Person:Solomon Holman (1)

Information about Solomon is a bit fragmented and confused, see the sources below for the details. No information has turned up about his parents, so until such information is found, the parentage shown here is highly doubtful.

Based on the varied accounts it sounds like his family (with three sons) migrated from Wales or England to Bermuda some time between 1670 and 1690 (though based on the other information I would narrow that range to 1672 to 1685). He and his brother, John, were seized by a press-gang and he served for 7 years on a man-of-war (that would mean Solomon was around 14 when that happened). When the vessel arrived at York, Maine (I'm guessing around 1692), he was sent to get milk, but hid in the farmer's barn until the vessel sailed. While hidden, he survived by milking the cows. He was discovered by the owner (presumably named Barton) of the farm, befriended him, and eventually married his daughter. They moved to Newbury around 1693 or 1694.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Holman, David Emory. The Holmans in America: Concerning the Descendants of Solaman Holman Who Settled in West Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1692-3 One of Whom Is William Howard Taft, the President of the United States. Including a Page of the Otherlines of Holmans in America, with Notes and Anecdotes of Those of the Name in Other Countries. (New York: The Grafton Press, 1909)
   3-5.

   SOLAMAN HOLMAN was born probably in 1671-2 and died May 7, 1753, in the 82nd year of his age. He married (1) Mary Barton, of York, Maine, who was born probably 1673, and died Oct. 18, 1736, aged 63 years. He married, (2) Elizabeth Kelley, the widow of Mr. John Kelley. She was a Miss Emery. She was born about 1680, and died May 8, 1753, in the 74th year of her age. All are buried at West Newbury, in Walnut Grove Cemetery.
   
   Solaman Holman was a member of the 2nd Foot Co, of Newbury under Hugh March, Jan 15, 1710-11

2.   Bass, H. Royce. The history of Braintree, Vermont: including a memorial of families that have resided in town. (Rutland, Vt.: Tuttle & Co., state printers, 1883)
   149.

   Solomon Holman, b. in England, was pressed on board a man-of-war; the vessel touched the American coast, and he escaped and settled in Mass.

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Find A Grave: Walnut Hill Cemetery, West Newbury, MA, in Find A Grave
   57836984.

   HERE LIES BURIED
   THE BODY OF M^R
   SOLOMON HOLMAN
   WHO DEPARTED
   THIS LIFE MAY 7^th
   1753 IN THE 82^nd
   YEAR OF HIS AGE.

4.   Benedict, William Addison, and Hiram A Tracy. History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1704 to 1876: including Grafton until 1735; Millbury until 1813; and parts of Northbridge, Upton, and Auburn. (Worcester, Mass: Sanford & Company, 1878)
   663.

   "The Holman family migrated from Wales to the Bermuda Islands between 1670 and 1690. It included three sons, born in Wales. Two of the sons, Solomon and John, were seized by a press-gang and brought to Newburyport. There they succeeded in escaping from the British ship.
   
   John, the younger, settled in North Carolina. Solomon settled in Newbury; married a Miss Mary Barton of Old York. [See History Mendon Association, letter of Rev. David Holman, page 144]
   
   Coffin, in his "History of Newbury," says, "Solomon Holman and his wife Mary came to Newbury about 1693 or 1694."

5.   Coffin, Joshua. A sketch of the history of Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury, from 1635 to 1845. (Boston: S.G. Drake, 1845)
   394, 301.

   Solomon Holman, was one of the early settlers in the west parish of Newbury. He was born in England, served seven years on board of a man of war, ran away in Bermuda, when sent after milk, secreted himself in the barn till the vessel sailed, and lived by milking the cows. He was discovered by the owner of the barn, who befriended him, and gave him employment. He afterward married his employer's daughter Mary, came to Newbury, built him a bark, and then a log house, on land of which he bought thirteen acres for a fat heifer. The land is now owned by Mr. Jonathan Ilsley, from whom I obtained this account. Mr. Holman died May seventh, 1753, in his eighty-second year.
   
   HOLMAN. SOLOMON and wife, Mary, came to Newbury about 1693 or 4. Ch.— Mary, 24 Feb, 1695, Solomon, 25 Nov. 1697, Edward, 20 Jan. 1700, Elizabeth, 24 Oct. 1701.

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1911)
   Vol. 2, p. 617.

   HOLMAN, Solomon, "an Englishman", [died] May 7, 1753, in his 82d y.
   [Note: 82d year, so age 81, so birth about 1672.]