Solomon Austin Phenis

Notes:

Ken Harvey writes that:

"Solomon Phenis was born on 10th Dec 1810 according to Mead McWethy. This contradicts other records. Phenis is a German name and the original immigrant ancestor was thought to have been a Hessian soldier employed by the British during the American Revolution. He is therefore thought to have come from the then German state of Hesse.

One Phenis brother is said to have died in in the war, another said to have returned to Hesse, and the the third one married a local girl.

The family is known to have moved from Indiana to Kansas. On the basis of submitted I.G.I. birth data the family appear to have moved from Kokomo, Howard, Indiana to the Madison-Emporia area of Kansas between 1851 and 1858. Strangely the as yet unexamined census data appears to suggest that the family moved after 1860.

[Note: A Solomon Phenis, born ca 1811 in Indiana, was living in Union County, Indiana in 1870--the two families may have been conflated]

Solomon Phenis's watch, made in 1879 or earlier, is in the possession of Franklin Meade McWethy's children (1996)."

From FindAGrave:

Kansas Collection Books: William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, Greenwood Co., Part 10:

SOLOMON PHENIS, farmer, Section 13, P. O. Madison, is one of the oldest settlers of this region. Born in Preble County, Ohio, in 1817. His parents removed to Indiana in 1823, and in 1855 he, with five of his neighbors from Hamilton County, that State, started for Kansas, making the journey by ox-team in thirty-four days; and locating upon the banks of a small stream, which has ever since been known as "Phenis Creek," upon the north line of what was then Madison County, bur subsequently became part of Lyon.

The party was joined during the same year by a brother of Mr. Phenis (Judge J. R. Phenis) and several of his former neighbors, thus forming quite a settlement. Lawrence was then their nearest post office and the mail was delivered weekly by carriers from that city, the settlers here paying him at the rate of a dollar per month for each family. This continued until the post office was established at Emporia.

In 1860, Mr. Phenis was thrown from his horse and his thigh bone broken, which, being imperfectly set, owing to no medical man being at hand, has rendered him a cripple for life, and in spite of of his earnest desire to do so, prevented his entering the army. In 1863, he removed to this county, locating on a farm on Section 25, Town 22, Range 12, this township, where he remained until October, 1880, when he sold it and removed to his present one, which is nearer town, and upon which he has built a very fine house, the interior of which is very conveniently arranged and thoroughly furnished throughout, costing $1,500. Nearly half of his present farm is under cultivation, his corn yield being fifty-five bushels per acre.

In 1839, Mr. Phenis married Miss Sarah Coats, who bore him thirteen children, the eldest of whom, Cyrus, born May 23, 1841, enlisted May 13, 1862, in Company B, Ninth Kansas Cavalry, and served three years, being discharged May 18, 1865, and who, while upon his return home was taken ill, and died at Emporia upon the anniversary of his birth, May 23, 1865. The remaining nine children now left to Mr. Phenis are Esley, born August 28, 1842; John Newton, born June 11, 1847; Isaac, January 23, 1848; Charles, February 14, 1850; William Riley April 14, 1852; Evangeline, April 2, 1854; Nina, January 23, 1858;Hannah, February 28, 1861; and Ellsworth, April 21, 1862. All save the youngest are married, and all reside in the State and have made the subject of this sketch a grandfather no less than twenty-two times. Mrs. Phenis died October 11, 1876, and on January 18, 1877, he married his present consort, Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, nee Harrison, who is also one of the earlier settlers of the State. Mr. P. has never cared to accept any office, and, although twice elected County Commissioner, refused to serve; upon the last occasion, although compelled to qualify in order to satisfy the desires of his friends, he resigned the next day. His brother, I. R. Phenis, is Probate Judge of the county.

He is shown on FindAGrave as a son of Solomon W. Phenis of Wilkes County, GA and Elizabeth Hammond. of Oglethorpe, GA.


(Research):

Census Listings:

1870 Census
Kansas, Greenwood County, Madison Township, PO Madison
Enumerated 7 Jun 1870
Page 6
43-43
Phenis, Solomon 52 M W Farmer 4800 1750 Ohio
Phenis, Sallie 46 F W Keeping House Ind
Phenis, Ersula A 25 F W Ind
Phenis, Charles J 20 m W Works on Farm Ind
Phenis, William R 18 M W Works on Farm Ind
Phenis, Evangeline L 15 F W Ind
Phenis, Nina E 12 f W Kansas
Phenis, Hannah C 9 F W Kansas
Phenis, Solomon E 8 M W Kansas
Coats, Charlotte 74 F W South Carolina

Solomon married Sarah "Sallie" Coats about 1839. Sarah was born on 6 Mar 1823 in Marion County, Indiana; died on 11 Oct 1876 in Lyon County, Kansas; was buried in Haworth Cemetery, Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Ursula Phenis was born on 28 Aug 1843 in Indiana; and died.
2. Isaac Huston Phenis was born on 23 Jan 1848 in Indiana; and died.
3. Charles Johnson Phenis was born on 14 Feb 1851 in Indiana; and died.
4. William Riley Phenis was born on 14 Apr 1852 in Indiana; died on 26 May 1909 in Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma; was buried in Ripley Oak Park Cemetery, Ripley, Payne County, Oklahoma.
5. Evangeline L. Phenis was born about 1855 in Indiana; and died.
6. Nina E. Phenis was born on 23 Jan 1858 in Kansas; and died.
7. Hannah C. Phenis was born on 26 Feb 1861 in Kansas; and died.
8. Solomon Ellsworth Phenis was born about 1862 in Kansas; and died.