My Genealogy Hound

HON. WILLIAM F. SOLLY, President Judge of the Orphans’ Court of Montgomery County, is a life long resident of Norristown, where he was born February 17, 1858. He is the only son of Benjamin Franklin and Catharine Smith (Moyer) Solly, the other children being Sarah Elizabeth Bunting, wife of Dr. H. M. Bunting, and Miss Mary Virginia Solly.

The Sollys are of English origin. The ancestor of the American branch emigrated from England in colonial days, and settled in the vicinity of Holmesburg and Frankford, in what is now the northern part of Philadelphia. He had several children, one of whom, Cornelius, was born in 1802, and died in Norristown, March 13, 1888. He married a young woman named Day, who at the time resided in Manayunk. They took up their home in Whitemarsh township, Montgomery county, and had two children, of whom one, Benjamin F., was born at the Valley Green Tavern, March 24, 1833. His mother dying when he was quite young, he was taken by his uncle, Jacob Day, a leading citizen and for some years a justice of the peace of Whitemarsh township, and reared with his family upon his farm close to the Valley Green. He received a common school education and learned the trade of shoe-making. About the time he reached his majority he removed to Norristown and worked at his trade, later on embarking in the business of a manufacturer and dealer in boots and shoes, continuing the same for about fifty years. He was married January 1, 1857, to Catharine Smith, daughter of Joseph and Deborah (Rhoads) Moyer. John Moyer, the grandfather of Catharine was born in Horsham township, Montgomery county. By trade he was a cooper. At the time of the birth of Joseph in 1807, the family resided in Plymouth township. They removed a few years thereafter to Norristown, which was then a small village, where John Moyer opened a cooper shop on the bank of the Schuylkill river, above the present Swede street dam, and until he died manufactured barrels, buckets, and cooper wares, supplying the various mills and farmers for miles around.

Joseph Moyer learned the trade of carpenter, but at the time of his death he was an expert pattern maker, having worked for years at the Eagle Works, (now R. S. Newbold and Son Co.). He married Deborah Rhoads, who was of Pennsylvania German descent. Joseph died May 4, 1870, and his wife about fifteen years later. They had twelve children, Catharine, the eldest daughter, mother of Judge Solly, was born April 3, 1838.

Judge Solly’s ancestry for several generations were sturdy citizens of Montgomery county, a fact in which he takes a just pride.

Judge Solly was educated in the public schools of his native town, graduating from the high school in June, 1873. He then entered the shoe store of his father, and at nights continued to study and improve his mind. He entered the office of the late Gilbert Rodman Fox on May 1, 1876, as a student at law, at which time Mr. Fox was a leading member of the Montgomery county bar, and was regarded as one of the best of preceptors by reason of his kindness to and interest in his students. Judge Solly was admitted to the bar on September 1, 1879, and immediately entered upon a successful career as a lawyer, building up a large practice in all the courts, which he held at the time of his elevation to the bench. He was admitted to the supreme court April 18, 1882.

As a lawyer, Judge Solly acquired a reputation for ability, and for exactness, thoroughness, care and fidelity in the management of the interests of his clients, and the trusts committed to his charge. Methodical and deliberate in forming his judgment, he was consulted by many leading citizens in different sections of the county, and had a large clientage.

While a student at law, and for several years after his admission to the bar, he was connected with the staff of the Norristown Herald, and prepared extended and careful reports of the proceedings of the county courts. He was the assistant of Mr. Fox until January 1, 1887, when G. R. Fox, Jr., was admitted to the bar.

Among the positions held by Judge Solly while in active practice, were the following: Solicitor for Register of Wills, J. Roberts Rambo; Solicitor for Register of Wills, Joseph W. Hunter; Solicitor for Sheriff, Henry C. Kline, as the successor of Judge Weand; Solicitor for Sherriff, Edwin S. Stahlnecker; Solicitor for County Treasurer, Edwin S. Stahlnecker. When he was appointed to the bench he was the county solicitor, having been such for four and one-half years, always carefully guiding the public interests; solicitor for the borough of Ambler; solicitor for the board of township commissioners of Cheltenham; and solicitor for the supervisors of several townships. He was counsel for the State Hospital for the Insane, Southeastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Valley Forge Commission for some years, and for a number of business men, firms, and corporations in Norristown, and throughout the county. On December 1, 1890, he was made assistant solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for Montgomery county, and in May, 1899, upon the death of Judge Stinson, who was the solicitor, he succeeded to the solicitorship, which he resigned upon his appointment to the bench.

Judge Solly has always taken a lively interest in the welfare of Norristown. He was one of the incorporators of the Norristown Electric Light and Power Company, and was from time to time director, secretary, treasurer aid solicitor. He has been a director of the Norristown Gas Company for some years, and is still a director of the Electric Light Company. He was one of the incorporators of the Albertson Trust and Safe Deposit Company now the Penn Trust Company, of Norristown, one of its directors from the time of its organization, and president from February 1, 1900, to the time he became judge of the orphans’ court.

Fraternally, Judge Solly is a past master of Charity Lodge, No. 190, F. and A. M., past high priest of Norristown Chapter, No. 190, Royal Arch Masons, and a member of Hutchinson Commandery, No. 32, Knights Templar. For many years he was recorder of Lynwood Lodge, No. 154, Ancient Order of United Workmen.

In politics, Judge Solly has always been an active Republican. For many years he exerted himself in party contests in Montgomery county. He was many times honored by the party with positions of trust. He was a presidential elector for McKinley and Hobart in the election of 1896, and his popularity was shown by his receiving many complimentary votes which ran him considerably ahead of his party ticket. In 1880, when Major McQuaide was chairman of the Republican county committee, Judge Solly became its secretary, continuing in that position as well as a member of the executive committee, until 1892, when he became chairman of the executive committee. In 1893 he was elected chairman of the Republican county committee, a position which he filled for nine years with great ability and success, harmonizing conflicting elements, and establishing Montgomery county permanently in the Republican column. In resigning the chairmanship in 1900, after the November election, he closed twenty years of successful and unselfish service in connection with the party organization, and every county office was held and had for several years been held by Republicans. As an organizer he had no superior, and his ability in that direction was repeatedly displayed in various contests. Under his management the Republican majorities in the county became substantial.

When the separate orphans’ court of Montgomery county was created by the legislature during the session of 1901, Judge Solly was freely spoken of as a fit man to preside over it, and his friends requested him to allow the use of his name for president judge. After careful deliberation he consented. Of the seventy-two members of the Norristown bar at that time, sixty-seven signed a petition to Governor Stone for his appointment. Another petition bearing the names of fifteen hundred prominent citizens of the county was also presented to the Governor, the signatures to which were secured in the short space of two days. His appointment was sent to the senate on May 25, and he was unanimously confirmed by that body on June 3, 1901. He was sworn in as president judge of the orphans’ court June 10, 1901, and at once entered upon his duties. The court being a new one, required organization. This was done in a thorough and systematic manner, and the methodical transaction of the large business of the county, and the completeness of its records, has established a reputation for it throughout the State.

Judge Solly was unanimously nominated for the office of president judge of the orphans’ court by the Republican county convention in September, 1901, and at the general election of the following November he was elected for the term of ten years, beginning the first Monday of January, 1902, and subsequently duly commissioned.

Judge Solly’s performance of his judicial duties has been eminently successful and satisfactory. He has the essential qualifications of a judge, knowledge of the law, impartiality, fairness, and sound judgment. Dignified in his bearing, he is affable and courteous to all with whom he is brought in contact. The same fidelity which marked his career as a lawyer has followed him on the bench. The business of the court is dispatched with promptness, and to the satisfaction of the bar and the public.

Judge Solly was united in marriage to Alice Lukens Gilbert on October 19, 1882. She is the third of five daughters of Solomon and Anne (Lukens) Gilbert, both natives and lifelong residents of Montgomery county, and now deceased. Mr. Gilbert was a successful business man. His wife was a descendant of Jan Luckens, the original ancestor of the Lukens family. Judge Solly’s only child is Anne Catharine, who was born January 21, 1885.