Lewis F. Williams fought in the Civil War and was also affiliated with Franklin. August 23, 1820, he was born to William Williams in Massachusetts. A few years before 1850, Lewis F. Williams was living in Bellingham with his wife Hildah Williams. In 1850, he had his first child, his daughter Augusta M. Williams.  By 1860, he had moved to Franklin and had five more children; Sarah J. Williams in 1852, Edwin O. Williams in 1854, Isabella A. Williams in 1855, Henry H. Williams in 1858 and Rollo A. Williams in 1860. Before and during the civil war he was a boot maker while his wife kept the house.

 

          On August 4, 1862, there was a call for enlistment of which the 45th regiment, known as the Cadet Regiment, was formed in response. Williams was recruited by E. J. Minot, who was later the captain of the company, and enlisted as a private in this regiment, known as the Cadet Regiment, on September 10. His regiment was commanded by Colonel Charles R. Codman, and his company, Company C, was commanded by Captain Minot.  On September 26 he was mustered into the military for nine months.

 

          He was at Camp Meigs in Reedville for one month after his enlistment began, and then on November 5, he and his fellow soldiers traveled overnight into Boston where he boarded the steamship Mississippi on a voyage to Beaufort, North Carolina. The journey was rough and many men became ill and in response three other steamships joined his convoy to replace the sick soldiers.  Williams arrived in North Carolina November 15, ten days after he began this journey.

 

          Once in North Carolina, he took the train, riding thirty miles in the rain on flat cars to New Berne where he was brigaded with Colonel T.J.C. Amory’s brigade of General Foster’s division. Soon after this, on November 29, his company was detached and assigned to a special provost duty in Morehead City to garrison Fort Macon. He was on this duty until January 3.

 

          On January 17, he started on a reconnaissance to Trenton with his whole regiment and then returned on January 23. On January 26, he and his regiment served on Provost Duty in New Bern.  During this time his regiment was not involved in any battles, even on March 14 when there was an attack nearby. The duties they had while on this duty were “to preserve order in the town; to see that no enlisted man passes unless provided with a written permission suitably signed, endorsed and dated; prevent fast riding or driving through the streets; to act as guards at the railway station and the wharves, and to do anything and everything required of them of a similar nature.” By April 26 he was relieved of his duties.  On April 27 or 28 his regiment started out on the “Mud March” where they first stopped at Core Creek, where their camp was to be. His company was then sent up the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad with Company H as scouts to figure out what the strength of the Confederate forces was, but also with order not to engage in any action. On June 23 or 24 in 1863, he, with the rest of the regiment, began his journey back to Massachusetts and on July 8 was mustered out.

 

          On August 17, 1863, he reenlisted into the army into the Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. By November 20, 1863 he was assigned to the 12th unassigned company as Company M, which was organized for the garrison of forts in Boston Harbor.  Later, he was ordered to Washington, D.C., and ordered to garrison duty in the Defenses of Washington D.C. until August, 1864. His company was attached to 3rd Brigade, Hardin's Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington from May to August in 1864. He was assigned to the 3rd Regiment Heavy Artillery as Company H in August of 1864 which was also attached to the 2nd Brigade, Hardin's Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington. At some point during 1865 he was a part of the gun crew at Fort Lincoln. On August 7, 1865 he was discharged on disability.

 

          In 1870, he was still working as a boot maker in a factory while his wife Hildah kept the house.  Also, his daughters Augusta and Sarah were working in a straw mill at this time.  In 1870, his neighbors were the Adams family, the Coffdestons, the Gormans, the Haggartys, the Mayos, Walker Totman and the Youngs. Some time between 1870 and 1880, he bought a farm and became a farmer.  In 1880, his children Augusta, Sarah and Henry were living at home. Augusta and Sarah still worked at a straw mill, while Henry worked as a school teacher for 37 weeks earning $274. By 1897 his house, farm and sprouts crop, where he lived on Pleasant St. were worth $15,000. On August 29, 1900, he died of old age having lived 80 years and 6 days.