Solomon Poe Steward (1859 - 1938)

Born 29 Mar 1859 in Olney, Richland, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 22 Sep 1938 at age 79 in Union, Illinois, United States

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Biography

Solomon was born in 1859. He died in 1938 at the age of 79.

Spouse: Jennie (Hardy) Steward 1862 - 1937. Findagrave #119226966

Solomon Poe was the only child to come off the marriage between Thomas Steward and Mary Ann Bunn Smalley. Both Thomas and Mary Ann had been married previously and therefore brought several children together as a family. Mary Ann gave birth to Solomon on March 30, 1859, and she passed away in May of 1860, when Solomon would have been only about 14 months old.

Mary Ann's brother, Solomon Bunn and wife Anna Crum took Solomon Poe in for at least some period of time because he is with them in the 1860 census.

However, by the 1870 census, we see that Solomon Poe is living with this father, Thomas L. Steward, and his new step-mother, Martha Finley, in Olney, Illinois. Also in the home are his half-siblings from his father's first marriage to Catherine Stites - Levi Stewart, George Stewart, Diemy Steward, Susan Stewart as well as his new half-siblings through his father and Martha Finley - Eli F. Stewart and Jonathan P. Stewart.

In 1873 while Solomon Poe's father, Thomas L. Steward, was the county sheriff, the people of the community lynched a man named Jeff White for murder and rape. Although fictionalized, the account of this event can be found in Willard Gray's novel, "End of Silence: Full Moon Over Fox Creek."

The story that came down in my family was that, at that time, the sheriff and his family lived in the jail/courthouse. When the townspeople came to take Jeff White, they told Solomon's father that they were going to take Jeff White whether he liked it or not. Solomon Poe would have been about 13 years old at the time.

Solomon Poe Steward married Jennie Hardy in 1817 in Lawrence County, Illinois, USA and they had two children together - Lena Stewart Lathrop and Guy Stewart. They are buried in the Sumner Cemetery in Sumner, Lawrence County, Illinois, USA.

Sources

• Solomon is buried at the Sumner Cemetery in Sumner, Lawrence County, Illinois, USA. His page lists and has links to his father, siblings, spouse, 1 child. There is a picture of his headstone. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32902727/solomon_poe_steward#add-to-vc

• Solomon: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LX32-YKG Lists his parents, spouse, 2 children, 10 sources/notes. 3 pictures in the memories tab.

• 1900 Census: Pole Stewart. Age: 42. Married, white, male. Home in 1900: Petty Township, Lawrence, Illinois. Birth date/place: 3/1858 in Illinois. Father birthplace: Indiana. Mother birthplace: Ohio. Years married: 17. Household members: Pole Stewart, 42 (IL). Jennie Stewart, 38 (IL). Guy Stewart, 7 (IL). Lena Stewart, 12 (IL).

• 1910 Census: Solomon P. Steward. Age: 52. Married. Home in 1910: Petty Township, Lawrence, Illinois. Birth date/place: 1858 in Illinois. Parent's birthplace: Ohio. Household members: Solomon P. Steward, 52 (IL). Jennie Steward, 48 (IL). Guy Steward, 16 (IL).

• 1920 Census: S P Steward. Age: 60. Married. Home in 1920: Petty Township, Lawrence, Illinois. Birth date/place: 1860 in Illinois. Parent's birthplace: Illinois. Household members: S P Steward, 60 (IL). Jennie Steward, 57 (IL).

• https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/100147430/family?cfpid=320000963393&fpid=322033735437&usePUBJs=true