| Notes |
- We believe Solomon was born in Back Harbour, Twillingate. He moved to Three Arms and is noted as living there in 1846 (Seary). He married Jane, sister of John Burge Wells. They were one of the first settlers in Three Arms, a good fishing site and a safe harbour.
The Twillingate Sun, issue of Saturday, March 24, 1894: "[Died] At Three Arms, after a short illness. Mr. Solomon Strong, aged 85 years. He was a native of Twillingate, and has been for forty-seven years a resident of Three Arms. His death will be learned with deep regret by his many sincere friends."
The Twillingate Sun, issue of June 9, 1888: "On April 13th. at Three Arms, after a long and painful illness, Mrs. Solomon Strong."
The Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, Three Arms at http://enl.cuff.com/entry/82/8217.htm, "In 1838 John and William Wells of Back Harbour, Twillingate built a fishing room on Three Arms Island for the summer fishery. Then, in 1841, John Wells moved his household to Three Arms. In short order others followed, including Solomon Strong (who subsequently married Wells' sister), the family of William Vincent of Twillingate and James Norris, an Irishman. ... Wells had built up his premises to a small mercantile establishment, which employed a small schooner to trade with fishermen in western Notre Dame Bay and built fishing boats under the direction of Strong. ... The smaller vessels continued to be built locally, by John Rideout after Strong's eyesight began to fail ...".
Solomon Strong and John Wells were owners of the schooner Lamentation.
John G. Strong, buried Feb 4? 1877 Twillingate age illegible
Twillingate United Church parish record burials, PANL: 1843-1863
Parish of Twillingate, County of Green Bay
John H. Strong, Strong Family Anecdotes:
George's oldest son, Solomon, was famous for his strength, and many stories have been told of his feats. Dorman Knight, his grandson told me he had personally seen Solomon tuck a two-hundred pound barrel of flour under his arm and climb up the side of a wharf from a small boat. Another time he had been visiting Jackson's Cove and took Dorman home to Three Arms with him. They walked to Silverdale, got into a rowboat and rowed to Welch's Cove, where Solomon put the boat on his back and carried it across the neck to Three Arms, rather than rowing the long way around.
According to John Wells' notebook he was in a store making some purchases and on the way out was accosted by two brothers known as the "Big Warrens". Solomon laid down his packages and grabbed one of the brothers in each hand and banged their heads together.
The following stories about Solomon's strength were also related to me by Dorman Knight. However, most, if not all of them were often related by next generation Strongs, Wells' and Knights.
He used to go to St. John's occasionally, perhaps on Norris Company's trading schooner. The St. John's locals had heard of his strength and some of them would usually want to challenge him to fight. Solomon was a peaceful man but could not always avoid an encounter.
On one occasion, after having been baited unbearably he at last said to his tormentor, "all right then, if we must fight we will have to clear a space". He began by picking up a ship's anchor and giving it a toss. It landed a few feet away and went down clean through the wharf. The challenger left in a hurry.
On another occasion, he was goaded into accepting a challenge from the local champion, whose name was Green. Solomon proceeded to take off his heavy sweater and while his arms were over his head, he was suddenly attacked by Green, who landed a terrible blow which knocked Solomon down. He was able to get up. Solomon gave Green one punch which knocked him out. Green was carried home and died a few days later. Solomon also felt the effects of the blow from Green for the rest of his life. He visited Green before he died and the two men shook hands.
Once when Solomon was in St. John's for the last trip of the season, as he was buying his supplies for the winter he ran out of money before he could get his usual gallon of rum. He took his two-gallon keg under his arm after putting in one gallon of water, and started off for a tavern. The clerk poured in one gallon of rum and Solomon put his hand in his pocket, saying, "Gosh! No money!" Then he apologetically poured one gallon of the now diluted rum back in the measuring jug. He repeated this procedure at each tavern on Water Street and before long had some pretty good stuff in his keg, all for free.
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Our Family Forest
1811 - 1894 (82 years)