Albert Solliday

Albert A. Solliday (February 13, 1841 – December 13, 1924) was an American dentist, soldier, and politician. He was the 24th mayor of Watertown, Wisconsin, and represented Jefferson County in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1892 to 1899.

Albert Solliday
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 23rd district
In office
May 30, 1892 – January 2, 1899
Preceded byWalter S. Greene
Succeeded byJohn H. Harris
24th Mayor of Watertown, Wisconsin
In office
April 1884 – April 1886
Preceded byWilliam H. Rohr
Succeeded byWilliam F. Voss
Personal details
Born(1841-02-13)February 13, 1841
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedDecember 13, 1924(1924-12-13) (aged 83)
Watertown, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeOak Hill Cemetery, Watertown, Wisconsin
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Elizabeth Jones
​
​
(m. 1869; died 1908)​
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Volunteers
Union Army
Wisconsin National Guard
Years of service
  • 1862–1865 (USV)
  • 1882-1898 (WNG)
  • 1898 (USV)
  • 1899–1901 (WNG)
Rank
Unit
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War
Spanish–American War

Biography

Born in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Solliday graduated from Circleville High School in Circleville, Ohio. During the American Civil War, Solliday served as a musician in Company A of the 114th Ohio Infantry Regiment. He remained through the entire service of the regiment, from Fall 1862 through July 1865.[1]

In 1868, Solliday moved to Watertown, Wisconsin where he worked in the dentistry profession. Solliday served on the Watertown school board and the Watertown common council, and was elected mayor for two consecutive terms, in 1884 and 1885.

During these years, he also became active with the Wisconsin National Guard and was captain of the "Watertown Rifles" guard company.[2] He was promoted to adjutant of the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in 1888, then major for the 1st battalion of the regiment in 1892, and finally was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the regiment in 1895.[2]

In the Fall of 1891, Wisconsin state senator Walter S. Greene died in office. As it became obvious that special sessions of the Legislature would be needed to deal with redistricting in 1892, a special election was called in the Spring of 1892 to fill his seat. Solliday was the Democratic nominee in the special election, and went on to win with 59% of the vote.[3] He went on to win election to a full four year term at the 1894 general election.[4]

At the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Solliday was still serving as lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and mustered into federal service with the regiment. They participated in the Puerto Rico campaign in 1898, and occupied the cities of Ponce and Coamo.[5] Hostilities ended in August 1898, and the regiment returned to Wisconsin in September.[6]

The regiment was mustered out in November 1898, and Solliday was then appointed quartermaster and commissary general for the state of Wisconsin, with the rank of brigadier general.[7] He served just over two years in this role after the war.

Solliday died at his home in Watertown, Wisconsin.[8][2]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Senate (1892, 1894)
Wisconsin Senate, 23rd District Election, 1892[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Special Election, May 24, 1892
Democratic Albert Solliday 5,078 59.33% +1.39%
Republican George J. Kispert 3,481 40.67% +3.25%
Plurality 1,597 18.66% -1.87%
Total votes 8,559 100.0% +24.51%
Democratic hold
Wisconsin Senate, 23rd District Election, 1894[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 6, 1894
Democratic Albert Solliday (incumbent) 5,611 50.22% -9.11%
Republican Edwin Huebert 5,236 46.86% +6.19%
Prohibition W. P. Stair 326 2.92%
Plurality 375 3.36% -15.30%
Total votes 11,173 100.0% +30.54%
Democratic hold

References
  1. "114th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry". Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861–1866. Vol. 8. Ohio Roster Commission. 1888. p. 109. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  2. "Final Roll Call for Veterans of Two Wars". Watertown Daily News. December 13, 1924.
  3. Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1893). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 631. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  4. Casson, Henry, ed. (1895). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 669. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  5. "For the Dead of the Second Regiment". Oshkosh Northwestern. October 15, 1898. p. 2. Retrieved April 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Beck, J. D., ed. (1907). "State and Educational Institutions, Grand Army Data" (PDF). The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 824. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  7. Froehlich, William H., ed. (1899). "The Judiciary, United States Government, State Government, Miscellaneous State Societies, etc." (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 649. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  8. 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1897,' Biographical Sketch of Albert Solliday, pg. 666
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