Pvt. William Mock

Pvt. William Mock

   Listed on the 1860 Census #3364/2670 as a 30 year old farmer from England.

G Co.       52nd Ill. Vol. Inf.

The Lincoln Regiment

   Enlisted Sept. 25, 1861.
   Home of record listed as Elgin, Ill's.
   31 year old Farmer.
   Musered in at Camp Lyon in Geneva, Ill's. on Nov. 19, 1861.
   Issued .69 US Altered Musket.
   Wounded in Action in the Knee by a musket ball at Shiloh.  Also wounded in the Kidneys by a tree branch  clipped off by a shell that fell on him.

       Known Actions;
Fort Donelson, Tenn. - Feb. 17, 1862
Shiloh, Tenn. - April 6, 1862

       Post war;

   The City Court: Jan. 10, 1877 issue The Elgin Daily News.
   The Mock divorce case was taken up this afternoon and the attendance was very large.  The court room crowded in its utmost capacity, there being not even standing room.  The case was opened for the complainant by Robert Ireland, and his remarks were very well given.  A statement of the grievances of Wm. Mock made the case look as though he had been an abused man, until the case was presented for the defense by John McBride.  The charge brought against Mrs. Mock by her husband is that of adultery with several persons while she was living with him and also since the case was begun.  This is denied by Mrs. Mock in to-to; she asserting that she has lived the life of a true and virtuous wife while under his roof and since their separation her conduct has been that of a pure woman.  The plaintiff began the presenting of his evidence by putting Mrs. Mock on the stand.  She was very prompt with her answers, giving them in a clear tone of voice and with a coolness that would lead one to believe that she had been on the witness stand before and profited by the experiance gained.  There is a large number of reputable citizens supoinaed by the complainant to show the character of the woman.  In all probability the case will take the most of to-morrow to finish, and with the number of lawyers that have been retained by both aprties they will succeed in getting at the facts as they really exist before the end is reached.

   Retraction: Jan. 11, 1877 issue The Elgin Daily News.

MISINFORMED

   On Wenesday evening December 13, The Elgin Daily News contained an article concerning one Billy Mock, Horace Sturtevant and several woman.  The charge was that Sturtevant had been too familiar with the wive of Mock, so intamate was their accquaintanship, that a separation of Mr. and Mrs. Mock was the result.  Since the article appeared, we have learned that our informant misinformed us, and that the affair was not as he represented.  We did not intend to wrong any one, but proposed to give the statements in their true light.  We have also learned that reports which were circulated about Mrs. Mock were untrue, and that Mr. Sturtevant is a gentelman of honor.  We make this retraction that the interested parties may know that the injury done them by us was unintended.

   Notice: Jan. 12, 1877 issue The Elgin Daily News.
The courtroom has been filled with anxious listeners to-day hoping to hear the end of the Mock trial, which has attracted so much attention since its commencement.  The witnesses had all been heard last night, and this morning the attourneys opened their pleas.  Col. Joslyn occupied the forenoon, and made one of his finest and most able efforts, at the conclusion of which Major Berry addressed the jury, and in a most forcible light placed before the body of true men the facts of the case as understood by him.  At the conclusion of Major Berry's speech, the case was sent to the jury, which up to this writing have not brought in their verdict.  To-morrow we shall give the case in full and the decision of the court.

   Notice: Jan. 13, 1877 issue The Elgin Daily News.
   The jury of the Mock case disagree.

   Joined GAR Veteran's Post #49 May 18, 1880.
   Transferred to another GAR Post, post not listed.

Used with permission Elgin Area Hist. Soc.

From the collection of Ken Gough

US Altered Musket

Model 1816 Springfield / dated 1827

Used with permission Dan Mallett

Members Post #49 sewed watch faces to their ribbons to show they were from Elgin.