Page:One of a thousand.djvu/578

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5<54 SOLEY. SOLEY. Mr. Sohier is at present in the practice of law in Boston in the office of his uncle, John Lowell, ex-judge of the United States circuit court. Mr. Sohier was married in Boston, Decem- ber 13, 18S0, to Edith F., daughter of Walter B. and Julia E. (White) Alden. She is a lineal descendant of John Alden of colonial fame. Of this union are three children : Eleanor, Alice, and William Davies Sohier. Mr. Sohier was a member of the com- mittee appointed by the town of Beverly to oppose its attempted division ; served as counsel (without pay) for the first two years of the famous contest in 18S6 and '87, and was chosen to represent the town in the lower branch of the Legislature in 1888. He was here again successful in their behalf, and was re-elected to the House in 18S9 During this session he performed telling work for his constituents, and by his shrewd and successful labors, defeated the strenuous efforts made to divide the town. In the opinion of those competent to judge, his personal popu- larity among the members was as powerful a factor in the result, as the able plea he made upon the floor of the House. He is descended from a legal family on both sides ; on the maternal side, a descendant of Judge John Lowell, of the United States district court, appointed by Washington ; and on the paternal side, his father, grandfather and uncles have been prominent members of the bar. He is a nephew of the late Edward D. Sohier. SOLEY, JOHN CODMAN, son of John J. and Elvira (Degen) Soley, was born in Roxbury, Norfolk county, October 22, 1845. His early educational training was re- ceived in the grammar schools of his native town. He fitted for college in the Rox- bury Latin school ; entered Harvard Col- lege, and was to have graduated in the class of 1862, but he severed his connection with the college and entered the Naval Acade- my, Newport, R. L, November 19th of the same year. He visited England, France, Portugal, and Spain in the U. S. sloop-of-war " Mac- edonian," in 1863 ; was graduated June 12, 1866 ; ordered to Sacramento the same year ; was wrecked on the Coromandel coast of India, June 19, 1867, remained in India three months, and returned to the United States in a British troop-ship. Lieutenant Soley served at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis as in- structor in ordnance and gunnery, and in command of the infantry battalion until July, 1873. He was then ordered to the European fleet and joined the " Wabash," at Corfu, Greece, in August of that year. He was appointed flag-lieutenant to Admi- ral Case, who was in command ; was pres- ent at Carthagena during the fight between the Republican troops and the Commu- nists, and afterwards visited Barcelona and traveled through western France. In the following winter he returned to the United States, and served in the squad- ron at Key West, as flag-lieutenant to Ad- miral Case, who was then commander-in- chief of the United States forces assembled in anticipation of a war with Spain. JOHN C SOLEY, He was transferred to the " Franklin," returned to Europe in May, 1874, and visited the principal ports in the Mediter- ranean. He was appointed, February, 1875, flag-lieutenant to Admiral Worden, commander-in-chief in European waters. Lieutenant Soley edited the second edition of "Cooke's Ordnance and Gun- nery," and is the author of an article on "Built-up Guns" in that work ; he wrote another, also, on "Naval Operations on Shore," and has written a paper on the naval brigade in the proceedings of the " Naval Institute." He went to the Naval Academy as gunnery and tactical instructor, where he