Generation 1

 Generation 1: Claud and Cora Followell

 

CLAUD FOLLOWELL
1887 - 1948

CLAUD FOLLOWELL

Claud was born in Cumberland County Illinois in Cottonwood Township near Mattoon Illinois on March 24 1887.   His father was William David Followell.  His mother was Katie Decker Followell.  However, neither David or Katie raised their children.  Claud was raised by David's brother John Followell.  In 1900, Claud (14), his brother Guy( 8), their paternal grandfather (William), and their paternal grandmother ("Bitha" Ann) were all living in John Followell's home in Desoto Illinois. 





CORA ALICE ROLAND

VIOLA, CORA
JOHN COLEMAN, CORUM
ROLAND

Cora grew up near Cambria Illinois in her parents home (John Coleman Roland and Luella Vaughn Roland). John and Luella had four children Cora, Dora, Viola, and Corum. When Cora was 8 years old her father left her mother and married Lilly Higgens. While this change was traumatic, the family remained strong under the leadership of their coal miner father (John Coleman).   

CLAUD MARRIES CORA

It is unclear how Claud and Cora met but it would have been easy for them to get together given that their families lived only a few miles apart.  On 4/29/1909 Claud (22) and Cora (17) were married in Marion Ill.  They lived together pretty much continuously for about 10 to 15 years and had 6 children. Unfortunately, Claud was a drinker and this caused problems. He was a good man when he wasn't drinking but he was trouble when he had a few drinks. The problem was made more difficult because of his brother Guy. Guy received a government check and was able to purchase liquor when his check arrived.  Claud and Guy caused problems when they got together.  Claud worked in several coal mines (Perrines Mine in Cambria, Dales Mine and Taylor Mine in Herrin, Clifford #8 in Clifford.) for roughly 12 years. When he wasn't working in the mines he made and sold small wooden trinkets. He also dug sassafras root which he packaged and sold throughout the neighborhoods. 

Claud's 1918 draft registration document indicates he was working in the Taylor coal mine in Herrin.  Cora was listed as his nearest relative.  The document states that he had stomach cancer.

The 1920 census indicates that Claud and Cora were living together in a rented home with their five children in Johnston City Illinois. Claud's occupation was coal miner.

CLAUD AND CORA SEPARATE SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE 1910s-1930s

Jane McKinney
 (Velma's employer)
and 16 yr. old 
Velma Followell

Cora was generally unhappy with Claud's drinking and there were a number of separations. During these separations Claud lived either with his brother Guy or by himself. During one of these separations (about 1923) Cora and the children were living in Clifford north of Carterville.  Their last child Maxine was born in 1923 in Clifford.  Claud was living nearby with Guy in a lean-to on the bank of the Big Muddy River.    During this period, their oldest child, Velma, moved out of the house and went to work in the McKinney boarding house in Cambria.  Shortly thereafter, Velma married Jane McKinney's grandson (Harley Griffith).

Billy and Lester Followell

THE GREAT MARCH 18, 1925 TORNADO
Around 1925 Cora moved the family from Clifford to Vancel Bend, a small community on the bank of the Big Muddy River near Royalton. On March 18, 1925 a huge tornado came through Vancel Bend causing a lot of damage. Cora and the children survived the tornado by entering a root cellar built into the river bank. Unfortunately, Lester was on his way home from school several miles away and suffered a head injury. The family was very concerned for Lester (Pictured on the right with his wife Billy) but he fully recovered and later became a successful business man (co-owner of the F & F Tin Shop in West Frankfort).



CLAUD AND CORA REUNITE
During 1930 Claud and Cora reunited and were living together with their children in Marion. However, this did not last long. In 1935 Claud was living alone (renting) in Hurst Illinois. In 1940 Claud was living alone in Marion on Cout'd Pecherwood Road. I don’t think Claud and Cora ever got back together again. Each lived alone for their remaining years.

CLAUDE REGISTERS FOR THE WWII DRAFT IN 1942 AT AGE 55

Claud's 1942 draft registration document indicates that he was 5ft. 5in. tall, weighed 150 lbs. and was living in Marion Illinois. His contact address was Cora's address (State Street in Marion near Leo), but he wasn't living with Cora. He was living alone in Marion. 

CLAUD (61) DIES IN 1948
Claud (61) died in Marion Illinois in 1948.  He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Marion Ill.  (see Claud's Death Certificate on Generation 2 web page)

Elmer Followell 

CORA MOVES TO ELMER'S COTTAGE
During the 1960s Cora moved out of her State Street duplex to a house on Patrick Street, and then to a house on Calvert Street. All of these locations were near Leo's house.  In the early 1970s Elmer built a cottage at the rear of his house on Vicksburg Street in Marion. Much to the disappointment of Leo's family, Cora  moved into Elmer's cottage around 1973.  She lived there until she went into the nursing home in the late 1970s.



Cora Followell at Elmer's Cottage

CORA (89) DIES IN 1981
In the late 1970s Grandma Cora went to a nursing home in Marion. After entering the nursing home she developed colon cancer and died about one year later (1981).

Evelyn,  Leo Coleman,  Maxine
Followell

THE GRANDMOTHER THAT WE REMEMBER
Grandmother Cora was a loving, quiet, large woman. She was a big "thumb twiddler". When she was sitting quietly, she was usually twiddling her thumbs. It was clear that life had taken a toll on her. I don't think she ever fully recovered from Claude's drinking problem. I thought she was a hero.

Perhaps Leo's family was closest to Cora because of the proximity of their houses.  Leo's family saw Cora almost every day.  Carolyn Followell Fowler (Leo's oldest child) remembers Cora as a quiet, loving grandmother that lovingly pinched the grandchildren when they walked nearby. 

THE GRANDFATHER THAT I REMEMBER

I saw my Grandfather Claud only once. I was about 4 years old when he came walking down Lincoln Street where my family lived in Royalton Illinois. My mother, Velma Griffith, alerted me that he was coming and I walked to the fence and spoke to him while he stood in the street. I can't remember what we talked about but the conversation was short and he was on his way. I am not even sure he knew I was his grandson. He was a smallish thin man.

THE GENERATION 1  DESCENDANT TREE IS SHOWN BELOW



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