Solomon Holbrook

HOLBROOK, REED, MCDONALD, WELSH

Posted By: Polly
Date: 5/14/2007 at 21:00:51

SOLOMON HOLBROOK

The gentleman above named is one of the oldest residents in the state. When he came here Iowa was still a territory, its admission to the Union not occurring until six years after Mr. Holbrook’s arrival. When he first trod the elastic prairie sod of Iowa in 1840 there were only a little over forty-three thousand people in the territory, whereas there are now several million in the state. In addition to being a pioneer of pioneers, Mr. Holbrook has another claim to distinction. He was one of the four men who founded and laid out the town of Cincinnati and is the only survivor of the quartette. This occurred nearly fifty years ago, and altogether it will be seen that Mr. Holbrook is a very interesting man to know, if one would hear good stories and gain information about the times of long ago, when the now mighty western commonwealths were still in their swaddling clothes. He has lived through the most interesting period of American history, and his career was coincident with many of the most dramatic and epoch-making events in the United States. As he is one of a class especially deserving of honor, but of whom few now remain, it is peculiarly appropriate that something should be said of his origin and career in a book devoted to the representative men of Appanoose county.

The family was long identified with Connecticut, and there Elias and Eliza (Reed) Holbrook were born. They came to Iowa in 1839, where they spent the remaining days of their lives until called to rest many years ago. They were typical natives of this famous New England state, of quiet, industrious habits, strictly moral and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church and regardful of every duty in all the relations of life. The wife died in 1857, and the husband survived her only a few years, his death occurring at the beginning of the Civil war, when he was eighty-one years old. The children of this eastern couple consisted of two sons: Luther R., now deceased, and Solomon Holbrook. The latter was born at Tolland, Connecticut, June 8, 1822, and he remained at home until the completion of his eighteenth year.

Yankee boys, however, are apt to think their home a cage and early become restless with desire to try their fortunes in "the wide, wide world." In this spirit, like so many other "down easterners" before and since, young Holbrook left the parental roof in 1840 and started on the then long journey to the territory of Iowa. He first settled in Lee county, where he followed farming and stock-raising, but five years later removed to Appanoose county and located in Pleasant township. In 1853, together with his brother, Luther R. Holbrook, and Daniel and John McDonald, he assisted in laying out the town of Cincinnati, which at its birth contained a schoolhouse, postoffice and blacksmith shop as its only stock of municipal buildings. All the original founders, save Mr. Holbrook, have long since passed to their reward, and peculiar interest attaches to him as the sole survivor of that pioneer period.

In 1845 Mr. Holbrook was united in marriage with Mary Ann Welsh, and all their seven children are living except John R., the eldest son, who died in Andersonville prison during the Civil war. The other six are Oliver K., Ida May, Ellis R., Perry S., William and Florence J. Mr. Holbrook’s political affiliations were always strongly anti-slavery, and his feelings on this subject made him cast his first presidential vote for John P. Hale, who ran on what was called the Free Soil ticket in 1852 with George W. Julian of Indiana. This movement was really the precursor of the Republican party, and after it was organized Mr. Holbrook became and has remained one of its steadfast advocates. His only fraternal connections are with the Masons, of which ancient and honorable order he has long been an esteemed member.

source: Biographical & Genealogical History of Appanoose & Monroe Counties, Iowa; 1903