Obituary: the Moline Review Dispatch Jan 16, 1903 pg. 8

"Mell C Follett, one of Moline's ex-city clerks, died in Chicago Friday of heart failure. The remains arrived in Moline at 12:35 p.m. Sunday for interment. They were conveyed direct to Riverside, and the burial was made in the soldiers' plat at the foot of the monument. Graham Post, G.A.R., was in charge of the burial.

While he was a resident of Moline, Mr. Follett held many positions of trust, including that of post office clerk, city clerk, city marshal, etc. In the war of the Rebellion, he served as a member of Company A, 42d Illinois Infantry. he was wounded at Chickamauga and lay on the field several hours before he was conveyed to a field hospital where he was three weeks. He was later removed to a hospital in Nashville. A stiff knee was the result of his wound.

Out of the service he came to Moline, where for a time he became drug clerk for the firm of Morris & Cram, then conducting what was known as the Keator House drugstore, afterward Clendenin's.

Later, he was a post office clerk, city clerk, marshal, etc. He left Moline for Chicago some twenty years ago. He paid a visit to friends here last summer.

Mr. Follett was a brother-in-law of Mrs. O.P. Sowers of this city, having married her sister, another daughter of the late Ephraim Warren of Watertown.

Mr. Follett was city clerk of Moline from 1881 to 1885."

Melville Cox Follett enlisted in Co A 42 Regiment Illinois Volunteers on September 4, 1861, in Chicago, Illinois. He kept a Civil War Diary that covers his service from January to November 1863. The diary was transcribed by William H Greene in 1990. William Green's introduction to the transcription includes the following:

"Mell" (as he was called) was in the 42nd Illinois Regiment, but he spent five months of his diary span on detached service as a pharmacist with the division hospital. The back part of his diary includes listings of the drug supplies and linen supplies he dealt with during his hospital duty. There is also a list of hospital patients with parenthetical references describing some of them.

The diary depicts a serious, patriotic, religious 27-year-old frequently longing for home. Most of the time is spent in camp with little activity beyond picket duty and foraging the countryside for supplies. This was in General William Rosencrans' army which spent several months of activity near Murfreesboro, Tenn, despite frequent pleas and orders from the high command to be more aggressive.

Finally, in late August, Melville returns to his Regiment just before Rosencrans at long last moved against the Confederates. On September 19th, Mell was wounded in the knee at the Battle of Chickamauga. He was also captured, exchanged, and eventually discharged. He almost lost his leg and was crippled for life. He was married after the war and died in 1903, leaving no children.

Notes from Mell's diary

Saturday Sept 19th:

"Started on our march about 9 o'clock. Marched forward about seven miles to reinforce Woods division. We were drawn u of battle our company sent out as skirmishers with H & G about one mile when we discovered our brigade coming. We fell in stacked arms but no enemy came so we went further to our left. Marched double quick most of the time. Soon we came to where the enemy were drawn up in line. We pitched in then being in advance. We drove them a short time when they rallied gave us fits. I soon fell being hit in the left limb at the knee and I am among the wounded. My wound is doing well."

Sept 20th

Weather cool and splendid. Was taken prisoner today by the enemy. So we may expect a trip through to Richmond as soon as we get able to be moved. So far they have treated us with respect. our captors belong to the 1st Ky. Cavalry. We are living on sow belly and hard tack. No news of our division."

Sept 30th

Were all paroled last night and as soon as convenient will be moved inside our own lines. Thank God for that.

Oct 1st

Were put in ambulances before daylight but did not start until 8 o'clock. Hauled about six miles when we halted for the rest of the train. I never knew what pain was before. It seemed at times as though I must die. We did not arrive until 10 o'clock at night. Got stuck in a pond hole and could not get out for two hours and then were helped out by the 10th South Carolina Regt. My would is considered improving. I never shall have full use of it again. Such is the soldier's life. I shall be a cripple for the rest of my days."

Mellville suffered the remainder of his life from pain and disability. He was discharged on June 10, 1864, due to his wounds.

After the war he resided in Henry county Illinois where he worked as a druggist. He married Jane Warren Avery on 11 Oct 1871. They moved to Moline, Illinois where he served as a drug clerk for the firm of Morris and Cram, later as post office clerk, city clerk, and city marshal. He moved to Chicago in about 1896 where he lived until his death. He died on January 9, 1903, after drinking carbolic acid while despondent

Name: Melville Follet

Age: 14

Birth Year: abt 1836

Birthplace: New York

Home in 1850: Township 11 N 1 E, Knox, Illinois, USA

Gender: Male

Family Number: 705

Household Members:

Name Age

Aram H Follet 42

Lahain Follet 42

John M Follet 18

William Follet 16

Melville Follet 14

Francinia Follet 12

Merial Follet 9

Alan Follet 7

Martha Micham 49

(Source: 1850 United States Federal Census)

Name: Melville Follett

Age: 24

Birth Year: abt 1836

Gender: Male

Race: White

Birth Place: New York

Home in 1860: Cornwall, Henry, Illinois

Post Office: Burns

Family Number: 1655

Value of Real Estate: View image

Household Members:

Name Age

Abm Follett 51

Loraine Follett 51

Melville Follett 24

Maria Follett 19

Helen Follett 17

(Source: 1860 United States Federal Census)

Name: M C Follett [Melville C. Follett]

Age in 1870: 34

Birth Year: abt 1836

Birthplace: New York

Home in 1870: Atkinson, Henry, Illinois

Race: White

Gender: Male

Post Office: Atkinson

Value of Real Estate: View image

Household Members:

Name Age

A H Follett 62

Loraine Follett 62

M C Follett 34

(Source: 1870 United States Federal Census)

Name: Mell C Follett

Gender: Male

Spouse Name: Mrs Jennie D Jackson

Marriage Date: 11 Oct 1871

Marriage County: Rock Island

Comments: This record can be found at the County Court Records, Film # 1428580 - 1428581.

(Source: Illinois, Marriages, 1851-1900)

Name: Mell C. Follett

Birth Place: New York

Residence Date: 30 Sep 1877

Station or Residence Place: Davenport, Iowa, USA

Year: 1877

Title: Register of Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval in the Service of the United States

Volume: Volume 1

(Source: US, Register of Civil, Military, and Naval Service, 1863-1959)

Name: Mell. G. Follett

Age: 43

Birth Year: abt 1837

Birthplace: Vermont

Home in 1880: Moline, Rock Island, Illinois

Race: White

Gender: Male

Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)

Marital Status: Married

Spouse's Name: Jennie D. Follett

Father's Birthplace: Vermont

Mother's Birthplace: Vermont

Neighbors: View others on page

Occupation: Mail Agt

Cannot read/write:

Blind:

Deaf and Dumb:

Otherwise disabled:

Idiotic or insane:

Household Members:

Name Age

Mell. G. Follett 43

Jennie D. Follett 44

(Source: 1880 United States Federal Census)

Name: Mell C. Follett

Birth Place: New York

Residence Date: 1 Jul 1899

Station or Residence Place: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Year: 1899

Title: Official Register of the United States, Containing a List of the Officers and Employees in the Civil, Military, and Naval Service Together with a List of Vessels Belonging to the United States

Volume: Volume 2

(Source: US, Register of Civil, Military, and Naval Service, 1863-1959)

Name: M C Follett [M C Hollett]

Age: 63

Birth Date: Jun 1836

Birthplace: New York

Home in 1900: Chicago Ward 12, Cook, Illinois

Race: White

Gender: Male

Relation to Head of House: Husband

Marital Status: Married

Father's Birthplace: New York

Mother's Birthplace: Vermont

Occupation: View on Image

Neighbors: View others on page

Household Members:

Name Age

M C Follett 63

(Source: 1900 United States Federal Census)

Name: Mell C. Follett

Birth Place: New York

Residence Date: 1 Jul 1901

Station or Residence Place: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Year: 1901

Title: Official Register of the United States, Containing a List of the Officers and Employees in the Civil, Military, and Naval Service Together with a List of Vessels Belonging to the United States

Volume: Volume 2

(Source: US, Register of Civil, Military, and Naval Service, 1863-1959)

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Parents:

Abram Hyatt Follett

Loraine Everest Meacham

Spouse:

Jane D. Warren Jackson