George Washington Holmes - Part Two
Check out Part One for George's story in Tennessee and Arkansas.
By 1858 George Washington Holmes has land in Newton County, Missouri near his brother Absalom.1 And he has another daughter - Jennie Holmes, born in 1856.2 This suggests that the family moved to Missouri between sometime between Sarah Ann's birth in Arkansas around 1852 and Jennie's in Missouri in 1856.
Here's a Missouri map. Newton County is in the southwest corner of the state.
The arrow points to an approximate location of GW's land based on the legal description in the land deeds. The deeds reference the land lying within the Mary Patterson league of land. (Side note: The story of Wootan Wells next door is an interesting read. It's curious to me how/if Wootan Wells had any impact on George and Caroline.)
On the 1880 census, George and Caroline are still in Robertson County, in the suburbs of Bremond.
By 1858 George Washington Holmes has land in Newton County, Missouri near his brother Absalom.1 And he has another daughter - Jennie Holmes, born in 1856.2 This suggests that the family moved to Missouri between sometime between Sarah Ann's birth in Arkansas around 1852 and Jennie's in Missouri in 1856.
Here's a Missouri map. Newton County is in the southwest corner of the state.
George & Caroline and their Children
Final Destination: Texas
The family arrives in Texas around 1859, according to dates that son Jacob Leroy Holmes gives on his Civil War pension application.3 Then my trail of the family goes cold until 1864. I can't find any George, Caroline, or any of their kids on the 1860 census. But their kids start getting married, and that helps place them around the state of Texas.Mary Elizabeth marries in Johnson County Texas
On September 15th 1864, M E Holmes marries James Nathan Gilpin in Johnson County.4 They have a son, James Bond Gilpin, around 1867.5Jacob LeRoy marries in Medina County Texas
Jacob Leroy "Jake" Holmes marries Mary Jane Noel in 1865 in Medina
County Texas, at the home of Jake's friend Bigfoot Wallace.6
Robertson County, Texas
Sarah Ann Holmes marries in Robertson County Texas
On 18 Dec 1869, Miss Sarah Ann Holmes marries Andrew S Y Stephens in Robertson County, Texas.7
GW Holmes purchases land in Robertson County
Two days later, G.W. Holmes purchases 50 acres of land in Robertson County for $125 cash from Burk Combs.8 Then, on 4 January 1870, GW sells one square acre of the land he just purchased to R. A. Morgan of New Orleans, Louisiana for $25 cash.9 This one square mile parcel lies in the NE corner of his land, and borders the town plat of Bremond. |
| Robertson Co., map, 1919; Austin, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth493081/: accessed December 5, 2017), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hardin-Simmons University Library. [Edited to add arrow showing GW Holmes approx land location.] |
The arrow points to an approximate location of GW's land based on the legal description in the land deeds. The deeds reference the land lying within the Mary Patterson league of land. (Side note: The story of Wootan Wells next door is an interesting read. It's curious to me how/if Wootan Wells had any impact on George and Caroline.)
1880 Census
The last time I could find George and Caroline on a census was 1850! By now all of their children are grown and out of their home.On the 1880 census, George and Caroline are still in Robertson County, in the suburbs of Bremond.
 |
| 1880 US Census, Robertson County, Texas, population schedule, Bremond township, page 40 (handwritten), dwelling 32, family 33, George W Holmes, Family History Film 1255324, Roll 1324; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : Accessed Nov 2017). |
George is 65, Caroline is 61. George is a farmer. As I mentioned in Caroline's story, this is the first document with written evidence that George and Caroline are married. Also living with them is their grandson, James Gilpin, age 12. Mary Elizabeth's son - we just met him above.
In October of 1882, GW and Caroline sell their land to Milledge Ficklin for $250 cash plus $750 in mortgage notes.10
They make one more move, which doesn't work out very well for them. Part Three is the last one, I promise.
_________________________
1 Bureau of Land Management, "Land Patent Search," digital images, General Land Office Records (http://glorecords.blm.gov/ Patent Search : accessed Nov 2017), George W Holmes (Newton County, Missouri), homestead patent number 82105, granted to Richard M. Duck and assigned to George W. Holmes.
2 Jennie Holmes is mentioned at the end of a story of her husband's survival of an attack by Native Americans as a youth. "He [J.W. Gardner] has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Jennie Holmes, sister to Mr. Sam Holmes, who was killed in his store at Utopia by a burglar several years ago." This excerpt and story of J.W. Gardner can be found in Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas by Andrew Jackson Sowell, on pages 242 - 245. The ebook is free on Google Books. Thank to TJ Holmes for this important tip about Jennie!
3 In his Civil War Pension Application, filed 19 Aug 1913, J L Holmes states that he has resided in Texas for 54 years.
"Alabama, Texas and Virginia, Confederate Pensions, 1884-1958," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Nov 2017), entry for J L Holmes, Pension File number 23730, Bear County, filed 19 Aug 1913; citing Texas State Library & Archives Commission; Austin, Texas; Confederate Pension Application, 1899-1975; Collection #: CPA23724; Roll: 445; Roll Description: Pension File Not 23724 to 23737, Application Years 1911 to 1913.
4 "Johnson County, Texas, Marriage Index, 1854-1872", Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Nov 2017), entry for J. N. Gilpin, male, to spouse M. E. Holms, marriage date 15 Sept 1864, marriage place Johnson, Texas.
Note: There'a a chance this marriage record could be for Mary's sister Martha instead. I have very little other information. I don't know yet what happened to the Gipins and why their son ended up with his grandparents in 1880.
5 Based on the 1880 census record, image above.
6 "Golden Bells Ring For Pioneer Texans," San Antonio Light," 12 September 1915, digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Nov 2017), citing original page 5[?].
7 "Texas, Mariage Collection, 1814-1909 and 1966-2011," Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Nov 2017), entry for Sarah Holmes, female, to spouse Andrew Stephens, marriage date 18 Dec 1869, marriage place Robertson, Texas; from Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin, Texas; Texas Marriages 1851-1900.
8 Robertson County, Texas, Deed Book OR, Volume Q, page 562; Burk Combs and G.W. Holmes, instrument date 20 December 1869, file date 8 January 1870; digital image, texaslandrecords.com (http://www.texaslandrecords.com/ Counties /Robertson Grantor/Grantee/Free Search: accessed Nov 2017)
9 Robertson County, Texas, Deed Book OR, Volume R, page 558; G.W. Holmes and R.S. Morgan, instrument date and file date 5 January 1870; digital image, texaslandrecords.com (http://www.texaslandrecords.com/ Counties /Robertson Grantor/Grantee/Free Search: accessed Nov 2017)
10 Robertson County, Texas, Deed Book OR, Volume 9, pages 426 and 427; G.W. Holmes & Wife and Milledge Ficklin, instrument date 9 October 1882, file date 16 October 1882; digital image, texaslandrecords.com (http://www.texaslandrecords.com/ Counties /Robertson Grantor/Grantee/Free Search: accessed Nov 2017)
In October of 1882, GW and Caroline sell their land to Milledge Ficklin for $250 cash plus $750 in mortgage notes.10
They make one more move, which doesn't work out very well for them. Part Three is the last one, I promise.
_________________________
1 Bureau of Land Management, "Land Patent Search," digital images, General Land Office Records (http://glorecords.blm.gov/ Patent Search : accessed Nov 2017), George W Holmes (Newton County, Missouri), homestead patent number 82105, granted to Richard M. Duck and assigned to George W. Holmes.
2 Jennie Holmes is mentioned at the end of a story of her husband's survival of an attack by Native Americans as a youth. "He [J.W. Gardner] has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Jennie Holmes, sister to Mr. Sam Holmes, who was killed in his store at Utopia by a burglar several years ago." This excerpt and story of J.W. Gardner can be found in Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas by Andrew Jackson Sowell, on pages 242 - 245. The ebook is free on Google Books. Thank to TJ Holmes for this important tip about Jennie!
3 In his Civil War Pension Application, filed 19 Aug 1913, J L Holmes states that he has resided in Texas for 54 years.
"Alabama, Texas and Virginia, Confederate Pensions, 1884-1958," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Nov 2017), entry for J L Holmes, Pension File number 23730, Bear County, filed 19 Aug 1913; citing Texas State Library & Archives Commission; Austin, Texas; Confederate Pension Application, 1899-1975; Collection #: CPA23724; Roll: 445; Roll Description: Pension File Not 23724 to 23737, Application Years 1911 to 1913.
4 "Johnson County, Texas, Marriage Index, 1854-1872", Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Nov 2017), entry for J. N. Gilpin, male, to spouse M. E. Holms, marriage date 15 Sept 1864, marriage place Johnson, Texas.
Note: There'a a chance this marriage record could be for Mary's sister Martha instead. I have very little other information. I don't know yet what happened to the Gipins and why their son ended up with his grandparents in 1880.
5 Based on the 1880 census record, image above.
6 "Golden Bells Ring For Pioneer Texans," San Antonio Light," 12 September 1915, digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Nov 2017), citing original page 5[?].
7 "Texas, Mariage Collection, 1814-1909 and 1966-2011," Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed Nov 2017), entry for Sarah Holmes, female, to spouse Andrew Stephens, marriage date 18 Dec 1869, marriage place Robertson, Texas; from Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin, Texas; Texas Marriages 1851-1900.
8 Robertson County, Texas, Deed Book OR, Volume Q, page 562; Burk Combs and G.W. Holmes, instrument date 20 December 1869, file date 8 January 1870; digital image, texaslandrecords.com (http://www.texaslandrecords.com/ Counties /Robertson Grantor/Grantee/Free Search: accessed Nov 2017)
9 Robertson County, Texas, Deed Book OR, Volume R, page 558; G.W. Holmes and R.S. Morgan, instrument date and file date 5 January 1870; digital image, texaslandrecords.com (http://www.texaslandrecords.com/ Counties /Robertson Grantor/Grantee/Free Search: accessed Nov 2017)
10 Robertson County, Texas, Deed Book OR, Volume 9, pages 426 and 427; G.W. Holmes & Wife and Milledge Ficklin, instrument date 9 October 1882, file date 16 October 1882; digital image, texaslandrecords.com (http://www.texaslandrecords.com/ Counties /Robertson Grantor/Grantee/Free Search: accessed Nov 2017)
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