Peninsula Genealogical Society

    Peninsula Genealogical Society - Door Co., WI


Salvi SALVISON/SOLWAYSON/SOLWAY

 Early Settler in Door County

Dec 1808-18 May 1886 

Updated 12 Sep 2013


Salvi SALVISON (or Solway SOLWAYSON) (or SOLWAY) was born in Norway in December 1808 according to his Death Certificate in Door County [See PGS's Pre-1907 Door County Death Certificate Index (16 May 1886-#795)]. He was a farmer at his home in the Town of Sevastopol, Door County and 77 years old when he died of "Paralysis of the Heart".  The diagnosis was made by Dr. R. L. COOK, M.D. in Sturgeon Bay.  The doctor further noted: "Had always been in good health until a few days previous to his death", noted on the Death Certificate #795.  Also noted was his wife's name at the time of his death:  Bertie Helen SOLWAYSON, and his place of burial: Bay Side Cemetery Near City of Sturgeon Bay, Door Co., Wisconsin. 

 

The following obituary for Salvi SALVISON (Solway SOLWAYSON) (SOLWAY) was from the Door County Advocate on 27 May 1886.

 

If you have any additions or corrections to the SALVISON/SOLWAYSON/SOLWAY Family, please contact us at [email protected].  ..Also, if anyone has pictures of the family to share regarding this family history please e-mail them to the PGS and we will include them on this webpage.


Door County Advocate: 27 May 1886, P. 2:  "OBITUARY" for Salvi SALVISON (or SOLWAY)

The funeral of Salvi SALVISON (or SOLWAY) took place on Thursday last. In addition to who attended the ceremonies from this vicinity there were several relatives and others from abroad, among whom were Mr.and Mrs. T. Y. BAINBRIDGE and child, and Eli SOLWAY and his son Alfred, from Menominee Mr. and Mrs. Soren ANDERSON and daughter, from Fort Howard, and Mr. and Mrs. Alfred M. IVERSON and child, from Ephraim. Only a short time before his death SOLWAY had removed to the house built by Mr. IVERSON and vacated by him upon his removal to Ephraim a few weeks ago. The family will continue to reside there, the farm affairs being conducted under the general management of John SOLWAY, of Sturgeon Bay.

 In the death of Mr. SOLWAY this county loses one of its earliest settlers, only a very few white persons having preceded him in locating here. He came from Green Bay about the year 185l, and built a log house on the spot now occupied by the dwelling of the LEIDIGER brothers, he having pre-empted that tract of land in accordance with the law of congress. He also built a cooper-shop in which he manufactured fish-barrels, but this shop was destroyed by fire in the following year and was rebuilt.

 About two years after his arrival his wife [Regina SALVISON1] died, she being the first white woman who died on the shore of this bay, remains were buried in the forest, a short distance from the house, and it is singular fact that the spot selected for her is, within the enclosure afterward made by the Bayside Cemetery Association. Her grave is unmarked, and its locality would have been forgotten had it not been for an accident. Among those who witnessed the burial was John FALK, who was then a boy of seven years. While the ceremony was. in progress his attention was attracted by a large rock lying upon the surface of the ground near .the grave. The stone probably weighs between one and two tons and is not only the largest but is the only prominent one in that vicinity. The boy was too young to take much interest in the burial service, but his attention was attracted by the stone, and its appearance so strongly impressed upon his memory that he was able to locate the immediate vicinity of the grave when it had been entirely forgotten by all others.

 In the following year Mr. SOLWAY married Mrs. FALK, who had recently arrived and was residing with the KLINKENBERG family. The marriage ceremony was performed by Robert GRAHAM and was the first wedding among white persons in this vicinity.

 At the time of Mr. SOLWAY’s landing in 1851 the only civilized persons on the bay were David GREENWOOD, Frank SAWYER and Peter SHERWOOD. There were many Indians on the shore, principally in the vicinity of the present city of Sturgeon Bay, where there was a small village of wigwams which were constructed of mats stretched upon poles. Mr. SOLWAY was afterward employed in Lyman BRADLEY's sawmill, and having failed to perfect his title to the land he had pre-empted, he purchased the tract where he continued to reside until his death.


 
1 Regina SALVISON's name was contributed to the PGS by Carol SCHUSTER

 


 


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