My Genealogy Hound

W. H. Sollis, a member of the firm of W. H. Sollis & Co., merchants, is one among the first business men of Paragould, having established his business here in July, 1882, when the town was in its infancy. The firm was changed to its present name in March, 1883. Mr. Sollis was born in Duplin County, N. C., July 31, 1837, and is a son of Luke and Martha (Taylor) Sollis, natives of North Carolina, but of French descent. The paternal grandfather, Abraham Sollis, was born in France, and emigrated to North Carolina at an early day. There he passed his last days. Luke Sollis was married in North Carolina, and emigrated to Tennessee about 1840, where he followed farming until his death. The mother also died in that State. They were the parents of nine children, only one now living, W. H. Sollis, who is the subject of this sketch. He was reared and educated in Gibson County, Tenn., and was attending school when the Civil War broke out. He left the school room to defend his country, enlisting in Company D, Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, in 1861, and served until the close of the war. He was at the battles of Belmont, Mo., Britton’s Lane, last battle of Corinth, and at West Point, Miss., where he was captured and carried to Memphis, thence to Alton, and from there to Camp Douglas. He was kept a prisoner for sixteen months, and experienced many hardships during that time. He had two horses shot from under him while in service, but never received the least wound himself. At the close of the war he was paroled, after which he returned to Tennessee and began speculating in cotton. He was turned loose without a dollar and remained in that condition for one year, when he went to Cincinnati and obtained a position in a wholesale clothing house as traveling salesman. He was engaged in this for about one year, after which he returned home and embarked in merchandising, which he continued until January, 1870, when he went to Memphis, Tenn., and was here interested in the commission business. This he carried on until September, 1871, when he was driven out by the yellow fever, and again his financial condition was in a very low state. He did not despair, but with renewed energy started out and was soon on a sound footing. He then decided to go to Greene County, Ark., and arrived here September 17, 1871. He located on a farm he had previously bought, and which was all that he had left, engaged in farming and this continued until 1882, when he resumed merchandising. He was agent for the Pomona Nursery of Tennessee for two years, and has planted more fruit trees in Greene County than any two men in it. He is the owner of 610 acres of land, with about 100 acres under cultivation, which he improved himself. He was married in March, 1868, to Miss Louisa C. Ferrell, a native of Tennessee, and the result of this union is one child: Willie, wife of John Reeves. Mrs. Sollis is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Sollis has erected several houses in Paragould, and completed his brick store in February, 1889. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.