Son of Reverend Jacob Fry and Elizabeth nee Oberlin Fry.

Husband of 1st: Sarah Maria House, children by this union, James "Harrison" Fry, Harriet E., Mary Elizabeth, Richard T., William F., Cornelius, John. 2nd: Letitia "Letty" Ellen Polite, by this union, Sarah Isabelle Fry, Alvey Fry, 3rd: (sister to Letty) Nancy Elizabeth Polite, by this union, Orpha Nancy, Charlotte Louisa, Charles Melvin, Olive Lucia, Martin Albert, Carl Walter.

Solomon served extensively in the Civil War and was in the 78th Illinois. He enlisted in the Union Army, the 125th Ohio Volunteers, at age 16. He was in the Army of the Cumberland at the battle of Peachtree Creek.


Note: Richard Thurston Fry died in 1859 and is listed in the mortality schedule as being 1 year of age. Also, Letty's father's name was Richard Polite. It is likely that Richard T. is the first son of Letty and Solomon rather than the mother being Sarah Maria House.

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The below information was provided by Todd Bolen (Contributor #47618409) and is being published for those who would like to do further research.

"I don't think he was in the 125th Ohio volunteers. I think this was his Civil War service. [If Solomon enlisted at age 16 in the army, it would have been 1844 and well before his Civil War service.]

Solomon Fry's pension application states the Polite family took care of his children after his wife died (Letty Ellen (Polite) Fry died April 16, 1862) and while he was gone in the Civil War. (105) At the outbreak of the Civil War Solomon Fry enlisted in the Union army at St. Marys, Illinois, and was soon mustered into the United States service at Quincy, Illinois, going into Company D of the Seventy-eight Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He served throughout the war not only being with Sherman in his march to the sea, but also with that general when Johnston surrendered at the close of the war. Solomon Fry was mustered out of the service in Washington, D. C. May 14, 1865. (13) Solomon Fry enlisted August 14, 1862 at St Mary's, Illinois. Company D were recruits from Hancock County, Illinois. The 78th Illinois Infantry mustered September 1, 1862, with 862 men. Men from St. Mary, Hancock County, Illinois, in Company D were: See http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilcivilw/r100/078-d-in.htm

78th Infantry Illinois, organized at Quincy in Aug 1862. Col. William H. Bennison. Company D was commanded by Capt. Robert M. Black. Mustered 20 September 1861 with 934 men. Mustered out 10 June 1865 with 393 men. 197 men died. (165)

Enlistment Remarks
Date
Joseph Botts August 14, 1862 Disabled, discharged June 10, 1863
Sidney Botts August 14, 1862 Prisoner of War
Samuel S. Davis August 14, 1862 Killed at Jonesboro, GA Sept 1, 1864
William Earl August 14, 1862 Disabled, discharged Sept 12, 1863
Soloman Fry August 14, 1862 Mustered out June 7, 1865
Daniel G. Hawkings August 14, 1862 Died, Louisville, KY May 12, 1863
William R. Long August 14, 1862 Mustered out June 7, 1865
Thomas Smith August 14, 1862 Transferred to V.R.C July 25, 1864

A James M. Fry and a Jacob Fry, Jr. from Woodville, Illinois were also in Company D.

Company D was in the following battles: (106)
Buckfork, KY October 3, 1862
Louisville, KY February 3, 1863
Franklin, KY April 12, 1863
Louisville, KY May 12, 1863
Ckickamauga September 20, 1863
Missionary Ridge November 25, 1863
Buzzard's Roost
Resaca GA May 15,1864
Rome, GA
New Hope Church, GA May 25.1864
Big Shanty, GA June 16, 1864
Kenesaw Mountain June 27, 1864
Peach Tree Creek, GA July 20, 1864
Jonesboro, GA September 1, 1864
Atlanta, GA September 8, 1864
Averysboro
Bentonville, NC March 19, 1865

The 78th Illinois Regiment mustered out 393 men, including Solomon Fry on June 7, 1865. It was estimated that the Regiment lost about 400 men, killed or wounded. See pages 23-27 of source 106 for a history of the Seventy-Eighth Infantry Regiment or click below. (106)"