The Troubled Life of Kate Pruner

The tale of Kate Pruner—where do I start? 

I believe she was the daughter of William Pruner and Elizabeth Parsons. Her story takes place in the Pennsylvania counties of Mifflin & Dauphin. My research into George Solifelt led me to her. She and George likely married around 1861. George enlisted for three months in April 1861, so they may have met and married during his first enlistment. He enlisted a total of three times, using aliases during the first two: George Sullivan and Theodore Sullivan.

By June 1868, Kate petitioned for divorce in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. This initiated a divorce by publication, with notices running through December. The notice instructed George to appear on the third Monday in January at the Harrisburg Court of Common Pleas. No record of the court’s ruling has been found—yet.

Image created using ChatGPT

In June 1870, Kate appeared in Mayor’s Court for keeping a bawdy and disorderly house.  The following year, she was arrested on a drunk and disorderly charge. By 1873, her name was turning up frequently in similar reports. One article referred to her as a demi-rep (a woman of doubtful reputation) who had “imbibed too much benzine.” She continued to appear in newspapers for related offenses, and in June 1889, she was actually convicted of keeping a bawdy house.  She used several aliases, including:

• Kate Cunningham
• Kate Kerns
• Kate Tippery

Kate appears to have a son named George—possibly born during her marriage to George Solifelt.  He is enumerated with her in 1870. It’s unclear whether this is the same son mentioned, though not by name, in one of the accounts of her death and news about people who had inquired about her estate. The elder George served time in Eastern & Western Penitentiary for highway robbery  1870-1871) I have not found Kate in the 1880 or 1900 census records.

Her death drew attention in newspapers across the country because it was so odd. The article below is a transcription of one that ran in the Wilkes-Barre Times.

HARRISBURG.—Two women, who had been dead in their home for 48 hours, were found Friday night by the police. They were Mrs. Annie Bear, 73 years old, and Mrs. Kate Soliffet, aged 68 years. The women lived together, and the last seen of them alive was on Wednesday night when they closed the house. Friday evening the neighbors notified the police of the women’s absence and the door was broken in. Mrs. Solifelt was found dead in bed from the effect of an overdose of morphia. Mrs. Bear was found partly dressed on a chair, sitting by a window on the second floor. The theory is that Mrs. Soliffet died first, and that Mrs. Bear’s death was caused by heart disease as the result of sudden fright over her companion’s death.

Source: “Pennsylvania Briefs,” Wilkes-Barre Times, 30 Nov 1901, p. 4, col. 4; image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/wilkes-barre-times-death-of-kate-solifel/171673558/ : accessed 4 May 2025).

Did her divorce get finalized? I’m not sure. George remarried in 1893 to a woman named Mary or Mollie while he was living in the south(Arkansas, Mississippi, & Texas). He and Mary were enumerated in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, in the 1900 census—a year before Kate’s death. George had returned to Pennsylvania to resolve an issue with his U.S. Civil War pension. Ironically, he wrote to the Office of the Register of Wills protesting any will filed and claiming to be Kate’s husband. If true, then he was also a bigamist.

I still haven’t found Kate’s death certificate, but one of the accounts of her death said she was to be buried in the Paxtang Cemetery in Dauphin County, PA, on May 2nd, 1901. A FindAGrave entry was created for her with a misspelling of Solifelt, but when I contacted the cemetery, they could not find her in the records. Her grave was likely never marked. I would also like to locate the court proceedings from her divorce and her entries in the 1880 and 1900 censuses. 

Stories like Kate’s remind us that while we often refer to the past as "the good old days," the truth is more complicated. There were still tragedies, heartbreak, pain, and greed. In many ways, the struggles people faced then are not so different from those we face now.

George and His Amazing Paper Trail

I have written about and studied the life of George Solifelt for several years.  Below I've listed the page counts from a number of his most memorable "footprints,"  the majority of which were from the National Archives(US) and ordered thru document retrieval services.  I didn't include his birth, marriage, death and census records in this listing although statements in his pension and book mark files give further details on all but the census records.  A list of previous residences is included and somewhat helpful in locating census records although certain timeframes are vague and questionable.  My blog posts about the records can be found by clicking on the link for each in the listing.  Just when I think I have found all of the documents I could possibly find that deal with George, he proves me wrong.  George Solifelt is the ancestor we all wish we had.  He left an amazing paper trail. 

Carded Service Records 

George Sullivan____Co C 2nd PA Inf Apr 1861 - Jul 1861     3 pages

Theodore Sullivan__Co N 126th PA Inf Aug 1862 - May 1863  9 pages

George H Solifelt___Co C 1st PA Prov Cav Jan 1864 - Jul 1865       3 pages

George H Solifelt___Co E 20th PA Cav         Jul 1865     20 pages

Carded Medical Records NIL result for George & his aliases (0 pages) he never sought medical attention for any injuries he incurred during his service.  I do have the images of the front of the boxes

that would contain the CMR for George or any of his aliases.  

Court Martial Case Files, MM-2557   19 pages

Eastern & Western State Penitentiary Mentions  9 pages(so far)

George Solifelt Pension  application no. 580,089 359 pages

George Solifelt Book Mark Document 1387-C-1885      17 pages

Sources:  

Compiled service record, George Sullivan, Pvt., Co. C, 2nd Regt Pennsylvania Inf.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917;  National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images were delivered via Dropbox without citations of source; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War compiled service records.

Compiled service record, Theodore Sullivan, Pvt., Co. MH126th Pennsylvania Inf.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917;  National Archives, Washington, DC. A Digital image showing the front of  via Dropbox without citations of source; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War compiled service records.

Compiled service record, George H Solifelt, Pvt., Co. C, 1st Regt Pennsylvania Prov. Cav.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917; National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images were delivered via Dropbox without citations of source; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War compiled service records.

Compiled service record, George H Solifelt, Pvt., Co. E, 20th Regt Pennsylvania Cav.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917; National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images were delivered via Dropbox without citations of source; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War compiled service records.

Carded Medical Record, George Sullivan, Pvt., Co. C, 2nd Regt Pennsylvania Inf.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917;  National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images of Digital image of 2nd Pennsylvania: Smith, John -- to Sweetwood,  J.,  Box 2981 was delivered via Dropbox without citations of source to show a result of NIL; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War carded medical records.

Carded Medical Record, Theodore Sullivan, Pvt., Co. H, 126th Pennsylvania Inf.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917;  National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital image of 126th Pennsylvania:  Alexander, George W  to 127th Pennsylvania:  Zimmerman, Joseph,  Box 3324 was delivered via Dropbox without citations of source to show a result of NIL; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War carded medical records.

Carded Medical Record, George H Solifelt, Pvt., Co. C, 1st Regt Pennsylvania Prov. Cav.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917; National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital image of 1st Pennsylvania:  Smair to Waldermire, H., Box 2965 was delivered via Dropbox without citations of source to show a result of NIL; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War carded medical records.

Carded Medical Record, George H Solifelt, Pvt., Co. E, 20th Regt Pennsylvania Cav.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s–1917; National Archives, Washington, DC. Digital images of 20th Pennsylvania: Hubbard, John to Thompson, Nathan J. Box 3075 was delivered via Dropbox without citations of source to show a result of NIL; the citation is made using the information shown on the images as well as the collection series and RG data from the catalog listing for the Civil War carded medical records.

Court Martial Case Files, MM-2557; Record Group 153; Records of the Office of the Judge Advocate General(Army); National Archives, Washington, DC. [Case of Sgt Garrett & four others Co. "E" 20th Pa Cav.]

George Solifelt(Pvt., Co. E, 20th PA Cav., Civil War), pension application no. 580,089,

certificate no. 950,395, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil
War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National
Archives, Washington, D.C [George used the aliases George Sullivan & Theodore Sullivan both of which are noted the Pension Index Cards. He also served in  Co. C 2nd PA Inf., Co. H 126th PA Inf., and Co. C 1st PA Prov. Cav.]  

Book Mark File, George Solifelt(Alias Theodore Sullivan),  1387-C-1885, Box 3190, Enlisted Branch Letters Received, NAID 607910, RG 94, National Archives, Washington DC.

Eastern State Penitentiary of Pennsylvania,. “Eastern State Penitentiary Warden's Daily Journals_Image00001”. Eastern State Penitentiary: Wardens’ Daily Journals (Roll 6608), Warden's Daily Journals (PA) 1829-1961, 01856.  https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/psa/islandora/object/psa%3Awdjpa_2630.

State Penitentiary for the Western District of Pennsylvania,. “Western State Penitentiary: Warden’S Daily Journals (Roll 7788)”, Wardens Daily Journals (PA) 1869-1875, 1875. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/psa/islandora/object/psa%3Awdjpa1860_521.

State Penitentiary for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Western State Penitentiary: Descriptive Register (Roll 412)”, Descriptive Register (PA) 1826-1876, 1826. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/psa/islandora/object/psa%3A537669.

Examining Tennie's Claim That She Is George's Niece

I'm looking at Tennie Hill's claim that she is the niece of George Solifelt and gathering what evidence I have for analysis. Below is a "play by play" of Tennie's correspondence with the Veterans Administration who by 1935 was in charge of Union Pensions.

• Tennie writes to the Veterans Admin to let them know George has died. She asks them to send forms so you can get any pension due to him because she took care of his expenses.  Also included in her correspondence with the VA is a copy of his death notice and a notarized statement from the funeral home showing that she was the one who paid for his funeral expenses..
• Veterans Admin. writes back saying they need a certified Death cert.
• Tennie sends one along with a notarized statement from the minister who preached at George's funeral
• Veterans Admin. sends letter to Notary in error.
• The notary attaches a noted letter explaining that the wife mentioned that George's death record is deceased and that Tennie is his sole surviving heir. (screenshot below)

• Veterans Admin sends letter to Tennie asking her to clarify what the death cert. of George says.  It said he was married and gave his wife's name.  If the wife is a survivor they need to know that as she would be the one who would qualify for any money due him.  If she is deceased they need to have a sworn statement of that with her date of death.
• Tennie returns that letter with a notarized statement typed at the bottom.  (screenshot pg 307)

• Veterans Admin sends a letter to Tennie letting her know that accrued pension is not an asset of his estate and is not payable to heirs and is not liable for the payment of debts but may be paid to reimburse the person who bore the expenses of his last sickness and burial or who is held responsible for the payment thereof only in case he did not leave sufficient assets to meet such expenses or is not survived by widow or a minor child under the age of 16 yrs at the date of his death.  They enclose form for her to use if that is the case.
• Tennie completes the file and sends it back.

KEY STATEMENT FROM Pg. 1 of Reimbursement Application

KEY STATEMENT FROM Pg. 2 of Reimbursement Application

• She is awarded an accrued pension amount of $95 and they note that there is possible additional aid of $150 towards the remaining expenses.  She claimed  $3448 they approved only a certain amount for items of which the $150 possible deduction was subtracted leaving $753.60 I don't see anything on the document that give any indication that they paid anything other than the $95 amount to her and merely suggested she might be able to get $150.  

Let's look at what is being said and compare it to known information.

I tried to make a list of all the possible ways that Tennie might be George's niece but she seems to have explained it in the above snippets from the reimbursement application.....or does she?  Tennie's mother is Susan Carson of Williamson Co TN.  Susan's 1st husband John Ferguson was Tennie's father.  His family was also from Williamson Co TN  I am familiar with both families and that of Susan's 2nd husband(Tennie's stepdad, James Polk Cook)  Tennie is on the census in the household of her Stepdad and her Mom in 1870 and 1880.  Susan Carson was not a sister of George.  If Susan Carson is not Tennie's Mom then the 1/2 sister that Tennie names in her will(and also listed as a survivor in obituary) would not be her half-sister.  That half-sister's father is James Polk Cook.  What we know about George from his early life and that of his Mom, Eliza, and his sister Wilhelmina is that they were all in Pennsylvania up until at least 1870 and that is documented. While Penn is sometimes mistaken for  Tenn(Which does happen in indexing a good bit)that is not what is happening here. Tennie consistently gives her state of birth as 1862 in Tennessee.  George's only sister of record Wilhelmina married in 1870 and is living with her new husband, Henry Walters, and her mom Eliza Solifelt(Saufeld in entry) in Lewiston, Dauphin Co PA.  There are no others in the household with them.

Tennie is the informant on George's death certificate yet she cannot name his parents.  That would be her maternal grandparents and you would have thought she would have at least attempted a guess at their place of birth.

All the evidence I have found, census records, kinships, death certificates, and even her own will, provide clues that suggest that her statement about her being by birth the daughter of George's sister is false.  I believe she claimed to be his niece for several reasons.  There was money to be gained not only from the reimbursement but also she was still drawing her widow's pension and I don't know if she could have continued doing that after she and George left Arkansas and came to Kansas without having some backstory of why she was living with a man. The obituary that she included was one of two obituaries for George and I believe that it was written by Tennie.  I don't claim to know what, if any other relationship existed between George and Tennie, but I am 99.9% certain that they were not uncle and niece by blood.

Sources: 

"United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ57-SLQ : 29 May 2021), Willamina Walters in entry for Eliza Saufeld, 1870.

George Solifelt(Pvt., Co. E, 20th PA Cav., Civil War), pension application no. 580,089,

certificate no. 950,395, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil

War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National

Archives, Washington, D.C.

“Mrs. Tennessee Hill Funeral Tomorrow,” The Iola Register, 12 May 1946, p. 1, col. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 Dec 2022).

"Will of Tennessee Hill," File #6782; Allen County Kansas Clerk's Office, Dated 14 Mar 1946. 

"George H Solifelt Standard Certificate of Death," State of Kansas, State Board of Health Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate #8581, DOD 30 Jan 1935, Filed 15 Feb 1935, informant Mrs. Tennie Hill.

"United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD8F-ZLD : 25 October 2022), Tennessee Cook in entry for James Cook, 1870.[Tennie is listed under the Cook surname.  Her half sister Sofie who is listed in her will is also in this census]

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDQ2-DMM : 15 January 2022), District 10, Bedford Co., Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district 10 , sheet 12D, Household of James P. Cook.

[Tennie is again listed under her Stepdad's surname ]

Finding George in the 1860 US Federal Census

Using George Solifelt's Military Service records(aliases included) I made a timeline of his military service and locations. (See Image below) I did this because it makes it easier to see the big picture and to get a better idea of where he might be around the time of the 1860 Census.   In addition to the information that he enrolled in St. Thomas(Franklin Co.) PA, information in his pension file in a statement from John P Wyant is also helpful.  Wyant says that he has known George since 1850 and that George's father(Ferdinand Solifelt) was in the Mexican-American War with Capt. Charles T Campbell.  After the elder Solifelt's death,  Capt. Campbell adopted George. George was led to believe his name was Sullivan and used that surname up until learning from his Mom his true surname of Solifelt.  

Armed with this information I went searching for a George Sullivan in 1860 Franklin Co PA in the St. Thomas area expanding the area of search outside of St. Thomas as needed.  I first searched for Capt Charles T. Campbell and found him enumerated in St. Thomas but George nor any of his aliases was listed in the household with Capt. Campbell. At this point, George would be around 16 years of age so that is likely not all that uncommon.  I tried searching for people with the given name of George and looking in the results for a surname somewhat close to Sullivan or Solifelt.  Nothing that fit so I did a search for persons with the given name of Theodore and found a Theodore Sallifat age 16.  This is likely George given the information known.  He is living with the Charles and Jane Gillian family as a farm hand and the listing is just 14 entries away from that of Capt. Campbell.

This makes me question what Wyant said about George's surname. However, if you pronounce the two surnames, Sullivan and Solifelt they really aren't that different sounding especially if accents come into play.

I haven't found him in the 1870 census yet but I did find the woman who I believe was his 1st wife with a school age male in her household--both bearing a creative spelling of George's surname.  George should be in the same area and may well be in jail as he had a hearing and was sentenced to a year and 6 months in Eastern State Penitentiary for highway robbery in 1870.  I have a copy of  some of the court documents that were at FamilySearch. .Ancestry has the Eastern State Penitentiary Convict Reception Registers.  The Eastern State inmate registry lists this as his first conviction and under marital status lists him as married with one child.  As complicated as George's story is, that of the first wife and her life is even more complicated and needs a good bit more research.  Her story is one for another day.

When I find his remaining census entries I'll post about them and how they were found. I've also been reading what I can find about Eastern State Penitentiary and Captain Charles Thomas Campbell.

Sources:

George Solifelt(Pvt., Co. E, 20th PA Cav., Civil War), pension application no. 580,089,

certificate no. 950,395, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications, 1861-1934; Civil

War and Later Pension Files; Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National

Archives, Washington, D.C. [John P Wyant's statement to Hon. H Clay Evans Com. of Pensions is dated 15 Sep 1897 p 123 &124 in the PDF scans of the 359 page document  Wyant mentions that he has known George since 1850 and lived in the same neighborhood near Capt Campbell and is currently living in Ft Smith Arkansas.]

"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX5D-VFT : accessed 22 Dec 2022), St. Thomas Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, p. 57 family #407  line 1, Theodore Sallifat in entry for Chas Gillan, 1860. [Theodore is listed as a Farm Hand.  The Gillian family's entry begins at the bottom of p 56]
 

"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX5D-V6V : accessed 22 Dec 2022), St. Thomas Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania, p. 55 family #393  line 13, C T Campbell, 1860.

Compiled service record, George H. Solifelt, Pvt, Co. C 1 PA Prov'l Cavalry; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Compiled service record, George H. Solifelt, Pvt, Co. E 20 PA Cavalry; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Compiled service record, George Sullivan, Pvt, Co. C 2 PA Infantry; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Compiled service record, Theodore Sullivan, Pvt, Co. N 126 PA Infantry; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Compiled service record, George Sullivan, Bookmark 1387-C-1885, Box No. 3190; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"Pennsylvania, U.S., Prison, Reformatory, and Workhouse Records, 1829-1971" database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61173/ : accessed 22 Dec 2022) Eastern State Penitentiary > Convict Reception Registers > 1842 - 1929 > Image 918 of 4522, prisoner #6718, George Solifelt. 

George Solifelt(Alias Theodore Sullivan)--Book Mark Document

Looked at the Book Mark documents referenced in George Solifelt's Compiled Military Service Record and wanted to understand more about exactly what it was and why it was created.  I found an excellent article at https://twelvekey.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/ngsmagazine2015-01.pdf    
George had two alias that he used.  The information in his Book Mark file contains statements by others who knew him, and who gave sworn statements that George Solifelt & Theodore Sullivan were the same man. He also used the alias George Sullivan. One affidavit in particular contained some really interesting details.  It is a statement given by George Woomer.  

George Woomer said the following:   

I knew George H. Solifelt from his early youth.  We were boys together drove boat together on the Penns. Canal in the year 1862 and before.  in August of 1862 we left our Boats and went to Camp Curtin at Harrisburg PA and enlisted.  I enlisted in Co K 131st P.V. and he enlisted in Co H 126th Rgt P V. I saw him once in the service only.  it was after we went to the front.  Don't know the date but I know he serves in that company and regiment.  I did not then know he enlisted under the name of Theodore Sullivan--I have known him ever since and I know he is the same man who served in that Co. and Rgt.  I did not know he had served as Theodore Sullivan until he told me he gave as a reason for changing his name that he had been bound out when a boy.  I don't know whether he really knew what his name was or not.  I know his mother was Eliza Solifelt but I don't know who his Father was.

I located the FindAGrave entry for George Woomer & his wife.  Their grave is marked with a stone in First Methodist Cemetery, Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, USA.

There are 15 other documents within this Book Mark file.  

Source: 

"General Affidavit on George H Solifelt & alias Theodore Sullivan" by George Woomer, 13 July 1896, witnessed by C M Shull, Justice of the Peace, File 1387-C-1885, Box 3190, Enlisted Branch Letters Received, NAID 607910, RG 94, National Archives, Washington DC.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52104825/george-woomer: accessed 08 December 2022), memorial page for Pvt George Woomer (10 Mar 1844–17 Nov 1924), Find a Grave Memorial ID 52104825, citing First Methodist Cemetery, Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by RN (contributor 50495725).