"Solon Borland &
FAMILY"
Chapter 2: "That Man Named Solon"
(10/22/08)
"Solon Borland was generous, open hearted and noble in all his
instincts, and a tender regret for his early demise filled the
hearts of
many a friend who had known him in days of yore."
"History of North Carolina", by John Wheeler MOORE, 1880, page
253.
<~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~>
SOLON BORLAND's name-sake was the Greek; "Solon the Lawmaker"
who died
2,370 years earlier, in 559 B C.
Solon was a brilliant, well educated family man, a southern
gentleman, a frontiersman, an achiever --- serving the public
as: North
Carolina militia officer, Arkansas' militia Adjutant-General,
attorney-at-law, Confederate Colonel, editor, pharmacist,
physician,
publisher, Arkansas' first United States diplomat, United States
Army
Major, Arkansas' fourth U S Senator and Democratic delegate many
times
during mid-nineteenth century. He was a part of our expanding
nation
increasing from 17 to 36 states and west beyond "Louisiana
Purchase"
lands, to the Pacific Ocean during his fifty-two years. Early
years
spent in Virginia and North Carolina, --- last twenty-seven,
eleven in
Memphis and sixteen, off and on, in Arkansas.
http://community.webtv.net/billboggess2/UNITEDSTATESSENATOR
http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/media-detail.aspx?mediaID=5935
http://usgwarchives.org/nc/hertford/images/borland1.jpg
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/media-detail.aspx?mediaID=286
Solon was born August 8, 1811 in Suffolk, Nansemond county,
Virginia, third and last known child of Harriott GODWIN and
Thomas Wood
BORLAND, M D, (legislator and a serious student of Greek
history) raised
Dr Thomas Wood Borland and wife
Harriott Godwin 1809
64.34.4
64.34.3
Attributed to Felix Sharples (American ca. 1786-after 1824)
Chalk/Paper 10 x 8 inches
Chrysler
Museum of
Art ,
Norfolk ,
VA
245 West Olney Road ,
Norfolk ,
VA
23510
and educated during
early years by mother's older brother and wife, George GODWIN
and Fanny
GREEN for whom his
children by third wife were named.
1809 George and
Frances Green Godwin,
64.34.8
64.34.9
Attributed to Felix Sharples (American ca. 1786-after
1824)
Chalk/Paper 10 x 8 inches
Chrysler
Museum
of
Art ,
Norfolk , VA
245 West Olney Road
,
Norfolk ,
VA
23510
His parents moved
in ca1823 to Murfreesboro, Hertford county,
North Carolina, passing away while he's yet a teenager, she
ca1825, he
ca1831. Siblings were: Euclid (1809VA-1881VA), a physician and
plantation owner and Roscius Cicero (1807VA-1845MS), an
attorney.
1809 Euclid and Roscius Borland
64.34.7 64.34.2
Attributed to Felix Sharples (American ca. 1786-after 1824)
Chalk/Paper 10 x 8 inches
Chrysler
Museum
of
Art ,
Norfolk , VA
245 West Olney Road ,
Norfolk ,
VA
23510
Solon was thrice
married, five known children, died New Year's Day 1864 from
pneumonia near Houston, Texas, burial site unknown, believed by
some to
be City cemetery, Houston.
Solon too suffered from ill health as did Doctor BORLAND and
wife Harriott, plus descendants, except second son Euclid.
Father and
mother dying after ca1823 move to Murfreesboro, Hertford county,
North
Carolina, with their burial sites unknown.
www.sallysfamilyplace.com/MulberryGrove/borlandsolon.htm
(Texas
cohort)
His active life caused my New Hampshire cohort to believe we
were
researching two or more men, even after establishing his time
line!!
DOCUMENTED FACTS:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since March 2003, reviewing over 140 newspaper articles, 330
books via
Google book search, plus Inter-Library Loan --- much misleading
and
incorrect information is found published regarding Solon BORLAND
who on
balance was a stalwart leader and a honest, fearless gentleman!
1)- He seemed to be interested in serving the down-trodden.
2)- Solon remembered by daughter:
http://files.usgwarchives.org/tn/shelby/newspapers/atmyfath3nw.txt
3)- Samuel Cole WILLIAMS, 1930, "Beginnings of West Tennessee,
1544-1841", 331 pages, Page 225, to wit:
"The ablest man in the field of journalism, in our
period, was Dr. Solon Borland...."
4)- Will HALE & Dixon Lanier MERRITT, "A History of
Tennesseans", 1913,
2644 pages, page 514, to wit:
Solon listed amongst the eleven most prominent of
early Memphis editors!
5)- Dallas Tabor HERDON, Ph D, (1878GA-1953AR), First Director
of The
Arkansas History Commission (1911-1953), in his "Centennial
History of
Arkansas", (S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1922; 1970
reprint), wrote,
among other things of him:
"...he came to Arkansas [1843] to assume the
editorial management of the 'Arkansas Banner.' In that position
he won
the reputation of being one of the ablest political writers in
the
United States."
6)- Professor Michael B DOUGAN, Ph D (a fellow southwest
Missourian),
wrote in his "Arkansas Odyssey". Rose Publishing Com. Little
Rock, 1994,
684pp.
www.pccua.edu/keough/education2.htm
- ("Borland")
"The first elite of Arkansas often came
well-educated. George C Watkins and Chester Ashley studied law
in the
Litchfield Law School; Solon Borland as a Philadelphia-trained
doctor."
Also review his page 85 of 1976 book regarding November 1861.
7)- Solon's intellect was admired by many, including University
of
Michigan's longest serving Head Librarian (1877-1906) who wrote
in his
autobiography to wit:
"...he must have possessed an inquiring mind and a
retentive memory."
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, Raymond C
DAVIS
(1836ME-1908MI) papers.
8)- Confederate Army's Western Department, Commander, General
Albert
Sidney JOHNSTON (1803KY-1862TN) appointed Colonel Solon BORLAND,
CSA
(fellow Mexican War veteran) Commander of Upper Arkansas
District,
November 5, 1861 to January 10,1862, with only a rank of
colonel,
between commands of; General William J HARDEE, "Old Reliable",
(1815GA-1873AL) and Major-General Earl VAN DORN (1820MS-1862TN).
Solon's fifty page Confederate army record revealed he served
eight
months, on sick leave December 15, 1861, traveled 1,710 miles
during
first twenty-weeks, includes copies of his November 29th order
and
Governor RECTOR's December 20th proclamation ---- unable to
return for
duty before his honorable discharge, May 26,1862.
The cavalry battalion Solon formed in Little Rock June 1861 was
enlarged, proceeding as the distinguished 3rd Regiment Arkansas
Cavalry,
CSA after December 1861 until end of war.
9)- The Arkansas Bar Foundation and Pulaski County Bar
Association, with
assistance of Pulaski County Historical Society, at Little
Rock's Mount
Holly cemetery Law Day 1992 dedicated:
"...a monument for Solon Borland, early prominent
lawyer in Arkansas History ..."
http://usgwarchives.org/ar/cemph/pulaskiph.htm
(incorrect birth date)
10)- Solon's lifetime record of success was nearly as high as
purity of
Ivory Soap,--- just short of 100%. ----
If a job needed done -- Solon was the one!
Success begets notoriety, more successful Solon was the more
negative
his political enemies became, bringing forth strong negative and
half
true comments at every possible occasion or event, therefore, so
called
history writers purpled those negative and rumored connotations
into
their more modern books.
TRUE, Solon was no Angel, --- but, did what was needed done due
to
circumstances of that moment.
Close scrutinization of 'historical documentations' concerning
events is
warranted ie: Nicaragua, his fights etc, to reveal his
justifiable and
plausible reasoning which his political enemies ignored, ---
otherwise
promoted by some historians (and modern day story book writers)
as
seemingly degrading and negative actions of Solon BORLAND.
11)- Some modern day history/story book writers provide their
reading
public incorrect information, ie: Solon's birth/death dates,
military
rank, misspelled names of mother and wife and incorrect
impressions of
Solon by failing to report ALL facts and to understand southern
"Code of
Honor", defined by some 'story book writers' as: "vociferously
defend"
---- or perhaps -- they are intentionally demeaning, defaming
and
smearing his good character because of his success or because he
was
born and raised with a southern sense of honor --- requiring a
response
when either is impugned, as others --- he feared not to protect
his
"Code of Honor" with: voice, pen, fists, dirks or guns as need
may be.
12) A special thank you to my cohorts in New Hampshire, Memphis,
Texas
and New Orleans who without their help I could not have had as
complete
insight of Solon's life as they helped provide.
A)- BIRTH DATE:
Documented in December 1849 issue of "The American Quarterly
Register
and Magazine", p 435, 1856 printing of "Portrait of United
States
Senators", page109 and elsewhere.
Supported from family records by nephew Thomas Roscius BORLAND's
(1844NC-1900VA) (once United States Attorney of Eastern
Virginia) in
January 19, 1897 letter at Thomas HUME #3239 file, University of
North
Carolina, Wilson library, Chapel Hill archives!
B)- DEATH DATE:
Documented in: the 1880 "History of North Carolina" by John
Wheeler
MOORE, pages 252 & 253, the 1892 "History of the Mexican War,
page655,
and other like publications.
Supported by, telegraphed message received March 4, 1864 at
Princeton,
Dallas county, Arkansas, Solon's home after leaving Little Rock
early
March 1863
www.griffingweb.com/march_1863.htm
to where he came, then
from out of his sick bed, after providing for his daughters
education
and welfare, leaving for Texas evening of 13th September, ---
also home
of some 750 people, including surviving daughters, Mr DAVIS
telegrapher
& Virginia (Davis) GRAY (Mrs O C GRAY), diary keeper, (MC 1618,
University of Arkansas' Special Collections), diary edited,
annotated and
published spring and summer issues, 1983 Arkansas Historical
Quarterly
(AHQ), by Dr Carl H MONEYHON, UALR, see Part I, page 74, March
4th
entry.
C)- MILITARY RANK:
"Adjutant-General" under Governor DREW, and "Colonel" under
Governor
RECTOR, of Arkansas Militia, "Lieutenant" in North Carolina
militia,
under Governor STOKES,, "Major", United States Army, "Colonel",
Confederate States Army.
DISCOVERED:
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our search revealed over140 newspaper articles plus "642" Google
Books
on line and about 3,700 internet items (10/14/08) when
searching, "Solon
Borland", plus:
D)- Histories of GODWIN family members to early seventeenth
century in
Nansemond county, Virginia,
http://files.usgwarchives.org/nc/hertford/bios/borland1.txt
E)- Nine, 10 by 8
inch chalk on paper, portraits of BORLAND and GODWIN
family ca Small Hopes Farm, 1809 by Felix Thomas (James?)
SHARPLES,
since 1964 at Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia,
http://www.chrysler.org (B&W prints first found
In Fillmore Norfleet's
1974 book from Frick Art Reference Library, NY, NY)
F)- 521 pages of BORLAND family materials acquired1944,
"Collection Mss.
65 B66", at The College of William & Mary's, Earl Gregg Swen
Library,
herein prefixed (WM),
http://swem.wm.edu/ead/display.cfm?file=viw00044.xml
(http://swem.wm.edu/ead/)
G)- 1969 book, "Arkansas Gazette: The Early Years 1819-1866", by
historian & authoress Margaret Deane Smith ROSS (1922AR-2002AR),
listing
foot-notes about Solon, numbering second only to William Edward
WOODRUFF
(1795NY- 1887AR) who lived in Arkansas nearly seventy, as
opposed to
Solon's less than sixteen years, WOODRUFF & the Gazette,
generally
supported Solon.
As smart as Solon was, he misspelled his favorite word; "intirely"
(page315)! His favorite, but misspelled, word was ever present
in most
articles, --- thusly, an article was readily identified as Solon
BORLAND's writing.
H)- Information from kind folks, to many for listing, so to
each, a warm
thank you for helping to unveil this frontiersman's life and,
I)- A partially fictional biography (with many corrections from
my
material, but still) with incorrect dates, names, and negative
adjectives about Solon by Encyclopedia of Arkansas History &
Culture
(5/7/07).
SOLON's LIFE:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First, one needs to understand history of mid-nineteenth century
Tennessee and Arkansas pioneering,
Secondly, the southern gentlemen's 'Code of Honor', in order to
appreciate what Solon and family confronted during his lifetime.
Granted, ---- he was NOT a perfect angel, but who is, --- or was
in
those pioneering days when most gentlemen had the guts to settle
their
differences, face to face?
Solon reportedly slept but five hours daily, allowing time
for writing by candle light till his eyes gave out. Travel was
by river
boat between Little Rock, New Orleans or Pittsburgh, if river
stage
allowed, or by stage coach or horseback. Slavery was common,
President U
S GRANT's wife even had one during civil war. It was quite
common for
men to settle differences with fists or guns. Indians were being
uprooted from their happy hunting grounds, relocated to what now
is
Oklahoma. Lawlessness rampaged throughout untamed west, Arkansas
being
no exception.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Solon's father was a serious student of the classics and Greek
life which was shared with his three sons ~~~ also, Solon was
being
educated at age 9, April 1821, by Bennet M DEFORD in Nansemond
county
then in 1827, at the very young age of 15 or 16 following the
c1825 loss
of his mother at Murfreesboro, is reported nearly killing 42 y/o
James
MORGAN¹ (builder of the "Myrick House") with a dirk when MORGAN
came
at Solon with a chair. (Years later in Texas, General Sam
HOUSTON too,
documentarily, had his problems with Colonel MORGAN!)
¹NOTE: Thomas C PARRAMORE, in part wrote -- James MORGAN
(1786PA-1866TX) left Murfreesboro, North Carolina for Texas
(Mexico)
before Nate TURNER's rebellion of August 1831, taking his family
&
sixteen slaves, who became indentured servants because Mexico
disallowed
slaves, --- setting up a plantation where he introduced oranges
and
longhorn cattle to Texans, and where Thursday afternoon, 21
April 1836,
Sam HOUSTON's famous battle of San Jacinto was reportedly
fought. Site
located; near confluence of Buffalo Bayou (Houston Ship Channel,
Colonel
MORGAN helped organize) and San Jacinto river, a ferry ride
southwest
from Lynchburg, --- the Battle of San Jacinto was won by General
Sam
HOUSTON (later serving in United States Senate with Solon) with
910 men,
shouting battle cry, "Remember the Alamo" against Santa Anna's
1265 men,
in only eighteen minutes of battle General HOUSTON gained Texans
their
independence, losing 9 men, killing 630 Mexicans, this two
months before
Arkansas was granted its statehood! Emily WEST, attractive
young, New
York, mulatto servant of MORGAN's, was captured for Santa Anna's
"pleasures", thusly said to be the famous "Yellow Rose of
Texas".
www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/WW/fwe41.html
.
Location being a ferry-ride from Lynchburg, Harris county,
where Solon likely died twenty-eight years later, New Year's Day
1864!
Fay HEMPSTEAD (1847AR-1934AR) wrote:
"...in William LUBBOCK's home."
Solon, with next older brother Euclid, likely studied
medicine under their father, as then customary, while attending
Murfreesboro's school under "William Neil, Minister of the
Presbyterian
Church and Principal of the Academy", Following at
Philadelphia's U
Penn, for their documented graduation as medical doctors,
Euclid, 1831
at age 22, Solon following in, 1834 at age 23.
www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/students/med/az1806to1852/medmatric_b.pdf
August 1831 (month he turned 20), Solon served as a militia
officer with Samuel Jordon WHEELER (1810NC-1879NC),
http://files.usgwarchives.org/nc/hertford/bios/samj01.txt
so wrote
Thomas C PARRAMORE, page 59, in his 2003 publication "Cradle of
Titans",
putting down the August 1831 bloody rebellion in which
reportedly 60
white men, women and children were slaughtered by Nat TURNER &
followers
in/near Jerusalem, Southampton county, Virginia. Now Courtland,
the town
was given its present name in 1888. It served as Southampton
County's
only town through the 18th century, and was, as it remains, the
county
seat. This quiet little town was formed in 1791 along the north
shore of
the Nottoway River on a parcel of ten acres beside the court
house. In
1831, the town became famous as it hosted the trials and
subsequent
executions of Nat TURNER and those involved in the Nat TURNER's
Slave
Rebellion of1831. At this time, according to a letter written by
Solon
BORLAND to the governor of North Carolina, it was but a small
hamlet of
approximately 175 people, with only three stores, one saddler,
one
carriage maker, two hotels, two attorneys and two physicians in
the
town. The town was the boyhood home of Confederate Major General
William
MAHONE (1826VA-1895VA) whose father, Fielding MAHONE, ran a
tavern and
was in command of militia during the Nat TURNER rebellion.
Solon's nephew whom he once helped raise, Captain Euclid
BORLAND, Jr, served under General Mahone, Solon's other
surviving
nephew, Thomas Roscius BORLAND, was MAHONE's most active
political
supporter in Virginia.
http://www.historybuff.com/library/refslave.html
www.answers.com/topic/courtland-virginia
Also at age 19 or 20, he's said to have married superiorly
educated Huldah G (Godwin?) WRIGHT (1809VA-1837TN). Born was
first known
son Thomas (1833NC-1859AR) (to be raised and educated by George
GODWIN
and Fanny GREEN), while studying (taking lectures) to be a
physician.
Solon practicing medicine or with a newspaper at age 24 when
Harold,
"Little Solon", (1835NC-1921AR) was born (to be raised by
brother
Euclid). Solon became a newspaperman, in Virginia and North
Carolina.
A copy of letter (WM), 24 January 1836 by Thomas J
FINNEY, Murfreesboro to George GODWIN, at Suffolk concerns, him
as
"security" on a note for Solon in amount, $1100, to Mr John
WADDELLE of
Murfreesboro who now wants payment. Thomas claims he had been
given an
extra twelve months, but not so, for the sheriff is involved.
Ending his
letter with his regards to a Thomas(?). (that was a lot of money
for
1836), may (?) have been for newspaper at Portsmouth, Virginia
which
PARRMORE wrote Solon published.
Barely 25, and a few months following Arkansas becoming our
25th state, late 1836 Solon and family ventured west to Memphis
on the
Chickasaw Bluffs, (founded 1819 by Andrew JACKSON, John OVERTON
&
Charles WINCHESTER, incorporated 1826, city in 1849, population;
1830 =
663, 1840 = 1,799) with an advertisement found dated 3 April
1837 in
Memphis Enquire for medical services, reportedly partnering in
1838 with
Dr John R FRAYSER (1815VA-188xTN) a fellow student at U Penn, to
Memphis
in 1835 partnering with Dr Jeptha FOWKLES (1808VA-1864) in book
store
for first several years :
"...book at [Jeptha²] Fowlkes & [Henry R]
Pugh or [Thomas D] Johnson's Hotel." (City Hotel on Winchester
avenue
between Main and Front streets)
² Dr Jeptha FOWLKES a true southern entrepreneur, financier,
once
editor of the Avalanche until July 26, 1862 in Corinth,
Mississippi
(renamed from Enquirer, which Solon sold in 1861) after General
U S
GRANT occupied Memphis June 6th, in 1858 president and major
stock owner
of Southern Pacific Railroad, and an ancestor (g,g,grandfather?)
of
Haley Reeves BARBOUR, s/o Jeptha Fowlkes BARBOUR, Jr, ~ ~
Mississippi
governor during hurricane Katrina.
(WM) 30 May 1837 letter from Euclid BORLAND in Holly
Springs, Marshall county, Mississippi (county created 9 February
1836,
town 12 May 1837) to uncle George GODWIN, Suffolk, describing
his recent
1000 mile overland journey to Mississippi from Murfreesboro,
Hertford
county, North Carolina, with wife, livestock and slaves, to his
father-
in- law's, Augustus MOORE (1781NC-1843MS), new plantation
located six
miles northwest of Holly Springs on the new Memphis road, must
be (?)
near:
"the famous Martin Mission of the Presbyterian Church
established on the road [old "Pigeon Roost Road"?] about 1824 or
1825.;
The site of the Mission is about six miles northwest of Holly
Springs.
Even in those early days, travelers sometimes detoured by the
holly
springs for the fine water and excellent camping site."
also near where for school year 1859/60, O C & Virginia L GRAY,
according to her letters, taught, boarding on plantation
operated by
WILLS/WELLS/WALLS (?), with three daughters, one a red-head
named
Harriet and seventeen slaves, ---
Euclid wrote of visit by Solon (age 25), Huldah (age 27), Thomas
(4
y/o), who looked delicate, and "Little Solon" (age 20 months).
When age 26, wife Huldah dies:
"Dead -- in this place on the 25th ult. in the 28th year of
her age, Mrs. Huldah G, late consort of Dr. Solon BORLAND, after
an
illness of several months. Mrs. B. with her husband, removed
from
Nansemond County, Va., to this place early last winter. Her
health had
been in a delicate state several months previous to her death,
though
she was not thought to be in danger until a short time before
that
event....She had received an education superior to what falls to
the lot
of most females. She has left two interesting children to
the care of
their surviving parent. Memphis Enquirer, Saturday, 9/2/1837."
www.rootsweb.com/~tnnews/shelby.htm
(WM), 16 May 1838 letter of Euclid's from Holly Springs to
George GODWIN, says Solon [age 26] not seen since January,
Solon's
Thomas in fine health and speaks of Grany and George but "Little
Solon"
has been sickly. Heard Solon left Memphis for Vicksburg.
Euclid and wife, Elizabeth Rebecca MOORE (1818NC-1850LA),
raised Solon's sons following Huldah's death. Thomas was soon
returned
east to George and Fanny GODWIN in Suffolk where he was once
earlier,
who also raised Solon. They, in 1845, took in Roscius Cicero's
orphaned
Thomas Roscius, with sister Harriott Godwin in school at
Washington
city, then in 1851 following Solon & Mary, Euclid's, Phocion A
and
Euclid Jr. The 1860 census had ALL with Euclid and second wife
Lucy in
Louisiana, except for Solon's kids.
The Shelby County Probate Court was served by Solon in 1838,
with
$150 bond posted, handling affairs of Alexander BOOTHE, possibly
same
who was born 1812 at Nansemond county, Virginia.
Solon was addicted to politics early on, enjoying the
challenge, excitement and accomplishments, so following his
reported
Portsmouth, Virginia newspaper experience, he founded what today
(169-years later), is the Pulitzer Prize winner, Memphis
Commercial-Appeal, then The Western World and The Memphis Banner
of The
Constitution, January 1839 --- his editorials supported our
seventh
president, Andrew JACKSON's (1767SC-1845TN) choice, James Knox
POLK
(1795NC-1849TN). He was accepted in Memphis as its most brillant
editor.
Following the successful James K POLK election as 11th governor
of
Tennessee, he sold his paper to William E WOODRUFF's Kentucky
friend,
Colonel Henry VAN PELT, who in1819 had ventured with WOODRUFF to
Arkansas Post, --- in fall of 1840, changing name to The Appeal,
publishing a one page paper in his home, first publication 21
April 1841
of 68 y/o president William Henry HARRISON's (1773VA-1841DC)
death from
pneumonia. General Albert PIKE was editor for a couple years, ca
1867,
before moving on to Washington city.
www.wdbj.net/shelby/goodspeed/history/history9.htm
http://ehistory.osu.edu/uscw/features/articles/9904/appeal.cfm
www.scripps.com/newspaper/newspaper-commercial-appeal.html
"Married - On Tuesday evening last by the Rev Philip W ALSTON,
Dr. Solon BORLAND, editor of the "Western World", to Miss Eliza
B HART -
all of this place. Memphis Enquirer, Friday, 7/26/1839"
www.rootsweb.com/~tnnews/shelby2.htm
Solon age 27, married second wife Miss Eliza Buck HART with
July 23rd license and bond by J H McMAHON;
www.mv.com/ipusers/harts/family/harts/book/p451.html
#n1921 born
between 1815 & 1822 at Marietta, Washington county, Ohio,
youngest daughter of
Major William HART (1775CT-1836TN) & 1st wife Sarah Waters
WOLCOTT
(1779CT- 1824OH), who with 2nd wife, Mary CASS, cousin to
Governor Lewis
Cass, moving to Memphis in 1831, he dying 28 January1836. No
obituary or
burial site found for Eliz nor a child.
1840 U S census for city of Memphis lists Henry R PUGH fourth,
following him is Jeptha FOWLKES, with one name before, Solon "BORLON",
then John R FRAYSER after seven more names. I believe Solon's
second
wife, Eliza Buck Hart, is the "20 to 30" female listed.
Solon, upon sale of his newspaper returned to medicine,
reestablishing his 1838 partnership with Memphis' Doctor John R
FRAYSER,
whose famous son, R Dudley, was born in 1840.
He's listed among the most prominent of the early Memphis
editors, page 514, A History of Tennessee and Tennesseans, By
HALE &
MERRITT, 1913, --- started the 2nd drug store in Memphis in
1840, also
involved with Jeptha FOWLKES and others in creation of an
insurance
company, The Mutual Assurance and Trust Company of Memphis.
A busy Doctor Solon BORLAND, 29 y/o, graduated 2 March 1841,
from The Louisville Medical Institute, created 1833, opened
1837, for
yet another (his 2nd) medical degree, thesis on "milk sickness".
He was operating a business (possibly (?) his drug stores or
with Jeptha FOWLKES and E K DODGE, Memphis wholesale dealers in
Drugs,
Medicines, Paints, Oils, Dye Stuffs, French, English and German
Chemicals, Window Glass, Perfumery, Etc. Etc. Surgical
Instruments, Etc.
Fancy articles) from his Louisville home which prevented moving
to
Little Rock until November 23, 1843. Because of his high praises
about
that institution, some incorrectly believed he had taught there.
Response to my April 2007 inquiry if a taught, was;
"NO",
additionally, to wit:
"I also checked the directories for the name d'Estimauville de
Beau
Mouchel and did not find her listed at all.[so, she may (?) have
been
from Memphis]
"I then checked the Western Journal of Medicine and Surgery,
which was
established in January 1840 by Daniel Drake and Lunsford P.
Yandell. I
found no mention of Dr. Borland as a founder or an editor [my
question
answered]. He did however contribute as you mentioned, I found
one
report re: a skeleton found by a Dr. [John R, Solon's partner]
Frayser,
(Vol. IV, no. 3, September 1841) and an article "A Case of
remarkable
and speedy recovery from severe injury of the Spinal Column,"
(Vol. IV,
no. 4, October 1841). In both the report and article he is
listed as
being in Memphis, TN. "I hope this information is helpful [it
most
certainly was].
"Katherine Burger Johnson³, Associate Professor Archivist for
Manuscript Collections, University Archives and Records Center
Archivist/Curator, Kornhauser Health Sciences Library University
of
Louisville Louisville, KY 40292"
³Ms JOHNSON, had on the 29th of April 2004, confirmed his
graduation
for me.
Solon lectured in Little Rock August 7, 1839, when Memphis
Female Seminary made presentation (possible taught here?) (found
by
www.ArkansasTies.com ) and visited Hot Springs in
1842 wrote Fay
HEMPSTEAD.
Solon is in Common Law Book #B, 1842 to 1854, petitioned for
appointment as: "attorney & counselor at law and solicitor in
chancery
67" at Shelby County, Tennessee.
Age 32, Solon became editor of "the Democrat's" Arkansas
Banner, with John W FARLEY, after 1839 successful campaign &
election of
James K POLK 11th Tennessee governor, now helping 'dark horse'
POLK ,
and Andrew JACKSON's favorite, to become 11th president of
United States
in 1844 election.
"In that position he won the reputation of being one of the
ablest political writers in the United States."
POLK's vice-presidential candidate was Philadelphia,
Pennsylvanian, George Miffin DALLAS (1792PA-1864PA), a 1810 law
graduate
from Princeton University. Also elected his friend, Arkansas'
second
governor Archibald YELL (1797?-1847MEX), to U S House of
Representatives
and Thomas Stevenson DREW (1805TN-1879TX), as Arkansas' third
governor,
under whom Solon served as adjutant-general.
INTERESTINGLY, -- it just MAY (?) have been "General Solon
BORLAND"
orchestrating creation of Dallas county Arkansas, January 1,
1845, with
its new town of Princeton (Dallastown) as seat of government!
(History
has Mr (Colonel?) BAYLESS suggesting the name, but ---?) The
county in
which his rumored (?) mistress, the French Creole lady from (?)
Louisville, went to a town named for her, county where he and
his law
partner helped create Arkansas Military Institute, where
Arkansas' new
adjutant-general's family resided varies times. WHY else, pray
tell,
would a southern Arkansas frontier county bare name of a
Philadelphia
lawyer/politician, born, raised, lived and died in Pennsylvania?
But
then, what about that town in Texas, started 1843 before state
was
created under POLK/DALLAS administration?
Solon's political enemies (and some modern day story book
writers), finding nothing better, made much to do over he and
his rival
newspaper editor's difficulties. Arkansas Gazette, established
at
Arkansas Post in 1819 by William Edward WOODRUFF owned and
edited by
Benjamin J BORDEN (1812NC-1887KY) since spring 1843 as a "Whig
paper." Dr
BORLAND and BORDEN, its editor/owner (1843-1848), exchanged
political
and personal attacks in editorials resulting in a fist fight
January
1844 where BORDEN got his face smashed. Later, BORDEN challenged
BORLAND
to a pistol duel and received a carefully placed, non-fatal
bullet from
Doctor BORLAND's gun, passing through his body.
The two reconciled, becoming friends for life. Most truthful
facts are possibly by family, to wit: www.tmason1.com/pafn01.htm
(search
BORLAND)
----------
The Arkansas Gazette
January 31, 1844
No. 8 - Whole No. 1257
A CARD
The difficulty between Dr. S. Borland and B.J. Borden, Esq.,
Editors of
the Arkansas Banner and Arkansas Gazette, has been honorably and
satisfactorily adjusted, by the voluntary intermediation of
their
friends.
F.W. Trapnall
Chas. Rapley
Thos. W. Newton,
William Field
L.J. Reardon
S.H. Hempstead
Little Rock, Arkansas January 17, 1844
----------
(three whigs, three democrats)
At age 33, Solon was selected a Democratic delegate in1844.
(ALSO, in 1848 and 1852)
Unfortunately for Solon, his desire for an appointment as a
U S Attorney from newly elected YELL was dashed by Senator
Chester
ASHLEY (1791MA-1848DC).
Solon, an attorney, currently not practicing, formed a Law
Firm with fellow Masonic member Elbert Hartwell ENGLISH
(1816AL-1884AR).
Elbert later (1855) became, the fourth Chief Justice for
Arkansas, who
jointly is credited for;
"The volumes of Reports of Decisions of the Supreme
Court prepared by Judge ENGLISH [1855-64 & 1874-84] and Mr
BARBER
[clerk,1841-68,(St John's College, 1867-74) &1874-86] constitute
a large
and valuable part of the written laws of the State
Constitution.",
http://books.google.com/books?id=i3IOAAAAIAAJ
(Chapter XIX,
p 303).
Elbert (credited with Solon's successful election to full
term in the U S Senate) and Solon were involved with creation of
schools, to name a couple: Arkansas College, in Fayetteville,
Arkansas
Military Institute, in Tulip (where Major Benjamin J BORDEN once
taught), with Elbert the driving force behind 1850 creation of
Arkansas'
first institution of higher learning, --- St Johns' College of
Arkansas
www.arkansasties.com/Pulaski/OldLittleRock/StJohnsCollege.htm
, for
which Solon too was much involved, having three young sons. St
Johns'
opened preparatory school September 1, 1857, then collegiate
door 10
October 1859 with Virginian, Colonel John Baker THOMPSON
president
(killed as a Lt Col at Shilo).
Elbert served as Solon's junior editor at democrat's, The
Arkansas Banner until 16 July 1845.
Widely accepted folklore:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Following death of second wife Eliza Buck HART, both sons,
Thomas and
"Little Solon" cared for by family, Solon at Louisville
attending
medical-school, --- supposedly had an "indiscreet liaison" (Parramore's,
chosen words) with a French Creole lady (not recorded in
Louisville).
She supposedly (?) followed him to Little Rock in 1844 opening a
fashionable school which failed. She then moved to newly created
town
named for her in Dallas county and headed another school. It was
implied
by Solon's political opponents he arranged this all for her.
When it
became known she was charming but of low moral character with
child, she
left and town was renamed Tulip, school also renamed.
Solon's political enemies (and some modern day story book
writers), making this UN-DOCUMENTED rumor a public issue for
more than
twelve years, --- until he moved to Princeton February 1858.
I have yet to find proof of, or Solon admitting/denying this
generally accepted rumor. Modern day story-book writers, such as
college
professors DOUGAN, PARRAMORE and WOODS exploited this rumor in
lieu of
his many documented beneficial accomplishments, ~ ~ similarly as
did
Solon's political enemies, one hundred & fifty years earlier for
more
than twelve years. (see also, Journal of Ann Owens SIMS, AHQ,
XXXV,
pages 151/153)
As a Democratic delegate in 1844 election, Solon left Little
Rock February 8, 1845 for the March 4th presidential
inauguration of his
friend, President James K POLK in Washington city. Reportedly
stopped in
Memphis both directions, possibly picking up 9 y/o son "Little
Solon" as
well as visiting brother Euclid's growing family, who may (?)
have
joined him to Washington city where he also visited family and
friends
at Suffolk, Virginia until leaving with 12 y/o son Thomas April
20th, to
Philadelphia the 1st, Pittsburgh 5th, Louisville 10th reportedly
again
visiting Memphis, if not with him, then picking up "Little
Solon"
(Harold), bringing both sons to Little Rock for his third
marriage May
27, 1845 at age 33, to Mary Isabell MELBOURNE (Milbourne,
Milbourn?)
(1824LA- 1862AR).
"Married last Tuesday evening, May 27, by Rev. A.
Hunter, Gen. Solon Borland and Miss Mary Isabel only daughter of
Mr.
George Melbourne, --- all of this city." (notice published 2 Jun
1845,
Little Rock's Arkansas Gazette, p. 3, c. 3)
Solon returned son Thomas to attend Suffolk (Virginia)
Academy under Charles H Disbrow.
Their union brought forth three known children, George Godwin
(1846AR- 1862TX), poetess, Fanny Green (1848AR-1879TN) and Mary
Melbourne (1850AR-1938MO) and four known grandchildren, George
Godwin
MOORES (1869TN-1xxx?), Grace Melbourne BEATTIE (1873TN-1954MS),
Mary
Borland (Beattie) Clarke-BELL (1875TN-1962MS), and George M
BEATTIE
(1877TN- 19xx?).
Mary Isabel was George and Mary D. MELBOURNE's only child,
born in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, 3 October 1824, educated at
Mrs.
Tevis School at Shelbyville, Kentucky moving to Arkansas with
parents
April 1844, very talented, becoming known to thousands of
Arkansans with
her,
"... suppressing sweetness and thrilling modulations
of her voice.",
a major asset to Solon with her magical singing voice while in
Washington City,
"... with her distinguished husband, Senators,
Statesmen, and Ministers of Kings and Emperors, have listened to
her
wonderful eloquence in song.",
during late 1840's and early 1850's, so written in one of her
obituaries.
Reportedly, on day before Solon's wedding, Arkansas Banner's
publisher, John W FARLEY, withdrew from the company, then a
couple
months later, July 16th, so did his law partner, junior editor
Elbert H
ENGLISH, thusly with a successful election behind them, their
job
finished, paper was probably backing down for BORLAND too left
December
3rd, later, to return briefly before Mexican War.
Family visited Hot Springs mid-August for a month due to
illness, returning in September still ill. They moved into
Archibald
YELL's house, northeast corner 2nd (Cherry) & Louisiana. Solon
was about
to leave the Banner and reportedly prepared a forty-five page
pamphlet
"The Milk Sickness"
http://books.google.com/books?id=O0MVAAAAMAAJ
(Borland) ending1845.(may well have been his 1841 Louisville
Medical
Institute's school thesis)
------------
The Arkansas Gazette
December 15, 1845
No. 2 - Whole No. 1354
Editorial Change - Dr. Borland has retired from the Banner [age,
34,
with December 3, 1845 issue], and the Democratic committee have
selected
Mr. Archibald Rutherford, as its future conductor. The address
of this
gentlemen appeared in the last number, being a sensible and
well-
written statements of his political creed. Having known him for
many
years, we cannot but wish him every success individually in the
arduous
and responsible station he has assumed
--------
"The 1840's was an important era, ---- it defined
direction these United States would take as a nation."
www.nps.gov/fosc/mexican.htm
"Texas was admitted to the Union on December 29 [under
POLK/DALLAS,1845] as the 28th state. By this time, most
Arkansawyers
supported the acquisition of Texas as a part of the nation's
natural
expansion. Editor Solon Borland rejoiced at the news of
annexation: 'Let
the Star of Empire Westward take its way!'"
www.arkansashistory.com/resources/timeline/1845.asp
5 January 1846 newspaper printed Solon's announcement
of returning to practice of Medicine and Surgery, opening office
on
Louisiana Street.
A son was born March 11, 1846 in Little Rock to Mary and Solon
(age34), named for uncle George GODWIN who with wife Fanny GREEN
raised
and educated Solon a quarter-century earlier. George Godwin
BORLAND
attended Masonic St Johns' College's prep school, at age 15
served when
Solon raided Ft Smith, and was serving under General Albert
PIKE's
Confederate States Army till illness caused his dismissal in
Texas,
dying at Clarksville, Red River county, Texas, June 24,1862, on
way to
Little Rock, interned at Mount Holly cemetery, Little Rock
without marker.
Election of POLK brought forth one of few presidents living
up to campaign promises!
President POLK wanted United States to expand, Solon and
much of the nation, agreeing whole-heartily and he did just that
and so
much more; ---- expanding the borders of the United States to
the
Pacific Ocean, added three states to the Union, started the
Naval
Academy, the Washington Monument, issued the first postage
stamp, and
remains the youngest President to die outside those who have
been
assassinated.
To reach that end was a formable task!
POLK had Great Britain and Mexico to contend with.
In1846 POLK and Great Britain settled upon the 49th parallel
as a common line instead of the 54th, but it wasn't until 1848
that
Oregon Territory (later, governor was Major John P Gaines,
fellow
Mexican War prisoner of Solon's) became part of our country.
Nicaragua's
inter-ocean canal and its internal plus Central America's
problems with
Great Britain remained un-resolved when Congress (instigated by
POLK),
declared war on Mexico May 13, 1846 (later agreeing to pay $15
million
to purchase land in 1848).
Arkansas' Adjutant-General BORLAND, also again, editor at
Arkansas Banner, resigned June 6, 1846 to be elected captain of
a
militia company Stephen S TUCKER [p 225 ROSS' book] had been
expected to
head until he was commissioned captain of Third Regiment of
United
States Dragoons. Solon organized troops for battle in Mexico.
Solon
would meet up again with Captain Steve TUCKER after escaping
during
fighting in/around Mexico city September1847. (Steve had brief
control
of the Gazette, ca 1840)
June 12, 1846 Solon declined offer of appointment to become
professor of Materia Medica and Medical Jurisprudence at Memphis
University (supporting local rumor he may have served Louisville
Medical
Institution as a professor), because, as of June 6th, he was a
captain
committed to raising troops for the Mexican War.
Among his recruits was U S Congressman Archibald YELL (Arkansas'
second governor) returning from Washington city to his home
where Solon
and family were living, to enlist. He, in his Tennessee days,
was friend
and fellow mason with the likes of Andrew JACKSON, James POLK
and Solon
BORLAND. Private YELL shared Captain BORLAND's tent on way to
Washington, Hempstead county, where he was elected Colonel and
Solon
Major. Thomas Willoughby NEWTON (1804VA-1853NY) was later
elected as
YELL's congressional replacement.
-----------------
The Arkansas Gazette
June 22, 1846
No. 29 - Whole No. 1381
A PROUD DAY FOR LITTLE ROCK
It has grown almost into a custom, throughout the Union, for
American
ladies to, prepare Banners for volunteer companies of soldiery,
and to
present them through one of their number, to the Captains, with
an
appropriate address. Especially has this been the case, since
the war
with Mexico. Our exchanges are filled with accounts of these
interesting
ceremonies. Nor do they serve only to show the deep interest
taken by
our fair country women in all the concerns the glory of the
nation -
they do more, they inspire the volunteers with a military ardor,
which
no dangers can abate, no hardships dampen. It is, as it were,
the
pledging of each Company to deeds of daring - each soldier to
display of
his personal prowess. For who ever witnessed the scenes, which
attend a
presentation, and felt not that every man of the Company, thus
honored,
would protect the Flag, committed to their charge, with the same
indomitable courage with which the celebrated pass of Thermopyla
was
defended, and if overpowered by numbers, not even one bleeding
soldier
would return, to relate the story of its capture? As "old
Pulaski" had
furnished two companies of volunteers for the war, under the
late
requisition upon the State, the ladies of our City, with
commendable
interest in their fate, determined to present each with a
beautiful
Flag, before their departure. Accordingly, early in the week
their fair
hands were employed in preparing them, and on Friday morning, at
11
o'clock, it was announced that the two Companies would repair to
the
Arsenal Ground, for the purpose of receiving them. It is
needless to
add, that about that hour crowds of citizens were seen hastening
- some
on horseback, some in carriages, and many on foot - to the
appointed
place. The interest felt for the volunteers was general, as it
was known
they were to take up their line of march in a few days. While
forming
one of the vast throng assembled, we could not but notice the
admirable
arrangements, made by Maj. Butler, commanding at the Arsenal,
for the
accommodation of the volunteers.
His disposition to make everyone happy around him never shone
more
conspicuous. Two long tables, loaded with viands of all kinds,
furnished
by our citizens, were spread on the ground floor of the Armory,
and
tastefully arranged, under his supervision. These were
substantial
comforts, to be enjoyed after the ceremonies were over.
In front of Maj. B's residence, the presentation took place.
While
waiting for the appearance of the two companies, we examined the
Flags.
The one designed for the "Little Rock Guards," contained in the
centre
the motto, "Up Guards! And at 'em" surrounded by a wreath of
elegant
embroidery. That for Capt. Borland's Company bore upon its
folds, the
words "Extend the area of Freedom." Each was composed besides of
28
stars and 13 stripes - the nation's emblem.
Soon the "Guards" made their appearance, all in uniform - a blue
jacket
and grey pantaloons, with red stripes at the side. They looked
finely,
and were better disciplined, owing to the fact that a portion of
them
have for some years formed a volunteer Company in this city. It
is
thought that they will be the "crack Company" from Arkansas.
Capt. Borland's men had not obtained their uniforms and
consequently,
could not make so much of a display, as the "Guards".
-----------
July 13, 1846, Washington, Hempstead county, Arkansas, YELL was
elected Colonel, John Selden ROANE (1817TN-1867AR) Lieutenant
Colonel,
and Solon as Major, of "Yell's Mounted Devils" much to the
displeasure
of loser, Captain Albert PIKE (1809MA-1891DC), who had sought
the top
spot, thereafter seemingly made a career of slandering YELL,
ROANE, &
BORLAND, following YELL's heroic death February 1847, -- brought
forth a
pistol duel with John S. ROANE, neither able to hit the other in
three
attempts.
www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Base/6595/mexico.html ,
www.peace.saumag.edu/swark/articles/ahq/arkansas/general/general303.html
AHQ Vol. XXII, Winter 1953, p.303.
"Captain Albert Pike, commanding the Little Rock Guards of
Company E,
was nominated against Yell, only to lose on the first ballot,
but he was
not too disappointed. Very well, he thought, let Yell be
colonel. At
least Yell had had a taste of military experience in the War
of1812.
With Yell as colonel, Pike was sure that he would be elected
lieutenant
colonel. Again he was disappointed. John Selden Roane, the
square-faced
captain of the "Van Buren Avengers" and a firm Democrat, without
a whit
of military experience in his twenty-nine years, was elected as
to the
post. And when Solon Borland, another staunch Democrat, was
elected as
the major, Pike turned away in disgust, and a bitter resentment
began to
rise in him that would last as long as the unfortunate Mexican
adventure.
"ON JULY 18, 1846, THE ARKANSAS regiment marched south, flags
waving,
morale high, toward Shreveport and thence across Texas to San
Antonio.
"Josiah Gregg, an impartial observer who kept a diary of the
campaign,
noted that the Arkansans were always placed downstream of the
other
troops so they had "filthy water to drink." Finally Yell refused
to camp
where Wool ordered. Wool had him arrested. Roane was placed in
command
and he refused to camp where ordered. Wool arrested him as well
and then
Borland in turn.
"Ultimately, however, all the Arkansas officers were released
without
charges."
http://www.oldstatehouse.com/exhibits/virtual/governors/antebellum_arkansas/yell3.asp
-------------
The Arkansas Gazette
October 19, 1846
No. 46 - Whole No. 1398
As a portion of the recent tidings from the camp of Arkansas
volunteers,
is the information that Col. Yell and Major Borland have
quarreled. We
have no idea that their estrangement from each other will endure
longer
than that of two lovers, who quarrel only for the pleasure of
making up
again. We would just as soon expect an eternal separation
between Ashley
and Woodruff.
----------
Major Solon BORLAND, M D (age35), Captain Christopher
Columbus DANLEY (1818NC-1865AR) and men left camp, Monday, 18
January
1847, in search of Santa Anna, meeting up & camping with,
Kentuckians,
senior officer, Major John Pollard GAINES (1795KY-1858OR),
Captain
Cassius Marcellus CLAY (1810-1903), future Arkansas governor,
Lieutenant
Thomas James CHURCHILL (1824KY-1905AR), now some eighty men,
being
surprised (as was Santa Anna at San Jacinto in 1836 by failing
to post
guards), -- when captured at La Encamacion, Mexico by General
MINON
reportedly with from five-hundred to three-thousand men while
asleep
early Saturday morning of 23 January1847.
Solon wrote from San Luis Potosi, Mexico 10 February copied in
26 March Issue 45; col E, Arkansas State Democrat about the
capture:
"At day-light, we found ourselves completely
surrounded; and being without provisions, and water, and having
an
average of about 20 rounds of ammunition only, we
surrendered..."
Solon meets Santa Anna,
~ ~ ~ his letter to his wife dated: "Prison of St Jago, City of
Mexico,
March 7, 1847" in part, printed 11 June; Issue 4; col D,
Arkansas State
Democrat, interestingly stated:
"Three days before reaching San Luis [2nd Feb'y], we met Santa
Anna on the road. He is one of the finest looking men I have
ever seen.
He was very polite, and assured us of good treatment, etc."
The famous battle of Buena Vista, was but a scant three weeks
later, Monday & Tuesday, 22 & 23 February 1847, where friend
Colonel
Archibald YELL was killed by an enemy lance to the face & head (YELL's
body returned to Washington County, AR, July 1847, one local
story, "in
a whiskey barrel") with 264 others dying, 450 injured and 26
missing,
with Colonel Jefferson Finis DAVIS (1808KY- 1883LA), son-in- law
of Gen
TAYLOR (married Sarah Knox TAYLOR, 17 January 1835, she died
shortly
thereafter). was severely wounded by General Santa Anna's
troops,
remaining in his saddle while American army inflicted 1,500
deaths to
Mexican troops, defeating them in spite of Mexico having a
15,000 -
20,000 to 4,600 superiority of troops. AHQ XXVI, p.373.
The war shifted south following Santa Anna's losses at Buena
Vista to around Mexico City. Many U S troops, including those
from
Arkansas, returned home in June 1847 and were released.
Five months later, August 1st, Major Solon BORLAND, Major John
P GAINES and Captain C C DANLEY escaped, then smuggled out on
Solon's
36th birthday (August 8th), to distinguish themselves as aides
in
capture of Mexico City September 14th, thus ending the war.
"I joined the army a few minutes after the action of
Contreras, and getting a musket, fell into the ranks and did
some little
duty that day. While engaged in firing, in the midst of some
riflemen,
who should I meet but our old friend and townsman, [Captain]
Steve
TUCKER, for it was with his company among whom I had fallen in,
without
being aware of it at the time. We took one cordial embrace, and
went to
firing; Steve, himself, was handling a rifle with right good
will."
That account by BORLAND is from either the October 22, 1847
Arkansas
Gazette, or the September 9, 1847 Times Picayune (New Orleans),
and
there is probably more to it. As an aide to Gen. WORTH, BORLAND
ran
messages throughout the remaining battles, seeing some heavy
fighting on
September 8 and 13:
"I was not wounded in either action-though the balls
flew thick and fast-three that were so far spent as to do no one
injury,
paid me the compliment of a blow-one on the stomach, one on the
arm, and
one just above the knee."
is most likely from October 22, 1847 Arkansas Democrat, above,
both
courtesy Ian BEARD, Old State House Museum, Little Rock & Bill
FRAZIER,
Commercial-Appeal, Memphis (newspaper Solon started in 1839).
Major BORLAND entered Mexico City with General WORTH's men,
among them were Bvt. Colonel Robert E LEE and a young Ulysses S.
GRANT,
from USMA, 1843 (21/39), as a Second Lieut, Quartermaster, 4th
Infantry,
April 1, 1847, to July 23, 1848; Bvt. First Lieut., September 8,
1847,
for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct in the Battle of Molino del
Rey,
Mexico & Bvt. Capt., September13, 1847, for Gallant Conduct at
Chapultepec, Mexico), --- at Contreras as volunteer aide-de-camp
for
Wednesday, 8 September 1847 bloody battle where reportedly
another 116
American's were killed and 877 wounded at El Molino del Rey,
Monday, 13
September 1847 capture of Chapultepec, then Tuesday, 14
September 1847
Mexico City after 130 Americans killed and 703 wounded. (see AHQ
VI,
page 251-253)
It appears Solon was active in medical treatment of wounded
for a couple months following Mexico's defeat, until his
November 18th
return to the United States.
(WM) 2 November 1847 letter to George GODWIN, from Euclid
BORLAND, New Orleans, Louisiana saying plantation, 49 miles
below the
city. [that's down near Empire, LA],
"I have nothing from Solon except what you have seen in the
papers that he made his escape from prison & was aid to Gen
Worth at
battle before & at the taking of the City of Mexico. I am
pleased at his
good luck in the end."
The Semi-Weekly Natchez Courier of 30 November 1847 (issue 96,
col.D) announced the arrival of BORLAND but doesn't name the
city. I'm
pretty sure they arrived in New
Orleans. The article states:
"The steamship Alabama, Capt. WINDLE, arrived on
Wednesday [24th], direct from Vera Cruz, having left that place
on the
evening of the 18th inst. Among the passengers by the Alabama we
notice
the names of Maj. Gen. QUITMAN, Brig. Gen. SHIELDS; Maj. BORLAND
and
Capt. Cassius M CLAY [strongly opposed Solon's political
beliefs,
www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/inside.asp?ID=665&subjectID=2
], of the
Encarnacion prisoners; and George Wilkins KENDALL ["arguably the
first
newspaper war correspondent",
www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/KK/fke19.html
] of the
Picayune."
BORLAND, after being critical about treatment of the returnees
by the U S Government, especially, of refusal by the New Orleans
paymaster to pay them subsistence allowances since they were
provided
for by the Mexican Government while prisoners. There was also
mention of
charging the soldiers for lost horses, ---- then returned to
Little Rock
and on to Hot Springs where family was staying with her parents,
arriving December 2,1847. (While a U S Senator introduced
legislation
compensating Mexican War prisoner of war veterans.)
March 29th BORLAND received a letter offering him a position on
legation court of Spain, which he immediately turned down, and
was
thought to have been arranged by political enemies to prevent
him from
accepting SEVIER's senate seat.
Governor DREW appointed Solon, age 36, to fill vacancy of U S
Senator Ambrose Hundley SEVIER's (1801TN-1848AR) seat. Solon
left for
Washington city April 6,1848 arriving the 23rd to fill that seat
the
next day, assisted by Senator ASHLEY, who took ill, then died
the 29th.
BORLAND then became Arkansas' senior senator and was so elected
on last
ballot, 74 to 19, for remaining term, also, 71 to 24 for a full
term,
defeating long ruling political family of JOHNSONs. He then
served with
contemporaries such as; Thomas Hart BENTON, Judah P BENJAMIN,
John C
CALHOUN, Sam HOUSTON, Henry CLAY, James MASON, Jefferson DAVIS,
Daniel
WEBSTER, Stephen DOUGLAS, to name but a few of the more notable
ones.
WEBSTER, CALHOUN & CLAY, were the
"Great Trimvirate" dominating American politics in its second
generation, the three dying in 1850-1852 while Solon served in
the
senate.
(WM) March 30, 1848, letter to their uncle George GODWIN,
Suffolk, from brother Euclid BORLAND of 'Pointe a la Hache
Plantation',
Parish of Plaquemines, Louisiana, mentions Solon's appointment
to United
States Senate, with some personal remarks.
Senator BORLAND served our country with an honorable record and
distinction from 2 April 1848 until 3 March 1853, in, 30th,
31st, 32nd,
& 33rd Congress, as a United States Senator under four
presidents, POLK,
TAYLOR, FILLMORE and PIERCE. He served as Chairman of Committee
on
Printing, 31st & 32nd Congress, then Chairman of Committee of
Public
Lands, 33rd Congress, among other committees, supporting
cross-country
railroads, southern rights, expansion of country and trade,
enlargement
of facilities in Washington city, justice system, education and
much
more.
Christopher Columbus DANLEY, aid-de-camp to Major General John
A QUITMAN (1798NY-1858MS) at Battle of Chapultepac September
13th was
wounded, resulting in being crippled the rest of his life. His
letter to
brother J M DANLEY dated: "Mexico, April 6, 1848", published May
12,
1848; Issue 52; col B, Arkansas State Democrat touches on many
things,
two subjects were:
"I was once very nearly well while Maj Borland was
attending to me, but suffered a relapse, which was near killing
me, from
which I have not yet recovered."
News stories were apparently printed that General Winfield
SCOTT (1786VA-1866NY) caused the liberation of BORLAND, GAINES
and
DANLEY, to which he states:
"That is a mistake, for Majors Borland, Gaines and
myself, liberated ourselves by withdrawing our parole and making
our
escape."
C C DANLEY returned to Little Rock a war hero, later elected
state auditor, upsetting the long reigning JOHNSON "Family" of
Arkansas,
and once ran for a state senate seat, but in March 1853
reportedly
purchased the Arkansas Gazette and Democrat from WOODRUFF. The
JOHNSON's
renamed The Arkansas Banner, The Arkansas Democrat Banner then
later The
True Democrat. BORLAND had bought half interest June 15, 1853,
working
with DANLEY, then April 5, 1856 sold his interest back to DANLEY.
William F HOLTZMAN bought in 1858 and they dropped "Democrat"
from name
in 1859. DANLEY died at his office in 1865, then William F
HOLTZMAN took
the reins, selling his share back to WOODRUFF's family.
Solon and Mary, most likely (?), attended Tuesday, 4 July 1848,
Masonic ceremonies, for placing the corner stone of our now over
555-foot tall, Washington Monument with President James K. POLK.
Solon served in the senate which provided the second expansion
of our Capitol Building, dwarfing original structure,
dramatically
changing its physical appearance, as Victorian, replaced
Neoclassical
sedateness following its just recent, first expansion,
accommodating our
growing nation, in Washington city.
September 1848, a daughter was born to Mary and Solon (age37)
in Little Rock, she being named for Solon's aunt, Fanny GREEN
(who
raised him), early in life became a talented poetess, encouraged
by
Albert PIKE and others, published at barely twelve y/o in
newspapers and
in London's Cosmopolitan 21 December 1871, married 1869, one
son, Fanny
Green dying a tragic yellow fever death morning of 23 August
1879 in
Memphis at her sister Mollie's home, both having lost husbands
the year
before to "Yellow Jack", --- burial site unknown.
"Fort Smith Gateway to California Gold Field";
Solon supported the 15 February 1849 act for federal
government furnishing military escort to California from Ft
Smith in
competition with Independence, Missouri(ah).
(WM) 26 May 1849 letter which The College of William & Mary
archivists say is by Solon's son Thomas (age 16) from Alexandria
Boarding School, written to uncle George GODWIN in Suffolk,
Virginia
(Handwriting comparison of the two young Thomas' letters shows a
marked
difference)
Solon BORLAND (age 38) introduced a common schooling bill in
Congress on December 31, 1849,
"...which had already passed the Senate, and which,
if it were enacted into law, would yield as he surmised, ample
funds
with which to carry out the most admirable system of common
school
education that can be devised.",
his action was followed by the State of Arkansas (no doubt other
states
as well) passing its first serious attempt to establish a system
of
common schools, signed by Governor ROANE so reported January 11,
1851 in
Arkansas Gazette. Reportedly, the JOHNSON family, while
controlling the
state, spent ("squandered"?) intended school funds so no common
public
school existed until seventeen years later, 1868, when Arkansas
finally
committed to educating its youth.
The senator battled strong and stubbornly for states rights,
during Henry CLAY's floor battle (see image) in the 1850's, had
fisticuffs with Senator Henry FOOTE of Mississippi, who once
pointed his
Colt pistol at fellow senator Thomas Hart BENTON, of Missouri,
while on
senate floor.
www.pccua.edu/keough/making
_of_a_southern_state.htm
(search BORLAND)
1850 Census, U S SENATE ARGUMENT:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Senator Solon Borland of Arkansas:
"I think that all the remarks of the Senator from
Kentucky go to show the propriety of the proposition . . . to
strike out
everything but the enumeration of the inhabitants. . . . Are we
to erect
ourselves into a great college of natural science? Are the funds
of this
Government to be appropriated to the investigation of great
natural
truths? I think we have gone far enough . . .
"UNDERWOOD continued to argue unconvincingly for the value of
exploring
whether an individual is a quadroon, a mulatto, or any other
proportion
of blood" (Page 675)."
www.afrigeneas.com/forumd/index.cgi?noframes;read=5461
"Newspaper readers accustomed to
considering politics as personality were confused. Democrat
owner
William E. WOODRUFF hired two successive editors, only to find
that
their views were substantially different from his own."
WOODRUFF was generally a supporter of Solon's.
1850 census found Senator BORLAND, age 39, in Hot Springs, (now
Garland county), Arkansas with 26 y/o wife Mary and children; 14
y/o
Solon, (Harold) , 4 y/o George, 2 y/o Fannie and a 24 y/o
Missouri born
physician, William Hammond with wife Elizabeth, listing follows
his
in-laws. 17 y/o, 1st born, son Thomas found at Western Military
Institute in 1850 census of Blue Lick Springs, Nicholas county,
Kentucky, under Yankee, Colonel Edwin Wright MORGAN
(1814PA-1869PA).
Solon and Mary cared for brother Euclid's two sons, Phocion
Augustus (1839MS-1863VA) and Euclid, Jr (1844MS-1896VA)
following
January 1850 death of their mother Elizabeth, and most likely
Euclid's
daughter Fanny (1846MS-1850AR) was included who died 22nd of
November.
Friday, 28 June 1850, Mary (Mollie) Melbourne BORLAND was born.
Named for her musically talented mother, married twice, three
children,
no known grandchildren, died in Kansas, City 17 February, 1938,
60 years
following first husband and 33 years after her second husband's
death,
following her lengthy illness. Her ashes buried, unmarked, along
side
of 2nd husband, Colonel Oliver Crosby GRAY, in Fayetteville's
historic
Evergreen cemetery, east, across roadway from Solon's friend,
Colonel
Archibald YELL.
Reportedly a family emergency brought Solon rushing home to Hot
Springs from Washington city, -- then the dangerous illness of
wife in
September and a child, Mollie or (?) Euclid's Fanny, in October
caused
him to miss the roll call on the 1850 Compromise bill --- for
which his
political enemies had a 'hay day' claiming everything, true or
not, they
could dream up.
Margaret Ross cited in her 1969 published book, page 275, the
reported October 1850 illness of a child, which may have been
brother
Euclid's locally unknown Fanny from Louisiana who died November
22nd
(?). Solon returned to Washington city November 9, 1850 arriving
in time
for session starting December 2nd.
"[ca 1850's, Democratic Congressman Robert Ward] JOHNSON's
extremism caught people by surprise in Arkansas. Democratic
Senator
Solon BORLAND, who initially had been sympathetic to Calhoun's
position,
even to exchanging blows with compromiser Henry S. FOOTE of
Mississippi
[who with his colt pistol, aimed it at Senator BENTON while on
the
senate floor]. Solon returned to Arkansas because of family
sickness
even as the crucial votes were being tailed. This did not keep
him from
giving several speeches around the state in which he affirmed a
strong
devotion to the Union but urged delay so that the South could
get better
terms. BORLAND's views got vaguer and vaguer in each succeeding
speech,
and his critics cogently suggested that he ought to be in
Washington at
this crucial juncture."
www.pccua.edu/keough/making_of_a_southern_state.htm
Those were not quiet, simple, days while our lively young
nation's western frontier was being expanded and developed. They
were
somewhat lawless, even in Washington city among the law makers,
requiring justice to handle affairs of these pioneering people,
so
Monday, 3 March 1851, Senator BORLAND (age 39) supported:
"An Act to Divide the District of Arkansas into two Judicial
Districts";
which in 1875 to 1895, brought about "Hanging" Judge Isaac C
PARKER to
Ft. Smith, Crawford county ["Judge Isaac C Parker - A veteran of
the
civil war and two-time congressman, was appointed by President
Grant as
United States District Judge of the western district of
Arkansas.] At
the relatively young age of 37, Parker found himself responsible
for a
74,000 square mile area. In his 21 years at his position, Parker
sentenced 151 men to death by hanging [of these 83 were actually
executed]. In a territory noted for its lawlessness, his harsh
but
effective administration helped make the settlement of the West
possible."
www.cem.va.gov/nchp/ftsmith.htm
(Parker )! (for other see;
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw
:@field ("Borland")
(WM) Sunday, 12 October 1851, a letter to uncle George GODWIN
by Euclid BORLAND (wife died January 1850, reportedly remarried
in
1852), from Solon's, Hot Springs home, spoke of baby Mary
talking &
walking and is where his sons, Phocion & Euclid plus niece,
brother
Roscius' Harriott Godwin (1838NC-1890VA), had come home with
Solon from
Washington Female Seminary in Washington city where she was for
1850
census. Solon's Thomas was working on a new road (railroad?) in
Kentucky
with "Colonel MORGAN" (both found in 1850 Nicholas county,
Kentucky
census, at Western Military Institute, where Thomas is recorded
January
1850). Euclid, was preparing to take youngsters to his Louisiana
plantation where in 1860 census listed them along with Thomas
Roscius as
"Solon", where he had 101 slaves, including Rose age107.
An altercation occurred "...at the corner of the Anthony
House...", so reported the New York Times, 15 Oct 1851.
Times informational source being The Little Rock Banner, under
control
of Lambert J REARDON, former Mayor of Little Rock (1845-1846)
and
Lambert A WHITELY, his cousin, the two parties reportedly
attack, with
intent to assassinate WHITELY.
NOTE! - Margaret Ross' 1969 book, Arkansas Gazette;
The Early Years 1819-1866, page 238, then 263 thru 265, then 283
& 284,
provide a more truthful reporting of the parties and that which
occurred, somewhat different than the Banner reported. ----
Dealt with
state's over payments made to WHITLEY, discovered by DANLEY, as
state
auditor, and its REARDON drawing the gun.
The Arkansas Banner, as afore mentioned, was first edited by
Solon BORLAND from Sept 1843 to Dec 1845, then by Archibald
RUTHERFORD.
WHITLEY, appeared in 1848 for four years, moving to Louisville
Journal,
possibly as the editor used by Solon's political enemy, Cassius
Marcellus CLAY, who attempted to defame Solon in defending his
own
actions as a Mexican prisoner and later with Jeptha FOWLKES'
railroad.
According to this news article, Senator Solon BORLAND (senior
senator of Arkansas), is accused by The Arkansas Banner of being
the
instigator of an attempted "assassination" of WHITELY by Mexican
War
crippled Captain Christopher Columbus, state auditor with
brothers,
Pulaski county sheriff Benjamin F and William DANLEY, a steam
boat
engineer.
The truthful reason behind this news story and altercation,
where guns were fired and people were wounded may never be known
other
than Ross' book, and is locked away in history, but most likely
politically motivated, intentionally published against BORLAND
in that
REARDON and WHITLEY supported Arkansas' long controlling,
JOHNSON
"Family" which BORLAND defeated in becoming United States
senator and
DANLEY defeated becoming Arkansas' State Auditor.
Solon was in Little Rock getting ready to return to
Washington city, so wrote his brother Euclid who was at Solon's
Hot
Springs home, picking up his children to return them to his
sugar
plantation south of New Orleans, see (WM) letter 12 Oct 1851.
www.books.google.com/books?id=i3IOAAAAIAAJ
(chapter VIII, p.129)
Solon (age 40), a distinguished southern gentlemen by character
and successful politician, returned to Washington city November
7, 1851,
and February 5, 1852 while in discussion with Senator James A
PEARCE and
a printer, Lem TOWERS, reportedly punched Joseph Camp Griffith
KENNEDY,
superintendent of the census, following KENNEDY's interruption
with
caustic remark's and having twice been told by Solon he didn't
want to
discuss the matter --- then Solon continued his conversation
with PEARCE
& TOWERS. This action resulted in BORLAND's removal from
committee on
printing, of which he may have been chairman(?).
Week-end of June 1 - 5, 1852, at Baltimore for the Democratic
National Convention were delegates; Senator Solon BORLAND, M D
of Hot
Springs, Arkansas and brother, Euclid BORLAND, M D, of Pointe a
la
Hache, Louisiana. New Hampshire's Franklin PIERCE
(1804NH-1869NH) was
nominated on 49th ballot as their presidential candidate.
http://delta.ulib.org/cgi-in/display?call=2845.16596&format=3&search=
(WM) Monday, 27 September 1852, letter to George GODWIN, by
Euclid BORLAND, from White Sulphur Springs, VA, speaks of
several
friends, ie:
Dr WEBB, Col WHITEHEAD, --- and that Solon left for Cleveland
because
river was to low from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati.
Solon returned to Washington city November 1852 becoming ill
with a severe cold which lingered on several months.
He gave up sleeping only five hours a night, and his vision
was impaired from long nights writing by candle light, but
improved with
rest and colored glasses.
ENVOY EXTRAORDINARY and MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY of CENTRAL
AMERICA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nicaragua was but one of Doctor Solon BORLAND's years of public
service,
with about seven months spent in that country, --- long enough
to
establish an important agreement with the Nicaraguan government
regarding Britain's aggressive land confiscations during past
five or
more years.
Great Britain's taking of Central American countries lands
since 1848 was unacceptable and of national interest to
President
Franklin PIERCE so beginning of his administration he choose to
confront
Great Britain.
To attain his goal he needed two strong willed individuals, so
choose and engaged Senator Solon BORLAND for Central America and
former
Senator then Secretary of State under POLK, James BUCHANAN
(1791PA-1867PA) for England.
March 3, 1853, Solon accepted President Franklin PIERCE's
appointment then resigned his senate seat when appointed 'Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary' --- the first person
so
commissioned to the individual republics, Costa Rica, Guatemala,
Honduras, Salvador, as well as to "Central America.", but second
minister following John Bozman KERR (1808MD-1878DC) to
Nicaragua, --
officially 18 April 1853, passport obtained 27 April 1853. Solon
arrived 15 May 1853 at Little Rock, Arkansas spending a few
weeks with
family in Hot Springs, purchasing a home in Little Rock, and
half
interest in a newspaper, then leaving for New Orleans 4th of
July, no
doubt spending time with brother Euclid, visiting 100-y/o slave
Rose on
brother's sugar plantation forty-nine miles south of the city,
arriving
Into this tense atmosphere at Managua 16 September1853, serving
until 17
April 1854, with bloody battling occurring after he left,
starting May
5th for an extended period. Other southern gentlemen later
served, such
as his hometown acquaintance John Hill WHEELER (1806NC-1882DC)
(younger
brother was with Solon in 1831 Nate Turner rebellion), serving 2
August
1854, arrived 7 April 1855, left 23 October1856, then Texan
Mirabeau
Buonaparte LAMAR (1798GA-1859TX).
Nicaragua become an important Central American nation as early
as
1823, gaining interest of both, Great Britain and United States,
when
Spanish ended their authority 1 July 1821.
www.scuttlebuttsmallchow.com/usmcnic1.html
It was considered a likely
route for a canal linking the two oceans (may still so be). Even
more so
when California and Oregon Territories became a part of United
States in
1848 and with California's 1849 gold rush plus Pierce's trade
treaty
with Japan.
January 1, 1848, the British SEIZED port now known as San Juan
del Norte from Nicaragua at the mouth of the Río San Juan on the
southern Caribbean coast naming it Greytown --- EXPELLING
Nicaraguan
officials --- replaced with Jamaicans, this while we were
settling
affairs after our Mexican war. The following year, 1849, Britain
FORCED
Nicaragua to sign a treaty recognizing British rights over the
Miskito
on the Caribbean coast. Britain's control over much of the
Caribbean
lowlands, which the British called the Mosquito Coast
(present-day Costa
de Mosquitos).
August 26, 1849 a contract was signed between "Commodore"
Cornelius VANDERBILT (1794NY-1877NY)
www.vanderbilt.edu/News/register/Mar11_02/story8.html , a
United States
businessman, and the Nicaraguan government granting VANDERBILT's
company--the Accessory Transit Company-- exclusive rights to
build a
transisthmian canal within twelve years, raising major concerns
with
Britain.
September 1849, the United States-Nicaragua treaty, along
with VANDERBILT's contract, were approved by the Nicaraguan
Congress.
The contract provided VANDERBILT exclusive rights, while the
canal was
being completed, to use a land-and-water transit route across
Nicaragua,
which was miles shorter than one in what now is Panama, where a
railroad
was first constructed in 1855.
1850, Nicaragua was struggling with two lively conflicts, a
bloody shooting war between its liberal and conservative groups
and
differences between the British and United States.
May 1850, while a United States Senator (4th from
Arkansas),--- BORLAND claimed the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (between
Great
Britain and United States) violated the Monroe Doctrine and
stymied
American growth! The opposition of the United States was due,
very
largely, to the fear that Britain would acquire a privileged
position in
regard to the proposed interoceanic canal.
Great Britain, with her large presence in the Caribbean Sea,
started 20 May 1852 confiscating the Caribbean coast of Central
America,
south of her interest at Balize/Belize, including the Honduraian
Bay
Islands. This to the dissatisfaction of Central America
countries and
United States. Central American countries were in turmoil,
finding they
were unable to govern themselves with any stability against
Great
Britain.
President Pierce's two pronged approach to correct things in
Central America was implemented September 1853 simultaneously in
Great
Britain and Central America.
Minister James BUCHANAN, in Great Britain, required
Britain's withdraw from the coastal lands and bay islands south
of
Balize/Belize and Minister Solon BORLAND in Managua reached
agreement
with Nicaraguan government regarding the British confiscated
lands
within Nicaragua (Greytown and the coast line north).
"Filibusters and Financiers", by Wm O Scroggs, 1916, ---Chapter
VII p
71- 81, where in his research he concluded on page 77, (viewed
09/19/08), to wit:
"There can be little doubt that all the trouble was
instigated by the British consul and the ever present
naval-officers.".
Great Britain was reluctant to return Nicaragua her lands of
Greytown (San Juan del Norte) operated by British Jamaicans and
her
coastal land north, also, BORLAND's so-called 'insult incident'
was
but one minor, of several major on going and unjust problems
being
conducted against Americans by the British, so actions were
taken by the
United States and were indeed justified, review the following:
A Digest of the International Law of the United States: Taken
from
Documents ... - Page 594 by Francis Wharton - International law
- 1887
(Bombardment of Greytown, July 1854)
Documents Relative to Central American Affairs, and the
Enlistment
Question ... - Page 230 by United States Dept. of State, Great
Britain
Foreign Office - Central America - 1856 - 485 pages
the republic; or a history of the United States of America in
the ... -
Page 210 ,1888
Central America and the United States: The Search for Stability
- Page
21 by Thomas M. Leonard - Political Science - 1991 - 245 pages
Solon's appointment to Nicaragua fit well into President
PIERCE's overall program, --- which included; $10,000,000
Gadsden
Purchase from Mexico for most southern railroad route, survey
for canal
in Central America and three railroad routes from Mississippi
river to
Pacific ocean, attempt to acquire Cuba (by purchase or war),
Hawaii and
Alaska, plus opening trade in 1854 with The Treaty of Kanagawa,
thus
allowing trade with Japan and other Western nations.
As minister, Solon called for the United States to repudiate
the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (of which President Teddy ROOSEVELT
did
achieve ca 1901, nearly a half-century after BORLAND's failed
efforts)
and for the American military to support Honduras in its
confrontation
with Britain over confiscated lands. Mid-October, in a public
address in
Nicaragua, he announced that it was his greatest ambition to see
Nicaragua,
"forming a bright star in the flag of the United
States".
Secretary of State William Learned MARCY (1786MA-1857NY),
formerly; 1820 creator of Democrat party, U S Senator, Governor
of New
York, Secretary of War during Mexican war, ---- wrote a letter
to
BORLAND setting forth the "official" United States stance in the
region
which was giving him his most problems because Great Britain was
trying
to gain control of the area. (View MARCY's history) In 1854
MARCY had to
deal with the complications growing out of the bombardment of
Greytown
under British rule since 1848 to 1860, (now San Juan del Norte,
Nicaragua), ---- by the United States sloop-of-war "Cyane" for
insults
offered the American minister -- [Solon BORLAND] -- by its -- [Jamiacian
officials and] -- inhabitants and for their refusal to make
restitution
for damages to American property.
As BORLAND was leaving April 1854, he interfered with a
so-called, arrest of an American citizen (Captain SMITH had shot
a crew
member) by a group of Jamaicans (NOT Nicaraguans) trying to take
him to
Greytown, the BRITISH -- NOT A NICARAGUA controlled city. Solon
reportedly leveled a rifle at the Jamaicans, warning them to NOT
board
the vessel. See: Filibusters and Financiers: The Story of
William Walker
and His Associates - Page 75, by William Oscar Scroggs -
Filibusters -
1916
BORLAND was held captive after going ashore and threatened
with arrest by the Jamaicans, but after being held 48 hours was
not, due
to his diplomatic immunity. While arguing with local Jamaican
officials,
someone threw a bottle in his face leaving a scar on his
forehead so
noted in his daughters poem to him, At My Father's Feet
http://files.usgwarchives.org/tn/shelby/newspapers/atmyfath3nw.txt
This incident,
www.oldstatehouse.com/.../classroom/arkansas_news/detail.asp?id=739&issue_id=38&page=5
, along with the continuing illegal activities against the
VANDERBILT
operation were reported to the PIERCE administration by BORLAND
on
return to Washington city, who then dispatched an American naval
ship to
the area demanding them to apologize to the minister and to stop
illegal harassment of and confiscation of property, correct
other
illegal activities against the VANDERBILT interests, and to make
reparation or restitution for property stolen from American
citizens. --
AFTER a warning, with nothing forthcoming, the American ship and
marines
bombarded and burned the unoccupied British city Greytown (now,
Nicaragua's, San Juan del Norte).
Additionally, --- Great Britain had concerns over her Far East
trade
dominance being lessened by her former colony, a growing world
trade
threat, United States of America.
The above documented facts simply DO NOT SUPPORT this as the
flamboyant phrase; --- "gunboat diplomacy" expounded by James M
WOODS,
of Southern Georgia University, in the partially corrected
biography of
Solon BORLAND within "Encyclopedia of Arkansas History &
Culture"
(5/7/07)!
"....November 1859 Britain delegated its protectorate to
Honduras.
"This caused great dissatisfaction among the Indians,
who shortly afterwards revolted; and on 28 January 1860 Britain
and
Nicaragua concluded the treaty of Managua, which transferred to
Nicaragua the suzerainty over the entire Caribbean coast from
Cabo
Gracias a Dios to Greytown (now San Juan del Norte)..."
www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Mosquito-Coast
BORLAND's wisdom (history proved him correct) saw only
hopelessness in Nicaragua with its internal blood-shed, turmoil
and
later appearance of William WALKER (1824TN-1860HON) (of
Nashville
Tennessee, where Vanderbilt University now stands), so resigned,
returning to a private life with his family in Arkansas. Solon's
former
neighbor and acquaintance, John H WHEELER of Murfreesboro,
Hertford
county, North Carolina was then appointed minister.
Solon's argument was proven viable a quarter-century after
having uttered it in 1850, again in 1853, ---- a treaty signed
in 1878
with Columbia for 553 square miles of land later known as Panama
Canal
Zone, where the French started the task in 1882, In 1903,
Columbia
refused to sign a treaty, thus Panama declared its independence
and with
Teddy ROOSEVELT's actions, United States finished & opened the
canal 15
August 1914, following loss of 20,000 lives before 1889, 10,000
after.
Canal supplanted the railroad built in1855. The increased lock
width to
110 foot seemed advisable, considering Suez Canal at 197 feet,
(today,
its limiting mega-vessels from passage, with a new canal
discussed from
time to time). Review: The State of the Union: Being a Complete
Documentary History of the Public and Domestic Affairs, Foreign
and
Domestic, for the year1854. --Washington, Published by Taylor &
Maury,1855.
www.books.google.com/books?id=57nyOyJtgakC
, search
"Borland", (18-pages)
BORLAND, the ex-minister, the ex-senator (himself an old
newspaper man) had never bothered to endear himself to the
Washington
press corps,--- consequently, reportedly on one attempt it's
said they
in turn tried to burn him in effigy in the streets of Washington
city.
When Solon returned to Arkansas as a private citizen, Margaret
ROSS wrote, he moved family from Hot Springs to his large frame
farm
house about one mile south of town acquired before leaving for
Central
America, ---- sold after February 1858 move to Princeton, Dallas
county
to Doctor Weldon Edwards WRIGHT (1814VA-1883AR)(likely, young
brother of
Solon's 1st wife Huldah G WRIGHT) of Dallas county. This tract,
adjoining on west to former Senator William Savin FULTON's
(1795MD-1844AR) land, part of which in 1869 became Arkansas
School for
the Blind, and in 1949 the then new Governor's Mansion at 18th
and
Center street.
Solon joined in partnership (withdrawing June 21,1856) with
fellow mason Dr John J McAlmont (1821NY-1896AR) in a drug store
purchased from Dr W W ADAMS' at corner of Main and Cherry (2nd)
streets,
then opened a medical office a block away and in November with
Dr Craven
PEYTON issued a prospectus for a monthly journal, Medical
Reporter.
Congressman Robert Ward JOHNSON (1814KY-1879AR), nephew of Vice
President of United States, Richard M. JOHNSON, brother-in-law
to
Ambrose H. SEVIER, with brother Richard (Dick) H. JOHNSON
(married
Thomas W NEWTON's daughter Annie) at The True Democrat newspaper
named
September 7, 1852 (formerly The Arkansas Banner, then March 11,
1851,
Arkansas Democrat Banner), all traditionally of "The Family",
was
appointed to fill Solon's unexpired senate seat by governor
CONWAY, to
insure he was able to serve, prevented legislatures from NOT
voting him
in. Robert's daughter, Sallie, later Mrs. Cabell BRECKINRIDGE,
along
with General PIKE's two daughters Isadora (took her own life in
1869)
and blue eyes, Lillian (Mrs ROME) plus Solon's Fanny Green
BORLAND were
considered the 'belles-of-the-ball' in Little Rock & Memphis,
during
reconstruction years, so say General John M. HARRELL, in
Confederate
Veterans publication, in 1894,
www.usgennet.org/usa/ga/topic/news/CV/cv1894pg2.htm
, also so cited in
Fannie's 24 August 1879 front page obituary of The Memphis Daily
Avalanche:
"...daughter of the late Senator Solon BORLAND, of
Arkansas, .... Ten years ago she was a reigning belle of Little
Rock,
and enjoyed, as many will remember, considerable celebrity as a
poet.
General Albert PIKE had a high opinion of her talents in that
line, The
"Dead Confederacy,"
[http://files.usgwarchives.org/tn/shelby/newspapers/thedeadc2nw.txt
]
republished in the London Cosmopolitan, and highly complimented
by that
journal was one of the best of her productions."
http://files.usgwarchives.org/tn/shelby/obits/m/mooresbo2ob.txt
Russell P. BAKER's Fall 1981 article about "Fannie Green
Borland Moores", (formerly Arkansas History Commission's
Research
Project #76.003), in The Pulaski County Historical Review,
Volume XXIX,
Number 3, reads:
"The [BORLAND] family returned to Little Rock in 1854
[from Hot Springs], where BORLAND became a business partner with
Dr.
John J. McALMONT. In 1858 they moved to Princeton in Dallas
County,
where they remained until late 1860 [he to Memphis June 1859],
when they
returned to Little Rock."
Another source reported Solon returned to Little Rock to edit
the "Arkansas Gazette and Democrat" with Christopher Columbus
DANLEY (a
newspaper Solon bought half interest in June 15, 1853 and sold
back to
Capt DANLEY April 5,1856).
While in Washington city Solon, with many others, become
disenchanted with the Democratic party for they thought it
became
"abolitionist". His former democrat friends in Memphis and
elsewhere
turned a 'cold shoulder' towards him. Lead by Albert PIKE, ---
BORLAND,
DANLEY and many other ex-democrats, supported the new American
party,
(Know-Nothing party). Dick (Richard H) JOHNSON and "The Family"
now
controlling The Arkansas Banner newspaper (which BORLAND &
FARLEY
organized in 1843), renamed it The Arkansas Democrat Banner,
then The
True Democrat.
JOHNSON effectively campaigned a skillful and successful
"printer's ink" battle against Solon, true, down and dirty,
politics,
which Dick claimed Solon used to defeat Ambrose H SIEVER
(brother-in-law
to Dick's brother Robert Ward JOHNSON), in 1848 election for his
United
States Senate seat. (others gave credit to Elbert H ENGLISH for
Solon's
victory)
A review of editorials written by Dick JOHNSON in "Family's",
The True Democrat, of 5 October, 2 November, 11 & 18 December,
1855 and
1 January 1856, included the 12 year old French Creole
girl-friend
story, revealed they were successful in defeating Solon. Dick,
by
skillfully painting the worst case scenario, based upon only
partially
true, publicly known, allegations/rumors of which Solon refused
to
answer, skillfully causing Solon's political down-fall in
Arkansas,
however --- Dick later served as a private under Solon in April
1861
raid on Ft Smith.
At one point in 1855, the Masonic Grand Lodge of Arkansas had
Solon BORLAND, Robert W JOHNSON and Edward A WARREN trying
(unsuccessfully) to obtain the Little Rock Arsenal grounds
(reportedly
owned by C C DANLEY's father Colonel James DANLEY in 1830s as
Little
Rock Jockey Club), as their school site for Arkansas' first
created
institution of higher learning, St Johns' College of Arkansas
(1850-1882).
Solon (age 44), after his "No-Nothng-Party" political defeat,
packed his family aboard steamboat "Fox" January 5, 1856 and
"steamed"
off down river for an extended visit with his brother Euclid and
family
at his sugar plantation 49 miles below New Orleans.
Being an advocate in creation of a school for higher learning
in Arkansas, Solon gave his masterful1856 report, to wit:
"At the annual communication of the Grand Lodge, in
1856, Hon. Solon BORLAND, in behalf of the Board of Trustees of
the [St
Johns'] College, submitted a very able report, reviewing the
subject of
the College in detail, referring to the circumstances under
which it was
undertaken, the embarrassments which interfered with its
progress, its
condition at that time, the benefits it was designed to secure
to the
order and prosperity, as well as to the State and country at
large, and
proposing some measures looking to its advancement and early
completion." (Source: MASONARY IN ARKANSAS: by M. Shelby
Kennard, 1860.
Copy from Special Collections, University of Arkansas)
The record reveals Solon moved family to Princeton, Dallas
county February 1858, selling his farm-home located west of Wm.
Savin
FULTON's estate in Little Rock to Dr. Weldon Edward WRIGHT who
subdivided it in 1870, into "Wright's Addition" living there
over fifty
years. (Dr WRIGHT donating $30,000 towards Baxter during The
Brooks-Baxter War of1874.)
Solon left for Memphis June 1859 buying into the Enquirer
newspaper with ex-senator Jere CLEMENTS, after son Thomas' death
at
Anthony House January 1859. Solon's said to have returned to his
Princeton home for a month, but due to his illness remained a
half year.
1860 census found Solon, age 48, editor of "Memphis Enquirer",
in Shelby County, Tennessee, --- wife Mary and their children
George G,
Fannie G. and Mary M., found in Princeton, Dallas County,
Arkansas, as
"Barland", girls likely attending Princeton Female Academy
(started
January 1855) first under tutelage of James L BARRY then under
Oliver
and Virginia Davis GRAY, Harold is found at West Point, Class of
1860,
graduate #1887, Orange County, New York year after General
"Fighting
Joe" WHEELER, (who supported his pension by letter) and year
before
General "Geo" CUSTER. Thomas dead, buried without marker at
Mount Holly
cemetery in Little Rock.
The Williams' Memphis Directory for 1860, page 85, (thanks to
my Memphis cohort) lists BORLAND, Solon of the L.D. Stickney &
Co..
Lyman Dodge STICKNEY, born 1815 in Germany, coming from Boston
ca 1844
(moving on to Jacksonville, Florida as a political force), as
president
in 1859 with J.J.PARHAM, secretary, Solon BORLAND and Jere
CLEMENTS as
editors of The Eagle and Enquirer. Solon bought it in 1860, and
sold in
1861 to M C GALLAWAY who merged it with The Avalanche which he
established in 1858 (selling to Dr Jeptha FOWLKES), all
according to
"Literary Memphis A Survey of its Writers and Writings", by
Marshall
WINGFIELD, copyright 1942 for The West Tennessee Historical
Society,
also discovered by Memphis cohort.
History records show in February 1861, Solon lost an election
for state representative from Shelby County in Tennessee, ----
within
two months,--- April 1861 was found as, Colonel BORLAND (age
49),
aide-de-camp for his second at duel with Benjamin BORDEN, now a
one term
Arkansas Governor, Henry Massie RECTOR (1816KY-1899AR), raiding
Ft.
Smith, Arkansas (see photo), with later notables as privates,
William
Read MILLER (1823AR-1887AR), state auditor, (1877, 1st native
born
Governor when Virginia Davis GRAY (Mrs V L GRAY) (1834ME-1886AR)
donated
her painting (now missing) of new (1875) Arkansas Industrial
University's building, now known as 'Old Main'), R (Dick) H
JOHNSON
Esquire, an earlier newspaper opponent and Arkansas Solicitor
General
John Mortimer HARRELL (born Gates County, NC, later a general)
as
privates and 15 y/o son George Godwin BORLAND serving under
Capt. Wm. E
WOODRUFF, Jr's Artillery group.
http://stellar-one.com/civil_war/0003.htm
,
www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/borlands.html
Fort Smith National Historic Site preserves the site of two
military posts and the historic Federal Court. In 1861, Fort
Smith was
an outpost on the western frontier adjacent to the Indian
Territory (now
Oklahoma).
Fort Smith Times and Herald gave this accounting, to wit:
"Last night, about 12 o'clock, the steamers "Tahlequah" and
"Frederick Notrebe" arrived almost simultaneously at our wharf,
having
on board, as we subsequently learned, 235 men, composed of
volunteer
companies of Little Rock and Pulaski county, in this State;
having come
for the purpose of reducing, under State authority, the federal
post at
this place. The expedition ordered by Governor Rector, who was
represented in it by his Adjutant General, Edmund Burgevin, was
under
the immediate command of Col. Solon Borland, Aid-de-Camp to the
Governor, and consisted of five companies, three from the City
of Little
Rock, and two from vicinity."
Federal forces had left for Fort Washita (another book says (?)
to Kansas) in Cherokee Nation, when learning of Solon's
forthcoming
attack, thus only a couple persons remained in the fort, one, a
Major
Richard Caswell GATLIN (1809NC-1896AR) of North Carolina (later
resigned
the Army same day his home state seceded from the Union, once
Confederate General,but due to poor abilities, released to desk
--- NOT
Richard Jordon GATLING (1832NC-1903NY), (as implied by Major
COLLIER in
a book), of Solon's home town, Murfreesboro, North Carolina,
inventor of
the Gatling Gun, who never served in either Army! "Old Rough and
Ready"
TAYLOR selected a site eighteen miles north of the Red River on
the
Washita River, a mile and a half east of the stream. The new
fort,
occupied in April of 1842, was named Fort Washita, and was
abandoned by
federal forces in 1861, soon after the capture of Fort Sumter in
Charleston, South Carolina. Confederate forces from Texas
occupied the
fort, and it became a major supply depot for Confederate troops
in
Indian Territory.
Sacramento Daily Union, 7 May 1861, described the celebration
upon taking Ft. Smith with W. E.WOODRUFF (Jr?) present. (Senior,
built
his home on 25 acres later Woodruff's Addition, north, across
street of
Masonic St. Johns' College, Little Rock & FOR SALE in 2007) used
as an
officers hospital by Union Army, later returned minus much
furniture).
Doctor Solon BORLAND, Esquire, a distinguished southern
gentleman, formerly: North Carolina militia officer, Arkansas'
Adjutant
General, United States Army major of Mexican war fame, Arkansas'
fourth
U S Senator, Arkansas' first foreign U S Minister and first
minister to
countries of Central America, former aid-de-camp to Governor
Henry
Massie RECTOR, April 1861, at rank of Colonel, defeated May 22,
1861, 43
to 20 in election for position of major general to coordinate
the state
military organization for a Military Board which supplanted
Governor
RECTOR's legal authority as state commander-in-chief of militia.
Solon, now an Arkansas militia colonel to become Colonel
Solon BORLAND, Confederate States Army (rank held eight months
until
discharged May 26,1862) at Camp Warren(?), Camp Borland (?),
Pocahontas,
Randolph county, Arkansas, on the Current river near Pittman's
Ferry, as
commander of battalion he raised and organized at Little Rock,
Pulaski
county, Arkansas, June 10,1861. Originally known as 1st
Battalion
Arkansas Cavalry, it becoming 1st Arkansas Mounted Volunteers
upon his
and its acceptance into Confederate service on July 29, 1861,
for 12
months service. This group was renamed the 3rd Regiment Arkansas
Cavalry
in December 1861, officially when Trans-Mississippi was created
January1862.
www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/3cav_indx.html
According to Major COLLIER's 1965 book, they fought in more
skirmishes than did any other Arkansas unit. [Future Governor
BAXTER
served thirty days under BORLAND, November 1861, later served
the Union]
Much relevant & documented historical military information was
gathered January 2007 on Jim MARTIN's Arkansas Civil War Board,
http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=14343
AFTER January of 2009, you need to use this address:
http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?read=14343
from Bryan HOWERTON (H), Danny ODAM (O) and Solon's fifty page
Confederate service record (R) from Arkansas History Commission
(2/09/07).
(R) 3 Sep 1861, "Col S BORLAND Regiment of Cavalry
will proceed without delay to Little Rock for the purpose of
providing
clothing for this command.", By order, Gen William J HARDEE
[1815-1873].
Solon was placed in charge of Western Department's, Upper
Arkansas District, November 5, 1861 by General Albert Sidney
JOHNSTON
(1803KY-1862TN) which was vacated by General William J HARDEE,
taking
with him all good equipment, materials, and experienced troops,
leaving
behind useless equipment or materials and inexperienced raw
recruits, to
wit:
http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/hertford/letters/borland24.txt
http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/hertford/letters/borland21.txt
HARDEE, reportedly had served in Arkansas since June 25, 1861,
Solon inheriting the position of which he pleaded to be relieved
in
letter of November 10,1861. As of 15 December 1861 Solon is on
sick
leave in Little Rock for an extended period, possibly not
returning to
the Upper Arkansas District nor the 3rd Regiment Arkansas
Cavalry before
being discharged May 26, 1862.
(H)"Borland's battalion, 1st Arkansas Mounted
Volunteers, later increased to a regiment and redesignated as
the 3rd
Arkansas Cavalry, spent the winter of 1861-62 at Pitman's Ferry,
Randolph County, Arkansas. They operated as scouts, manned
picket posts,
and maintained the courier line between Pocahontas and Memphis.
Due to
BORLAND's concerns about a possible U.S. attack on Pitman's
Ferry, his
battalion was often forward-deployed into the boot heel of
Missouri to
keep an eye on possible enemy movements from that direction."
Solon, as afore stated, replaced Gen William J HARDEE as
commander of Upper Arkansas District, Western Department,
Confederate
States Army, until January 10, 1862 when reorganized into The
Trans-Mississippi Department, then Major General Earl VAN DORN
(1820MS-1863TN) was appointed in command 15 January 1862 by
President
Jefferson F DAVIS (1808KY-1889LA), (whom Solon served with in
both, the
Mexican war and U S Senate), leaving Virginia, arriving in
Arkansas 29
January 1862.
Solon's letters of record;
http://www.simmonsgames.com/research/authors/USWarDept/ORA/OR-S1-V08-C018C.html
November 1861, state he had NO longer had a desire of becoming a
general
even though he was carrying out duties of such, and that he was
suffering of ill health. His service record shows he was
reimbursed for
extensively traveling (1,710 miles) to Little Rock, Kentucky,
Tennessee
and Mississippi during those twenty weeks of service.
(R) 29 Nov '61, Solon posted his 'General Order'
regarding home grown foodstuffs to NOT be shipped out of state
in order
to stem price gouging to local citizens. This turned into a
political
debacle. It was Solon's attempt to protect army and citizens, as
had
been done in Missouri, from speculators of price gouging
Arkansas'
shortage of home grown crops. Governor Henry Massie RECTOR,
essentially
supporting speculators, complained even after receiving former
friend
Solon's thirteen page letter. This one-term governor had lost
his
control over state military in May when the Military Board took
charge,
with said action condemned by all newspapers (also unhappy
because
Arkansas' troops were shipped east, leaving no one nor
equipment, to
protect Arkansas).
(R)11 Dec '61, Solon's letter requests a leave of
absence from General Albert Sidney JOHNSTON, later General John
Seldon
ROANE (1817TN-1867AR), for health reasons, supported by letter
from
surgeon Dr WASHINGTON.
(R) Nov 30, 61 to Jan 31, 1862, "Field and Staff
Roll". says; Col Solon BORLAND, Absent on leave at Little Rock,
Sick.
When Judah BENJAMIN (1811BWI-1884FRANCE) ordered BORLAND to
turn over his command to next ranking officer and report to him,
I
assume (?) that officer to have been Lt Col Benjamin F DANLEY.
(R) 20 Dec '61, Proclamation by Governor Henry Massie
RECTOR claiming to over-ride Solon's General Order.
After Maj-Gen Earl VAN DORN was placed in charge of
Trans-Mississippi Department, he lost and ran away from the
disastrous
battle at Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge), Arkansas on March 6-8,
1862 ---
back to Pocahontas, Arkansas.
(O)25 Mar ['62] - Col S BORLAND, 3rd Ark Cav, to
report in person to Gen VAN DORN at HQ. [how could he, when he's
in
Little Rock on sick leave(??)]
(H) The Co.[A] was actively engaged on outpost duty &
as scouts in the North Eastern portion of Ark. & South Eastern
portion
of Missouri until the 6th of April 1862, at which time it was
ordered to
Corinth, Miss.
(O)6 Apr['62] - 3rd Ark Cav left for Des Arc, Ark.
(O)8 Apr['62] - Special Order #42 - VAN DORN orders
all cavalry to be dismounted until further orders.
(O)15 Apr['62] - VAN DORN's Special Orders issued at
Des Arc: Col BORLAND [Lt Col Benjamin Danley?] and his regiment
to
proceed to Memphis and report to Gen [Sterling, "Old Pap"] PRICE
(1809VA-1867MO).
(H) On the 19th day of April the Co.[A] was dismounted
by the order [Special Order #42] of Maj. Gen. VAN DORN. The
horses were
sent to Dallas Co, Ark. to be taken care of there. The horses
["private"
as opposed to "public"] were sent in charge on one non-com
officer
[Possibly 1st Sgt O C GRAY who retrieved them 23 Nov, 1862] &
five
privates
"Ordered east of the Mississippi, he [VAN DORN,
with what became 3rd Ark Cav & others] arrived to late to take
part in
the bloody battle where thousands of troops died, at Shiloh,
April 6 -
8, 1862
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/acres/1257/shiloh.html.
(O)24 Apr['62] - Memphis, VAN DORN's Special Order
#64; Forms brigade under Lt Col Benjamin DANLEY, to proceed to
Corinth
tomorrow: includes regiments; BORLAND, STONE & SIMS, battalion
BROOKS,
battery, to be assigned.
(O) 25 Apr ['62] - It was found Lt Col GRIFFITH was
senior officer, who then replaced DANLEY NOTE: (R) Jany 31 to
April 30
1862, "Field and Staff Roll", says; Col Solon BORLAND, Absent
Since 15
Dec 1861 on account of ill health.
(H)01May 1862 - 30 Jun 1862 Morrisville [camp ??].
(H)4 May['62] - Corinth - Army of the West: ROANE
brigade; regiments, BORLAND's aggregate, STONE, SIMS, BROOKS
battalion,
WILLIAMSON's Battalion Ark Inf battery
(O)25 May['62] -Special Orders #98 -list of officers
not re- elected and discharged including Col BORLAND & Lt Col
DANLEY of
3rd Ark Cav -WILLIAMSONS' Ark bn broken up with 3 companies
assigned to
3rd Ark cavalry
(R) Apirl 30 to June 30 1862, "Field and Staff Muster
Roll" says; Col Solon BORLAND; "Not reelected at reorganization.
Discharged May 26/62"
On 14 June 1862 (10 days before death of 16 y/o son, Pvt
George Godwin BORLAND while on his way home (being relieved from
CSA
service under General PIKE in Texas, because of poor health) ---
The
Little Rock Arkansas Gazette printed front page, column 1, to
wit;
"It is known for sometime that, for several months,
the doctor [Solon BORLAND, age 52] has been dangerously ill; his
sickness has disabled him so far as to prevent his resuming his
duties
as a solider in the army for some time to come at least: and
best field
which he now finds before him for usefulness, is in the practice
of his
original profession of medicine and surgery. It is useless for
us to
allude, is the standing of Dr. B. in his profession. That is
already
known to our readers."
'That Man Named Solon', had seemingly served his neighbors
heroically and with honor since childhood, in spite of what his
political enemies (and some modern day college history
professors) wrote
about him, so now returns to that which he was formally trained
&
educated, medicine and surgery!
Son, Private George
Godwin BORLAND, age 16 with mother's
reluctant consent, served in Indian Territory under General
PIKE, says
his obit. George died 24 June 1862 at a friend's home in
Clarksville,
Texas, on his way home after relieved of duty due to poor
health. Burial
reported in Mount Holly cemetery, Little Rock, without a marker.
Solon's third wife of seventeen years, Mary Isabel, age 38,
died Thursday, 23 October 1862, in Little Rock, following a
lengthily
period of poor health. Her father George, husband Solon (age51)
and
daughters Fannie & Mary 14 & 12 years old, surviving.
Fanny penned two touching poems;
"The Past and Future", October 29, 1862, published
November 22, 1862 with editor's comment to wit:
"Within the last four weeks a little girl, just
fourteen years old, sat by the sick bed of her Father, as he
slept, a
few evenings after the death of her Mother, she composed the
following
lines."
http://files.usgwarchives.org/tn/shelby/newspapers/thepasta8nw.txt
"Judge Not By The Outward Look",
November 14, 1862, published 29th, November 1862, both by the
Arkansas
State Gazette.
http://files.usgwarchives.org/tn/shelby/newspapers/judgenot5nw.txt
One of Mary's obituary's, in part, read:
"Her harp is broken, to us her voice is still, in the
solemn hush of the tomb, but we are
permitted to believe, that with a renewed voice and an unfailing
harp,
she is charming the ears of kindred spirits in the beautiful
land of
the redeemed".
(Arkansas Gazette, 25 October 1862,p. 2, c. 5)
http://files.usgwarchives.org/tn/shelby/obits/m/melbourn5ob.txt
,
burial reportedly at Mount Holly cemetery, Little Rock with son
George
Godwin and step-son Thomas, all without grave stones, since
1992, with
westerly facing memorial stone honoring Solon.
December 26, 1862 Solon's brother, Euclid BORLAND, M D, in
Plaquemines parish, Louisiana gave Judah P BENJAMIN (A Jewish
Mississippi large plantation owner with 140 slaves, a fellow U S
Senator
with Solon in Washington city, who, as secretary of army January
1862
had Solon on the carpet for his General Order of November
29,1861),
Confederate secretary of state, a statement about some Union
Army
skullduggery by a Colonel (?) Andrew J BUTLER (believed to be
brother to
General BUTLER but NOT in military) and Mr WEED attached to/
brother of,
Major-General Benjamin "Beast" Franklin BUTLER's army regarding
their
crops and slaves.
http://files.usgwarchives.org/la/plaquemi/military/civilwar/other/borland2mt.txt
Solon retained Ralph Leland GOODRICH (1836NY-1897AR) January 2,
1863 to teach his daughters arithmetic. With likelihood Fed's
would
re-capture Little Rock Arsenal (lost 8 February1861) and City of
Little
Rock, Solon released GOODRICH 4 March
www.griffingweb.com/march_1863.htm
(both seized by Fed's., 10 September 1863 from General Sterling
PRICE),
wisely moving daughters, Fanny & Mary (son Major Harold BORLAND
was a
prisoner in Fort Warren, Boston), along with furniture and all
else,
back to Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas to the HOLMES' house
next to
their hotel owned by Captain Wm. T.M. HOLMES (killed Oct 5,
1862,
Company A, 3rd Ark Cav), operated by heir, 23 y/o daughter Lou,
who 6
September 1865, married Colonel Henry Gaston BUNN, (1838NC-
1908AR);
Chief Justice of Arkansas Supreme Court, 1893-1904, she dying
July1866.
Doctor BORLAND entrusted five thousand and forty-five dollars,
two of his reported seven slaves (Pasty & Ann), and household
furniture
with widow Martha Ausgustina (Gee) HOLMES (1816VA- 1901AR) to
watch over
his daughters and for their education, before leaving for Texas.
See
entries, September 9 and 14, 1863 in Virginia Davis GRAY's 1983
AHQ's
published diary, tells of; --- Solon getting out of his sick bed
(age52)
and leaving Princeton for Texas, Monday evening, 13 September
1863,
after learning of Fed's heading towards Princeton, no other
entries
about him until 4 March 1864, to wit;
"We have heard, through Mr Davis that Dr Borland died
near Houston, Texas --- the first day of Jan. 64."
Dr BORLAND's December 31, 1863 will, witnessed by fellow
physician, C T FROST (1860 census, Lynchburg, Harris county,
Texas),
clearly established being near Houston, expecting death within
days.
Hempstead County Arkansas Probate Court appointed Harold
BORLAND administrator for his father's estate, 21 April 1865,
for will
signed 31 December 1863 near Houston, Texas
http://files.usgwarchives.org/nc/hertford/wills/borlnd01.txt
, --- court
papers "fictitiously" established Solon's death date as 15
December
1864, when in fact it unquestionably occurred nearly one year
earlier,
as recorded in afore said published diary's entry of 4 March
1864 and in
1880 published "History of North Carolina", by John Wheeler
MOORE.
Solon's estate was probated in Pulaski county, Arkansas, 24
July 1866, signed by 31 y/o son, Harold BORLAND, merchant,
Sterling H.
TUCKER, and 34 y/o Augustus Hill GARLAND, Esq (married Hempstead
County
Clerk's, Simon T. SANDERS, oldest daughter in 1853, in 1885 to
'89
appointed United States Attorney General),--- Solon leaving
entire
estate to daughters, poetess Fanny Green BORLAND, then age 18 &
Mary
Melbourne BORLAND, age 16, for their education etc., with
explanation
for not including Harold.
Strange, --- the will was reportedly again, ten years later,
probated in Shelby county, Tennessee, where both daughters were
living,
23rd June 1876 ??
Fanny penned her poetic tribute to her father, "At My Father's
Feet" (see at head of article) copy being saved only by the
grace of
Little Rock's, Mrs Frances Marion (Harrow) HANGER
(1856IA-1945AR), now
preserved in Fred W ALLSOPP's, 1933 "Poems and Poetry of
Arkansas" along
with her "David O Dodd" poem which Albert PIKE encouraged her to
pen in
1867.
One might ask: where is Solon and his first two wives,
Huldah and Eliza buried? That is unknown but his lovely third
wife Mary
Isabel with his sons Thomas and George Godwin are buried,
without
markers, where his westerly facing memorial stone was erected by
Arkansas Bar Foundation, Law Day 1992, Mount Holly cemetery,
Little Rock
at the Borland Plot, located north central portion of cemetery.
twice
married Harold ("Little Solon"), Major BORLAND, is buried at
Little
Rock's National Cemetery, #1001. We have no idea about daughter
Fanny
Green's burial site, possibly in a mass grave at Memphis or with
husband, daughter Mary (Mollie) Melbourne's burial site is
unmarked (see
her obit), along side her 2nd husband, Colonel O C GRAY in
Masonic
Evergreen cemetery, lot 144, Fayetteville, across roadway from
Colonel
Archibald YELL, her fathers friend and commander, then her
daughters,
old maid Grace Melbourne & twice married Mary Borland each
having
dedicated their lives to Deaf-Mute schools as had their mother
(nearly
100 years total), buried at Belzoni, Mississippi. Solon's
grandsons,
Harold's ("Little Solon"), Russell & Charles, Fannie's George
Borland,
once raised by Harold, and Mary's, Godwin M., were
disappointingly not
found.
The following story shows "That Man Named Solon", lives on in
memory!
PINE BLUFF WEEKLY PRESS
Volume 1, No 4; Thursday, February 11, 1869
Wyatt C. Thomas, Editor
SAD ANNOUNCEMENT
Recent Memphis Papers contain the sad intelligence of the death
of that
veteran Editor,
Col. J. H. McMahon [posted bond in 1839 for Solon's second
marriage].
Col. McMahon has for years been connected with the Memphis
Press. His
name indeed, to the whole reading public, is as familiar as a
household
word. Col. McMahon, was some years since Editor of that Stauch,
Sterling
paper
"The Memphis Eagle & Enquirer" paper, whose editorial columns is
days
agone, have been illustrated with the writings of such Boanerges
of the
Press as the Hons. Jeremiah Clemens and Solon Borland.
Col. McMAHON subsequently, also became the Editor of the
"Bulletin" and
finally of the "Appeal" and throughout the war was an officer in
the
Confederate Service.
CONCLUSION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My observations following several years research of Solon
BORLAND and
his family:
Our, now fifty United States are better for Solon having lived!
Solon and his entire family did indeed live during tumultuous,
unsettled
frontier days while our country grew from 17 to 36 states
extended to
the Pacific Ocean.
A heartfelt thanks to Solon and others like him, for following
their
fervent dreams for our United States of America!
He often placed the proverbial "cockle burr" under his political
enemies
saddle blankets!
As earlier stated, he was an achiever, so; ----
If a job needed done - Solon was the one!
SOLON BORLAND's FAMILY:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://usgwarchives.org/nc/hertford.htm
(Bios, Pics. Wills, Cem, Letters, etc).
