This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website
Colonel Albert A. Solliday
1841 - 1924
Father
of Dr. A. F. Solliday
1908
10 16 The Fourth
artillery, US Army camped here, Col. A.
Solliday coordinator WG
1909
09 24 Col. Solliday’s auto WG
1910
01 07 St. Bernard’s purchased the old Solliday home on Montgomery
St WG
11 25 Col. Solliday's Auto Trip
The following taken from the Jacksonville, Florida, Times-Herald, will be read in Watertown
with interest:
Hale
and hearty at the advanced age of 70 years, and having driven his 50
horse-power Rambler runabout in the neighborhood of 1500 miles in twelve days,
Col. A. Solliday of Watertown, Wis., drew up in front
of the Park Hotel yesterday morning shortly before 11 o'clock, a little tired,
but in good spirits. Col. Solliday was accompanied by Mr. E. C. Stapleton, who made
the entire journey with him.
For
the past six or seven winters, Col. Solliday, who
gains his title from his service as Lieutenant Colonel of the Second Wisconsin
Volunteers during the Spanish American War, has been an annual visitor to
Daytona, having previously made his trips by rail.
Having
a natural fondness for automobiles and being an enthusiastic member of the
Milwaukee Automobile Association, he decided this season to make the trip in
his car, even against the advice of friends who feared that he would not be
able to stand the trip.
Leaving
Watertown on the first of November, Col. Solliday and
Mr. Stapleton took the road to Chicago, where they remained for two days,
looking over the famous Windy city.
Leaving Chicago they encountered a driving rainstorm, and after
traveling ninety-five miles through a veritable deluge, were forced to stop and
seek shelter. Resuming their journey
they next stopped at Indianapolis, where they spent one day and where they were
forced to make 3 different attempts to get out of the neighborhood, finding as
many roads impassable owing to repair work being done on them.
From
Indianapolis they proceeded to Louisville, thence down through Bowling Green,
to Cave City, where they halted temporarily for the purpose of visiting the
Mammoth Cave. Completing this visit,
they came on down to Nashville, Tenn., where they visited The Hermitage, the famous
home of Andrew Jackson, located about twelve miles northeast of Nashville, on
the old Lebanon Pike. From this point
they also visited the Confederate Home nearby, where Col. Solliday,
who as a veteran of the Civil War, made many acquaintances among the heroes of
the gray, and spent several hours dealing in reminiscences of that memorable
conflict and fighting over its battles.
Leaving
Nashville they journeyed to Chattanooga, thence to Atlanta, where they spent a
day looking over the Georgia capital, whose buildings and general atmosphere of
thrift made a vivid impression on him.
After
his visit to Atlanta, Col. Solliday chose the route
through Macon and Valdosta into Lake City, Fla., from which point they came on
to Jacksonville. In Atlanta, Col. Solliday was advised to secure the services of a guide over
the greater portion of his trip to this city but believing himself a pretty
good pathfinder, refused to do so, and came to Jacksonville under his own
guidance.
Though
the trip consumed about twelve days, Col. Solliday
did very little traveling at night, averaging from 75 to 140 miles each day.
Throughout
the entire trip his car behaved wonderfully, coming all the distance without
any trouble or accident other than a broken spring, caused by an extremely rough
and rocky road which they encountered in the vicinity of Bowling Green, Ky.
They
found the roads in fairly good condition throughout their journey, though
somewhat rocky in Kentucky and very sandy from Valdosta to Lake City. Col. Solliday was
especially pleased with the condition in which he found the Georgia roads and
the good work which is constantly being done on them.
Mr.
Stapleton will not continue further with Col. Solliday
but will make a tour of the state with another friend and will close his trip
on the west coast, from which point he will return home. Col. Solliday will
motor to Daytona and after spending the winter there, will probably make the
return trip to his home in his car, in all likelihood choosing a different
route from that by which he made the inbound trip. WG
Final Roll Call for Veteran of Two Wars
1924
Portions abstracted from Watertown
Daily Times, 12 13 1924
Col.
Albert Solliday, a veteran of two wars and long time
professional man of Watertown, where he was engaged in dentistry for many
years, died in the family home on Church Street after a protracted
illness caused by advancing years.
Col. Solliday was born in Lehigh country, Pennsylvania,
117 1/2 E Main, Signage
Upon his arrival
in Watertown he opened dental parlors over the Bank
of Watertown, where he remained three years, finally locating on
Col. Solliday held several positions of trust in Watertown,
among them four years on the school board, part of the time its president;
alderman of the Third ward and mayor of the city in 1884 and 1885. His services to the state were also
many. In the Wisconsin National Guard he
served six years as captain of the Watertown Rifles, 1882-88, and was then
commissioned adjutant of the second regiment, W.N.G., April 25, 1888, major
commanding first battalion, same regiment, February 23, 1892, and lieutenant
colonel January 7, 1895. On January 2,
1899, he was appointed quartermaster general W.N.G., and January 5, 1899,
received the commission with rank of brigadier general. He was a member of the Wisconsin National
Guards for 27 years.
For
some years Col. Solliday was an officer of the Wisconsin National Bank and at the time
of his death was president of that institution.
In
1892 at a special election called to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
the then State Senator Walter Green, he was elected and at the expiration of
his term was re-elected to another full term.
To
Col. Solliday belongs the honor of being the first
man in the Second regiment to land on Porto Rican soil during the
Spanish-American war. Col. Solliday was the first to step out of the boat and onto the
beach. Troops of the Third Regiment were
the first to be landed.
Col. Solliday was twice married.
His first wife was Elizabeth A. Van Ness of Watertown, whom he married
October 28, 1869. She preceded him to
the grave in 1908. He was bereaved of
his second wife a number of years ago, since which time he has been making his
home with his son, Dr. A. F. Solliday.
Col. Solliday was prominent in Masonic circles. He was a member of Watertown Lodge, No. 49,
F. and A. M. Watertown Chapter No. 11, Olivet Commandery,
No. 18. Knight Templers, and Wisconsin Consistory and Shrine, Milwaukee. He was also a member of Watertown Lodge No.
666, B.P.O.E.
One son, Dr. A. F. Solliday
of this city, and a brother, James Solliday of
Grand Rapids, Michigan, are the only close surviving relatives beside two
grandchildren, Miss Elizabeth Solliday and Albert L. Solliday.
During
his long and active life Colonel Solliday never
failed to take an active interest in all that concerned the welfare of the
community. He was one of the first city
officials to attempt bettering the condition of city streets and succeeded
admirably in the days before macadam or concrete were thought of. He believed that if a thing was worth doing
it was worth doing well.
He was
a man greatly devoted to his home and friends and the latter were only measured
by the scope of his acquaintances. In
his death the city has lost a man of the type that is one of the best and not
always fully recognized assets to a community.
He was known as a man of sterling integrity, whose word was as good as
his bond and whose character was above reproach.
His
funeral was held from his late residence on Church Street with service in the
home under Masonic auspices and the interment was in the family vault in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Cross-References:
Watertown American Legion began in 1919 with Dr. Solliday as first commander
Albert L Solliday,
son of Dr. A F Solliday, president of Pan American
Petroleum Corp
Susan S. Cady [1846–1900] resided with family of Col.
A. Solliday after death of her father
