The Brockway family moved to Albion in 1848 after having served the “Soo Mission” of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Sault Ste. Marie for several years. Rev. Brockway served as agent for Albion College for several years, and superintended the construction of the North and South Halls, as well as other structures on campus.

While growing up in Albion, Solomon would actively assist his father in the erection of buildings at Albion College. Solomon recalled his participation in a letter to his sister, Mary (Brockway) Dickie (1850-1929) in 1917: “Furthermore, I know what I write you, for I personally, with a two-horse team, hauled nearly every brick that went into these buildings: two loads daily, 1,000 bricks per load, from Ford’s Brick Yard about three and one-half miles from Albion on the Duck Lake Road; and when not engaged in hauling brick, I was hauling lime from a lime manufacturing plant one mile east of Parma.”

Solomon enlisted in the 16th Michigan Infantry, Company F on August 9, 1861. His father, Rev. W.H. Brockway served as Chaplain of this unit. Solomon was promoted from the rank of Captain, to that of Major on November 3, 1862. With that, he was sent home to recruit a new cavalry company, and together they joined the newly-organized 9th Michigan Cavalry as a staff member at age 26. Solomon was subsequently part of Sherman’s “march to the sea.” He was promoted to Brevet Lieutenant Colonel on March 13, 1865 with the U.S. Volunteers, and was cited for meritorious conduct in several battles during the War. These included the battles of: Jonesborough, Bean’s Station, and Sister’s Ferry. He received his discharge on July 21, 1865 at Lexington, Kentucky.

Returning to Albion following the War, Solomon was in partnership with his father, and brother Leonidas (1846-1887) in the crockery firm of Brockway & Co., located at 63 S. Superior St. Solomon married Emily Agard (1834-1879) in October, 1867. The couple had one daughter, Eula (1869-1887) who unfortunately passed away in 1887 while attending college. During this time Solomon served as Calhoun County Clerk from 1869 to 1872, and in the 1870s was the secretary and treasurer of Albion’s Gale Manufacturing Company

Solomon’s wife Emily passed away in 1879, and he subsequently married Lizzie Freeman on April 27, 1880, but that marriage ended in divorce. During this period Solomon worked as a traveling salesman, and lived in Seattle, Washington. His third marriage was to Emma Ast (1858-1933) of Staunton, Virginia in April, 1891. Solomon moved to Virginia and the couple had one son, Warren Hamline Brockway (1894-1954).

Solomon spent his final years in Staunton, Virginia where he passed away on July 16, 1924 at the age of 86 from complications of old age. He was buried there in Thornrose Cemetery. From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photo of Lieutenant-Colonel Solomon Porter Brockway in his Civil War uniform, courtesy of Lou Brockway of North Plainfield, New Jersey. How many of our readers had ancestors who fought in the Civil War?