James Nelson Solomon (1881 - abt. 1976)

Born 1881 in Fall River, Mass

Husband of Mary E. (Tongue) Solomon — married 3 May 1905 in Falls River, Massachusetts

Husband of Mary Ellen (Tongue) Solomon — married 27 Jun 1905 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died about 1976 at about age 95 in Wichita FAlls, Texas

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Audrey Irvine [send private message]

Biography

Jim Solomon worked in the mills from age 5. He had 12 brothers and sisters only 4 of which made it to adulthood. He contracted tuberculosis as an adult and was told he had to leave the bad air in Fall River, Mass. He and his wife Mary bought a 60 acre farm in New Hampshire on Moultonboro Neck on Lake Winnepesaukee. There he and Mary had three children, two boys and a girl. Jim worked opening camps along the lake for the wealthy from Boston and New York and farmed the land. He did bookkeeping for the town of Moultonboro and was on the school board. He was deaf most of his life and so was a quiet person. He and Mary were strict Methodists and lived their faith, being honest, generous to others less fortunate, never drinking or smoking. A story told of Jim routinely bringing left over milk from their cow to a very impoverished family nearby which had children. Jim and family were poor themselves, but were able to farm and have a cow providing them food.

Solomon was not the original family name. The family was orginally from Portugal and the name was Bottencourt. The family at that time were sailors. Captain Bottencourt was using his ship to bring slaves into Boston where it was illegal. The captain was forced to jump overboard to escape arrest and swim for shore. After this the family name was changed to Solomon. Jim Solomon's eldest son, also James Nelson Solomon, also changed his name. To the great consternation of the family, he became James Nelson.

Sources

• family sources