GENERATION 2 - VERSION 2:
WILLIAM DAVID AND ELIZABETH CATHERINE KATIE DECKER FOLLOWELL
WILLIAM DAVID AND ELIZABETH CATHERINE KATIE DECKER FOLLOWELL
WILLIAM DAVID FOLLOWELL
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| 1860 Monroe Co. Census David Followell |
David Followell was born in 1856, the fourth child of a farmer, William and Tabitha Ann Pope Followell, in Monroe County Indiana. Monroe County Indiana is near David’s grandfather’s (William F. Followell) original pioneer home site dating back to the early 1800s. David grew up having strong family support including his parents, grandmother, several uncles and aunts, and four siblings.
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| 1870 Census Sumpter Cumberland Co. Catherine Decker |
Katie Decker was born the seventh child of a farmer, Lewis and Sarah A. Brown Decker, in Hutton, Coles County Illinois in 1860. Katie grew up in a large family of two sisters, four brothers, and a mother and father. The Deckers were a stable family but they moved often. All of their moves were in the Coles County and Cumberland County area.
THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD AND THE FOLLOWELL FAMILY
The completion of the Illinois Central (IC) Railroad in 1856 dramatically stimulated economic growth in the towns along the tracks. Mattoon Illinois grew dramatically when the IC tracks were laid through town. I believe William Jefferson moved his family from Indiana to the Mattoon area because of this job growth. Similarly, Desoto Illinois grew rapidly and became a town when the IC tracks passed through the village.
AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 1861 - 1865
DAVID'S FAMILY MOVES TO CUMBERLAND COUNTY ILLINOIS
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| 1870 Census Cottonwood Cumberland Co. David Followell |
In 1869 when David was 13 years old, his family moved roughly 300 miles west to the Mattoon Illinois area (Township of Cottonwood in Cumberland County Illinois). In 1870 David (14) was living with his parents and going to school in Cumberland County, Illinois.
DAVID FOLLOWELL MARRIES KATIE DECKER
During the 1870s the William Jefferson Followell family and the Lewis Decker family moved to the same neighborhood in Johnstown, Cumberland County. Around 1878, David Followell (22) married his neighborhood sweetheart Katie Decker (18). Their first child William Lewis was born on July 4, 1879.
DAVID AND KATIE MOVE TO MISSOURI
While the facts are sketchy, I believe David and Katie moved to Southeastern Missouri around 1880. It is not clear why they moved but there were other Followell families in Southeastern Missouri and they may have moved to find work. In 1882, David and Katie's second child Thomas Jefferson was born in Missouri (Stoddard County, Missouri).
DAVID AND KATIE MOVE BACK TO CUMBERLAND COUNTY ILLINOIS
David, Katie, and children moved back to Cumberland County Illinois around 1884. Their third child, Claud (our grandfather), was born in Johnstown, Cumberland County Illinois in 1887. Their fourth child, Nora, was born in the Mattoon Illinois area in 1888. Their fifth child, Guy, was born in 1891. They had another child, Elizabeth, but no records have been found.
David, Katie, and children moved back to Cumberland County Illinois around 1884. Their third child, Claud (our grandfather), was born in Johnstown, Cumberland County Illinois in 1887. Their fourth child, Nora, was born in the Mattoon Illinois area in 1888. Their fifth child, Guy, was born in 1891. They had another child, Elizabeth, but no records have been found.
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| Nora's Obituary |
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| Claud's Birth Record |
DAVID'S EXTENDED FAMILY MOVES TO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
During the mid 1890s three generations of David's family left Cumberland County and moved to Southern Illinois. This move included David's parents, David and his family, and three brothers and their families. David's parents and David's brothers' families moved to Desoto, Illinois. David's family moved to the Dietze Settlement a few miles southeast of Desoto. The history of the Deitze Settlement and the Deitze family can be found here: http://genealogytrails.com/ill/stclair/stchist.htm
CATHERINE KATIE DECKER FOLLOWELL DIES
While the facts are sketchy, I believe Katie died during the 1890s after the move to the Dietze Settlement (see Velma Followell's hand written note to the right). Katie's untimely death put David in an unfortunate situation. The lack of a wife made it difficult for David to continue to work and raise five children. I believe this is why David's children moved into his brother's homes (only a few miles away) in Desoto.
CATHERINE KATIE DECKER FOLLOWELL DIES
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| Velma Griffith's Notes |
DAVID'S BROTHERS RAISE DAVID'S CHILDREN
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| 1900 Census Desoto Ill. |
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| John McClellen Followell |
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| Emma Marshall Followell |
DAVID FOLLOWELL DISAPPEARS
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| David Followell Family Circa 1905 |
THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS COAL INDUSTRY AND THE FOLLOWELL FAMILY
The coal mining industry grew rapidly in Southern Illinois during the 1880s, 1890s and early 1900s. After moving to Desoto (1890s), David's brothers and sons found work in the coal mines around Cambria Illinois (only a few miles from Desoto) and then throughout Williamson County. David's sons and daughters married Southern Illinois women and men and raised their families in Williamson and Jackson Counties. Up to this time most of the Followells worked on farms. The coal industry changed the way they lived.
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| Claud's Death Certificate |
The coal mining industry grew rapidly in Southern Illinois during the 1880s, 1890s and early 1900s. After moving to Desoto (1890s), David's brothers and sons found work in the coal mines around Cambria Illinois (only a few miles from Desoto) and then throughout Williamson County. David's sons and daughters married Southern Illinois women and men and raised their families in Williamson and Jackson Counties. Up to this time most of the Followells worked on farms. The coal industry changed the way they lived.
DAVID FOLLOWELL DESCENDANT FAMILY TREE (Click on the chart to enlarge)
CLICK ON THE IMAGES
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The Generation 2 history was made more difficult because of the 1885 Cumberland County court house fire which destroyed all Cumberland County records. Also, there was no 1890 Cumberland County census. I had to make a several assumptions due to the overall absence of records.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I assumed that the Katie Decker listed on Claud’s birth record was the same Katie Decker that lived in David’s neighborhood. This is a pretty good assumption given there wasn’t another Katie Decker of marrying age for about 150 miles.
Second, I assumed David and Katie moved to Missouri around 1880. I made this assumption because their second child Thomas Jefferson was born there (Stoddard County, Missouri).
Third, I assumed Katie was the mother of all of David’s children. This assumption is more uncertain but probably correct. Velma Griffith’s hand written note implies Katie was the only mother.
Fourth, I made the assumption that Katie died in the Dietze Settlement during the 1890s. This assumption is uncertain but probably correct. I made this assumption because of the comment on Velma Griffith’s note, the fact that David’s children were living with their uncles in 1900, and the absence of Katie in the 1905 family portrait.
The version 2 changes to Generation 2 were the result of two discoveries made while searching my mother’s (Velma Griffith) historical documents.
ReplyDeleteFirst: The hand written note shown above helped understand why David’s children were living with their uncles. It also helped understand where the David Followell family was living (Dietze Settlement) in the 1890s. It also confirmed the names of the children and David’s wife, Katie.
Second: The David Followell family portrait gave a face to Generation 2. Initially, the identity of the family portrait was uncertain because the picture was labeled “unknown Followell family”. However, after further inspection the identity of the people became clear. The timeframe of the picture, the number of children, the number of males and females, the age of the people, the absence of a wife all indicated that the picture was a circa 1905 David Followell family portrait. I believe the boy on the left is Guy Followell (14). The man on the far right is Claud Followell (18). The man in the middle is David Followell (49). The two men in the back of the picture are William Followell (26) and Thomas Followell (24). The two women are Elizabeth and Nora (17) Followell. The man sitting between Elizabeth and Nora is a husband, either Joe Moschenrose or Mr. Shock. It is interesting to note that about four years after this photograph was taken Claud married Cora Roland.