Edward F . W . Ellis Edward Fortescue Warrington Ellis , Sr . ( April 15 , 1819 – April 6 , 1862 ) was a politician , lawyer and American Civil War officer who died while leading his unit on the first day of the Battle of Shiloh . He was a representative in the state of California Legislature , and a Freemason , having served as Worshipfull Master of the lodge he belonged to until 1860 . Early life and career . Ellis was born in Jay , Maine . He moved to Felicity , Ohio , in 1838 , where he was a lawyer and a school teacher . He married Harriet Ortus on October 25 , 1842 . Harriet and Ellis had three daughters , who all died during childhood . However Harriet died soon after the birth of their third child in February 1845 . On August 2 , 1845 , Ellis married one of his former students , Lucy Ann Dobbyns . While in Felicity , he served as both the Clerk to the Trustees and later , the School Examiner , for Franklin Township . Ellis joined the California gold rush and he went to Nevada City , California , and tried to set up shop as a retail salesman , a prospector and lawyer . In 1851 he was elected to the California State Assembly , where one of the resolutions he sponsored granted women the right to own property in the state of California . Ellis returned to Felicity , where in 1852 , he and Lucy had the first of their children , Clara Blanche Ellis Starr , who would go on in her own right as a social leader of the city of Rockford , Illinois . While living in California , he met two businessmen from Rockford , Charles Spafford and Dr . D . G . Clark , who invited him to move to that city . Ellis did not move to Rockford until 1854 ( or 55 ) , where he would establish himself as a lawyer . His home was on West State between Avon & Tay Streets in West Rockford . Ellis joined Spafford , Charles Church and Clark in establishing a bank , the Spafford , Clark and Ellis Banking and Exchange Company , while he practiced law while in Rockford . He was instrumental in establishing the first fire department in Rockford in 1855 , where he was named the first chief engineer . Civil War . Ellis was involved with several local Rockford militia and cadet corps , including the one that organized by Col . Elmer Ellsworth , considered the first person killed in the American Civil War . Ellsworth was a personal friend of future President Abraham Lincoln and founder of the Zouave Movement , popular during and before the Civil War . Ellis became the company commander of the ' Ellis Rifles ' , Company C , 15th Illinois Infantry before being elected a lieutenant colonel and later the commander of that regiment . Ellis volunteered for duty and was mustered in the 15th Regiment , 2nd Brigade , 4th Division of the Army of the Tennessee , in Freeport , Illinois . The 15th Regiment saw action at Fort Donelson near Clarksville , Tennessee , before action during the Battle of Shiloh . On April 6 , 1862 , while in the Hornet ' s Nest , having been promoted to the rank of acting Colonel , Ellis was struck multiple times by enemy fire , but he continued to direct his troops until a fatal bullet hit him . After the battle , his body was recovered from the battlefield and his remains were shipped to Rockford for burial . After an elaborate funeral service , Ellis was buried in the family plot that he had bought only a few years earlier after the death of one of his daughters . Memorialization . Ellis was a longtime member of Freemasonry , having been a member of Felicity Lodge # 102 , Orion Chapter # 42 Royal Arch Masons , Connell Council # 18 Royal & Select Masons , Lafayette Lodge F . & A . M . ( in Nevada , California , part of the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin ) , Nevada Lodge # 13 F . & A . M . , and a founding member of the Star of the East Lodge # 166 A . F . & A . M . , which is still in existence . The E . F . W . Ellis Lodge # 633 is named in tribute to Ellis and meets in the same building as the Star of the East Lodge . The Ellis Arts Academy , an elementary school within the Rockford School District , is named after him . There has been a public elementary school building named after Ellis since the first one named for him in 1868 and that first Ellis School building still exists , formerly the nucleus of the ( St Thomas ) Bishop Muldoon Catholic High School and now part of the west side location of the Crusader ' s Clinic healthcare organization . The area around the school is commonly known informally as Ellis Park . Also Ellis Street in San Francisco , California , is also named for Ellis as well as one in the city of Rockford . The Ellis family plot is directly adjacent to the NorthMain Street side of the Greenwood Cemetery offices . His weather worn gravestone is inscribed : " Ellis , Edward F . W . , Lieutenant Colonel in the 15th Regiment Ill Vol , Killed in Action during the battle of Shiloh " . His wife Lucy is buried next to him with other members of his family in the plot . His uniform and sword were on display at the Winnebago County War Memorial building in downtown Rockford , across the street from the Main Library , for several years however these items are not currently on display because the location of these items are not known .