Frank A. Pettis

Age about 12

Age about 13

The actual size of the Frank Pettis Civil War portrait, above, as compared to a penny. The surrounding frame is of gold foil and the portrait is black and white. Additional portraits like this one, of 127 soldiers in the Wisconsin 19th Company A, are archived at the Reedsburg Library.

Frank Pettis, right, with an unidentified friend. Probably around age 14 or 15

After the war, Frank Pettis returned to Reedsburg, and worked for his father in the tailor business. At the age of 20, he married Jane Pomeroy on Jan. 1, 1870, and to them were born five children one son and four daughters.

Oscar Nelson Pettis (1870-1948)

Olive Pettis, Mrs. Alfred Deal (1877-1934)

Hattie Pettis, Mrs. Charles Rumpf (1874-?)

Lillian May Pettis, Mrs. William Storandt (1887-?)

Mina Pettis, Mrs. C.A. Williams (?)

Shortly thereafter, he went to work at the feed mill of his former teacher and commander, A.P. Ellenwood. The mill was located near the old fairgrounds on the west side of Reedsburg. He worked there, eventually becoming a partner. In 1907, he was working in the milling business at Camp Douglas. He retired in 1911, and moved back to Reedsburg after his wife died in 1916. He was a lifetime member of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Reedsburg Drum Corps.