website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Colonel Albert A. Solliday
1841 - 1924
Father
of Dr. A. F. Solliday
1841 – 1924
Watertown Historical
Society Collection
1885
Solliday & Meyer, Dentists, 117 1/2 Main
St.
1887
Solliday & Meyer, Dentists, 117 1/2 Main
St.
1898
04 27 COLONEL
SOLLIDAY PREPARES FOR WAR
While at Ripon last week Colonel Solliday purchased a fine saddle horse
for use when called to the front.
Captain Moulding made a like purchase here
Saturday from B. Lee Blanchard, of Oconomowoc.
Both horses commanded good prices.
The Colonel's steed can single-step at a four-minute gait. WR
Cross
Reference: Chapter on Spanish American War,
1898
07 06 CRITICAL
OF CONDITIONS FOR SOLDIERS
Dr. A. A. Solliday arrived home Sunday night from his sojourn with the
troops at Chickamauga Park, Ga. He is not
very enthusiastic over the conditions of living there
and says the soldiers are having a rather hard time of it. There is considerable sickness, caused
principally by the heat and impure water.
His father and Dr. Moulding have been indisposed, but are now quite well. Dr. Moulding has
his hands full in looking after the health of the boys, as he is practically
the only surgeon to the Second Wisconsin, the other two having been detailed
elsewhere. WR
1899
Lewis
Monument dedication participant.
1908
10 16 UNITED STATES ARMY CAMPED HERE
The Fourth artillery, United States Army camped here
Thursday night on the Northwestern University campus, Col.
A. Solliday having looked
after the selection of the place for the troops. WG
1909 ENJOYED
AUTO RIDE TO FORT ATKINSON
09 24 Last Saturday afternoon Col. Solliday, W. D. Sproesser, A. J.
Carlin and James W. Moore enjoyed a ride to Ft.
Atkinson and back in Col. Solliday’s auto . . .
WG
1910
01 07 ST. BERNARD’S PURCHASED OLD SOLLIDAY HOME on Montgomery St WG
St. Bernard’s
congregation has purchased 105 feet of real estate, including the old Solliday
home, in Montgomery Street, just south
of the church school, the consideration being $2300. This was badly needed as a playground for the
school children. [This property, at 107
S. Montgomery, was the early home of the Solliday family; Dr. Solliday, a
dentist, lived as a young boy in this family home and later in his own home,
just to the east, at 114 S. Church St (today St. Bernard’s rectory)]. 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
1914
01 27 EMINENT COMMANDER AND MRS. A. F. SOLLIDAY
The third annual
reception and ball given last Monday evening at Masonic Temple by Olivet
Commandery, Knight Templars, was one of the finest social affairs ever given in Watertown. Bach’s orchestra of Milwaukee opened the
evening’s program with very select concert numbers on the third floor. At 10
o’clock the 200 guests present entered the ball room on the third floor and
joined in the grand march under direction of Paul Thom
and wife, and led by Eminent Commander
and Mrs. A. F. Solliday, followed by the Knights in full regalia. WG
1919
Watertown American Legion began in 1919 with Dr.
Solliday as first commander
Final Roll Call for Veteran of Two Wars
(Civil and Spanish-American)
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, February 13, 1841. He was educated in Pennsylvania and Ohio,
graduating from the high school at Circleville, Ohio,
in 1861. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the 114th regiment, Ohio volunteer
infantry, August 11, 1862. He was
mustered out of service in July of 1865 and three years later came to Wisconsin
and settled in Watertown where he engaged in his profession of dentistry, which he had practiced for a few years at
Circleville.
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 Main Street (Solliday & Meyer, 117 Main)
where he practiced his profession until his retirement from active duties.
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.
[On April 25, 1898 the United States declared war on Spain following the
sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. The war
ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898.]
Spanish
War Colonel's uniform accessories of Colonel A. F. Solliday.
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.
1925
02 18 Proposal
to convert Washington Park into city
athletic field. Strip of land is owned
by the Col. A. Solliday estate.
Cross-References:
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.
Black
leather case with safety razor set – a razor blade for each day of the
week. Solliday estate.
Kodak
camera most likely belonging to A.F. Solliday.
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin