Solomon Stansberry

**Solomon Stansberry** (December 18, 1805 – March 1, 1879) served as a private in Company K, 13th Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry.

## Personal life

Solomon Stansberry was born December 18, 1804 in Burke County, North Carolina to Luke and Nancy (Hadix) Stansberry. He married first Frances Gibson (1809-1871) with whom he had at least 12 children. He married second Rachel Roberts; they had no children.

## Civil War service

Stansberry enlisted as a private in Company K on August 10, 1863 in Rogersville, Kentucky for a period of three years and mustered in January 26, 1864 at Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. He was appointed quartermaster sergeant on December 31, 1863 and reduced to the ranks on July 19, 1864 per Special Order, Regimental Headquarters. In addition to his son, William, who served in Company H, he had six other sons who served in federal Tennessee and Kentucky regiments during the war.

He is described as 58 years old, 5' 10" tall, fair complexion, gray eyes, light hair, and by occupation a mechanic.

Stansberry is listed as present for duty until August 1, 1864 when he was left sick at U.S. General Hospital in Gallatin, Tennessee; when he returned to the regiment was not recorded. On September 10, 1864, Stansberry was placed on detached serviced as a hospital ward master in Knoxville, Tennessee, which continued through January 1865.

When the regiment mustered out on September 5, 1865 at Knoxville, it was noted that he had last been paid to August 31, 1864, was owed $27.18 for clothing, had received a $25 bounty, and was owed a $75 bounty.

## Post-war life

Stansberry applied for an invalid's pension on March 1, 1867. He died March 1, 1879 due to apoplexy in Knoxville and is buried at New Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery in Kimberlin Heights, Tennessee.

## Notes

1. ↑ 1900 U.S. Census, 1st Civil District, Carter County, Tennessee.
2. ↑ The following is from the *Knoxville Weekly Chronicle*, November 1, 1871, p. 5, c.1: “Mr. Solomon Stansberry is a carpenter. He is a widower and a inhabitant of North Knoxville. Furthermore he is sixty-five or seventy years old, and his wife not having been long dead, living alone has not been going very pleasant of late. So the old man went out a courting south of the river last week, and on first acquaintance struck a bargain with Sarah Bean, a sprightly farmer girl of twenty-five. Sarah's father lives in the 14th District, and it was arranged that Solomon should go out Sunday and bring her into the city and they would be married here. The license were procured on Saturday and on Sunday our hero repaired to the house of his intended in fond anticipation of prospective matrimonial bliss. But when he arrived the young lady had changed her mind, and flatly said 'she wouldn't.' After renoitering [sic] awhile Mr. Stansberry gave it up as a bad job, and came home much dejected but not without hopes. On yesterday things came to such a crisis that a housekeeper he must have. Somebody recommended Rachel Roberts as a suitable girl to hire. Mr. Stansberry posted off to see her, and after few minutes' conversation, (they had never met before,) it was suggested, 'Why not marry?' 'Of course, why not?' replied Rachel, and the thing was settled. Mr. Blang, County Court Clerk, very obligingly scratched out the name of Sarah Bean from the license and inserted that of Rachel Roberts, the Rev. J. L. Lloyd was called in and the twain were made one flesh. After the ceremony the bride and bridegroom walked out to their home in North Knoxville and in the afternoon were seen in a one-horse wagon making their bridal tour around the principal streets of the city. Mr. Solomon Stansberry is a man who is not to be discouraged by trifles.”
3. ↑ *Knoxville Daily Tribune*, March 2, 1879, p. 1, c. 5.