Section V  Massey Excursi One Maryland Massey Family by George Langford, Jr. 1901-1996
©Cullen G. Langford and George Langford, III, 2010

Our Holmes - Krider Identification Project by Jo White Linn, C.G. and George Langford, Jr.
My Holmes-Clan Part of the Project
Produced for Jo White Linn, C.G. [1930-2006 - GL,III, ed.]
Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1985
To my long-time genealogical pen-pal, Jo White Linn, C.G., in appreciation of helpful and cheerfully professional toleration of my Family History research project efforts.

25 Oct.1985
Dear Jo -

After six hundred hours of twenty-five- to thirty-hour work weeks, here are the results of my best efforts to solve the major and minor mysteries in our Identification Project, and, of course, I hope that it will please you.
It took so long because it required my re-reading and re-interpreting the over one thousand pages of the bits and pieces in my Holmes Data Bank [which have been incorporated into the Massey Data Bank according to this schedule - The page references in the lists of source records below are to the Holmes Data Bank now stored at the Rowan County Library, Salisbury, North Carolina - GL,III, ed.]  These notes had all suffered the ravages of time, just like the old records from which they had all been transcribed.  And they were cold notes, some over fifty years old, far hard to work with than freshly transcribed notes.
I wrote a very wordy history of the formation of my Holmes Data Bank; it is not really pertinent to our Identification Project; and you are very welcome to skip it; it amounts to a history of my genealogical life !
I gained some genealogical side effects from all the newest work:
I freshened up my partly completed work on the Bear Creek line of my mother, Sydne Holmes;
I improved my citation records; these are now complete and ready for inclusion as Excursus XIV: Holmes Family in my book on my maternal Great-Grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Massey, on which I will soon get back to work; and
Most important to me, I have had the pleasure of sharing a joint effort with you; that is the real reason why I have spent so many hours on it.
You very well may question the excessive detail and the mass of editorial notes so liberally interlaced with the factual data; but in all cases it was the only way that I could see to make sense out of bare facts.
Again, Jo, I have given this project the "old college try," and now, with my blessing, it all is yours.
As always, most affectionately,
George [Langford, Jr.]
Table of Contents

Page
Title
i
Dedication
ii
Transmission
iii
Part One - Preliminaries 2
Scope of the Identification Problem
3-4
Diagram of My Final Holmes Conclusions
5
Notes Regarding the Diagram
6
The History of My Holmes Data Bank
Description of the Data Bank
My Genealogical Expertise - A Disclaimer
Omissions & Errors - An Apology
Building the Data Bank - Chronological History
7
7
7
7
7-30
Part Two - The Crane Creek Holmes Clan 31
Geography
32
The Crane Creek, Rowan County, Community
32
The R.W. Ramsey Small Scale Land Grant Map
33
The R.W. Ramsey Larger Scale Land Grant Map
34
Identification of Individuals
35
Linkages
35
I-George Holmes, wife Bethian
36-37
II-George Holmes, wife Pearly
38-40
John D. Holmes, wife Sallie Krider
41-47
Part Three - The Bear Creek Holmes Clan
48
Geography
48
The Bear Creek-Hunting Creek, Davis County, Community
48-49
Land Grant Map of Northwest Quarter of Davis County
50
Identification of Individuals
51
Linkages
51
I-Thomas Holmes, father of I-John Homes
52-56
II-Thomas Holmes, brother of I-John Holmes
57-68
III-Thomas Holmes, son of I-John Holmes
69-70

Part One - Preliminaries
The Holmes-Krider Identification Problem
Here are the facts, as we know them in June, 1985:
1
John D. Holmes, on 5 Jan.1815, in Rowan County, North Carolina, married Sallie Krider, b.14 Feb.1792, a daughter of Barnabas Krider, who wrote his will in Rowan Co., 14 Feb.1823.
2
II-Thomas Holmes, on 25 Jan.1803, in Roawn Co., N.C., married Susanna Barbara Krider, b.28 Aug.1783 in Pennsylvania, also a daughter of Barnabas Krider.
3
III-Thomas Holmes, on 4 Feb.1818, in Rowan Co., N.C., married Susanna Smith.
4
Although the Krider-Holmes connection was not important to Jo White Linn in her direct lineage, she was interested in a solution from an historical point of view.
5
I had at least one known Thomas Holmes member of my mother's Holmes family lineage and wanted to see how the apparently two Thomas Holmes men fit into this Holmes line or into perhaps some other Holmes line in North Carolina.
6
We planned to work on this identification problem jointly but independently:
Jo would continue her interest in the Krider family; and
I would do what I could with the Holmes family identifications problem, using only my voluminous Holmes notes, but no outside research.
Here is my major discovery:  John D. Holmes and Thomas Holmes, although married to sisters, are not otherwise related:
John D. Holmes is a member of a Holmes family that settled in a roughly triangular area in southeast Rowan Co. bounded on the East by the North Yadkin River, and on the South by the Granville Line.  Their lands were on Crane Creek and on Grant's Creek, and I have dubbed this the Crane Creek Holmes Community.
Thomas Holmes is a member of a Holmes family that settled, along with their related Blackwood and Patrick families, in the northwest quarter of Davis Co., N.C., traversed by Hunting Creek and Bear Creek.  I have dubbed this the Hunting Creek - Bear Creek Community, Bear Creek for short.
From this point on, I researched these two Holmes families simultaneously, but separately, and developed two different lineage studies.
I initially identified these two Holmes clan as the "Crane Creek - Grant's Creek Holmes Clan," and the "Hunting Creek - Bear Creek Holmes Clan," but these are clumsy and cumbersome to use frequently, so I have compressed them to the simpler, "Crane Creek Holmes family," and "Bear Creek Holmes Family."
To give you a preview of my final identification conclusions, and to give you a chance to glimpse the final picture, I am inserting a diagram that ordinarily would be the last page of this whole dissertation:
Holmes - Krider Genealogial Diagram:
Holmes-Krider genealogical chart drawn by GL,III, ed.
Editorial notes on the Holmes - Krider diagram
1
John Holmes, 1765-1847, was married twice, as shown in the diagram.  Not pertinent to our Holmes - Krider Identification Project, are records of his career across the southwest tip of Virginia, and his progress across all of Kentucky to Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky, where he is buried.
2
Also not pertinent to our Holmes - Krider Identification Project are the notes on the career of John Holmes, 1809-1851, as he traveled across Kentucky to Lexington.
3
As indicated by the vertical arrow ^  I have extended the line of Prasha Patrick, mainly in Orange Co., N.C.
4
I have extended the line of Susanna Blackwood, also in Orange Co., N.C.
5
I have extended the line of Sally Ann Gilbert in Queen Anne's Co. and Kent Co., Maryland.
6
I have extended the line of Lyda Massey from Missouri through Kent Co., Maryland, and the collateral family tree line in Virginia and Maryland.
7
Father extended the Langford line back through Colorado to New York State to Rhode Island, and collateral lines through Scotland, England and the Continent.
8
I have nothing in my Holmes Data Bank to indicate the surnames of Bethia, the wife of I-George Holmes, or of Pearly, the wife of II-George Holmes.
The History of My Holmes Data Bank
Prelude: As my part in this Identification Project depends completely on my Data Bank, I believe it is appropriate to describe it and its formation in some detail.
The Data Bank Itself: At present writing, it consists of 1,067 pages of closely written 8-1/2 by 11 inch sheets of bits and pieces of data pertaining to the Holmes name.
My Genealogical Expertise: - A Disclaimer: I am not a professional Genealogist; I have had no formal education of any sort in the field of Genealogy, unless you count considerable reading on the subject. 
My Educational and Business Background: My formal education, and many years of experience were Engineering, both in design and in operation.  Most of my business career has been spent in administration and operation, for ten years with a small railway supply company, the McKenna Process Company, in Joliet, Illinois, and for twenty-five years as Production Control Manager of a large, multi-plant manufacturing company, the Belden Corporation, with its main offices in Chicago, Illinois.  From this experience I gained a degree of expertise in two areas that have proven useful in genealogical research:
I learned how to detect trends and patterns in both written and mathematical detailed data; and
I also learned that I had to base decisions into the future from a base of inadequate information.
Omissions and Errors: - An Apology: Although I have research diligently for many years, I am more than sure that there are many sources and records extant of which I have never seen or heard; my proxy researchers and I have been as careful as possible, but we surely have made our share of errors in misreading, transcribing, and interpreting data.  I can only hope that there aren't too many of those.
How We Built the Data Bank: - History: We did not build this Data Bank in any neat, orderly, straight-forward fashion; it was done with occasional, important data reports, and our work was interrupted many, many times by various traumatic events.  We had two factors that created continuity to our research:
One was my constant use of proxy researchers, selected in target areas; and
The other steadying influence was the use of my membership in the New England Historic Genealogical Society to borrow books by mail from their library; this I did for about thirty-five years.
Chronological Notes of the Data Bank Formation:  I will be as brief as I can:

26 Oct.1931: At St. Paul, Minnesota:  Father attended his mother's funeral, and he and his two brothers found that she had saved two packages of family documents.  Father, long a reasearcher in scientific areas, was nominated to analyze them, and so he brought them home to Joliet, Illinois.
1 Nov.1931: In Joliet, Illinois:  One of the packages was a lot of letters, written on soft foolscap paper.  They had been written on both sides of the paper, the ink had bled through, and they were extremely hard to read, but it turned out that they had been written to Grandmother Langford's grandfather in Nova Scotia from his grandfather in Scotland.
The other package contained an early attempt by an elderly cousin to work out Langford and some collateral lines in New York State and in New England.
Father showed Mother and me all these papers and aroused Mother's interest; and so, Mother produced some papers of her own.  These were a D.A.R. application that Grandmother Holmes had filled out for Mother before she died in 1929, and her own D.A.R. and Colonial Dames papers, showing her Massey and collateral lines.
The three of us decided that we would like to learn more about all these people, so Father and I visited the Joliet Public Library for advice.  The Joliet Library had a small section on Genealogy and History, all of it local.  The librarian advised us to visit the Newberry Library in Chicago, forty miles away, which she said was reported to have the finest bank of genealogy and Town History records west of the big New York City Public Library.
Ca.15 Nov.1931:  On a Saturday morning, Father and I drove into Chicago's Near North Side to have a look for ourselves at was available there.  Joe Wolf, Assistant Librarian in charge of the Genealogy and Town History floor, showed us the book stacks, the shelf stacks, the research room and the index arrangements.  We felt that we certainly could be well taken care of and planned to commence our research as soon as we could arrange the time.
The full year of 1932:  Let me describe the situation:
First of all, these were the years of the Great Depression, and that created a special situation for Father and me; we both worked for the McKenna [Process] Company in Joliet, Illinois.  Father was its President and Guiding Spirit, and I was his Plant Superintendent, and we shared the engineering and technical duties.  McKenna operated a rolling mill designed to re-roll worn railroad rails to the shape needed to re-install them in main line track, alongside standard and newly manufactured rails.  McKenna's re-rolling tonnage charge was about ten percent of the cost of new rails rolled at the big steel companies.  So, the railroads, also in the same Depression and wanting to cut expenses wherever they could, found McKenna's services very valuable.  McKenna served practically every railroad that touched the Chicago Metropolitan Area, and business was brisk. 
But there were good and bad points.
When a railroad had worn rails that they needed McKenna to re-roll and return them, they wanted all of them, and they wanted them right away.  So, during these spells, we often had to operate the mill on two, twelve-hour shifts, six days a week.  This was highly profitable, but it left no time for anything but work.
But when a railroad had not accumulated a bank of worn rails, they had no re-rolling business to give McKenna, and nothing could be done about it.
So, during these dry spells, we would repair and tune up the mill equipment and attempt to persuade the railroads to send us business.
Father and I would go into Chicago to the railroads' purchasing departments to check on their plans and to use our selling abilities.  We would usually finish all these visits by mid-morning, and with open time available, we would spend the rest of the day in research at the Newberry Library.  For a time, this worked out real well, but then came a disaster that had been brewing: The railroads ran out of used 30-foot and 36-foot rails and were now accumulating worn rails of the new standard 45-foot length.
McKenna's re-rolling mill had been tailored to re-roll 30-foot rails, and that had been stretched to handle 36-foot rails.  But the entire mill would have had to be built again, from scratch to handle these 45-footers, and McKenna's Trustees were unable to find a source for the capital required.
Father offered a solution: The railroads, all of them, had accumulated huge piles of worn rail splice bars with no outlet except as charging material for blast furnaces.  These splice bars still retained most of their weight, and Father had already convinced a number of railroads that these splice bars could be forged into shapes that would be the equivalent of new splice bars.
McKenna's Trustees elected to go along with this idea, Father researched the equipment required, the Trustees found the capital required, and McKenna built a bar mill.
Father had hired me in 1929, after I had worked for two years as an engineer and planner for Belden.  Two of his trusted operating foremen had found a financial backer, had set up a competing bar mill, almost in McKenna's back yard, and had left Father in the lurch, without a plant operator.
Father was understandably hurt and bitter.  He needed a plant superintendent whom he could trust, one with engineering training, and he thought that I would fill the bill; so did the McKenna Trustees.
I had worked at McKenna during Summer vacations since I was fourteen years old, plus an eight-month stretch while I was out of college, waiting for a required course in differential calculus to come around so I could get it into my schedule.  I had been the millwright's helper and the furnace brickmason's helper, I knew all the other sub-foremen as well as most of the mill hands.  Father discussed hiring me as Superintendent, and they all approved.
When I first arrived at McKenna, we were operating the rail mill and the bar mill, the railroads kept us busy up to over full capacity, we were operating 24 hours a day, six days a week, and no time ever to think of visiting Newberry.  McKenna was making handsome net profits.
But at home, back in Joliet, Father and I were still working on our projects.  Father did far better than I; he had worked out his Langford and collateral lines, had put it all together, and published a very limited edition of about twenty copies, distributed to family members and to libraries and historical societies of his choice.
I had actually gotten nowhere in researching Mother's Holmes line.
At first, when all I had learned so far about the Holmes line was that Daniel Boone Holmes, 1850-1911, had said that his parents were buried in Lexington, Kentucky, I felt that I had no problem:  After all, my Uncle Massey Holmes was a successful, prosperous lawyer, but also somewhat active in Kansas City political affairs.  I confidently expected to find that someone had worked out and published a nice, long record of distinguished Holmes lawyers, and that all I would have to do was to go to Newberry and locate the book.  Alas, such an easy solution was not to be; there was research work to be done.
So, on our earliest visits to the Newberry Library, I had sought out and gone through all of their books and  periodicals that mentioned a Holmes family.  I took copious notes, in case I needed to go back to them, but I never found a link to my own Holmes family.  I did the same, downtown at the Chicago Public Library and at the University of Chicago's John Crerar Library.  The Harper Library, also at the University of Chicago, had no genealogy section, but they did have a fine collection of very early Kentucky newspapers, and I squeezed out a few notes there for my data bank.
Up to this point, I still knew no more about Mother's Holmes family than that Daniel Boone Holmes' parents were said to be buried in the Lexington, Kentucky, Cemetery.  That is why I was so anxious to go to Lexington.
20 Feb.1933: Lexington, Kentucky - the Cemetery:
In early 1933 I accidentally found my opportunity.  I was elected to answer a trouble call by the Missouri Pacific Railway to solve a rail problem in Kentucky.  The solution proved easy, I had a little time to spare, and so I drove over to Lexington.
The first monument contained these inscriptions:
John Holmes 1809-1851
Sally Ann Gilbert Holmes, his wife 1810-1880
John Holmes 1765-1847
Prasha Holmes, his wife 1779-1844
In the Holmes Lot:
Joseph Warren Holmes 1837-1852
James G. Holmes 1841
Sarah C. Holmes 1842-1845
William Henry Holmes, buried at New Orleans, Louisiana 1847-1892
John Holmes 1844
Andrew J. Holmes 1845
Jon Holmes buried 1870
James Holmes buried 1870
On another monument were these inscriptions:
Henry Gilbert, born Queen Anne's County, Maryland, 26 Oct.1771, died 31 Jan.1847.
Sally S., wife of Henry Gilbert, born Queen Anne's County, Maryland, 21 Jan.1778, died 6 Nov.1850.
On an adjoining lot:
Sally Gilbert 6 May 1850
Henry Gilbert 21 Jan.1847
The cemetery's Sexton showed me that the cemetery had been dedicated 28 Jan.1850, and he said that the burials prior to that date were re-burials.  He also said that he understood that this Holmes section had been established by a "wealthy family member" about 1895.
I then made the return trip, back to Joliet.
Ca. 28 Feb.1933; Joliet, Illinois:  I shared all this big news with Mother and Father, and we had a little Council of War.
First, and most important: We had now identified our true Holmes line and could plan and direct our research to one family only, and not have to grope any more all over the U.S.A. for Holmes clans.
Next, our knowledge of these three Holmes generations was limited to Lexington, Kentucky, and so our next research move should be to find out all we could about John Holmes 1809-1851 and John Holmes 1765-1847.
Also, we needed to research Lexington for our newly found collateral Gilbert family records and to see if the Lexington records could tell us what Prasha's surname was.
We felt that this Lexington research would also help identify all the new Holmes names in the Holmes Lot.  And perhaps research could explain the concentration of the death dates in the 1841-1851 period.
By now I had already acquired a researcher in the Lexington area, she had done considerable work for me concerning Daniel Boone Holmes and his wife, Lyda Massey, and so I updated her on these suggestions.
I also had a researcher in Frankfort, Kentucky, who had also done work for me, so I sent her a copy of the letter I had written to Lexington researcher.
March, 1933; Lexington, Kentucky:  My researchers sent me copies of deeds and similar records but did not find wills for either John Holmes 1809-1851 or John Holmes 1765-1847.  They did find that Sally Ann Holmes had been appointed Administratrix of the estate of John Holmes 1809-1851, proving that he had died intestate.  But she did make an interesting discovery: The obituary of John Holmes 1809-1851 called him, "John Holmes of Virginia," opening up a whole new state for me to research.  She also found the record that Jno. Homes married Sarah A. Gilbert, 1 Dec.1836, in Fayette Co., Ky.  Bondsmen were father, Henry Gilbert, and Silas Smith.
And, by an astonishing piece of good luck, she had done some research on a lady named Prasha: Prasha Wood, wife of Stephen Wood, of Clarke Co., Ky.  In tracing this Prasha Wood, she found a record of a pair of twins, Prussia and Russia Barrow, born 10 Nov.1778, daughters of one Zachariah Barrow, who lived in Hyde Co. and Beaufort Co., North Carolina.  Prussia Barrow's birth date of 10 Nov.1778 was so close to our Prasha Holmes' birth date of 1779 that I thought we had her surname established and put the State of North Carolina on my research list.  More of this later.
My Lexington researcher also found, listed in an 1839 Lexington City Directory, a "John Holmes, joiner and builder," who could have been either one of our two John Holmes men.
But we could find no records concerning the death of John Holmes 1765-1847; no will or estate records in Fayette Co. or in several surrounding Kentucky counties, nor could we discover where the pre-1850 burials had been.  The Holmes family had been Baptists, but the Lexington First Baptist Church had preserved no written records and had no church graveyard.
My Frankfort, Kentucky, researcher had been searching the records of the Kentucky Historical Society and had found:
Lexington tax records of John Holmes 1809-1851 and of his brother, James Holmes.
No list of Fayette County graveyards.
No mention of Kentucky epidemics.
April 1933; Joliet, Illinois:  I reviewed my then current Holmes Data Bank for Holmes Virginia records; I found a John Holmes in Augusta Co., Va. that might have been John Holmes 1765-1847.  I borrowed books from the N.E.H.G.S. Library and developed a most attractive Holmes family line, adding copious notes to my Holmes Data Book.  I also searched for Prussia Barrow and Preasha Wood, first finding that Prussia Barrow had d.7 Nov.1847.  I found Preasha Wood listed as daughter of Stephen Wood, of Surrey Co., Nor. Car.  I also noted a record I had made some time before of the marriage in Rowan Co., Nor. Car. of a James Holmes, where a bondsman was named John Holmes.  I made a hopeful guess that this might be my John Holmes 1765-1847.
Feeling that I had evidence that pointed strongly toward the Rowan Co., No. Car. area, I secured a Salisbury, No. Car. researcher. 
Although the Holmes family burials in the Lexington, Ky. cemetery, concentrated as they were in the 1841-1851 period, had suggested to me that an epidemic was the cause, I had found no confirmation.
But, on 10 Oct.1985, when I was watching a CBS News broadcast of a panel discussion on Americans' perils of living in 1985 (wars, hurricanes, low farm product prices, illicit drugs, AIDS, etc.) they introduced a speaker who noted that, life in the Mid-19th Century was no less perilous in the City of Galena, Illinois, where he was the resident authority on local history: Unemployment in the local lead mines, the declining price of lead, low farm product prices, the high cost of living, Mississippi River floods, the high cost of river and railway transportation, health problems, and the ever-present high infant mortality rate, in the area of fifty percent.  Serious as all these were, in 1845 a reportedly widespread cholera epidemic struck Galena, completely wiping out many entire families; he showed photographs of gravestones bearing twelve to fifteen names on each stone.
Illinois and Kentucky being neighboring states, I feel that this cholera epidemic is the answer to my Lexington, Ky. family concentrated-death-date puzzle.
Meanwhile, back in Joliet, Illinois, there had been another development: The McKenna Company had attracted the attention of the Rail Joint Co., a New York City based company.  They manufactured the complex rail joints required by railways to attach regular rails to the crossings and switches that they use.  They had designed this item very well, they had chosen the proper alloy steels and skills required, and they had done such a good job that they had practically no competition.  They had also taken the precaution to protect their product, its manufacturing process, and its use with a rather impenetrable wall of patents.
Their chief Patent Attorney, who had been watching the issuance of about sixty patents in Father's name, recognized that Father was doing the same thing.  He alerted the Rail Joint Co.'s president with the thought that they should add re-worked splice bars to their repertory, have their railroad customer base well developed.
This appealed to the Rail Joint Co.; and so they approached Father for a license under the McKenna patents.  As their sphere was New York, far from Chicago, Father felt this to be an opportunity for Mckenna; they negotiated an appropriate rate, and the Rail Joint Company became McKenna's first licensee, at once commencing to pay royalties to McKenna.
The Rail Joint Company had licensees in Alabama and in Colorado, and helped Father add them as additional licensees.  The monthly royalties became substantial, a larger contributor to McKenna's profits than the splice bar re-working business.
A Chicago-based railway supply company was urged by two large railroads to get into the splice-bar re-work field; it was to their self-interest to have a competitor, and they provided this outfit a share in the business.  This company built a re-working plant in Aurora, Illinois, a scant twenty-five miles from McKenna, and applied to Father for a license.  Father didn't want to grant them one, but these same two railroads threatened to take business away from McKenna unless a license was granted, and so this new, local competitor also became a licensee.
McKenna's income became mostly royalties, but re-working splice bars also brought in money, so McKenna continued to operate the bar mill.
At this stage, Father was chiefly occupied with advising licensees on bar re-working.  McKenna had acquired additional licensees in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Canada.  The large companies knew how to charge for their re-work services, but the smaller companies did not, and so these smaller companies asked Father for his advice.
Now, McKenna didn't have a real cost system but had arrived at a re-work tonnage charge that was satisfactory to the railroads and profitable to McKenna.  In his license correspondence Father had mentioned what McKenna charges actually were, and he hinted that if they made the same re-work charge, they could probably make a profit also.  This correspondence was later on to haunt McKenna.
My duties in operating the bar mill were now added to bring law & order into the financial part of our royalty business, and I was elected McKenna's Secretary-Treasurer, filling my work-week completely, leaving only occasional hours at home for genealogical thinking.
1934-1936:  This was a very important period in my private life.  My marriage to Madeleine Mitchell was deteriorating badly, ending in divorce in early 1935.  I moved back in with Mother and Father in their Joliet home.  Not too long later, I met Mitzi Gonetz.  We were immediately attracted to each other and planned marriage.  I rented an apartment in Chicago near the University of Chicago Hospital where Mitzi was assisting in cancer research in addition to her professional Medical Doctor duties as Visiting Pathologist for two Joliet hospitals and two Aurora hospitals.
Our baby was on the way, we felt he should grow up in the suburbs, so, although I commuted by car forty-three miles each day, we found time to research the suburbs, and we decided on Hinsdale, about twenty miles from Joliet.
We were very short on money.  My divorce decree stipulated appropriate child support payments, but uncomfortably high alimony.  My salary at McKenna, plus Mitzi's earnings as Visiting Pathologist were barely adequate to keep us going.  But then, we got a break; a long-delayed bequest from one of Mitzi's grandparents in Germany.
This bequest, plus an account of mine that Mother had hidden from Madeleine's attorneys, proved enough, on a shoestring basis, to let us put a down payment on a lot and on a house, and to talk the local Savings & Loan Co. to set up a mortgage.  So we moved into our new Hinsdale home just after our son was born.  Then lightning struck McKenna.
Our Aurora licensee stopped paying royalties, claiming that he didn't use the McKenna patents, that on top of that, they didn't think McKenna's patents were very good.  We filed suit to collect the royalties due McKenna in Kane County Court, near Aurora.  While this lawsuit was pending, other licensees learned of it and also postponed royalty payments, leaving McKenna with accrued royalties of almost a quarter million dollars tied up, and very little royalty income coming in to McKenna.
Our Aurora licensee filed a counter-suit, again claiming that they didn't need to use the McKenna patents, did not in fact use them, and, furthermore, felt that they were invalid.  They convinced the Court, which ruled in their favor and enjoined McKenna from collecting their royalties.
The claim of patent invalidity, and the introduction of evidence that all of McKenna's charged the identical re-work amount, brought the U.S. Department of Justice into the picture.  The Dept. of Justice filed suit in Federal Court, charging price fixing, then illegal.
Our legal staff, plus our patent attorneys, plus the legal staff of the Rail Joint Co., defended McKenna, but the Court ruled against McKenna, finding McKenna a monopoly in restraint of trade and declaring all of McKenna's patents invalid.  This sounded McKenna's death knell, really, but we tried to keep McKenna alive from profits in operating the bar mill.  These profits were barely more than costs, so Father turned in desperation to another idea: Fossil Collecting.
1937-1938:  Father, all his life a naturalist, had learned that the strip mines, southwest of Joliet, were creating great spoil heaps as they removed the overburden to reach coal deposits underneath.  In these spoil heaps were claystone nodules containing very attractive and well preserved casts of fossil plants, seeds, and various forms of animal life.  He and I had gone there to see what that was all about, found these fossils easily collectible, and accumulated a sizable lot.
Father knew the names of some of them from collecting in this so-called Mazon Creek area, back about 1910.  He wanted to know more.  As an amateur archaeologist, he had worked with the head of the University of Chicago's Department of Archaeology, and through this Dr. Cole we made contact with a Dr. Noe, then head of the University's Department of Fossil Plants, and considered the World's top authority.  We arranged to meet with Dr. Noe at the University, and brought along a half dozen, ten-gallon pails, filled with carefully wrapped nodules.
Dr. Noe almost dropped dead; he said that at least ninety percent of the specimens were totally new to Science, and he asked permission to properly classify them.  Then he brought out all of his graduate student class, and they went to work to identify those that they could.  I dutifully wrote these identifications on each protective paper wrapping paper, and Dr. Noe begged us to come back again with more specimens, which we did, several times.
One of his graduate students asked permission to use this identification project as the subject of his Master's Thesis, which he proceeded to work up.
This collection of fine, identified fossil specimens grew & grew.  The Illinois State Museum financed the publication of the thesis and wanted to get the collection.  There was no way that McKenna could treat this as a gift, so Father and the State Museum negotiated a very good purchase price, and so we were in the fossil-collecting business.
One at a time, we assembled very good, small fossil collections, which we offered to colleges and museums all over the country.  These collections sold very well, combining with our bar mill operation to keep the McKenna Company going for a while.  Nevertheless, the handwriting was on the wall; McKenna simply could not afford a Plant Superintendent (me.)
Father felt able to operate the bar mill by himself and did so until it became inevitable that McKenna would have to go out of business.  In 1941 we turned in McKenna's franchise to the State of Illinois and McKenna was officially dead.  Father remained in Joliet to liquidate the business, and I went looking for a job.  I found one, back at the Belden Corp., in Chicago.
My 1924-1929 work at Belden had been well done; I had left in 1929 in good standing, and with their blessing, and there was an open job at Belden for which I was well qualified.
1941-1969:  My earliest assignments, as I returned to Belden, were initially as Mechanical Engineer.  Then shortly I was assigned to Equipment and Plant Expansion Planning, and then into the administration of Belden's Engineering Department.  Then I had a new and challenging opportunity: My appointment as Corporate Production Manager in 1944.  This job was a sheer joy to me; it combined careful, well thought-out manufacturing planning, the detail required to produce, maintain, and control a large, expensive inventory, and the daily slam-bang problems involved in taking care of customer orders to the satisfaction of the Sales Department, and taking care of scheduling manufacturing products to the satisfaction of the manufacturing executives of our various plants.
Production Management is traditionally a killer job, but it just suited me personally, and so I thrived on it, through thick and thin until my retirement from Belden in 1969.
1943:  Father had liquidated the McKenna Co., sold his old home in Joliet, and he and Mother moved into a North LaSalle Street  apartment on Chicago's Near North Side, near Lincoln Park.
We had sold to Chicago's Field Museum one of McKenna's small fossil collections; Father asked permission to curate the collection as a volunteer assistant, which permission was granted, and he worked there almost all days of the week.  He and I also made a few collecting trips to the strip mines on Saturdays; that was very pleasant for both of us.  We had always enjoyed each others' company.  The Field Museum became well aware of Father's deep interest in these fossils; and this opened up a new career for him.
13 May 1943:  This date refers to one of the really big events that can come along in a genealogist's career: The discovery of my Holmes family Bible !  Here's the story:
I came home from work, and Mitzi said that the long distance operator anxiously wanted to reach me.  That I did, and the call was from my Aunt Ethel, widow of Massey Holmes.  She said, that in preparing her Kansas City house for sale, they had found two Holmes bibles, a package of letters, and some miscellaneous papers.  She knew that I would be excited, she was packing them up for shipment, but she wanted to tell me the news at once.
The big, nineteen-pound Bible was the Daniel B. Holmes Bible.
The small Bible was the Bible of John Holmes 1809-1851.
And in the small Bible was a much-folded sheet of paper with all the family dates, quite obviously copied from the family-records page of a still earlier Bible, that of our John Holmes 1765-1847.
Of course, this was a gold mine of information, the most interesting bit being that John Holmes 1765-1847 had indeed been married twice.
We had established for certain sure that his first wife was named Susanna Blackwood, but we still didn't know Prasha's surname.
The bundle of letters turned out to be personal, concerning home information, to Daniel Boone Holmes and Henry Holmes, who were both attending Kentucky University in Lexington.  Both Bibles had papers in between the leaves for safe keeping, the one in the older Bible providing a welcome and rewarding surprise: It was a much-refolded and tattered sheet of paper, an obvious copy of the family record page of a still earlier Holmes Bible, that of our John Holmes 1765-1847.  Let me quote this record now, verbatim:
March 29 Day 1795.  Thomas Holmes was Born in the year of our Lord of John Holmes and Susanna his Wife .
Susanna Holmes Died Seased this life on July 2nd Day 1796.
November the 30th 1798 John Holmes and Prasha was marred in the year of our Lord.
February the 9th William Holmes was born in the year of our Lord 1799.
November the 10 day Susanna Holmes was Born in the year of our Lord 1800.
December 29th Robert Stafford Holmes was Born in the year of our Lord 1802.
June the 24th Sally Holmes was Born in the year of our Lord 1806.
January 16th John Holmes was Born in the year of our Lord 1809.
October 6th Elizabeth Holmes was born in the year of our Lord 1811.
September 13th Ellinor Holmes was born in the year of our Lord 1814.
April 3rd James Holmes was born in the year of our Lord 1817.
June 3rd Urial Holmes was born in the year of our Lord 1820.
January 3rd Daniel Holmes was born in the year of our Lord 1822.
Family Record bound with the Bible of John Holmes and Sarah Ann Gilbert:
Marriages:
Mr. John Holmes married Wife Sarah P. Gilbert DC 1st 1836
Births:
John Holmes Sr. was Born Jan 16th 1765.
Prasha Holmes Born March 9th 1779.
March 29th 1795 Thomas Holmes was Born.
February 9th 1799 William P. Holmes was Born.
November 10th 1800 Susanna Holmes was Born.
December 29th 1802 Robert S. Holmes was Born.
June 24th 1806 Sarah Holmes was Born.
January 15th 1809 John Holmes was Born.
October 6th 1811 Elizabeth Holmes was Born.
September 13 1814 Eleanor Holmes was Born.
April 3rd 1817 James Holmes was Born.
June 2nd 1820 Urial Holmes was Born.
January 3rd 1823 Daniel Holmes was Born.
Joseph Warren Holmes was born October 28th 1837.
James G. Holmes was born May 6th 1841.
Sarah Catherine Holmes was born October 12th 1842.
John Holmes was born Dec.21st 1844.
Andrew Jackson Holmes was born June 26th 1847.
William henry Holmes was born June 26th 1847.
Daniel Holmes was born March 13th 1850.
Sally Ann Holmes (nee Gilbert) was born 17th October 1812.
Deaths:
Prasha Holmes Died Dec. 26th 1844.
John Holmes Sr. Died January 23rd 1847.
Sally Ann Holmes (nee Gilbert) wife of John Holmes, Jr. died at Lexington, Kentucky July 13th 1880.
Note that in transcribing the records from the loose sheet to the bound Family Record, the copyist omitted all references to Susanna, the first wife of John Holmes 1765-1847.
Bible Record of Daniel B. Holmes 1850-1911:
Marriages:
On the Sixth Day of February in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Seven in the City of Jefferson in the County of Cole in the Diocese of Missouri I Joined Together in Holy Matrimony Mr. Daniel B. Holmes and Miss Lyda A. Massey.  I have herewith put my name this Tenth Day of February One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Seven.  Charles L. Robertson, Bishop of Missouri.  Witness: Ben F. Massey & Warwick Hough.
George Langford and Sydney Holmes were married at Kansas City, Missouri, November 14, 1900 Trinity Church.
John Roy Russell and Mignon Gilbert Holmes were married at Kansas City, Missouri November 3, 1906 Trinity Church.
Births:
Daniel Boone Holmes was born at Lexington, Kentucky March 13th A.D. 1850.
Of Benjamin Franklin Massey and Maria Hawkins Withers, Lyda Adelaide Massey, was [born] at Sarcoxie, Missouri October 12th 1854.
Of Daniel Boone Holmes and Lyda Massey Holmes the following was born:
Massey Bryant Holmes at Kansas City, Missouri January 28th 1878.
Sydney Holmes at Kansas City, Missouri August 27th 1881.
Mignon Gilbert Holmes at Kansas City, Missouri June 28th A.D. 1884.
Of George Langford and Sydney Holmes Langford there was born:
Geo. Langford, Jr., October 25, 1901 at Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Lyda Langford, March 4th, 1903 at St. Paul, Minnesota.
Deaths:  Blank page.
Memoranda: Blank page.
Presented:
To Mr. D. B. Holmes
Sunday March 12th 1883
By Miss S. H. Thwaites
His Mother's Request
Signature:
Inside the front cover of the Bible: Mrs. Sally Ann Holmes
20 May 1943:  First of all, the Holmes Bible records established my own personal Holmes family line:
a.
John Holmes 1765-1847 and wife Prasha 1779-1840
b.
John Holmes 1809-1854 and wife Sally Ann Gilbert 1812-1880
c.
Daniel Boone Holmes 1850-1911 and wife Lyda Massey 1854-1929
d.
Sydne Holmes 1881-1968 and husband George Langford 1876-1964
The Bible records give no hint of Prasha's surname.
I had long ago made a note of the marriage 9 Dec.1793 [of John Holmes 1765-1847 - from GL,Jr. earlier notes - GL,III, ed.] to Susanna Blackwood in Rowan Co., Nor. Car. and the fact that his first daughter born after her death was named Susanna Holmes, caught my eye.  This was exactly the way "A Colonial Dutch Naming Pattern" was described in George O. Zabriskie's Climbing Your Family Tree Systematically [Salt Lake City, Utah: Parliament Press, 1969 - GL,III, ed.]  
Under this pattern, the first son born to John Holmes 1765-1847, who was named Thomas Holmes, was named for his father, who [therefore] would have been named Thomas Holmes.  The second son born, who was named William P. Holmes, would be named for Prasha's father, William P., the surname not being spelled out.  So, we were still in the dark regarding Prasha's surname.
I wrote all this to my Rowan Co. researcher, that she continue her search for Holmes and Blackwood data, and look for any man named William P., surname starting with "P."  She sent me a quantity of notes, which I added to my Data Bank, but no trace of the surname of William P.
I spent all available research time at home, working with a researcher in Augusta Co., Va. on that Holmes line and a great deal of time researching by mail my Massey family in Missouri and Maryland, also a number of the Gilbert collateral lines in Kentucky, Virginia, and Maryland.
But, all this time, never dead, was the hope that I could solve my Holmes, Blackwood, and William P. puzzle.
7 Jul.1944:  I had learned of Mrs. Mamie McCubbins and her interest in North Carolina historical and genealogical records and had written to her about our Prasha Holmes identification problem, and she sent me this record:
Will, 9 Jun.1818, Rowan Co., Nor. Car. of Wm. Patrick, Sen.: To daughter, Preshy Holmes, 5 shillings.
At long last, we now had proof that Prasha was Prasha Patrick, but we didn't know anything about William Patrick, Senior, so we put our researcher on his trail.  Time went by ...
14 Apr.1945:  At the D.A.R. Library in Washington, D.C., my researcher found, in a publication on Rowan Co., No. Car. Marriage Bonds:
Holmes, John - Susanna Blackwood 9 Dec.1797, Bondsmen Isaac Blackwood with John and Lyda Pinchback.
Patrick, Wm. - Mary Jacobs 25 Dec. 1794.  John Maden Witness John and Lyda Pinchback.
The references to the Pinchbacks rang a bell with me.  I knew that they had operated a tavern, later on to be known as "the Burnt Tavern," near the Bear Creek Baptist Church, and that John Pinchback had granted the church the land on which the church was built.  So I looked up my records on the Bear Creek Baptist Church, and I found listed among the 1806 membership:
John Holms
William Patrick.
Also in the D.A.R. Library, he found this reference:
Cemetery on Cunninghams Farm, in Brown Summit, in Hawkins Tp., Guilford Co., Nor. Car.: Stones:
William Patrick Senr. d. May 29, 1771 in 33rd Year
William Patrick, Jr. d. Mar.3, 1805 in 34th Year
James Patrick, d. July 1835 in the 74 Years
1945-1946:  I had established to my own satisfaction in 1943 that the father of John Holmes 1765-1847 was named Thomas, so we searched Rowan County and many surrounding No. Car. counties for a Thomas Holmes who could fit into my Holmes family line, adding, thereby to my Data Bank.  We also searched the 1790 No. Car. Census, and then the complete 1790 Census records that had survived, without finding any usable data.
When we had found that John Holmes 1809-1851 had been in Wythe County, Virginia, we figured that the only way he could get to Lexington, Kentucky in 1850 was to trek across Kentucky, starting at Cumberland Gap.  So my Census researcher took notes for the years 1820-1820 and 1840 in all Kentucky counties.
Whenever we found a record that pertained to [John Holmes 1809-1851] I secured a researcher in the indicated county to scan the Court records.  By this technique we added a great deal of knowledge about John Holmes 1809-1851 for our data bank.  And, I got a good start researching the Massey ancestry of Grandmother Lyda Massey Holmes 1854-1929, getting particularly interested in her father, Benjamin Franklin Massey.
My Production Manager job at Belden, plus a certain amount of business travel, gave me no time at all to visit Newberry.
1947:  The Field Museum, recognizing Father's knowledgeable interest in fossils, appointed him Curator of Fossil Plants, and he began a new career.  He and museum staff members made many collecting trips to the Illinois strip mines, and I also went there a few times with Father.
Father also wrote, illustrated, and arranged two volumes of a field guide to fossil plants for collectors who liked to collect them, wanted to know what they were, but were not interested in working through the jargon that was used in the low circulation scientific journals.
Father also went on several long fossil collecting expeditions in the ceramic clay pits in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.
1948-1961:  Both Father and I were far too busy in our jobs to attempt Newberry visits, but I used spare moments at home to push along my Massey line in Missouri and in Maryland with borrowed N.E.H.G.S. Library books.
1962Father was retired from the Field Museum, kept up a vigorous correspondence, handled all the problems of their apartment, and devoted most of his time to care of Mother, who was failing mentally quite rapidly.  She could not enter conversations, but she liked to listen to the rest of us.
Mother was like a happy child, could take care of her personal problems, and Father did not consider her care a chore.  I used to visit them once or twice a week, arrange to have dinner sent in from the Red Star Inn, and monitor Father's finances, which were getting slimmer, and eventually to supplement them adequately.
Father and I paid one visit to Newberry and took Joe Wolf out to dinner, but did no research.
16 Jun.1964:  Father died, suddenly, on his way to the hospital.  I had been visiting my parents the night before; he had enjoyed watching the Chicago Cubs playing baseball that afternoon, and was in fine spirits and apparently in good health.  But Mother telephoned me at Hinsdale, told me that Father was ill, and asked me to drive in.  This I did; he was in great pain, so I called an ambulance.  He was holding my hand to help his pain, but I felt his grip loosen and knew he was gone.  Right up to the moment of his death, at age 88, his mind was as good as it ever was.
After the funeral we moved Mother back to our home in Hinsdale; and Mitzi and I, with some nursing assistance, cared for her for about two years.  At that point her doctor felt that she could better receive the 24-hour care she required at a nursing home.  We found an unusually pleasant one about five miles away, where we could visit her and take her out easily.  We added her to our I.R.S. household, and Mother, still a capable artist, amused herself by making portraits in chalk of the nurses she liked.  LaGrange was easily reached from Chicago, and she also had a steady stream of visits from her friends.
Mother had inherited substantially from her sister-in-law but was incapable of financial planning, so my attorney in Hinsdale had arranged to have the Northern Trust Co. of Chicago appointed Conservator of her estate and me appointed "Conservator of the Person."
So, in addition to being busy at my Belden job, I had to work with the Northern Trust Co. as they managed her securities and income, and as I supervised her care.
1965: Mitzi had developed cancer and had a severe operation, but appeared to be cured.  Things were very pleasant at home.
11 Jul.1968:  Mother died, quietly and peacefully, while I was visiting her at the nursing home in LaGrange.
1968:  Mitzi's cancer had spread and another radical operation was required.  She recovered very well and even resumed working in the garden.  But it was not to be.
9 Feb.1969:  My wife Mitzi died in the hospital in Hinsdale.  In mid-1968 her cancer had spread, she was bedridden and required day and night care.  I had arranged this and we were able to care for her at home until about Christmas, although she required pain medication and was often comatose.  Her last lucid moments came when our son was home for Christmas vacation, and they had a long, loving visit.  We could no longer care for her properly at home, and our doctor arranged her admittance to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, about three blocks from our home.  I would stop at the hospital for a visit each evening on my way home from Belden.  For about a month, we could have a visit; then she could recognize me, but couldn't talk.  After that, she was always comatose.  On her last evening, while her doctor and I were both with her, she slipped away.  We had been married for thirty-four years.
July, 1969:  After Mitzi's death, I put the Hinsdale house up for sale and spent the next two months looking at cities on the East Coast from New York State to Georgia.  I drove six thousand miles and went to forty-two different cities.  I finally decided to move to Harrisonburg, Virginia, and returned to Hinsdale to make positive moving plans.
I sold the house for cash, possession to take place in July, and returned to Harrisonburg to find a place to live.
My Hinsdale attorney had recommended the firm of Clark and Bradshaw, so Henry Clark found me an apartment available in July, wrote me a new Will, recommended a doctor, a dentist, a stock broker, and a tax consultant, and so I was all set to move.
So I moved.  The place was on Pleasant Hill Road.. On arrival I phoned Henry Clark and was invited to spend the weekend at the chalet that he had just finished building at the Bryce Mountain Ski Resort.  He also put me up for membership in the Harrisonburg Golf Club, and I was promptly elected.
August - September 1969:  For about five years I had been so overloaded that I had no time even to think about genealogy, but now I was all by myself, and questions popped up that now I could look into.  I commuted to the Augusta County Courthouse in Staunton, Va. to see if the Court records would substantiate my theories that the John Holmes, wife Meelsee and John Holm, wife Agnes Cousl were not related to my John Holmes 1765-1847.  I piled up a lot of notes in my Data Bank, was fully satisfied that this Augusta County, Va. Holmes family had no connection with my own Holmes line, and turned to other things.
October - December 1969:  I long itched to visit Rowan County, North Carolina to see what some direct personal record searching could accomplish, and now I had the free time to do so.  I alternated record-searching in North Carolina during the week while spending the weekends at Bryce Mountain with Henry and Mary Ann Clark, who had decided I was a pretty nice guy.
October 1969:  It was on this first trip to Salisbury, I believe, that I first met you, Jo, when we were both wrestling some big deed book in the court house.
April 1970:  Right along in parallel with my Holmes research work, I had been steadily amassing records of my maternal Grandmother Massey family and had developed a great personal interest in my Great-Grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Massey: his career, his ancestry, and his descendants.
Taking stock of my interests, and considering my advancing age, I made the decision that I would devote all available time to a book on Massey, very important to me, and to abandon any thought of a publication about all these Holmes families, most of them of no interest to me personally.  But before starting, full blast, on a book on my Massey family, I had some loose ends that wanted to take care of, so I went to North Carolina again.
April 1970 - Hillsboro, North Carolina:  I worked in the Court House for about ten days, on Blackwood and Patrick families and on a big Orange County Holmes family that included a John Holmes.  I posted a mass of records; Blackwood and Patrick were collateral families, but the Orange County Holmes family proved not to be linked to my Holmes family.
April 1970 - Raleigh, North Carolina: The State Library had a complete collection of the printed records of all of the 1790 Census of all the U.S.A. states.  I went through all of them, looking for my John Holmes 1765-1847, who would have been age twenty-five and single at the time.  I found a total of seventy-one men named John Holmes, but not one that I could claim as mine.
April 1970 - Salisbury, North Carolina:  For the first time, I actually saw, and got acquainted with Mamie McCubbins' huge collection of notes at the Salisbury Library and took a quick run-through of them to see how the collection was organized.  The Mormon indexing system  was very hard to work with, but I made a few Holmes notes, including notes linking the Holmes and Krider families.
28 Dec.1970 - Harrisonburg, Va.:  I had returned to work really hard on my proposed book on Massey, working with Maryland books borrowed from the N.E.H.G.S. Library, supplemented by work done by my Washington, D.C. researcher in the Washington libraries and government facilities.
Weekends, I was still welcome at Bryce, and I became well acquainted with a lot of the Clark and Bradshaw children.  I was invited to come for a day there when all of the Bradshaws and Clarks, and all of their children, would be spending a skiing weekend.  And that is where and when I met Neva and her sister, Ann.  The three of us got along just fine, and I asked them if I could take them out to dinner when we all got back to Harrisonburg.
That turned out to be a good idea, and every week or ten days we would go out to dinner at the Country Club, and then to my apartment on Pleasant Hill Road, where I would treat them to rum Old Fashioneds.
1970:  This pleasant state of affairs went peacefully along, with me working steadily on my Massey Book project, visiting each of my sons from time to time, and even returning to Chicago to take care of some financial business.  I was still in the process of learning how to manage my investments, had no consultants handy that I wanted to trust, and this also occupied lots of time while I tried not to get caught in an unstable stock market.
I still had some faint questions about my North Carolina families, so I made another trip to Raleigh.
1 July 1971 - Land Grant Office:  I had been puzzled by their Index Books and how they operated, so I went through them again, posting Holmes notes.  In the list of Rowan County Grants was one dated 1779 for a Robert Holmes.   I hoped that he might be the father of my John Holmes 1765-1847.
The original Survey Maps and Warrants were carefully kept in metal boxes, and this particular map should be, according to Martha Paskewich, the nice Land Grant Clerk, in Box 010.  What we found was an assignment from a Thomas Brooks, dates 1792, to a Robert Holmes , and this paper was witnessed by John Holmes.  John Holmes' signature exactly matched the John Holmes signature in his Bible record.  Now, this semi-miraculous genealogical discovery was also a semi-miracle at the Land Grant Office.  Martha was all excited, and about the whole staff came down to see it all.
We also found Thomas Holmes' 1820 Grant, and the surveyor's map on Hunting Creek in Rowan County.
23 July 1971 - State Library:  I shuttled back and forth between the Land Grant Office and the Library, and most of it in the Library.  I made lots of interesting notes and made a few pertinent ones:
Wm. Patrick's 1818 Will.
John Blackwood's 1819 Will in which he mentions his grandson Thomas Holmes.
September 1971:  Our periodic dinner dates had been very pleasant, not eventful, but on this date  we fell violently in love and wanted to get married.  Neva felt that she should announce this to her eldest child, so with some trepidation we went to tell Mary Ann Clark, not knowing what to expect.  Her reaction was, "What kept you so long ?"  She called Steve and Jim Bradshaw, and a celebration party started at once at Jim's house.  We set the wedding date for 28 Dec.1971, and immediately bought a lot and started building a house.  All this was a seven-day wonder in Harrisonburg; Neva had lived here for fifty years, and for sixteen years had been the Widow Bradshaw.  I was a newcomer, known only, really, to the Clark and Bradshaw families, but things settled down in due time.
28 Dec.1971 - Neva and I were married in the Clarks' living room by our Presbyterian Minister, and set off for a honeymoon in Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico.
Easter, 1972 - When we got back from Mexico, our house builders hadn't finished it, so we lived in my apartment on Pleasant Hill Road and more or less superintended the finishing of our house.   On Easter Sunday we were hosts for dinner with the whole clan.
1972-1974 - Neva and I were very busy.  We had to get settled in our new home, which took some doing.  Neva had always been popular and now was even more so, so we kept a very busy social life.  I also took over managing Neva's investments, adding that task to my own.  Then I had to have a gall bladder operation in early 1973.  In May 1973 Neva and I spent the whole month in Europe and had a wonderful time. 
August 1974:  My Virginia researcher had located the Tax  Records for Virginia, and we could fill in a big gap between the time John Holms 1765-1847 left North Carolina and showed up in Kentucky.
September - December 1974:  The stock market had been hitting new lows all Summer, and I felt that a rise was about to occur, so I put all my stock on margin and bought some more.  I had judged the market rise all right, but I was about three months ahead of the actual low.  During this period I was monitoring my stocks almost daily, attending to margin calls, and not sleeping very well.  My financial situation was getting really grim.  To make a long story short, I weathered the storm and made a substantial profit from my margin operation, but the wear on me wasn't worth it.  No time at all was available to work on genealogy.
January 1975 - August 1975:  I had laid aside all of my Holmes Data Books and was devoting all of my spare time to my Massey Book project, when Neva required an immediate gall bladder operation.  Always frail, the operation was hard on her, she had a long hospital stay and a slow recovery at home.  I had outside help, but attending to her care and keeping the household going left me very little time for genealogical thinking.
December 1975 - March 1976:  My sister Lyda Hinrichs, who lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. had a bad fire in her house, suffered cardiac arrest and severe smoke inhalation, and was hospitalized for several months.  I went back and forth to give her moral support at the hospital, and then, when she was handling problems of insurance and rebuilding.  Again, I had to put aside all genealogical thought and action.
April 1976 - December 1976:  I worked long and hard on my Massey Book project, getting lots of help from my Cousin O.L. Hough, who had done much work on his part of our Massey line; our grandmothers were sisters.  With Lou Hough's help and encouragement, later supplemented by Judge Frank Massey of Fort Worth, Texas, I was getting a lot accomplished, about one-hundred-fifty pages camera-ready, as I recall.  The time-sheets that I maintained showed that I was actually working twenty-five to thirty hours per week on it.
1977 - Spent every available hour on my Massey Book project, stepping up my work-week to the thirty to thirty-five hour level.
December 1977:  I wrote Miss Flossie Martin of Mocksville, whom you surely know, and she sent me a blueprint of a mosaic map of Davie County that the county surveyor had made, and here in a cozy little group were the grants of Robert Holmes, John Holmes, John Blackwood, William Patrick, John Pinchback, and the Bear Creek Baptist Church.  This map, and the accompanying list of grantees in the northwest corner of Davie County, represent the sum total of all my contribution to my Holmes Data Bank in 1977.
1978 - The year started with me still putting in a thirty-hour Massey work week, but a little work on Holmes sneaked into the picture.
April 1978:  I had spotted a reference, in the N.C.G.S. Journal I believe, citing a Col. Robert Holmes and two sons, John Holmes and James Holmes.  As my John Holmes 1765-1847 had a brother James Holmes, I followed this lead.  First, with Red Watt, whom you know, and then I begged your help, the only time in my long research career when I had the help of a Certified Genealogist.  Well, as you know, Col. Robert Holmes, although a noble character, was not related to my Holmes line, but it took until mid-November finally to prove it.
July 1978 - Having found my John Holmes 1765-1847 in the Wythe County, Virginia Census, and then in the Washington County, Virginia 1820 Census, my curiosity boiled over and I spent a week in the southwest corner of Virginia in several county court houses, phoning Neva every evening to report progress.  I learned a great deal about my John Holmes 1765-1847 and added a bundle of notes to my Holmes Data Bank.
November 1978 - My Virginia State Library researcher found the tax records for a dozen years, and I made another trip.
December 1978 - This time I found several deeds, plus a transcript involving my John Holmes 1765-1847.  It seemed that he bought a horse for $164.00 but moved on West without paying for it, but his creditor caught up with him several years later and collected his money.
During this same period, in between my long hours my Massey project, I got curious about R.W. Ramsey's maps in Carolina Cradle and figured out how they fitted together.  Also, during 1978 with your interested help, I arranged that my assemblage of big loose leaf notebooks on all my research should all go to the Salisbury Public Library, snuggled up, no doubt, to Mamie McCubbins' monumental contribution.
1979 - Having taken a few Holmes excursions in 1978, I went back again to my major project, my Massey Book.  I was really making progress; I even found a letter recently, telling my Washington, D.C. researcher that I expected to have it completely ready before the end of the year.  Then came another big event in my life.
31 Oct.1979:  Massey Printz, of Alexandria, Virginia, wrote Judge Massey, who by now had published two books about Massey families, asking information about his own Kent County, Maryland family, and Judge Massey had told him that I was the expert on the Maryland Masseys.  So Massey Printz got in touch with me and sent me about a hundred pages of notes, plus the names and addresses of several of his Massey line who had joined him in research.  It developed that his line and mine both went back to a common ancestor.  For some reason, the notes that I had made assumed that Massey Printz's line had become extinct.  Not so !  To date, I have found 225 Massey names to add to my book, and the research into Massey Printz's line still continues.  By the end of 1980, my Massey Data Bank had added up to 1669 pages. 
By the end of 1978, I had assumed that I had secured all the information on my Massey line that I was ever likely to get, had even gotten well started on pagination, and was starting to work out the details of indexing.  Now, with this Pandora's Box of new names, I face a real problem when I resume work on my Massey Book.  I will have to shoehorn, as best I can, all of the written pages into the work that I have already completed without having to go back part way and start all over.
I had partly worked out the mechanics of doing this when another diversion popped out.
November 1980 - March 1981 - The Bradshaw Genealogy:  One of Mary Ann Clark's Bradshaw Aunts had been saving family letters and papers for years and gave her about a bushel of papers,  photographs, and momentoes, including an obviously valuable gold watch with some hard to read engraving on it.  The whole family was interested, and so with a magnifier we solved the engraved message.  Lots of the letters were seventy-five to one hundred years old, and they wanted to find out whether their Bradshaw ancestral line could be worked out.  Naturally, I was pulled into service; I started in and really had a four-month picnic. 
Neva's maiden name was Garletts, and her sister, Ann Carney, a very capable amateur genealogist, had been working on the Garletts line for years.  Ann had a correspondent in West Virginia who, through Ann, learned that we were trailing the Bradshaw line.  It turned out that she was a Bradshaw descendant, so she and I collaborated from that point on.
We did very well; we traced the emigrant James Bradshaw and Edith Springer when they came, in 1802 from Protestant Ireland, and eleven correlated lines through Ohio and Virginia back a bit farther.
I had come across several links into England, but I wanted to get back to work on Holmes and Massey.  So I interlaced my "Bradshaw Genealogy" with notes and instructions on how to pick up the open trails where I had left off, made a copy each for Mary Ann Clark, Steve Bradshaw, and Jim Bradshaw.  Since then, some more Bradshaw papers have turned up, but I have declined to analyze them, leaving it up to Mary Ann, or some other member of the Bradshaw family, to get interested and follow in behind what I had produced.
During this four-month "Excursus Bradshaw," I had put my Massey Book project entirely out of my mind, and I had decided some time ago to do no further Holmes family research, so I added nothing to my Holmes Data Bank.
6 April 1985:  Neva, with a congenitally inefficient heart, had developed emphysema, was getting weaker and weaker, and by 1984 required nursing care.  I had competent outside help, but monitoring the medical operations, plus the household operations, was more than a full time job for me.  And on top of that I had no zest left for family history research.  We thought that we had Neva's care under good control, but she died, painlessly and peacefully in her sleep on April 6th.
19 June 1985:  As I had been Neva's money manager ever since we were married, I had all of her financial and personal records.  So I was very busy with Steve Bradshaw, her Executor.  I did no genealogical work at all. 
But in your letter to Mrs. Ruby Carr regarding the Holmes-Krider tangle, you referred to me as "XXXX" and I couldn't resist that, so I have been back ever since on my thirty-forty hour weekly schedule, and completion of this project is in sight.
Conclusion:  Building up my Holmes Data Bank has not been done in neat, orderly, steady fashion.  It was interrupted frequently by serious, unavoidable circumstances, and helped only occasionally by important genealogical discoveries that I badly needed for inspiration to keep my genealogical hopes alive.  You have now qualified as Chief Witness to my many stumbles and very few easy moves, on my long road to completing my Holmes Family Data Bank.  I must admit that it reads like a combination of a Grade B Soap Opera, and an unrehearsed performance of "This Is Your Life," but that's the way it was.

Part Two: The Crane Creek Holmes Clan
Geography:
The Crane Creek, Rowan County Community: This is a roughly triangular area at the east edge of Rowan County, bounded on the East by the North Yadkin River and on the South by the Granville Line.
The R.W. Ramsey Small Scale Map:  R.W. Ramsey in his small scale map on page 108 of his book, Carolina Cradle, calls this area, "the Irish and Trading Camp Settlements 1747-62," and identifies the land grantees of the period by name.  Crane Creek and Grants Creek are also identified, plus many other watercourses.
The R.W. Ramsey Large Scale Map: Ramsey, on page 36 of Carolina Cradle, has another map that he calls, the Irish Settlement 1747-49," with identified land grantees of that period as well as Crane Creek and other watercourses.
Identification:
Linkages: There are two strains of evidence that link this Crane Creek Holmes family together:
The deeds and other documents which include Crane Creek as a part of the description of the tract of land in many records; and
The many running references to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
I have relied entirely on these two strains to identify the Crane Creek Holmes clan.
Note 1: I have made an individual historic record for each person in the Crane Creek line, accompanied by a listing of the record source.
Note 2: The underlined figures at the end of each citation are the pages in the Holmes Data Bank [which GL,Jr. donated to the Rowan County Public Library, Salisbury, North Carolina - GL,III, ed.] where they are posted.
Individuals:
I-George Holmes & wife Bethiah.
II-George Holmes & wife Pearly.
John D. Holmes & wife Sallie Krider.

Date
The Crane Creek Holmes Clan Source

I-George Holmes=====Bethiah

[c.1725]
Birth

...
Death

...
Marriage: Bethiah, b [c.1735]

17 Apr.1749
Anson County, North Carolina: George Holmes petitions the North Carolina State Council for a 100 acre grant
1
11 Oct.1749
Anson Co., N.C.: The State of North Carolina grants George Helms[sic] a 100 acre tract on the north side of the Pee Dee River. 11; 2
1754
Johnston Co., N.C.: George Holmes receives a deed from Simon Holmes.
3
11 Oct.1758
Anson Co., N.C.: George Helms[sic] receives a state grant on the east side of Little Buffalo Creek. 4
31 Jul.1759
Anson Co., N.C.: George Helliams[sic] sells a 25 acre tract on the east side of the Little River of Pee Dee to John Arnold for $10.00. - signed George Helms {seal}. 5
24 Dec.1760
Anson Co., N.C.: George Holmes, planter, of Anson Co., sells a 100 acre tract on the north side of Pee Dee for £15 [illegible] money.- signed George Helms {seal}. 6
4 May 1761
Anson Co., N.C.: George Helm[sic] and Chas. Robinson witness a deed from William Pellam to John Helms, of a tract on Great Buffalo Creek of Little River for £32, 200 acres. 7
20 Oct.1764
Anson Co., N.C.: Tilman Helms, of Anson, sells a tract on east side Little River, south side of Buffalo Creek, adjoining land of George Helms. 8
1764 to 1790 My Holmes Data Bank has no references that appear to apply to I-George Holmes in this period.

1790
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Census:
Person
Age/Sex/Birthplace
Occupation
George Hellums, Senr.
16 up/M/...
Head of family
female
...
...
slave
...
...
9
1791
Duplin Co., N.C.: George Holmes makes his Will: Sons:
Head Holmes
Hardy Holmes
Fred Holmes
William Holmes
George Holmes
10
6 May 1802
Mecklenberg Co., N.C.: George Homes[sic] Will:
Wife: Bethia
Dau.: Mary, wife of Andres Presley (m.9 May 1791.)
Son-in-law: Joseph McCammon, husband of Dorcan Holmes, Exec.
Witness: John McCorkle & Hugh McCrory.
11

Sources
Source References for I-George Holmes=====Bethiah
Page
1
State Records of North Carolina - Petitions to the State Council.
p.485
2
Ibid. - State Council Meeting.
p.485
3
The North Carolinian - Johnston Co., N.C. Deed Book 3, p.67, page 175.
p.569
4
May Wilson McBee: Anson Co., N.C. Abstracts of Early Records, p.9
p.483
5
Ibid., p.34
p.483
6
Brent H. Holcomb: Anson Co., N.C. Deed Abstracts 1749-1761 & Abstracts of Wills & Estates 1749-95, p.70.
book
7
Ibid., p.59.
book
8
Ibid., p.110.
book
9
P.M. Smith: 1790 Census, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.: George Hellums Senr., Head of Family.
p.78; p.197
10
Fred A. Olds: An Abstract of N.C. Wills, ca.1760-ca.1800, p.101
p.581
11
Mecklenburg Co., N.C. Will Book D, p.65.


Date
II-George Holmes=====Pearly Source
[c.1755]
Birth*

*Note:
I estimate that II-George Holmes was about age 60 when his son, John D. Holmes, married Sallie Krider 3 Jan.1815.
1
...
Death

...
Marriage: Pearly __________, b.[c.1760]

1783
Rowan County, North Carolina: George Holmes, in Capt. Crummingar's Company, is taxed on 8 acres land, 12 horses, 2 cattle, property value, £22.
2
1784
Rowan Co., N.C.: George Holmes, in Johnston's District, on old taxpayers lists. 3
6 May 1785
Rowan Co., N.C.: George Holme[sic], by Order, is exempted from payment of a Poll Tax. 4
23 Mar.1786
Rowan Co., N.C.: George Holmes buys a 100 acre tract on Crane Creek from Frederick Mowrer, deed recorded 1811 by F. Maurer. 5
1790
Rowan Co., N.C. Census: 
Person
Age/Sex/Birthplace
Occupation
George Holm
16 up/WM/...
Head of family
2 wh. female
...
...
6
9 May 1791
Rowan Co., N.C.: George Holmes & Joseph McCammon witness marriage of Dorcan Holms to Joseph McCammon. 7
20 Dec.1791
Rowan Co., N.C.: State of North Carolina Grant No.2116 for 235 acres on South Fork of Crane Creek at 50 shillings the 100 acres, next Frederick Mowrer & Rudolph Maurer & John Lewis Beard & George Holms. 8
1791
George Holmes was named in the Will of his father, I-George Holmes
9
6 Aug.1792
Rowan Co., N.C.: George Holmes on a Grand Jury panel.
10
23 Jan.1795
Rowan Co., N.C.: George Holmes, no wife's signature, lets Frederick Massmoil of Rowan Co. have 100 acres on a Fork of Crane Creek, next Frederick Maurer & John Philips for £40. - The same land that George Holmes bought on [2]3 Mar.1786. 11
28 Feb.1795
Rowan Co., N.C.: Henry Waller & wife Esther let John Bird of Rowan Co. have 135 acre tract on South Fork of Crane Creek next Reuben Philips & Rudolph Mowrie & Frederich Mowrie & John Lewis Beard & George Holmes for £56.  Witnessed by James Robertson & Joseph Sampson; proven by Joseph Sampson, Aug.1811.
12
1800
Mecklenburg, N.C. Census:
Person
Age/Sex/Birthplace
Occupation
George Holm
45 up/M/...
Head of family
2 female
45 up/F/... ...
13
1 Oct.1803
Rowan Co., N.C.: Joseph Ashley vs. George Holms[sic] Defendant says he has paid claim in full, asks dismissal of suit. 14
2 Oct.1804
Rowan Co., N.C.: William Duffy, Esq., Counsel for Defendant, says he has paid claim in full, complainant has failed to present suit, requests dismissal and complainant to pay costs. 15
1806
Duplin Co., N.C.: George Homes[sic] on a Tax List: 1 white, no blacks, no land.
16
Note:
There was a George Holmes listed as #48 in the 3rd Company of Lt. Col. Alfred Rowland's 4th Cumberland Regiment in Muster Rolls of the Soldiers in the War of 1812 Detached from the Militia of North Carolina 1812 & 1814, p.13, but I have no records in my Holmes Data Bank concerning this situation.

Note:
I have nothing in my Homes Data Bank about George Holmes in either the 1820 or 1830 Census.

28 Apt.1837
Mecklenburg, N.C.: George Holmes writes his Will:
Pearly
Sons:
Uniah Holmes
John E. Holmes
Charles Molmes, Exec.
Test.: G. Henry, Gent.
Signed: George (X) Homes
17
Note:
I feel that John E. Holmes, above, is a misreading for John D. Holmes.


Sources
Source References for I-George Holmes=====Pearly Page 
1
Mamie McCubbins Collection, Krider Folder.
p.496
2
Rowan County, North Carolina: Tax Lists.
p.523
3
Rowan County, North Carolina: Historical Records, p.428. p.467
4
Rowan County, North Carolina: Court Order Book, Vol.3, p.399. p.472
5
Rowan County, North Carolina: Deed Book 2, p.291. p.463; p.578
6
Rowan County, North Carolina: 1790 Census (taken by P.M. Smith) p.78
7
Rowan County, North Carolina: Marriage Records. p.463
8
Rowan County, North Carolina: Deed Book 13, p.79. p.464; p.497
9
Fred C. Olds: An Abstract of North Carolina Wills ca.1760-ca.1800, p.101.
p.474
10
Rowan County, North Carolina: Court Order Books, Vol.2, p.23. p.472
11
Rowan County, North Carolina: Deed Book 22, p.104. p.496
12
Ibid., p.256.
p.501
13
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina: 1800 Census (taken by P.M. Smith) p.197
14
Rowan County, North Carolina: Court Records, p.186 (M/F Ref.5B657) p.578
15
Ibid.
p.578
16
North Carolinians, Vol.IX, p.1262.
p.541
17
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina: Will Book H, p.2 p.581


Date John D. Holmes=====Sallie Krider
Source
[c.1775]
Birth


Death

...
1st marriage: ___________ _____________

5 Jan.1815 2nd marriage: Sallie Krider, b.14 Feb.1792

Note:
I have very few documented records for John D. Holmes; and each one contains puzzles that must be analyzed.  In some cases, always assuming that my logic is reasonably acceptable, a puzzle can yield interesting, useful, and surprising answers.  Here is a good example:

1820
Rowan County, North Carolina Census:
Person
Age/Sex/Birthplace
Occupation
John D. Holmes
45 up/M/...
Head of Family
2 males
26-45/M/...
...
1 male
16-26/M/...
...
1 male
10-16/M/...
...
1 female
26-45/F/...
...
1 female 16-26/F/...
...
1 female <10/F/...
...
11; 4

Analysis:


John D. Holmes m. Sallie Krider on 5 Jan.1815 when she was 23 years old (b.14 Feb.1792.) In 1820, John D. Holmes would probably be the one male, 45 and up, and Sallie Krider Holmes would certainly be the one female 26-45 at age 28.  Between their 1815 marriage date and the 1820 Census date, there is time for two children, and the one female under 10 could be one of them.  Logic says that the only way to account for the rest of his household is to conclude that he had had a first wife, who had died prior to 1815, and that his marriage to Sallie Krider was his second marriage.  We then take another look at the 1820 family listing:
No./Age/Sex/Birthplace
Person
~Birthdate

1/45 up/M/...
John D. Holmes, born 1775 or earlier
1775

2/26-45/M/...
two sons by his first wife
1802 & 1804

1/M/16-26/...
one son by his first wife 1806

1/16-26/F/...
Sallie Krider Holmes, age 28
1792
1/16-26/F/...
one daughter by his first wife
1808

1/<10/F/...
a daughter by Sallie Krider Holmes
1820

I am going to stick my neck out and assign the birth date of 1775 to John D. Holmes and a first marriage date of 1800, when he was 25.  And assuming the not unusual clock-like birth of children at two year intervals, we can then give birth dates to the other family members.
1
Note:
My C.R.S., Philip Mack Smith, searched the 1800 North Carolina Census for John D. Holmes, then age ca.25, but did not find him enumerated as a Head of Family; perhaps the Census taker came around just before his first marriage.
2
Note:
Mr. Smith also searched the 1810 North Carolina Census, but found no enumeration of John D. Holmes,age c.35, as Head of Family.  My raw data records offer no clue as to his whereabouts.
2
Note:
It is important to keep in mind that both John D. Holmes (b.est.ca.1775, of the Crane Creek Holmes clan) and John Holmes (1765-1847) of the Bear Creek Holmes clan) were both alive at this time, but the last North Carolina citation of John Holmes (1765-1847) was in 1809; and in the 1810 Census he was enumerated in Wythe County, Virginia.  After 1810, North Carolina citations were sometimes accurately posted to the name John Holmes; but all of these post-1810 North Carolina records apply to John D. Holmes. 3
Note
Let me recap what we have found out about John D. Holmes up through 1820:
[c.1775]
Estimated birth date; birthplace not found.
1800
Not found in North Carolina Census.
1800
1st marriage; wife's name not found.
1810
Not found in North Carolina Census.
5 Jan.1815
Rowan Co., N.C.: m. Sallie Krider, b.14 Feb.1792
1820
Rowan Co., N.C. Census: Head of Family.

[Note:
There is an alternative explanation here: John D. Holmes (1793-1869) m. Salome (Sallie) Krider (Crider) (d.1888), in Rowan County, in 1815 - GL,III, ed.]

1821
Rowan Co., N.C.: Jno. Holms pays a 60 cts. tax.
5
1822
Rowan Co., N.C.: Jno. Holms $3.00 tax is receipted by Sam'l Jones, Sheriff. 5
4 Apr.1823
Rowan Co., N.C.: Jno. Holmes, of Capt. Giles' Company is taxed on 1 White Poll, 2 Blacks,
5
4 Apr.1823 Rowan Co., N.C.: John Holmes & Thomas Holmes both witness a deed from Martin Rand of Rowan Co. to Wlliam Innes for a 70 acre tract next Kelly and Williamson for $200. 8
3 May 1824
Rowan Co., N.C.: "I, John Holmes of the County of Rowan, State of North Carolina, for the sum of $785. paid to me in hand by Thomas Holmes of the Town of Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, ... the receipt of which I do hereby acknowledge, have granted, bargained, and sold unto Thomas Holmes ... all the household stuff, impliments, and furniture & all other goods & chattels whatsoever mentioned ... in the schedule hereunto annexed."
Q.
Item
$ Val.
Q.
Item
$ Val.
Q.
Item
$ Val.
Q.
Item
$ Val.

1
side board
$35.00
1
small iron pot
$1.50
2
cream jugs
$0.50
2
hoes
$2.50

1
small side board
24.00
1
frying pan
1.25
1
dozen plates
1.00
1
spade
1.25

1
clock & case
35.00
1
pair waffle irons
2.25
1
dozen soup plates
0.75
1
scythe
2.25

1
china press
22.00
1
small pot rack
1.75
1
large bowl
0.75
1
quart funnel
0.25

1
desk & bookcase
28.00
2
pair fire dogs
4.62-½
1/2
dozen small bowls
0.75
...
Artists Mouse, 2 Vol.
4.25

1
beuro
10.00
2
pr. shovel & tongs
1.50
2
pitchers
1.50
...
India Travel, 6 Vol.
7.25

2
stands
5.00
1
pair bellows
2.62-½
6
tumblers
0.60
2
note books
2.50

3
highpost bedsteads
36.00
2
Dutch ovens
4.00
1/2
doz. silver spoons
4.50
10
other books
10.00

9
beds & furniture
26.00
1
small skillet
1.00
3
decanters
1.50
1
sign
20.00

5
gilt framed pictures
15.00
3
pails
1.50
1
large coffe pot
1.25
300
wt. bacon
38.00

5
common pictures
10.00
2
buckets
1.00
1
gallon coffee pot
1.11
1
gray horse
30.00

1
large looking glass
7.00
1
gallon measure
0.75
1
small coffee pot
0.50
1
black mare & colt
45.00

1
small looking glass
4.00
1
gallon funnel
1.00
4
brass candlesticks
4.50
1
bay mare
35.00

1-1/2
doz. chain
25.00
1
quart measure
0.25
2
doz. knives & forks
3.00
5
sheep & lambs
7.00

2
folding leaf tables
8.00
1
small wheel
1.25
1
teakettle
1.00
_1_
_spotted cow & calf__
__16.00

3
small tables
6.00
1
large spinning wheel
1.25
1
branded cow & calf
16.00

Total
$785.85

2
small pictures
0.50
12
casks
12.00
1
sow & piggs.
10.00




1
large picture
2.50
1
silver plated castor
5.25
5
shoats
10.00




3
large dishes
1.50
1
sm. plated castor
2.50
12
geese
3.60




1
pot rack
2.00
2
doz. cups & saucers
3.00
1
Barshire plow
5.00




1
large iron pot
2.25
2
large tea pots
1.00
1
shovel & plow
2.50




"now remaining in the hands of John Holmes to have & to hold ... the said goods, household stuff and furniture, cattle & horses & other premium [?] above granted & mentioned or intended so to be the said Thomas Holmes ...& while goods & chattels, I then said John Holmes have paid the said Thomas Holmes in full possession by delivering to him one silver spoon at the sealing & delivering these presents in the name of the whole premium hereby bargained  & sold unto him the said Thomas Holmes.  In witness thereof I have set my hand seal the 3rd day of May 1824."
John Holmes {seal}
Rowan County, May Session 1824
I hereby certify that the within was duly acknowledged in Open Court, recorded and ordered to be Registered.
Jno. Giles
9
Note:
For several reasons, I believe that this document is a form of Mortgage:
1
The phrase, "all these goods and chattels whatsoever mentioned in the schedule now remaining in the hands of John Holmes to have and to hold," seems to spell out clearly that John Holmes is to physically retain and use all the items to continue to make a living.
2
The phrase, "I John Holmes ... in consideration of the sum of $785. paid to me in hand by Thomas Holmes ... have granted and sold to Thomas Holmes all these goods and chattels," seems to spell out equally clearly that title in all these items has passed to Thomas Holmes.
3
Pains appear to have been taken to formalize this document, first, by spelling out in minute detail the value of each item, and second, by taking the trouble to register it in Court.

Note:
The presence in this schedule of twelve beds implies a large family.  The 1820 Rowan County Census lists John Holmes as Head of Family of nine persons.  We have not run across John Holmes' Will, nor have we found any record of the names of his children, so the names of the members of his family are yet to be discovered.

29 Jul.1824
Rowan Co., N.C.: John Holmes of Town of Salisbury records a Promissory Note for $1,600. payable as follows:
Note for 300 dollars payable 20 May 1824.
Note for 200 dollars payable last day of Jan.1825.
Note for 260 dollars payable 1 Jan.1826.
Note for 260 dollars payable 1 Jan.1828
Another, payable 1828
All notes bearing interest from the date paid by John McClelland.
To said John McClelland, during the term of 99 years, one peppercorn.
10
Note:
These notes don't add up to $1,600, but that's the way the record reads.  I can't explain it, unless my researcher skipped some figures. 
This mortgage was secured by the following tracts of land:
265 acre tract on Crane Creek, next to John McClelland and James McCulloch.
46 acre tract on Milky Branch, waters of Crane Creek, next to James McClelland, David Nesbit & Betsy Nesbit.
4 acre tract on Crane Creek, next to John Clarey, J. Hughes and John McClelland.
signed - John Holmes

Note:
I took a stab at locating these tracts.  I used Ramsey's map, headed, "Original Land Grants in the Irish and Trading Camp Settlements 1747-62" and its appended identification by name and number of each grant.  Roughly correlating the names of Holmes neighbors with Ramsey's Grantees List, I am medium happy with my identification of the 265 acre tract with #154 McCulloch, and the 46 acre tract with #93 Cathey, but I wouldn't bet the rent money on them.  They are right at the bottom of Ramsey's map, barely north of the Granville Line.
12
23 Nov.1824
Rowan Co., N.C.: John Holmes & Jo. E. Todd witness a sale by Thomas Holmes & Margaret Krider, both of Rowan Co., to Ferrand, for $505., a tract of land in Salisbury containing 5 Lotts of 144 square poles each, the Lotts being 100-101-102-103-104 on Great East Square of Salisbury, next John Steele, Esq. & John Beard Senr.
Signed by Thos. Holmes & Margaret Krider, and proven April 1825.
13
13 Jul.1826
Rowan Co., N.C.: John Holmes of Rowan Co. sells to John McClelland of Rowan Co., for $1,600. the following tracts of land:
215 acres on Crane Creek, next to J. Hughes & Jas. McCulloch & John Clarey.
46 bacres on Milky Branch, waters of Grant's Creek, next James McCulloch & Betsy Nesbit.
4 acres on Crane Creek, next John Clary & Hughes.
Total: 265 acres, 3 Quarters & 13 Chains
Signed - John D. Holmes
Proven Feb.1827 by Thomas Holms
Test: John Giles
14
Note:
This is the last record I have found concerning John D. Holmes; I do not know where he went or where or when he wrote his Will.


Sources
Source References for John D. Holmes=====Sallie Krider
Page
1
Mamie McCubbins Collection - Krider folder.
p.496
2
1810 Census, Rowan County, North Carolina; pp.240-243.
p.479
3
1810 Census, Wythe County, Virginia
p.267
4
1820 Census, Rowan County, North Carolina (taken by Philip Mack Smith)
p.204
5
Rowan County, North Carolina: Tax Lists
p.524
6
Ibid.
p.524
7
Ibid.
p.525
8
Rowan County, North Carolina: Deed Book 27, p.525 (from Mamie McCubbins Collection (file folder Williamson).
p.504
9
Rowan County, North Carolina: Deed Book 27, p.834 (old index) p.877 (new index (taken by Callie Scott)).
pp.227-229
10
Rowan County, North Carolina: Deed Book 27, p.693 (taken by Callie Scott). pp.223-224
11
1820 Census, Rowan County, North Carolina (taken by Philip Mack Smith) p.224X
12
R.W. Ramsey: Carolina Cradle, pp.108-109.
p.462
13
Rowan County, North Carolina: Historical Record Book, Deed Book 28, p.13
p.468
14
Ibid., p.309 p.468


Part Three: The Bear Creek Holmes Clan

Geography:
The Bear Creek-Hunting Creek, Davie County, North Carolina Community lies in the northwest corner of Davie County in the corridor roughly bounded by Bear Creek on the East, Hunting Creek and the Iredell County liner on the West, and the Surry County line on the North.
Map of the northwest corner of Davie County:  Back in 1970 I secured a blueprint of a mosaic map of the land grants issued in the 1786-1796 period, but the map had been made in pencil on tracing paper and is today so badly faded as to be almost unreadable.  I was told that this mosaic map was to be redone in ink on tracing cloth to produce more readable prints [The map I found in GL,Jr.'s effects is in much better shape and was dated June 10, 1976 - GL,III, ed.].  I was also told that a similar mosaic map of the original land grants of Iredell County was in process.  Below are shown these maps of the Davie County area where the Holmes, Blackwood and Patrick families settled in this early period.
Portion of Andrew Lagle's map of Davie County land grants, late 1700's
Map of Davie County, North Carolina land grants, 1786-1796
Overlay prepared by GL,Jr. showing the locations of the Robert Holmes, John Blackwood, John Holms, William Patrick & John Pinchback parcels. The details were laid out by GL,Jr. based on his readings of the associated land grants.

Locations of Holms, Pinchback, Blackwood & Patrick parcels in Davie County, North Carolina


Identification:
Linkages: I have relied entirely on the close association of the Holmes, Blackwood and Patrick families in this small area and the and the apparent return of III-Thomas Holmes to this same area like a homing pigeon.
Note: I have made an individual historic record for each individual in this Bear Creek group who is directly involved in our Holmes-Krider Identification Project, accompanied by a listing of the record sources.
Note: As the records of John Holmes 1765-1847 and John Holmes 1809-1851 are not pertinent to our Holmes-Krider Identification Project, and as their records are over fifty pages long, I have not included them in the present paper.
Note: The underlined page references at the end of each source citation are the page numbers in my Holmes Data Bank [which GL,Jr. donated to the Rowan County Public Library, Salisbury, North Carolina - GL,III, ed.] where the citations were originally posted.
Individuals:
I-Thomas Holmes: Father of John Holmes 1765-1847.
II-Thomas Holmes: Brother of John Holmes 1765-1847.
III-Thomas Holmes: Son of John Holmes 1765-1847.
Results: for the Maryland & Virginia origins, see the Gilbert, Withers, & Massey Excursi
Documented & proven rerlationships of ther Holm-Holms-Holmes family along Bear Creek & Hunting Creek in Rowan & Davie counties, North Carolina

Date
I-Thomas Holmes, b.[est.1725-1735]
Source
[c.1725-1735]
Birth
1
...
Death

9 Dec.1793
1st marriage: Susanna Blackwood, d.2 Jul.1796.
1
30 Nov.1798
2nd marriage: Prasha Patrick.
1
Note:
For years I have been groping for the given name of the father of John Holmes Sr. 1765-1847, following, for example, false leads of Robert Holmes and the still earlier John Holmes.  To repeat, I was seeking only the given name so that I could work on extending my ancestral Holmes line farther back in time.  I read a paragraph on page 196 of George O. Zabriskie's, Climbing Our Family Tree Systematically, describing a family naming pattern which rang a bell for me:
The first son was named for his father's father, the second son for his mother's father, the first daughter usually received her maternal gradmother's name, the second daughter her paternal grandmother's name ... the first son or daughter, as the case may be, of a second marriage was named after the deceased spouse of the first marriage ... when this was done, the grandparents namesake moved down one place in the family.


Now, let's take a look at what John Holmes, Sr. 1765-1847, in his own handwriting, set down in his Bible record:
9 Dec.1793
Married Susanna Blackwood.
29 Mar.1795
Thomas Holmes, born.
2 Jul.1796
Susanna Blackwood Holmes died.
30 Nov.1798
Married Prasha Patrick.
9 Feb.1799
William Patrick Holmes, born.
10 Nov.1800
Susanna Holmes, born.
29 Dec.1802
Robert Stafford Holmes, born.
24 Jun.1806
Sally Holmes, born.
16 Jun.1809
John Holmes, born.
6 Oct.1811
Elizabeth Holmes, born.
13 Sep.1814
Ellinor Holmes, born.
3 Apr.1817
James Holmes, born.
2 Jun.1820
Urial Holmes, born.
2 Jan.1822
Daniel Holmes, born.
Note that there was sufficient time for another child between Robert Stafford Holmes and Sally Holmes.
1

How closely did John Holmes follow the naming pattern ?


Here's the record [Note: let's skip the first-born son for a moment, born 1795]:
The second son, born 1799, was named William Patrick Holmes, for his mother's father, per the naming pattern.
The first daughter born after the death of Susanna Blackwood Holmes was named in 1800, Susanna Holmes, per the naming pattern.
The next daughter born was to be named for the mother's mother, if the naming pattern was to be followed, and should have been named Elizabeth Holmes.  However, she was in fact named Sally Holmes.  I could find no earlier Sally Blackwood or Sally Patrick, so the name choice appears not to follow the customary pattern.  However, between 1802 and 1806 there was sufficient time for another birth, and it very well may be that a daughter to be named Elizabeth Holmes was stillborn or died as an infant and so went unrecorded in the John Holmes, 1765-1847 Bible.  Actually, a daughter named Elizabeth Holmes was born later, in 1811.  The choice of names for the remaining children is not pertinent to the subject of this editorial note.
Now, let's get back to the subject of the name of the first-born son.  John Holmes, Sr. 1765-1847 named him Thomas Holmes, and I am personally satisfied that the naming pattern was followed, and that John Holmes, Sr. 1765-1847 named his first-born son for his father, Thomas Holmes.

Note:
I have found practiclaly nothing about the family of this Thomas Holmes; no Bible record, no birth records, no marriage records, and no Will.  I do not know the name of his wife.  Here is what little I have on his children:
1.John Holmes, Sr., b.15 Jan1765.
1
2.Robert Holmes, b.[est.1755-1760].  As assignee of the 4 Dec.1793 Rowan Co., N.C. land grant, I judge him to be the elder brother of of John Holmes, Sr.
2
3.Thomas Holmes, b.[est.1775-1780].  Settled in the same Bear Creek/Hunting Creek are of Davie Co., N.C. as Robert Holmes and John Holmes, Sr.
3
Note: In estimating the birth date of this Thomas Holmes, the only firm date I had to go by was the 15 Jan.1765 date of John Holmes, Sr. 1765-1847.  His older brother, Robert Holmes, appeared more mature, so I estimate that our Thomas Holmes married ca.1755-1760, with a birth date of 1725-1735.


Note:
My next move was to see if there was any Thomas Holmes in the general vicinity of Roawn Co., N.C., who could fit the very sketchy profile of our Thomas Holmes (1725-1735).  Here is what I have been able to find:

29 Mar.1748
Bladen Co.: Thomas Holmes petitions North Carolina State Council for 200 acres.
4
6 Oct.1748
Bladen Co.: Thomas Holmes petitions North Carolina State Council for 200 acres. 6
6 Oct.1748 Bladen Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes is granted 200 acres on the east side of Little River of the Pee Dee River, below the mouth of Thicket Creek at a cross on the river.  Signed Gab. Johnston.
7
30 Oct.1748
Bladen Co.: Thomas Holmes petitions North Carolina State Council for 150 acres. 5
7 Apr.1749
Anson Co.: Thomas Holmes is granted two tracts north of Pee Dee River; he grants 100 acres to Thomas Coleman; then to his son, John Coleman; then to Peter Brush; then to Harsten Harris, then 22 Jan.1762 to John Henry.  Proven 1770 by William Mack.
15; 3
26 Dec.1749
Anson Co.: Thomas Holmes, of Anson County, lets Thomas Coleman, of Anson County, have 100 acres on the north side of Great Pee Dee River for £20.
4
6 Oct.1758
Bladen Co.: Thomas Holmes is granted 200 acres.
7
6 Oct.1759
Rowan Co.: Ambrose Miller vs. Thomas Holmes.  Judgment for £9.6.0.  Jury: Alex Dobbin, Jno. Vinoy, Wm. West, Marmaduke Kimbrough, Robert Anderson, Arthur O'Neal, Elias Brook, Jno. Barber, Jno.Cathey, Jno. Smith, Abraham Aurora & Wm. Draper.
2
Note:
Then I checked what I had on several of the major check-point dates:

1776-1780
Revolutionary War: I could find nothing that appeared to apply to Thomas Holmes.
8
1778
Rowan Co., N.C. Census: No Thomas Holmes is enumerated in this record.
13
1790
First North Carolina Census: I could not find him in the published census records, but the name, Thomas Holmes, appears in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and othe First Census records.
9
1800
North Carolina Census: I did not find him listed.
10
1810
Rowan Co., N.C. Census:
Person
Age/Sex/Birthplace Occupation

Thomas Holmes 45 up/M/ ...
Head of Family
One
26-45/M/ ...
...

One
26-45/F/ ...
...

One
10-16/F/ ...
...


11
1820
Rowan Co., N.C. Census:
Person
Age/Sex/Birthplace
Occupation

Thomas Holmes
45 up/M/ ... Head of Family

Two
26-45/M/ ... ...

One
10-16/M/ ... ...

One
26-45/F/ ... ...

One
16-26/F/ ... ...

One
<10/F/ ...
...

12
Note:
I checked whether I could link this Thomas Holmes with earlier records of families associated with his children.  I spent a busy two weeks in Hillsboro, Orange Co., N.C. developing the quite complete lines of these families:
Holmes of Orange County, North Carolina: Originally, I had hoped to find that John Holmes, Sr. 1765-1847 was a member of this big family; there was a John Holmes, but he wasn't John Holmes, Sr., and my Thomas Holmes was not a member of the Orange Co. clan.
Blackwood: The maiden name of John Holmes, Sr.'s first wife.  I found no link of Thomas Holmes to the Blackwood family.
Patrick: The maiden name of of John Holmes, Sr.'s second wife.  My Thomas Holmes had no early link to the Patrick family.
Krider: The maiden name of Thomas Holmes', b.[est.1775-1780] wife.  I thought that perhaps my Thomas Holmes had come from Pennsylvania with his father-in-law-to-be, but I could not find a positive link for my Thomas Holmes, b.[est.1725-1735].

Note:
Holmes Family of Rowan Co./Davidson Co., N.C.: Years ago, I had established that my Thomas Holmes was not a member of this rather distinguished family, and Jo White Linn, who has recently been commissioned to write a genealogy of this family [A Holmes Family of Rowan and Davidson Counties, North Carolina, with Haden, Heilig, Reid, Rex,Linn, Smith, Bernhardt, Snider, Pearson, Graham, White, Sawyer, Foushee, Ballou, Hurley, Morrison, King, Erwin, Pannill, Dillard, Knowles, Jo White Linn, C.G., Privately Published, Salisbury, North Carolina, 1988 - GL,III, ed.], confirms my conclusion.

Note:
You have already noted that this long string of editorial notes mainly relates to what I don't know about Thomas Holmes, b.[est.1725-1735].  You could well charge me with inventing him !  In my defense, let me say that I am comfortable with my conclusion that the Naming Pattern identifies his given name as being Thomas.  On the other hand, the late 18th Century citations that I have listed apply to a man, or men, named Thomas Holmes; candidates for my actual Thomas Holmes, b.[est.1725-1735].  I must also confess that a degree of sentimentality has crept into my desire to push back this line of my mother, Sydne Holmes.  Clearly, this is not calassical, professional genealogical practice, although I have been as objective as I could possibly be.


Sources
Source Record Citations for Thomas Holmes, b.[est.1725-1735]
Page
1
Holmes Bible Records; in possession of GL,Jr.
p.148
2
North Carolina Land Grant Office
p.915
3
Ibid.
p.535
4
Colonial & State Records of North Carolina; Vol.4, p.894.
p.187
5
Ibid., p.892
p.187
6
North Carolina Land Grant Office p.667
7
Ibid.
p.667
8
Safell: Records of the Revolutionary War
p.3
9
1790: First Census of the U.S., North Carolina, pp.1530178
pp.174A-178
10
1800: North Carolina Census, searched by Philip Mack Smith, C.R.S.
p.197
11
1810: North Carolina Census, searched by Philip Mack Smith, C.R.S. p.197
12
1820: North Carolina Census, searched by Philip Mack Smith, C.R.S. p.197
13
Jo White Linn: Abstracts of Wills & Estate Records of Rowan Co., N.C. 1753-1805 & Tax Lists of 1759 & 1778, 2nd ed., 1980, pp.119-147

14
Brent H. Holcomb: Anson Co., N.C. Deed Abstracts 1749-1766 & Abstracts of Wills & Estates 1749-1795, p.7

15
Ibid., p.63


Date
II-Thomas Holmes, b.c.1775=====Susanna Barbara Krider, b.25 Aug.1783 Source
c.1775
Birth

...
Death

25 Jan.1803
Marriage: Susanna Barbara Krider, b.25 Aug.1783, d.24 Sep.1875.

1802
Rowan County, North Carolina: Thomas Holmes, of Capt. Woodson's Company, is taxed for two whites, one black.
1
25 Jan.1803
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes married Barbara Crider.  Bondsmen were Dan'l Cress, F.Coupee & A.L. Osborn.
2
4 Oct.1804
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes on a special jury for trial of negro Peter, charged with robbery and attempted rape.  Verdict: Death by hanging.
3
3 Feb.1808
Rowan Co., N.C.: Ordered that Thos. Holms be appointed Keeper of the Standards, Weights & Measures for Rowan Co.; gave bond for £50.
4
30 Jan.1808
Rowan Co., N.C.: Elizabeth W. Hughes, widow of Sam'l Hughes, decd., and Francis Coupee and Thomas Holmes, Administrators, all of Salisbury, sell to Lewis Beard for £10. Lott No.59 on North Square conveyed to Samuel Hughes 17 Jun.1806.
10
1809
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, Innkeeper, taxed in Capt. Morris' Company for 1/2 Town Lotts, no acreage, one white Poll, no black Polls.
5
10 Nov.1809
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes on a Venire for Feb.1811 term.
6
Feb.1810
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes fined 20 shillings for not appearing for jury duty; fine was remitted for indisposition.
7
1810
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, of Capt. Robert Wood's Company, taxed for one Tavern, 1/2 Town Lotts, one black, and one white.
8
1810
Rowan Co., N.C. Census; Town of Salisbury:
Person
Age/Sex/Birthplace
Occupation

Thomas Holmes
26-45/M/ ... Head of Family

One
16-26/M/ ... ...

One
<10/M/ ... ...

One
26-45/F/ ... ...

One
16-26/F/ ... ...

One
<10/F/ ...
...

No slaves



12
1811
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, of Capt. Crider's Company, taxed as Innkeeper, no acreage, one white,
9
13 May 1811
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes selected on a Venire. 11
1812
Rowan Co., N.C.: Jacob Cryder, for Thomas Holmes, Innkeeper, pays taxes on no acres, one white, no blacks.
13
13 May 1813
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes is ordered by Rowan Co. Court to suspend business until Esquire Lewis Beard and Jacob Fisher ascertain Weights and Measures.
14
10 Aug.1813
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, Keeper of Weights and Measures, to go to get the Standards from Cabarrus Co., N.C.
15
1813
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, Innkeeper, taxed in Capt. Krider's Company on one white, one black.
16
1814
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, Innkeeper, taxed in Capt. Krider's Company on one white, two blacks. 17
1815
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes taxed in Capt. Trantham's Company on no land, 1/2 Town Lotts, one white, three blacks.
18
21 Mar.1818
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes is Bondsman for marriage of Joseph Beard to Elizabeth Speakes, both of Rowan Co. 19
30 Sep.1820
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes takes out Warrant No.176 for 60 acres in Rowan Co., next to John Taylor and John Smith.  Tract lately entered by Thomas L. Toomey.
20
2 Oct.1820
Rowan Co., N.C.: The 55½ acre tract of Thomas L. Toomey was on waters of Hunting Creek, next to John Taylor & John Smith.  Surveyed by John Little, Junr., and chain bearers were Patrick Toomey and Thomas Person.  Surveyor's map showed tract to be 55.2 acres.
21
1820
Rowan Co., N.C., Census:
Person
Age/Sex/Birthplace
Occupation

Thomas Holmes
45 up/M/ ... Head of Family

Two
26-45/M/ ... ...

One
10-16/M/ ... ...

One
26-45/F/ ... ...

One
16-26/F/ ... ...

One
<16/F/ ...
...

No blacks



22
6 Feb.1821
Iredell County, N.C.: Thomas Holmes, of Iredell Co., sells to Thomas Cole of Rowan Co., for the sum of 35 Dollars, a tract of 55½ acres on Hunting Creek, in Rowan Co., next Thomas Cole & John Smith.
23
May 1823
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes confirms the sale of the above 55½ acre tract in Court.
24
8 Jun.1822
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes owes Peter Krider $1,200. with interest from Jan.1823, payable next Jan.1823[sic].  Thomas Holmes makes Deed of Trust to Peter Krider for 5 shillings the upper half of Lott No.2 in the Great North Square of Salisbury, formerly owned by Roberts Nanny.
25
1822
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes or Roberts Nanny taxed on 1/2 Lott at $1,000.
26
8 Aug.1822
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, of Roawn Co., is highest bidder at $1,200 for sale of upper half of Lott No.2 in the Great North Square of Salisbury.  Sale by Sheriff Samuel Jones, Esq.
27
18 Aug.1822
Rowan Co., N.C.: At the Administrator's Sale of the Estate of Philip Crider, Thomas Holmes makes these purchases:
Item
$ Amt.

Winmill
6.00

Block
5.00

Jug & Tinware
0.52

Collars & Gears
1.57

The Adminsitrators were Elizabeth Krider, widow, and John Krider.
28
Oct.1822
Rowan Co., N.C.: Barnabee Crider, of Salisbury, N.C., in his Will, names Executors:
Wife - Peggy
Son - Jacob Crider
Son-In-Law - Thomas Holmes
Bequest to son, Jacob Crider: House now occupied by Thomas Holmes.
Witness: Thos. Fisher & Moses A. Locke.
29
1823
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, of Rowan Co., pays $3.00 tax on one Lott valued at $1,200.
30
1823
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes pays $2.50 tax for B. Crider Estate on 6 Lotts valued at $1,000, and 330 acres.
31
1823
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes pays $3.75 tax for Coupee Heirs on 3 Lotts valued at $1,500.
32
4 Apr.1823
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes and John Holmes witness Deed of Martin Rand, Senr. to William Innes.
33
Aug.1823
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes proves above Deed to Court.
34
1823
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, of Rowan Co., Giles Co., pays a $3.00 tax on one Lott, value $1,200. 35
1823
Thomas Holmes, of Rowan Co., pays $2.50 tax on 6 Lotts, value $1,000. 36
1823
Thomas Holmes pays $3.75 tax on 3 Lotts valued at $1,000 for Estate of Coupee heirs.
37
3 ay 1824
John Holmes (as signed) of Rowan Co. for the sum of $785.00, as paid to me in hand by Thomas Holmes of Salisbury Town, Rowan Co., sell the items listed below:
Q.
Item
$ Val.
Q.
Item
$ Val.
Q.
Item
$ Val.
Q.
Item
$ Val.

1
side board
$35.00
1
small iron pot
$1.50
2
cream jugs
$0.50
2
hoes
$2.50

1
small side board
24.00
1
frying pan
1.25
1
dozen plates
1.00
1
spade
1.25

1
clock & case
35.00
1
pair waffle irons
2.25
1
dozen soup plates
0.75
1
scythe
2.25

1
china press
22.00
1
small pot rack
1.75
1
large bowl
0.75
1
quart funnel
0.25

1
desk & bookcase
28.00
2
pair fire dogs
4.62-½
1/2
dozen small bowls
0.75
...
Artists Mouse, 2 Vol.
4.25

1
beuro
10.00
2
pr. shovel & tongs
1.50
2
pitchers
1.50
...
India Travel, 6 Vol.
7.25

2
stands
5.00
1
pair bellows
2.62-½
6
tumblers
0.60
2
note books
2.50

3
highpost bedsteads
36.00
2
Dutch ovens
4.00
1/2
doz. silver spoons
4.50
10
other books
10.00

9
beds & furniture
26.00
1
small skillet
1.00
3
decanters
1.50
1
sign
20.00

5
gilt framed pictures
15.00
3
pails
1.50
1
large coffe pot
1.25
300
wt. bacon
38.00

5
common pictures
10.00
2
buckets
1.00
1
gallon coffee pot
1.11
1
gray horse
30.00

1
large looking glass
7.00
1
gallon measure
0.75
1
small coffee pot
0.50
1
black mare & colt
45.00

1
small looking glass
4.00
1
gallon funnel
1.00
4
brass candlesticks
4.50
1
bay mare
35.00

1-1/2
doz. chain
25.00
1
quart measure
0.25
2
doz. knives & forks
3.00
5
sheep & lambs
7.00

2
folding leaf tables
8.00
1
small wheel
1.25
1
teakettle
1.00
_1_
_spotted cow & calf__
__16.00

3
small tables
6.00
1
large spinning wheel
1.25
1
branded cow & calf
16.00

Total
$785.85

2
small pictures
0.50
12
casks
12.00
1
sow & piggs.
10.00




1
large picture
2.50
1
silver plated castor
5.25
5
shoats
10.00

Registered in Rowan


3
large dishes
1.50
1
sm. plated castor
2.50
12
geese
3.60

Co., May Session


1
pot rack
2.00
2
doz. cups & saucers
3.00
1
Barshire plow
5.00

Jno. Giles


1
large iron pot
2.25
2
large tea pots
1.00
1
shovel & plow
2.50




38
30 Nov.1824
Thomas Holmes & Margaret Krider, of Rowan Co., sell to Stephen Ferrand for $505, a tract in Town of Salisbury containing five Lotts of 144 square poles each, said Lotts 100-101-102-103-104 in the Great East Square next John Steele, Esq. & John Beard, Sen.
Signed: Thos. Holmes, Margaret Krider.
Witness: John Holmes, Jo. E. Todd.
Proven: April 1825.
Deed dated 30 Nov.1824.
39
24 Nov.1825
Thomas Holmes sells for one dollar (and further consideration) hereinafter expressed a certain tract of land in Town of Salisbury, Rowan Co., N.C., in the Great North Square of said town it being the upper half of Lot No.2 formerly the property of Edward Yarbrough Dec'd. which was sold under a Decree of the Court of Equity to sd. Thomas Holmes, who hath full right to convey the same free of all encumbrances.  Also, the said Holmes doth further bind himself and heirs to sd. Hamilton C. Jones his heirs to warrant & defend against all claims of all persons whatever subject to a condition and proviso.  The condition is whereas John McClelland, Samuel E. Jones, John Henderson, said parties to these presents that until default shall be made in performance of the proviso in condition herein contained he the said John Holmes his heirs and assigns shall and may hold and enjoy all and singular the sd. premises above mentioned and receive and take the rents, issues and profits hereof to his and their own proper use and benefit anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.  In witness whereof the said John Holmes has hereunto set his hand and seal this 29th day of january 1824.
Witness: Henry Allemong, John Holmes, Feb. Session 1824, Rowan Co., N.C.
I hereby certify that the Within Mortgage was duly proven in open court by the oath of Henry Allemong recorded and ordered to be registered.
Jno. Giles
40
24 Nov.1825
Thomas Holmes sells to Hamilton C. Jones for one dollar the upper half of Lott No.2 on Great North Square of Town of Salisbury, whereas John McClelland & Sam'l Jones & John L. Henderson & David F. Caldwell & Thomas S. Cowan & John Linn & David McGuire & John Welch & James Hanes have become security of Thomas Markland & Thomas Holmes in a bond dated 28 Sep.1825 payable to Peter Krider, Guardian of the heirs of Henry Krider, dec'd.  The sum of $1,581.80 ... if Thomas Holmes does not pay the bond then Hamilton C. Jones shall sell it.
{signed} Thos. Holmes
Test: Ashbel Smith
Proven: Nov.1825
41
1826
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes, in Capt. Pierson's Company, taxed on 1/2 Lott valued at $1,500.00
42
1826
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes pays taxes on B. Crider Estate on 1/4 Lott valued at $2,500.00
43
1826
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes pays taxes for F. Coupee heirs on 2¼ lots valued at $1,600.00
44
1827
Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes for Bernard Krider 1¼ lots in Salisbury, valued at $3,000. assessed at $2,250.
45
1827
Salisbury Town, Rowan Co., N.C.: Thomas Holmes for Francis Coupee 3¼ Lots valued at $1,700., assessed at $1,275.
46
23 Aug.1827
Rowan Co., N.C.: Jacob Krider pays $1,400 for the house & lot in Salisbury, next Andrew Mathen & Mrs. Yarbrough.  This had been left to Jacob Krider by the Will of Barnabas Krider with the stipulation he would pay Thomas Holmes $1,600 as Executor for the other heirs.  Thomas Holmes thought this was too much but was willing to take it on a fair valuation, so it was referred to Moses A. Locke & William Horak & Michael Brown & Samuel Reeves who decided on $1,400.
47
Nov.1827
Transaction of 23 Aug.1827 above witnessed and proved by Henry Giles.
48
25 Sep.1827
Thomas Holmes and Barbara his wife, of Rowan Co., sell to Jacob Krider, of Rowan Co., for $100. a tract of land in Salisbury adjoining the Jail Lot.  
Signed: Thos. Holmes & Susanna B. Holmes.
Witnesses: P.D. Jacobs & Wm. Hughes.
Registered: Aug.1828 by John Giles C.G. and 1 Nov.1828 by John H. Hardie, Regr.
49
1850
Rowan Co., N.C. Census: Susanna B. Holmes listed as age 66.
50
15 Aug.1850
Census of Salisbury:
Person
Age/Sex/Birthplace
Occupation

Susanna B. Holmes
60/F/Penna. $400 Real Estate

Rebecca Smith
29/F/N.C. ...

Samuel Smith
10/M/N.C. ...

51
10 Dec.1875
Rowan Co., N.C.: Susanna B. Holmes writes her Will:
To children of deceased brother Jacob Krider:
Elizabeth Williamson
D.W. Krider

C.C. Krider
T.A. Krider

John G. Fleming & wife Margaret

John Graham & wife Julia

52
24 Sep.1875
Susanna Barbara Holmes died.
53
16 Jan.1879
Will of Susanna B. Holmes probated.
54
Note 1:
Their 1810 Census record lists ther children as two sons and two daughters; the 1820 Census lists three sons and two daughters.  I have found no record of their names.

Note 2:
After 25 Sep.1827, Thomas Holmes disappears from the Rowan Co., N.C. records; and I do not know what became of him.  I came across this reference, from the Obituary column in a Rutheford Co., N.C. newspaper, dated 3 Jul.1834:
Thomas Holmes, formerly of Salisbury [died] in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
I wrote the Tuscaloosa Probate Court clerk, but he could find no Court records of Thomas Holmes.
55
Note 3:
Thomas Holmes died between the years 1827 (when he disappeared from Rowan Co., N.C. records) and 1850 (when Susanna B. Holmes was enumerated as Head of Family in the Salisbury, N.C. Town Census.)  I have not found his Will.

Note 4:
When Thomas Holmes' 55½ acre land tract was surveyed in Oct.1820, it was described as being in Rowan County "on the waters of Hunting Creek."  In Feb.1821, when he sold this tract, the deed records him as "of Iredell County" and the tract as lying in Rowan County.  The survey map of this Grant does not refer to the county line, but I feel that the grant is on the line between Iredell County and what is now Davie County [specifically] in the northwest corner of Davie County.  My copy of the mosaic map of the Davie County land grants shows grants of the 1786 period and offers no clue to the exact location of this grant.  I feel, however, that the western boundary of the grant is on the Iredell County-Davie County line in the Bear Creek-Hunting Creek Holmes community.  This mosaic map shows, very faintly, the course of Bear Creek, and of Hunting Creek as it wanders back & forth along the county line.

Note 5:
The personality of Thomas Holmes interests me.  Records indicate that his contemporaries rewarded him as a trustworthy solid citizen:
In 1808 he was appointed "Keeper of the Weighyts & Measures," serving until 1817.
In 1808 he was appointed an Administrator of the Estate of Samuel Huges, decd., with Elizabeth Hughes, widow, and Francis Coupee, his brother-in-law.
In 1822 he was appointed an Executor in the Will of his father-in-law Barnabas Krider, with Peggy Krider, widow, and Jacob Krider, son.
He was several times appointed for Jury duty, once on a Grand Jury.
He appears to have prospered personally.  He was an Innkeeper from 1809 until 1817, presumably his source of income.  He apparently had assumed some responsibilities toward the "Heirs of Francis Coupee," his brother-in-law, although I could not find a record of a formal appointment.  And, several times, he was able and willing to come to the financial aid of his brother-in-law John D. Holms and his large family.  He appears to have purchased his 55½ acre land grant on a speculation of some sort.  He owned it only three months and apparently never lived there.  He lived all his life, as far as I can see, on his "Upper half of Lott No.2 in the Great North Square" in the Town of Salisbury.


Sources
Citation Records for II-Thomas Holmes, b.c.1775=====Susanna Barbara Krider, b.25 Aug.1783 Page
1
Rowan County, N.C.: Tax Lists; 1802
p.523
2
Rowan County, N.C.: Marriage Bonds, 2nd Series, p.48 p.532
3
Rowan County, N.C.: Court Minutes & Dockets 1800-1817, Microfilm YY-3, p.270 p.576
4
Ibid., Vol.8, p.21
p.577
5
Rowan County, N.C.: Tax Lists 1809-1814 p.526
6
Rowan County, N.C.: Court Minutes & Dockets 1800-1817, p.161 p.577
7
Ibid., p.175 p.577
8
Rowan County, N.C.: Tax Lists 1809-1814 p.526
9
Ibid. p.526
10
Rowan County, N.C.: Deed Book 21, p.456 p.525
11
Rowan County, N.C.: Court Minutes & Dockets 1800-1817, p.347 p.577
12
Rowan County, N.C.: 1790 Census, Salisbury Town p.479
13
Rowan County, N.C.: Tax Lists 1809-1814 p.527
14
Rowan County, N.C.: Court Order Books p.466
15
Ibid. p.466
16
Rowan County, N.C.: Tax Lists 1809-1814 p.526
17
Ibid. p.524
18
Ibid. p.524
19
Rowan County, N.C.: Marriage Bonds (McCubbin Collection under Speaks) p.502
20
North Carolina Land Grant Office, Box 4005
p.563
21
Ibid. p.563
22
Rowan County, N.C.: 1820 Census, p.345 (by Philip Mack Smith) p.204
23
[missing reference - GL,III, ed.]

24
Rowan County, N.C.: Deed Book 27, p.57 p.243
25
Ibid., p.157 p.478
26
Rowan County, N.C.: Historical Book - Old Taxables, p.625 p.467
27
Rowan County, N.C.: Deed Book 32, p.452 p.480
28
Rowan County, N.C.: Estates p.525
29
Rowan County, N.C.: Will Book 14, p.192 p.470
30
Rowan County, N.C.: Tax Lists p.525
31
Ibid. p.525
32
Ibid. p.526
33
Rowan County, N.C.: Deed Book 27, p.525 (McCubbins Collection, under Williamson) p.504
34
Ibid. p.504
35
Rowan County, N.C.: Tax Lists p.525
36
Ibid. p.525
37
Ibid. p.525
38
Rowan County, N.C.: Deed Book 27, p.834 (old index) p.577 (new index) pp.227-229
39
Rowan County, N.C.: Deed Book 28, p.13 p.468
40
Ibid., p.309 pp.243X-244
41
Ibid. p.468
42
Rowan County, N.C.: Tax Lists p.525
43
Ibid. p.525
44
Ibid. p.525
45
Rowan County, N.C.: Salisbury Town, Tax Receipts Book p.525
46
Ibid. p.525
47
Rowan County, N.C.: Deed Book 29, p.608 p.496
48
Rowan County, N.C.: Deed Book 30, p.213 p.496
49
Ibid. p.470
50
Rowan County, N.C.: 1850 Census, Vol.3, p.52 p.468
51
Rowan County, N.C.: 1850 Census, Salisbury Town (McCubbins Collection, under Todd) p.504
52
Rowan County, N.C.: Will Book 1, p.472 (McCubbins Collection, under Krider) p.496
53
Ibid. p.496
54
Ibid. p.496
55
Robert M. Topkim: Marriage and Death Records from Extant Rutherfordton, Rutherfrord County, N.C.Newspapers 1830-1850, p.219
p.1006

Date
III-Thomas Holmes, b.29 Jan.1795=====Susanna Smith, b.[est.ca.1798]
Source
29 Jan.1795
Birth: Rowan County, North Carolina: Son of I-John Holmes and wife, Susanna Blackwood.
1
...
Death

4 Feb.1818
Marriage: Susanna Smith, b.[est.ca.1798] Witnesses were Thomas Holmes and Jesse Whitaker.
2
Note 1:
A large Rowan Co., N.C., Land Grant to Isaac Smith closely neighbors the 1794 grant to Robert Holmes on the waters of Bear Creek, in the northwest corner of what is now Davie Co., N.C., but I have no records of Isaac Smith or his family.
3
Note 2:
I have no records that appear to pertain to III-Thomas Holmes after his marriage to Susanna Smith in 1818.  I do not know when or where they went.

Note 3:
21 Dec.1820: Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky: Col. James Morrison in his Will, bequeaths a 164 acre tract in Pendleton Co., Kentucky to Thomas Holmes.  But, 22 Sep.1848, Thomas Holmes and wife Mary sell this tract.  III-Thomas Holmes and I-John Holmes 1765-1847 were both in Lexington, Ky. in the late 1840's, and it is possible that the Thomas Holmes, wife Susanna Smith and Thomas Holmes, wife Mary were the same person, but I have no evidence of that.
4; 5

Sources
Citation List for III-Thomas Holmes, b.29 Jan.1795=====Susanna Smith, b.[est.ca.1798]
Page
1
Bible Record of John Holmes 1765-1847
p.148; p.152
2
Map of NW corner of Davie County, North Carolina
p.696
3
Rowan Co., N.C.: Marriage Bonds
p.241
4
Fayette Co., Ky: Will Book F, p.71
p.29
5
Ibid., Will Book 5, p.463 p.30