Solon David Ackley
Marriages
Mary G. Dunn Ackley - April 25, 1904
in Leadville, Colorado
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - May 5, 1922
Sheriff S. D. Ackley Answers Last Call
Died Sunday at Glenwood Sanitarium Following an Operation
The news of the death of Solon D. Ackley, sheriff of Eagle county, was received last Sunday morning with great sorrow all over the county, and with surprise to most citizens of the county, very few of whom realized the sheriff's condition was serious.
Mr. Ackley had gone to the Sanitarium in Glenwood a week before where it was found that an operation would be necessary at once, as the examining surgeons found a very alarming condition existing in the stomach and bowels. The operation was performed, and he rallied from the effects of it in good shape, and every hope was entertained for his speedy recovery. He continued to improve all last week, and his wife, who was at his bedside, was contemplating returning to her home in Red Cliff, when last Saturday morning he passed into a comatose state and began to rapidly fail, never regaining consciousness, the end coming at 3 o'clock Sunday morning.
Solon Ackley grew from small boyhood to manhood in Red Cliff, where he made his home all of his life with the exception of a short period when, while in the Forest Service, he was ranger on the Eagle station and made Eagle his home during that time. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, having been a fireman on the Denver & Rio Grande railroad for a number of years, working out of Minturn. He was also a member of the Elks Lodge. He entered the Forest Service and was stationed at Red Cliff for a time until transferred to the Eagle station. In the spring of 1916, he resigned from the government service, and that fall was nominated on the Republican ticket for sheriff of the county. He was elected by a big majority, and has twice since been reelected, serving on his third term in that office when he died. He was a conscientious officer, doing his duty as he saw it, was level headed and cool in the performance of those duties, and it will be a long time before Eagle county has a better peace officer than was Solon Ackley. He was a most affectionate and dutiful husband and father being devoted beyond the ordinary to his family.
He is survived by his widow and six children; two brothers, Frank and Garfield, and his father, all of whom were unable to attend the funeral; two sisters, Mrs. Jack McArthur of Red Cliff, and one living in Kansas, both of whom were present at the funeral.
The funeral services were held in Red Cliff Wednesday morning from the Catholic Church, and the body was laid beside that of his mother in Evergreen cemetery at Red Cliff. The funeral was attended by a large concourse of sorrowing friends, many from distant parts of the county, all of whom sincerely regret his untimely passing. The court house in Eagle was closed for business Wednesday out of respect fro the deceased.
Unknown
Death of Solon D. Ackley
"In the midst of Life we are in Death."
Again the Grim Reaper, Death with sickle keen has visited our little town, and Red Cliff and Eagle COunty as a whole have been called on to mourn the passing on of one of its honored citizens, a devoted and loving husband and father, and public officer Sheriff S. D. Ackley, who died at 3:25 Sunday A.M. April 30th, at Glenwood Sanitarium a week after he had been operated on for serious stomach and bowel trouble of which he had been a great sufferer at times for over seventeen years, altho very few, even of his most intimate friends were aware of any such serious trouble, owing to his uncomplaining nature and going on whenever his duties so called. A few days before his operation, his condition became so acute that he was prevailed on by friends at Eagle to go to Glenwood for more thorough medical attention, which he did, the examining surgeons found an operation imperative at once. He rallied wonderfully from the effects of the operation and everyone looked forward to his speedy recovery. A week from the date of operation, word was received that he was rapidly sinking and no hopes held out for his recovery. It was indeed with sad hearts we received the news of his death Sunday morning.
Solon David Ackley, first saw the light of day October 27, 1874 at Oak Hill, Kansas. He was one of the sons of Solon and Victoria Ackley, who came to Eagle County and took up residence at Red Cliff while Solon was a lad of ten years. He grew to his manhood and lived the greater part of thirty-seven years at Red Cliff; he followed mining for awhile, took up railroading, was a fireman on the D. & R. G. railroad, for a number of years working out of Minturn, afterwards was in the Federal Forest Reserve, living with his family at Eagle. He was elected Sheriff of Eagle County on the Republican ticket, with a large majority November 1916, assuming charge of that office January 1917, serving the people as Sheriff ever since, by being twice reelected. Eagle County loses a most conscientious officer, one who was fair minded, level headed and cool in performing his duties. A year after election he moved his family back to Red Cliff.
He was married April 25, 1904 at Leadville, Colo., to Miss Mary G. Dunn, of this union there are two daughters and four sons. He was a most affectionate and dutiful husband and father, whose place can never be filled by his untimely death, of the age of 47 years, 6 months, 3 days. He leaves bereaved, a wife, six children, Amy, Carlton, Paul, Marjorie, Irving and Lawrence; an aged father and two brothers Frank and Garfield of Wadsworth, Nevada, who were all unable to attend the funeral, two sisters Mrs. H. F. Malcolm of Oak Hills,Kansas who was present; also Mrs. Jack MacArthur of Red Cliff.
Solon was a member of Leadville Lodge 236 B.P.O.Elks also Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen.
The funeral rites were held at 10 o'clock Wednesday A.M. at the Catholic Church by Father J. P. Carrigan of Glenwood Springs. The pall bearers were three of the B. of L. Firemen and three of Brothers of Elks. The flower laden casket was followed by a cortege of sorrowing friends and fellow officers from over the County who wended their way to the top of the hill to Greenwood Cemetery where with sorrowing hearts and loving hands they laid him under the whispering pines, in the family lot by his mother and sister who had gone before. This heartfelt sympathy of a whole community are extended to the bereaved family in their great sorrow.
