lived there. Luray grew up around where Lou Ramey ran his blacksmith business (from "A History of Shenandoah County," by Wayland, 1927, p 165)].   [Page county pictured at right with Luray the large city right in the middle and the Shenandoah River running down the length of it.]

Many of the families in the Shenandoah Valley were German families from Phildelphia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Some of these were Quakers, who came to the Valley in 1734 and built the Hopewell Friends Meeting near Clearbrook.  The Great Wagon Road ran down the Valley.
Settlers were moving into the Valley by the 1730's. In 1748 16-year-old George Washington made his first trip into Frederick Co, Va. with a party of surveyors.  He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1758 & 1761 from Frederick County.
There were not any major battles there in the Revolutionary War, but prisoners were held there.  In 1777 Hessian soldiers were held there. Lizzey's sister married a Hession POW who was held in the County.   

There was a local census of this area done in 1783 and 1785.  In the 1785 census, there is found:
Jno. Countz - 6 whites
Jacob Countz - 2 whites
George Countz - 4 whites [there seems to be some indication that the # does not include the head, thus there would be 7 total in John Countz household. (from "A History of Shenandoah County" by Wayland, 1927, p 220,234]
These men lived in present day Page County near Luray, however there is no Willard at all in the census, even though Harry may have married in 1783.  This leads us to believe that he did not marry Lizzy Counts until about 1790, and since there were no Willards around, he must have wandered in from another state.

After the Revolutionary War, Henry and family moved to Russell Co (West End of Va) in 1787. Henry was on  the Russell County, Va. Tax List of 1787. Russell Co. had been formed in 1786 from Washington Co. This was a dangerous frontier area at the time with frequent Indian raids which continued until 1794. There must have been a well-traveled road that led along the mountain range from Shenandoah Co (in the north of Va) to Russell Co. (in the southwest end) because the route they would probably have traveled follows exactly highway I-81.
John Counts' will (1803, Russell Co, Va) listed his daughter Malissa's son, Martin Willard.  Henry’s 3 sons, Martin, James & Henry Jr. named a daughter Elizabeth, but none of them used Malissa.

Henry & Elizabeth (Counts) Willard and her brother, John Jr & Margaret Counts came to Russell County from Shenandoah Co., Va in 1787. (It’s possible that Henry had other family in Shenandoah Co, Va before 1800, but none of them moved to Russell County, Va. with Henry and his wife's family.) In 1790, Elizabeth’s parents, John & Mary Counts, and her brother, George & Eve (Haynes) Counts, and her sister, Jacob & Mary (Counts) Rasnake followed them to Russell County, Va.
[The 1790 census shows a Henry Willard in Halifax County, Va. with his wife and 3 daughters but since our Henry was on the 1790 tax list of Russell county, it’s unlikely that he would be listed in 2 different counties, so this is probably a different man.]

In 1791 Henry bought 35 acres on the Clinch River in Russell Co, Va. where  Martin was born in 1793. In 1798 Henry and his wife, “Elizabeth” sold this land.

About 1803 (after her father died) the family moved to northwest Kentucky and settled in Breckinridge County (on Tax Lists 1803-1811 & 1810 census).  Henry owned 1 horse and had 100 acres from 1805 to 1811.  Breckinridge County is on the Ohio River. [At left is a picture of the Fisher Home near Cloverport, on the Ohio River in Breckinridge County, about 15 miles from Hardinsburg. Built in 1801, it is the oldest brick home in the county and was made from brick fired on the property. Most likely, Henry Willard knew of this place.]

From Breckenridge County, KY Records, Vol 1:
---October 23, 1805 - Grand Jury returned the following presentments and indictments:   Henry Willard, for assault. [p 242-253]
---1806 - Commonwealth vs Henry Wilyard, on an indictment.  Defendant pleaded not guilty and asked for jury trial. [p 269]
---1807 - Henry Wilyard came into Court and paid a fine of 15 shillings for not keeping a road in repair, of which he was surveyor. [p. 405]
---Aug 21, 1815 - Ordered that Levi Horseley be overseer of a part of the road heading from Hardinsburg to the south fork of Rough Creek at Cunningham's ford,.... thence to Harry Wilyard's, .... [p 125]
---May 18, 1818, p 287 - Ordered that Luke Waltrip be ... appointed surveyor of a part of the road heading from Hardinsburg to the south fork of Rough Creek at Cunningham's ford, .... then to Henry Wilyard's old place ... [p 177]
These last two entries seem to indicate that Henry moved away from Breckenridge Co, Ky (or died) between Aug 1815 & May 1818.

There was a Henry Willyard (311010-11010) in 1820 Hardin Co, Ky. in Little York.  But this Henry was 26-45 and our Henry Sr. should have been about 56.

Henry probably took his family to Indiana by 1820, living, most likely in Harrison County or Spencer County.  These were the Willards listed on the 1820 census of Indiana:
John D. Willard - 00010-00000  [age 26-45] - Clark Co, Charlestown, IN (p53)
Oftin Williard - 000010-00000 [age 26-35] - Knox Co, Vencennes, IN (p103)
Titus B. Williard - 000010-00000 [age 26-45] - Knox Co, Vencennes, IN (p103)
Peter Wilard (000011-00000) [age 45+]    - Knox Co, Vencennes, IN (p105)
John Wilyard - 000001-00011 [age 45+] - Dearborn Co, Laughery, IN (p93/15)
George Willyard - 010201-21101 [age 45+]   - Ripley Co, IN (p49)

Henry's great-granddaughter, Edna Burton remembers stories that the Willards came down the Ohio on a flat boat. This is probably what happened:
Henry's sons - Henry Jr, Martin & James could have left Breckenridge Co, Ky (in northern Ky) or Harrison Co, In (in southern Ind) and took the Ohio River to Cairo, IL where it meets the Mississippi River, then went up the Mississippi to Cape Girardeau where Martin was in 1821 and Martin & James were in 1830, or on up the Mississippi to to Adams Co, IL (N of St. Louis) where Henry Jr & Martin were in 1826.  Pictured at right is a flat boat.

I don't know when or where Henry Sr. died but Lizzey was probably still living with Martin and/or James in 1830 in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.

Family stories from both Martin’s and James’ descendants say that Martin and James wrestled and split rails with Abe Lincoln.  Because this came from three different lines, it is most likely based in fact, however, when and where has not been exactly determined.  The most likely place they met was in Indiana.  Part of the problem of solving this family story is that Lincoln was "officially" so much younger than Martin (b1793) & James (b1804).  But recently I happened onto some information that Abe was actually the same age as James.  This makes our family story make sense.  [Though Lincoln's official birthdate is 1809, there is evidence (source1, source2, source3, source4, source5 ) that this date was used because his mother actually married Tom Lincoln in 1806, after Abe was born, probably in 1804 in Rutherford Co, NC.  Lincoln's real father was probably Abraham Enloe, a married man, who reportedly paid Tom Lincoln a sum of money to marry his servant girl, Nancy Hanks and take her to Kentucky. There is considerable debate over this, with many historians discounting the earlier date.  However, after reading both sides, I believe the story.  It certainly makes the Willard-Lincoln connection more understandable.]

Here are my reasons why I think the Willards boys knew Lincoln in Indiana:
1. KENTUCKY: They probably didn't know little Abe in Breckinridge Co, KY though they could have since the Lincolns lived just a few miles away in Hardin County.  It isn't likely because in 1816, when Abe was only about 12 years old (officially 7), the Lincolns moved to Indiana (not very far northwest of Breckinridge Co.) to what is now Spencer Co., Indiana.  Between 1815 & 1820 the Willards appear to have also moved to Indiana to Harrison or Spencer County.

2. INDIANA: This is the most likely place where Martin & James became acquainted with Abe Lincoln.  Abe lived in Spencer Co., Indiana from 1816-1830, until he was 26 years old and held various jobs including splitting rails, plowing and planting for hire. 
Henry's son James Willard married in Spencer Co, Ind (about 30 miles NW of Breckenridge Co, KY) in 1826. James (b 1804) who was the same age as Abe, probably lived there until about 1829, when he moved to Missouri to be with brother Martin. So, it is possible they knew each other there.

We don’t know for sure where the Willards were between 1815-1826. They may have moved to Harrison County, Ind, which is about 30 miles NE of Breckenridge County, KY. There were 4 Willard marriages in Harrison Co, Ind who may have been girls from this family:

• Elizabeth Willard m Henry Barker 1813 (her father, Henry Willard, gave permission). 
In 1820 there was a Henry Barker (200010-10010) in Dubois Co. This Henry & his wife were 26-45.  Elizabeth would have been about 24.  [On the same page was Joseph Enlow. There was also a Joseph Enlow 45+ in Harrison Co.]
• Crissy Willard m Moses Barker 1813 (her father was Henry Willard) [Elizabeth & Crissy were probably underage since their father had to sign for them to marry.]  In 1820 there was a Moses Barker (100010-20100) in Perry Co.  Moses was 26-45 and his wife was 16-26.  Crissy should have been 22.
• Margaret Willard (b abt 1802) m Joseph Riney in 1816. Can't find him in 1820.  In Washington Co. there is a widow Margaret Roney (210000-12010), which would make her 26-45, when she should have been about 18.
• Martha Willard (1784-1860) m Henry Guest (1780-1866), abt 1815. Another source has Martha Willard born 1784 in Pa; m Samuel D. Guest about 1815 in Pa.; died 1860 in Harrison Co, In, Union Chapel Cem.  (This may be a different Willard family from Pa.)

From the 1810 (Breckenridge County, KY) census Henry Willard appears to have had 3 daughters born 1785-1800 and 5 daughters born 1800-1810. These 4 marriages might be his daughters if he was in Indiana.

So, the overlapping years the Willards and the Lincolns were in Indiana together were from 1816 to 1820 (for Martin) or until 1829 for James. Martin was 23-36, James was 12-25, and Abe was "officially" 7-20, but more likely he was the same age as James.  By 1821 Martin was in Missouri, but he may have made trips back to Indiana to see his family and there met Abe Lincoln. James joined him in Cape Girardeau, MO in 1830.

3. ILLINOIS: Abe arrived in New Salem, IL in 1831 when he was 26.  He began studying to be a lawyer, but he also held various jobs.  He worked on a farm splitting rails for fences and keeping a store in New Salem. Also taking a boat down the Mississippi to New Orleans.  By 1830 Martin and James were married: (Martin was married in Mo. in 1821 when Abe was 17; James married in  Spencer Co, Ind in 1826 when Abe was 22).  Martin and James seemed to be constantly on the move back and forth to Missouri, Illinois, and maybe Kentucky & Indiana. (In 1830 Martin was 37, James 26, & Abe 26 ("officially" 21.)

Henry probably died by 1820, but not sure where since I don’t know the whereabouts of the Willards in 1820.   They may have been in Harrison County (or Spencer Co), Indiana. If Henry was dead by then, no will is listed in Breckinridge County, Ky.  Martin was probably already living in Cape Girardeau Co, Missouri where he married in 1821.  His marriage license listed him as a resident of Tywapity (sic) township.  He evidently lived near what was then the northern border of Cape Girardeau County—the boundary at that time between Ste. Genevieve Co. and Cape Girardeau Co. was a place called Tywappity Bottom.  [Missouri Territorial Papers show in May 1820 there was a “Henry Millard” in Ste. Genevieve Co, Mo.  If this was Martin's brother, he was 19.]

The Willard men traveled around a lot, maybe trapping or working on the Mississippi River, either leaving their families at home or taking them with them. Martin lived several places all over Missouri before he settled for good at over 60 years of age, a little before 1860.  Martin's grandson, Joseph Martin Willard said his Willard ancestor [must be Martin] trapped with an Indian and was the first white man in the area that is now Oregon Co., Mo. 
July 26, 1826 Henry [Jr] & Martin Willard (and Martin’s in-laws William Lindsey & Solomon Greer) signed a petition in Adams Co., Ill. (also along the Mississippi River, but north of St. Louis).  [Henry Jr was in the Black Hawk War (1831-32), a private in M Maughs Company, enlisted in Jo Daviess County.]
James’ first child was supposedly born in Kentucky in 1827, but perhaps this should be Indiana.
In 1830 James and Martin were in Cape Girardeau Co, Mo.  Martin had an older woman living with him which was probably his mother, Elizabeth/Lissey (his mother-in-law lived next door).

CHILDREN:
Martin, James, Henry Jr. & Margaret are definitely children of Henry Sr. 
Martin & James ended up on Oregon Co (southern) Missouri, while Henry Jr. settled in Jo Daviess Co (northern) Illinois.
Not sure where Margaret lived.
This list of children is from various sources: the 1810 KY census  & KY, IN, IL & MO marriage records.