Jackson Michigan News and Information, News for Jackson MI
At this time of year, we feature one of Albion’s Civil War soldiers. Major Harrison Soule (1832-1922) was born in Murray, Orleans County, N.Y. on August 4, 1832.
At this time of year, we feature one of Albion’s Civil War soldiers. Major Harrison Soule (1832-1922) was born in Murray, Orleans County, N.Y. on August 4, 1832. He came with his parents to Michigan in 1836. His parents Milo and Mary (Blodgett) Soule were pioneer settlers of the Village of Marengo. Their home was located opposite the brick schoolhouse on the southern edge of the Village. The family also owned 40 acres of land in Section 23 in Marengo Township. He was educated in the Marshall public schools while growing up, and subsequently attended Albion College for two years. In 1856 he moved to Detroit where he worked for a large manufacturer there.
Soule returned to Albion in 1859 to become the accountant and ticket agent at the local Michigan Central Railroad depot. While in Albion, he organized the Albion Rifle Rangers, a local militia group which drilled and prepared themselves for the upcoming Civil War. He and the others subsequently joined the Union Army in the 6th Michigan Infantry and Heavy Artillery, Company I. (See last week’s article for information about that.) Soule was Captain of the Company.
In 1864 Soule was promoted to the rank of Major, and assumed command of the regiment. Historian Elmore Palmer wrote, “He served faithfully and with distinction until the close of the War in 1865.” Soule was mustered out in August, 1865.
Soule returned to the Michigan Central Railroad following the War, this time working in Jackson with the passenger department. He stayed in that position for fourteen years, before resigning in 1883 to accept the position of treasurer at the University of Michigan. He also served as vice-president of the First National Bank of Ann Arbor. His wife was Mary Parker (1838-1929). Harrison Soule died at his home in Ann Arbor on January 2, 1922, and was interred in Forest Hill Cemetery in that city.
The Bentley Historical Library in Ann Arbor has a large collection of Civil War letters and memorabilia from the Harrison Soule family estate. A detailed diary written from July 4, 1863 to September 5, 1865 gives descriptions of a wide variety of activities that were occurring there in the War. In addition, there are over 170 letters written to his wife about War happenings, including a letter to Soule from Byron Stoddard of Concord dated September 8, 1862.
From our Historical Notebook this week, courtesy of the Bentley Library, we present a photograph of Major Harrison Soule. How many of our readers have ancestors who served in the Civil War?
