Nansemond-Norfolk-Williamsburg City County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Biographies..... BORLAND, Solon August 8, 1811 - January 1, 1864 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bill BOGGESS william-boggess@webtv.net October 11, 2007, 8:00 am Author: Bill BOGGESS <>---------<>----------<> SOLON BORLAND (1811VA-1864TX) (The ONLY correct and shortened biography) Solon Borland was a southern gentlemen, serving as: attorney, editor, physician, United States senator, diplomat, and military officer in both U S and Confederate armies, often selected demorcatic presidential delegate, while our nation grew from seventeen to thirty-six states. He was the fourth Arkansan to serve as U S Senator but first successfully assigned a major foreign diplomatic mission. The Arkansas Bar Foundation and Pulaski County Bar Association, at Little Rock's Mount Holly cemetery Law Day 1992 dedicated: "...a monument for Solon Borland, early prominent lawyer in Arkansas History ...", located where he buried two sons and his third wife. January 19, 1897 letter of nephew, Thomas Roscius Borland, once U S Attorney for Eastern Virginia, says the family records reveal Solon Borland was born in Suffolk, Nansemond County, Virginia, August 8, 1811, the youngest of three sons of Thomas Wood Borland, a physician, and Harriott Godwin. He was then raised and educated by his uncle George Godwin and aunt Fanny Green. Solon, when born and raised, inherited southern sense of dignity and honor requiring response if either is impugned, ---- he feared not to protect either with: pen, voice, fists, dirks or guns as need be. Solon was an achiever! If a job needed done --- Solon-was-the-one. Borland family moved to North Carolina by 1823. By 1831 both parents had died, Solon serving as militia officer putting down Nat Turner's bloody rebellion and married, reported superiorly educated Huldah G Wright of Virginia with their union producing two sons, Thomas and Harold, "Little Solon". He attended the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in Philadelphia in 1833; where in 1834 at age 23, he earned credentials to practice medicine year following his brother with his second degree March 1841 from Louisville Medical Institute. By late 1836 he moved family to Memphis to practice medicine and there his first wife died August 25, 1837. Oldest son Thomas, again with great aunt and uncle in Virginia, "Little Solon", with uncle Euclid in Mississippi. On July 23, 1839, he married Eliza Buck Hart of Memphis, but this second marriage was short as she died before 1842, with no known offsprings. Solon was addicted to politics early on, enjoying the challenge, excitement and his accomplishments so following his reported Portsmouth, Virginia newspaper experience, he founded what today is the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, then The Western World and The Memphis Banner of The Constitution, in 1839 --- supporting Andrew Jackson's choice as 11th governor, James K Polk. In 1843, the Arkansas Democratic party hired him to edit its newly created newspaper, the Arkansas Banner. Banner first appeared in Little Rock (Pulaski County) in September 1843, supporting James K Polk as our 11th president. Borland assumed his duties in November. "In that position he won the reputation of being one of the ablest political writers in the United States." (D T Herndon) Dr Borland and Benjamin J. Borden, Esquire, the editor/owner (1843-1848) of rival Whig paper, the Arkansas Gazette, exchanged personal attacks in editorials resulting in a fight January 1844 where Borden got his face smashed. Later, Borden challenged Borland to a pistol duel and recieved a carefully placed, non-fatal bullet from Doctor Borland's gun, passing through his torso. The two reconciled, becoming friends for life. Borland, with Elbert Hartwell English (4th chief justice Arkansas Supreme Court) formed their law firm in 1844. Elbert serving as a junior editor at the Banner. They also worked towards creation of schools, in December 1850 Alexander(Arkansas) Military Institute, Dallas county, and of first institution of higher learning, St Johns' College of Arkansas. Arkansas' Adjutant-General Borland married a third and final time on May 28, 1845, to Mary Isabel Melbourne (Milbourne?) of Little Rock, and the couple had three children. Their only son, George Godwin Borland, died after serving in the Civil War, their two daughters, Fanny Green Borland, an accomplished poet and Mary Melbourne Borland, were still living by the time of their father's death as was son from first marriage, Major Harold Borland, USMA,1860, but first born Thomas died January1859. General Borland volunteered June 6,1846 for service in the Mexican War, a conflict he with many others supported. Captured on January 23, 1847, just south of Saltillo, Mexico, Majors Gaines, Borland and Capt Danley, managed to escape August 1 to participate as aide-de-camps before and during the final attack on Mexico City in September 1847. November 18th Borland with his political enemy Cassius M Clay (financed Abe Lincoln into the White House) and others left Vera Cruz arriving in New Orleans the 24th aboard the Alabama. Borland then returned to Hot Springs (now Garland County) by December 2. Back in Arkansas, the war veteran received a political boost when Senator Ambrose Sevier resigned his seat in the U.S. Senate. Governor Thomas S. Drew appointed Borland the vacant seat on March 30, 1848, and was so elected by the legislature. During his tenure, Borland actively supported President Polk's expansion of Oregon territory and land purchased from Mexico. He also supported Congressional action on a district judge for the western district of Arkansas, common schooling, protection for parties going to California for gold rush, swampland reclamation, back pay for American prisoners from the Mexican War, cross country railroads and many other needed items. He successfully blocked Sevier's return, upsetting Arkansas' long reigning political force, "The Family", to the Senate by winning election to a full Senate term by final vote 71 to 24 in the Arkansas legislature. Borland's career in the U.S. Senate was lively, serving under four presidents, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce. During the Compromise Crisis of 1850, he defended Southern rights and physically assaulted Senator Henry Foote of Mississippi, who once had attempted to assassinate Senator Thomas Hart Benton with his pistol, on the senate floor. Family illness forced Borland home, but due to serious illness, in September with wife and October with a daughter prevented his return to Washington until the second session. Borland's not returning for the vote played into the hands and was promoted by his political enemies as his acquiescence to the Compromise of 1850. Always an expansionist, as was the majority of our nation, he, the late Arkansas senior senator revealed in 1853 his valid reasons for voting against the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of April 1850, a treaty with Britain which among many restrictive requirements, --- one of which prevented either nation from claiming exclusive rights to build a canal in Central America. Borland claimed in May 1850 that this treaty violated the Monroe Doctrine and stymied American growth. Apparently, such support appealed to the incoming administration of Franklin Pierce appointing him minister plenipotentiary to Central America and stationed him in Nicaragua, turning down governorship of New Mexico Territory. Borland arrived in Managua in September 1853. As minister he immediately called for the U.S. to repudiate the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (which Teddy Roosevelt achieved years later) and for the American military to support Honduras in its confrontation with Britain. (Pierce forced Britain to return the British seized coastal lands and Bay islands south from Balize(Belize)). Mid-October, in a public address in Nicaragua, he announced that it was his greatest ambition to see Nicaragua forming a bright star in the flag of the United States. This speech, and Borland's demands, caused Secretary of State William L Marcy to remind Borland, by letter, of the "official" United States stance regarding the subject. As Borland was leaving mid-April 1854, he interfered with the arrest of an American citizen near the coastal town of Greytown, formerly the Nicaraguan coastal town of San Juan del Norte, renamed Greytown when forcefully taken over January 1, 1848 by the British, expelling all Nicaraguan officials. The British then impeding an American company from freely operating as agreed by contract with the Nicaraguan government. Borland was threatened with arrest but was not, due to his diplomatic immunity. While arguing with controlling local British officials, someone threw a bottle scaring his forehead. The diplomat then reported this and the illegal activities, such as confiscating American's property, etc. by the British in their controlled Greytown, to the Pierce administration. May 5th another bloody civil war broke out, so Borland resigned June 1854, for he probably saw nothing but hopelessness for the Nicaraguans. Pierce's administration dispatched an American naval ship to the area demanding correction of wrong doings such as: return of stolen property, plus an apology to the minister, etc. When nothing was forthcoming following two timely warnings, the American ship and marines bombarded and burned British controlled Greytown (San Juan del Norte). Borland returned to Little Rock from his Hot Springs home by October 1854 to resume a medical practice and operate a drug store with Doctor John J McAlmont, --- however. Solon could not stay away from politics, so by the summer of 1855, he was assisting Christopher Columbus Danley as editor of the Arkansas Gazette, who also upset Arkansas' long reigning political force, "The Family" having been once elected State Auditor, --- against Solon's former paper The Arkansas Banner, now controlled by "The Family" and renamed, The True Democrat. By August, 1855, the Gazette had become the official mouthpiece of the Arkansas American Party (popularly dubbed the Know-Nothing Party). This party opposed unrestricted foreign immigration, and since many of the immigrants were Irish Catholics, it desired restricted voting rights of this religious minority. The American Party failed at the polls in the state elections. Borland left Little Rock in 1858 for Princeton (Dallas County). His eldest son died January 9,1859, then June 1859 again back to Memphis to edit a newspaper he had bought. Borland ran for seat in Tennessee House but lost in February1861. April 1861, Borland was back in Little Rock, as Governor Henry Massie Rector appointed state militia colonel, ordered to capture the Federal arsenal in Fort Smith (Sebastian County), which he did! This even though Arkansas had not yet formally seceded. By the time Borland's river boats made it to Fort Smith, the Federal forces had departed. June 1861 Borland formed a cavalry battalion becoming the famous 3rd Regiment Arkansas Cavalry, CSA. From November 5th to January 10th, he was commissioned the Confederate commander for "Upper Arkansas District" by General A S Johnston as a colonel filling in between commands of General William J Hardee, "Old Reliable" and General Earl Van Dorn. As Confederate commander he traveled over 1,700 miles, on November 29th ordered an embargo of goods to preserve food for the army and end price speculation. Governor Rector wanted order rescinded with his December 20th declaration, dated five days following Borland being recorded at home on sick leave. Borland protested with a thirteen page letter to the governor (who stood as Borland's second in duel with Borden) to not countermand a Confederate official, but in January 1862, Borland's directive was countermanded by Confederate Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin. Solon's army record show him on sick leave December 15th, following his December 11th documented written request, --- unable to return to duty, thusly received a honorable discharge May 26, 1862. 14th June 1862, a sickly Borland is reported resuming his medical practice in Little Rock. His third son died June 24,1862, his third wife died October 23,1862. Before Little Rock fell to Union forces on September 10,1863, Borland returned to Princeton (Dallas County). He provide for his daughters care and left Princeton from his sick bed for Texas evening of September 13, 1863, writing his will December 31, 1863, ending his fifty-two years by dying as noted in telegraph message received in Princeton March 4,1864, "...near Houston, Texas --- the first day of Jan. 64.". Burial location undocumented. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For additional information: Borland papers; "Collection Mss. 65 B66", at The College of William & Mary's, Earl Gregg Swen Library Hume, Thomas, #3239 files at University of North Carolina archives, Wilson Library, Chapel Hill. (Jan 19th 1897 letter) The Arkansas Historical Quarterly, Volume XLII, Number 1, 1863-1865, Carl H Moneyhon, page 55, page 57, entry 14 September 1864 and page 74, entry 4 March 1864 Herndon, Dallas Tabor; Centennial History of Arkansas, (S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1922; 1970 reprint) Parramore, Thomas C, Murfreesboro, North Carolina: Cradle of Titans, Pierce Printing Co. Inc, Ahoskia, North Carolina, 2003 Dougan, Michael B. Confederate Arkansas: The People and Policies of a Frontier State in Wartime. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press,1976, p 85. The Arkansas Historical Quarter, Volume XXXVII, 1978, The Martial Law Controversy in Arkansas, 1861-1865, Leo F Huff, page 149. Ross, Margaret. The Arkansas Gazette: The Early Years, 1819-1866. Little Rock: Arkansas Gazette Foundation,1969. A Quarterly Review of Inter-American Cultural History 40 (January 1984): 399 - 411 Rebellion and Realignment: Arkansas's Road to Secession. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 1987. U S Marines in Nicaragua: The State of the Union: Being a Complete Documentary History of the Public and Domestic Affairs, Foreign and Domestic, for the year 1854. --Washington, Published by Taylor & Maury, 1855. , search "Borland", (18-pages) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/bios/borland8bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/vafiles/ File size: 16 Kb [File Manager's note - see also the following, for pastel portraits of Roscius (6) & Euclid (4), and each of their parents, ca. 1813, by Felix Thomas Sharples, and for their mother's family, marriages, and properties: Norfleet, Fillmore. "Suffolk in Virginia, c. 1795-1840 : a record of lots, lives, and likenesses." 1974. (LVA Call Number F234.S9 N56). pp. 88, 143-44.]