Solomon Smith (alias Butler) was born around 1862 in North Carolina. Smith worked as a laborer and resided in New Hanover County, North Carolina. Smith was charged with larceny on April 1, 1878, and sentenced to two years in the North Carolina State Penitentiary. Smith was recorded in the North Carolina State Penitentiary's Descriptive Register for the Years 1869-1884 as prisoner number 2638. Smith's race was described as "colored." Smith was sixteen years old when he was arrested. Smith was noted as possessing no formal education, meaning he could not read or write at that time. During his incarceration, Smith was leased to the Western North Carolina Railroad Company to work on railroad construction. He was discharged from the railroad on February 2, 1880.