William Molett

Alabama Cavalry Company F | home Muster roll Contact Susette Cook

*William Page Molett

*William enlisted on 11 March 1862 from Dallas Co. Alabama. He was enlisted by Capt. Murphy as a private for 12 months at the age of 19 years.

It did not take him long to find himself captured by the Enemy. William was captured at Murfreesboro, Tennessee on 18 Jan 1863. He was first sent to the prison camp in Louisville, Kentucky. From there he was sent on to Camp Butler Illinois, arriving in Camp Butler on March 11, 1863. He was parole 14 Feb 1863 and promised never to take up arms or do any hostile act against the United States until regularly exchanged.

Obviously that did not last long, as he was recaptured again five days later on the 19 of Feb 1863 at Fosterville, Tennessee. And then he must have escaped because he was back with his cavalry company in April.

He was listed on Company muster rolls for:

April 30 to June 30 1863

October 31 to Dec ember 31 1863

It is interesting to note that three of the Molett boys served in Company F, William, John and Charles.

William was also listed by the name W. P. Malett and William P. Melott.

After the Civil War William was active in his local government.

“22 May 1878 Messrs. H. C. Graham, W. P. Molett, Lewis Johnson, B. P.

Moseley, Chas. Lenoir, J. A. Harwood, & John D. Moseley are delegates from

Lexington Beat to the County Convention.” Quote from Alabama Notes by Flora D. England, 1950

*William Page Molett was born and died and was buried in Dallas county, Alabama. He was born in September 3 1842, died on 4 Feb 1924 and was buried in Molett Cemetery.

He married Julia Heard Foster. Julia was born about 1843 from Madison, Georgia.

They had the following children:

2 F i. Virginia Molett was born in 1860 in Alabama .

3 M ii. William Molett was born in 1874 in Alabama .

4 F iii. Annie Molett was born in 1878 in Alabama .

I am short two of William P. Molett children perhaps I will find them later. On the 1900 census his wife is listed as having 5 children with only two of them alive in 1900.

William's grandfather was William P. Molett who owned 300 slaves in 1850. His wife was Margaret A. Ulmer and they lived and raised their family in Dallas county.

This is a little picture showing the where William Molett settled in Dallas county.

William's father was John Ulmer Molett ( son of William). John was a planter also in Dallas County. In 1850 he owned 27 slaves.

John married Virginia Susan Caldwell . Virginia was born in 1823 in Virginia. Here are paintings of John Ulmer Molett and his wife Virginia Susan Caldwell. Digital images from Sandra Mann Oakley

They had the following children:

F i. Margaret A. Molett was born in 1841 in Dallas county, Alabama.

M ii. *William Page Molett was born in 1843. He died on 4 Feb 1924.

M iii. *John D. Molett was born in 1845 in Dallas county, Alabama.

M iv. *Charles C. Molett was born in 1846 in Dallas county, Alabama. He died on 27 Jan 1864.

F v. Eliza S. Molett was born in 1848 in Dallas county, Alabama.

F vi. Virginia Molett was born in 1849 in Dallas county, Alabama.

M vii. Edward Molett was born in 1850.

F viii. Mary C Molett was born in 1853 in Dallas county, Alabama.

Virginia Molett Hamlett is the great granddaughter of William Page Molett and she wrote to me and told me a little bit more about William. Here is a typed copy of what she wrote:

" William Page Molett II

Born 9-3-1842 Died 2-4-1924

He was the oldest son of John Ulmer Molett and Virginia Susan Caldwell Molett.

He was my Great-Grand-Father.

He spent most of his time at his Grand parents (W P I and Margaret Ulmer Molett) home to keep them company and escape his Father's drinking. In fact his Father's behavior under the influence caused W P II to never drink. He did use alcohol in medicine for the former slaves and who ever was sick in the family after he was grown and in charge of Molett Bend.

When he was 17 he went to the Universitey of Alabama, later transferring to the Citidel Miltary College in South Carolina. He was in the Cadet Corps. He was serving in the Cadet Corps when Fort Sumpter was bombarded. After three months he went back to college but returned to Alabama to join the F Company 3rd Ala Cavery in March of 1862. He was a 20 year old Private in Confederate Calvary. He served all the war as a scout. My Grandmother told many good stories of his narrow escapes that I wish I could remember the details of.

His obituary lists the battles he participated in 1.Corinth 2.Murfreesboro 3.Chattanooga 4.Look Out Mountain 5.Shiloh 6.Chicomunga 7.Around Atlanta.

His brother, Charles Caldwell Molett was killed in a skirmish at McNutt's Mill in Tenn and W.P. brought him home. Since the family cemetery had not been chosen at the time Charles is buried in Old Live Oak Cemetery in Selma in the Confederate army section.

W.P. II was in Wheeler's Calvary division all through the Kentucky Campaign as part of Gen Braggs Army and he was in the final fighting in North Carolina. He surrendered at Greensboro and was paroled at Concord May 3, 1865.

The obituary goes on the say “as a citizen of Dallas County his personality and strength was felt in many sections beyond that in which he lived. His influence was always strongly thrown on the side of justice and truth and right and his passing depletes the ranks of those pure patriots who have served his country in peace and war”.

All my life I heard good things about him. People who knew him personally had good things to say about him.

His beloved Grandfather W. P. I was hung to a tree and killed on April 1865 so when W. P. II got home from the war he had to help his Father deal with all the legal problems of the huge estate. When his Father, John Ulmer Molett died in 1871 at the age of 55 W.P. II was left to administer the hugh estate that was divided as fairly as possible between six surviving children. This was indeed a harder task because they had been so rich before the war and the children had been so spoiled. After the war they were so poor but the children (now grown) still expected to live like rich people. He was so sweet and hated to say “no” to any of his brothers and sisters.

When he married Julia Heard Foster from Madison, Ga in 1873 it was a lucky occasion. She was two years older, very educated, tough business person and sort of “stingy”. She pretty much put the breaks on people taking advantage of WP II good nature. She also pushed him into politics because her people in Georgia were lawyers, politicians. However he quit after one term in the State legislature. He was too honest to stand it.

However “Miss Jule” had better luck with her son, W.P. III. She insisted he become a lawyer and he served many, many years as a Representative in the Ala State Legislature. He also put an “E” on Molett too? His whole personality was opposite his Father's as so was his character.

Buried in Molett Family Cemetery south of Orrville Al in “Molett Bend” where his Grandfather had a 10,000 acre plantation-many slaves."

1. 1860 Federal Census, Alabama, Dallas, Orrville Beat page 931.

2. 1850 Federal census, Alabama, Dallas county, Boug Chitto, page 85,86.

3. Alabama Death Certificate, 1924 #2751.Death certificate of Wm P Molett.

4. Alabama Department of Archives and History, Alabama 3 Reg file box Typed copy of Muster roll dated 31 October 1864, Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama.

5. Alabama Department of Archives and History, Alabama 3 Reg file box Typed copy of Muster roll dated 31 October 1864, Listed on roll as Wm P Molett.

6. United States. Record and Pension Office., Compiled Service records of Confederate soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Alabama., Washington C. C. : The National Archives, 1961-1962.Third Alabama Cavalry L-Q 1861-1865 FHL#08803340.

7. 1910 Federal Census, Alabama, Dallas, Lexington, sheet 21B

8. Virginia Molett Hamlett great grand daughter of William Page Molett.

If you are a descendant or have stories or memorabilia about this unit contact Susette Cook. susette_cook@hotmail.com susette_cook@hotmail.com