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William Lewis Follis was born in the vicinity of Toledo, Ohio, July 6, 1856, and passed away at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 7, 1831, at his home over six miles, southwest of Mt. Pulaski, Logan county, Illinois, at the age of 74 years, 9 months and 1 day. His last sickness was only of short duration, although his health had been failing for some months.

William Lewis Follis was the son of William and Melissa Leimbaugh Follis. When he was seven years of age, he came with his parents to Illinois, and located near Lake Fork. His parents died while he was young and he made his home near Mt. Pulaski with the late Mr. and Mrs. George Rowe. He worked and attained an education, attending Valparaiso College, after which he taught school for 18 years in Logan county.

On June 5, 1884, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah M. Combs, of Mt. Pulaski vicinity, who preceded him in death on September 27, 1930. He leaves to mourn his departure, one daughter and two sons, Mrs. Fred Bellatti, and James and William Follis, Jr., all of Mt. Pulaski vicinity; ten grandchildren; and three sisters--Mrs. Eliza Allison, of Maywood, Illinois, Mrs. Mary Smith, of St. Louis, Missouri, and Mrs. Ida Herman, of Lincoln, Illinois. He was preceded in death by one brother and two sisters. Mr. Follis also leaves a host of friends.

On February 9, 1905, Mr. Follis and wife joined the Christian church at Lake Fork. To the end of life both continued to be faithful and devoted disciples of their chosen faith. Mr. Follis was a man of high Christian ideals. He lived an exemplary Christian life, and never lost an opportunity to impress his ideals upon all with whom he came in contact. He was a good neighbor, always ready to minister to the needs and wants of others. Mr. Follis was a devoted husband and father, of a kindly disposition, with an outlook upon life that was ever optomistic. His was a fine example of the abundant life in its largest sense. It can truthfully be said of him, like the Patriarch of old, that he served his generations well and was gathered home to his Father.

Funeral services were held at the Copeland Christian church, over six miles southwest of Mt. Pulaski, at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon, April 9th, conducted by Rev. L. H. Hooe, pastor of the First Christian Church of Lincoln. Appropriate songs were sung by a quartet composed of Robert N. Jones, Frank E. Turley, Clarence and George Bowers, with accompaniments. The interment was made in the Steenbergen cemetery, four miles southwest of Mt. Pulaski. The pall bearers were Ralph and Richard Drabing, Charles Harbert, Jr., Fred Risin, Neal Gulso and Paul Kraumlauf, the latter of Chrisman, Illinois.

Those from a distance attending the funeral were Clifton Combs, of Mason City, Iowa; Mrs. Eliza Allison, daughter, and grandson, of Maywood, Illinois; Mrs. Ida Herman, of Lincoln; and Jess Stinson, of Griffin, Indiana.