In a previous blog post about Tennessee Ferguson Hill I had found that she moved to Iola KS after she was widowed with a George Solifelt. The paper and census records list Tennie as his niece but I have not been able to find any connection. If there is a connection it would likely have to be thru Tennie's deceased husband.
Death
Info from George H. Solifelt's Obituary- Born 4th July 1843 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania
- Died 30 January 1935 in Iola
- Served in PA Calvary during Civil War
- Moved to Texas after leaving Army
- Worked several years in Texas on a cattle ranch.
- Then moved to Rosebud, Miss --Farmed for many years[This would be Leake Co.]
- Later Came to Ft Smith Arkansas(lived in town)
- 28th of April 1909 came to Iola along with niece(Mrs Tennie Hill)
- Father killed in Mexican War(while Mr. Solifelt was an infant)
- Only Brother killed in Civil War
- Mother and two sisters deceased
- Mrs. Hill his niece is his only known family
Source: “Obituary(George H. Solifelt),” The Iola Register, 2 Feb 1935, p. 2, col. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 17 Oct 2021).
Info from George H Solifelt's death notice.
Civil War Veteran Dies
End Comes to George H Solifelt at Age of 91--He lived in Allen County Since War
End Comes to George H Solifelt at Age of 91--He lived in Allen County Since War
- Died at Residence 421 South Buckeye
- Funeral Friday(Feb 1 1935)
- Burial at Highland
- Came to county shortly after the close of Civil War.
- Spent virtually all remainder of life in country or Iola where he came to live in 1909
- Only remaining family a niece Mrs. Tennie Hill with whom he was living
- Member of Presbyterian church
Source: “Civil War Veteran Dies End Comes to George H Solifelt at Age of 91.” The Iola Register, 30 Jan 1935, p. 1, col. 4; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 17 Oct 2021).
Pension Records
From First Card
Subject: Solifelt, George H
Pri Co H 126 Reg't PA
Record & Pension Office
War Departmeny Sep 2 1896
#457725
William H Settle, Atty
Lewistown, Mifflin Co PA
X Alias Theodore Sullivan
Source: Date of Reply or final Disposition. Sep 3 1896
From Second Card
Subject: Solifelt, George H
Co C 2 PA Inf 3 mon 1861
Co H 126 PA Inf
Co E 20 Reg't Pa Inf
Co C 1 Reg't PA Prov Cav
Record & Pension Office
War Department Oct 22 1896
#460588
For Full Mil. History
X alias Theodore Sullivan
See also Nos.: #457725
Date or Reply of final disposition. Oct 27 1896
Source: "United States Index to General Correspondence of the Pension Office, 1889-1904," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDTJ-77G : accessed 19 Oct 2021), George H Solifelt, ; citing NARA microfilm publication M686 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,527,989.
Court and Penitentiary Records
I'd entered what little information I had on him at Ancestry and found an inmate record which I believe is him in the town in which he was known to have lived.
Pennsylvania Prison, Reformatory, and Workhouse Records, 1929-1971
# 6718 George Solifelt
Age: Twenty Seven
Native of Philadelphia
Bound: Not
Trade: Baker & Laborer
Complexion: Light
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Brown & Curly
Stature: 5 ft 6 Foot 10
Marks: Female Figure on left arm & ? right arm
No of convictions: First
Parents: Motherless
Reads & Writes: Both
Temperate: Moderate
Married: Married & 1 child
Property: Not Any
Crime: Highway Robbery
Sentence: One Year 6 months
County and Court: Mifflin; Oyer & Terminer
Sentenced: August 27, 1870
Received: August 29, 1870
Remarks: (no text in this area but 2 yrs Army written across top of his entry)
Source: Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, U.S., Prison, Reformatory, and Workhouse Records, 1829-1971 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Eastern State Penitentiary > Convict Reception Registers > 1869 - 1886 > images 65 of 725.
The record of his time at the Penitentiary sent me in search of a court case which I located on FamilySearch. Below is the information contained in that case file.
Transcript from the Docket of Joseph S Warcam J P
Augt. 20 1866 Warrant issued to A Wagner Constable on oath of Dennis Igo that on the 20th Augt 1866 whilst going from the Lewistown Bridges to the Lewistown Depot a person whom he believes to be George Solifelt asked him what time of day it was and when he took out his watch said person jerked the watch out of his hand with the purpose of feloniously appropriating it to his own uses. Alias Warrant issued Nov 1 1866 to George Miller Feb 12 1868 Deft brought up bail requests in $300 Same day deft committed--March 22 1868 Dennis Igo held in $50 to appear and testify in the above cases
July 2nd 1870 2nd Alias Warrant issued to G W Woods Cmo
July 2nd 1870 Deft brought up
George Solifelt } each held in $300 that George Solifelt the
Henry A Walters } deft shall be and appear at this next court of Quarter Sessions to answer such charges
as may be brought against him on the part of the
Commonwealth and not to depart said court without leaves
taken and acknowledged before me July 2nd 1870 J S Warcam J P
Mifflin Co SS Certified from the Records Augt 19th 1870
Jos. S Warcam J P
Costs:(This was written in the left margin of case)
J S W .75 paid by Igo
J S W 2.25
A.W. .62 paid by Igo
A.W. .50
G W W .62
Source: Mifflin Co PA Court Papers, Quarter Sessions Papers Aug 1870-April 1875 imaged at Familysearch.org: accessed 18 Oct 2021, img 32 of 1472
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-J3D8-93DS?cat=53132
Draft & Military Service Records
Residence: Lewistown
Name: Sullifelt, G T
Age 1st July 1863: 21 Yrs old White Laborer Single
Place of Birth: Ohio 126th Regt PA
Remarks Dis 20th May 1863
Source: Ancestry.com. U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Pennsylvania > 17th > Vol 1 of 1> Image 607 of 627.
Also found two men named George Solifelt listed in Court Martial records in the National Archives Catalog.
I think the top one is probably him since the Company and Regiment matches on that is in his service and pension file but the one in New York is likely a different guy as I did find one that was in New York City. I'd like to check both if I get the opportunity.
Other service records on Ancestry list him as a POW on 19 Jul 1864 at Ashby's Gap, Virginia. He was very hard to find in census records prior to living in Kansas. I found him in the ones he should be in there 1910, 1920 & 1930 Federal as well as the Kansas State Census for the years 1915 & 1925.
George and Tennie are buried side by side in the Highland Cemetery at Iola, Kansas. Their entries are listed on FindAGrave along with a picture of their gravestones.
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