Rev. Solon McCroskey, a well known and popular preacher of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and a resident of the Third Civil District of Monroe County, is a native of that county, born January 11, 1830, a son of Samuel and Sarah (Tucker) McCroskey, both natives of Tennessee and of Scotch-Irish and German descent, respectively. The father was a native of Sevier County, born July 24, 1782, and died in Monroe County, September 28, 1848. The mother was born in Jefferson County, November 1, 1808, and died in Monroe County, August 8, 1841. They were married in Monroe County, July 1, 1828, and spent all their married life on Fork Creek Valley, in that county. The father was a farmer, a Democrat in politics, and a prominent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. For twenty years before his death he was an elder in that church. The mother was a member of the same, and a truly pious woman. The father was married three times: First, to Miss Mary McCollum, of Blount County, Tenn., November 12, 1816. She died December 26, 1817, leaving a daughter. July 4, 1822, he married Miss Elizabeth C. Grant, of Monroe County. She died August 23, 1824, leaving two children, a son and a daughter; the son died while still quite young. The third marriage was with our subject's mother, and of their family of six children, our subject is the eldest. He received a fair education in his youth, and attended Hiwassee College before his marriage. At about the age of twelve he embraced religion, but never entered the ministry until thirty-one years of age. He had thought of nothing but farming up to the time he was twenty-nine years of age, when he became convinced that he was called upon to preach the Gospel. He determined to secure a better education, and in the early part of 1860 he, with his wife and five children, moved to Ewing and Jefferson College, Blount County, where he attended school about two years. He then returned to Monroe County, settled on his farm, and since that time has administered to the spiritual wants of his fellow-men, being constantly in the work for the last fifteen years, and has served congregations in Monroe, Blount, and McMinn Counties. The following are some of the important charges he has served as pastor: The Madisonville congregation for the last twelve or fifteen years of his twenty-two years of ministry; Rockville, Monroe Co., since 1869, except one year. He organized Rockville Church, and at the same time gave half of his time to the Sweetwater congregation for three years. About ten years ago he organized a church in Blount County, near Maryville, and has been a preacher for this congregation ever since, except three years. He is now pastor of the following churches: Madisonville, Rockville, Monroe County, Holston Church, Blount County, and Springfield, also in Blount County. Our subject has been married twice, the first time, October 24, 1849, to Miss Nancy J. Mayo, daughter of the late Rev. B. H. Mayo, of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She was born in Monroe County, July 17, 1828, and died in the same county, November 27, 1874. November 16, 1875, Mr. McCroskey married Miss Sibby E. Eagleton, of Blount County, Tenn., born June 7, 1841. He became the father of eight children by his first marriage, three of whom are dead, and four by his second marriage, one son being deceased. His first wife was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and his second wife is a member of the same church. Our subject is independent in politics, is a strong Prohibitionist, and is working for the party. He has a son, John A. McCroskey, in Greene County, Mo., who is also laboring in the ministry.

[Source: Goodspeed - Monroe County, Tennessee. Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887]