Solomon Lucas was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on April 1, 1835, the sixth son of Samuel and Elizabeth Mites Lucas, who were English immigrants from Trowbridge in Wiltshire. His early life was defined by extreme hardship; he was left an orphan at just ten years old with no provision for his support, forcing him to spend his youth in grueling labor on farms and in factories until he was nineteen to secure his board and clothes. Despite these limitations and receiving only a basic country school education, he resolutely set out to enter the legal profession. He studied in the evenings while working as a schoolmaster before completing a course at the Albany Law School and reading law in Norwich in the office of the Honorable John T. Wait.
Lucas was admitted to the New London County bar in April 1861. In 1863, his early leadership earned him a seat in the state legislature representing the neighboring town of Preston. Although he differed politically from his distinguished Norwich townsman, Governor William A. Buckingham, the young legislator worked loyally to sustain the governor’s Union efforts. After this brief legislative term, which won him statewide recognition, Lucas permanently retired from seeking public office to devote his entire energy to his legal practice in Norwich.
Over the next several decades, Lucas built a reputation as one of the most prominent and formidable figures at the Norwich bar. He practiced actively in all the courts of the state, demonstrating consummate ability, painstaking preparation, and marvelous endurance in every case he undertook. Known as an aggressive yet cautious advocate, he was particularly celebrated as a brilliant cross-examiner who made himself “a terror to evil-doers” while protecting the law-abiding community. His legal mastery culminated in his 1889 appointment as State’s Attorney for New London County, an office he held with high honor and distinction until his death.
Solomon and Elizabeth Lucas Monument
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Deeply committed to his hometown, Lucas was a public-spirited citizen who freely gave his services to promote the general welfare of Norwich. His civic devotion was matched by his deep religious faith; he was a consistent, active member of the Second Congregational Church of Norwich for forty-two years. His long, active career came to an incredibly sudden end on March 13, 1906, when he died in the Supreme Court room in Norwich while in the full tide of his professional duties, an event felt as a deep public bereavement.
While Lucas was a powerful presence in the courtroom, he was a man of simple tastes who loved outdoor life, nature, and especially his home. On June 22, 1864, he married Elizabeth A. Crosby, the daughter of the late Hiram Crosby of Norwich. Tragically, Elizabeth passed away only ten years later, and Lucas chose to remain a devoted widower for the rest of his life, pouring his affection into raising their two daughters, Nancy E. and Mary C. Lucas, who both survived him.
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