My Genealogy Hound

ROBERT H. HOLMES, one of the prominent and influential farmers of Johnson County, resides on section 4, township 44, range 25. He was born in Rockbridge County, Va., June 15, 1834, and is a son of Benjamin A. and Sarah A. (Douglas) Holmes. The maternal grandfather, John Douglas, was a native of Louisiana, where he married, but later removed to Rockbridge County, Va., where he carried on the lumber business and also engaged in farming, owning at one time thirty thousand acres of land, and at his death was a very wealthy man. The paternal grandfather, who was born in Maryland, there wedded Christine Holmes, and, taking her to Virginia, there lived until his death, which was caused by being thrown from a horse. His wife then lived with the father of our subject until her death. By her marriage she became the mother of five children. Jane married Vincent Taggart, but both are now deceased; Polly wedded Douglas B. Lane, State Senator from Allegheny County, Pa., and both died in that county; Martha married Elihu Baggs, but both have passed away; John died in 1843; and Benjamin A. completed the family.

On the 4th of May, 1804, the father of our subject was born in Rockbridge County, Va., where, in 1830, he married Miss Sarah A. Douglas, also of the same county. He became a pioneer of Johnson County, Mo., in 1848, having come here on horseback with his brother-in-law, Robert H. Douglas. He had never before heard of the county, but in passing through stopped and purchased six hundred and fifteen acres at $4 per acre in the vicinity of High Point Church, known as the J. E. Shocky Farm. Returning to Virginia, he sold his farm there, and purchased two wagons, in which he packed his goods, and with his wife, children and colored servants started for Missouri. They came by way of St. Louis and Rocheport, landing here in October, 1848, and built a log house, near by being a log church, which they attended. Improving the place was at once begun, and the father was the first man to bring a McCormick Mower into the county. He there made his home until 1867, when he sold the farm and purchased eighty acres near where our subject now resides. At the end of five years he also sold that place, removing to Warrensburg, where his wife died October 13, 1874, and he then made his home with his daughter in the same city. His death occurred at the home of another daughter, Mrs. Donavan, on the 12th of December, 1892, and was deeply and sincerely mourned.

In the family were nine children. Mary J., widow of John L. Wall, lives in Medicine Lodge, Kan.; Robert H. is next in order of birth; Martha is the wife of Thomas Caldwell, a lumber merchant of Warrensburg; John W. married Julia Caldwell, and is now engaged in fanning in Oklahoma; Editha, wife of Dennis Donavan, resides in Warrensburg; Sallie D. wedded James P. Hall, a farmer and banker of Medicine Lodge, Kan.; James R. is a farmer and stock-raiser, living near Etna, Kan.; Dr. Benjamin F., a resident of Vernon County, Mo., married Miss Anna Hoffman, who is now deceased; and Nancy, wife of John Runyan, lives in Medicine Lodge. The children all received good common-school educations, and the two youngest attended the normal at Warrensburg.

Robert H. Holmes, whose name opens this review, remained under the parental roof until twenty-two years of age, when he began freighting across the plains. In 1855 he was employed by the contractor under the Government to haul freight from Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., to Ft. Union, N. M., a distance of eight hundred and fifty miles. On arriving at the latter place he there remained, while part of the train went farther south, and for his services first received $25, and afterward $50, per month. The train consisted of twenty-six wagons, with six yoke of oxen to each. The second trip was to Ft. Riley, Kan., in 1855, a distance of one hundred and fifty miles, and the following year he went to Ft. Kearney, Neb. In August, 1856, he started for Ft. Laramie, Wyo., but before reaching that place they were caught in a snow storm and lost several head of cattle. The journey was not completed until Christmas, when more oxen were sent them, but the following year he made the same trip in safety, receiving $100 per month. In 1857 there was a call for volunteers to carry dispatches, and Mr. Holmes being one, he was sent from Ft. Leavenworth to Ft. Laramie, a distance of eight hundred and fifty miles, riding on mules. In 1858 he started for Ft. Kearney, but after proceeding only twenty miles was taken ill and had to return to Ft. Leavenworth, where he remained three months. For the remainder of the season he had charge of a herd of mules which were used for freighting across the plains. In the fall of that year he took a boat down the Missouri River to Lexington, Mo., and from there proceeded to Warrensburg by hack, remaining at home until the spring of 1859, when he returned to Leavenworth, intending to conduct a train across the plains to Salt Lake City, Utah, but having to wait quite a while he returned home, where he was afterward taken ill.

On the 14th of September, 1860, Mr. Holmes was united in marriage with Miss Adellia Jane Caldwell, a native of Caldwell County, Ky., born September 26, 1843, and a daughter of William P. C. and Jane A. (Jackson) Caldwell, natives of the same county, where they were also married. The father was a farmer by occupation, but also preached the Gospel, being a minister of the Baptist Church. In 1845 he came to Johnson County, where he engaged in farming and preaching, and his death here occurred December 19, 1875, while his wife had passed away on the 8th of November, 1874.

Mr. Holmes entered the Confederate service, becoming a member of Company F, under Capt. James Gillette and General Parsons. With the company he then proceeded to Little Rock, later engaging in the battle of Prairie Grove, and was afterward taken ill at Ft. Smith, where his life was despaired of. When the Union men advanced on that city, he refused to remain in bed, but made his escape, following his company, walking until a friend of his, Henry Thistle, who was one of the rear guard, offered him his horse. On reporting to the surgeons, he was sent to Little Rock, where he made application to be transferred to the cavalry, which he afterward joined, being under Captain Murray and General Heinman, there remaining until the battle of Cape Girardeau, when he was appointed Sergeant-Major of the regiment commanded by Col. Robert Newton, and served with that title until the close of the war. From Camden, Ark., his company went to Helena, where a battle was fought, then went to Ironton, Mo., where they lost several men, and then on to Franklin County, where they engaged in a skirmish. At Jefferson City they tore up the railroad, then proceeded to Boonville, near which place Mr. Holmes’ father was then living, and he there remained a few days. While eating breakfast one morning he was warned that the enemy were going to try to capture him and so made his escape. At Arrow Rock he met Marmaduke’s cavalry, which he joined, going with them to Glasgow, Mo., where he enlisted under General Price. On the way to Ft. Scott, Kan., they participated in several skirmishes, and six miles east of that place General Blount made a charge on them, capturing several of their men. At Newtonia, Mo., they met a few home guards, who had charge of a mill, and there received some provisions, with which they started for Indian Territory. Our subject was permitted to go to Ft. Smith for supplies, where he paid $100 for one hundred pounds of flour, and on rejoining his company they moved on to Bonham, Tex., where they arrived in October, 1864, remaining there one month. They then started for Hillsboro, Ark., where, on the 25th of January, 1865, Mr. Holmes received an order to leave his company and report to Maj. James R. Shaler, at Washington, Ark. From there he was ordered to Maj.-Gen. John Fagan at Camden. He was at Pine Bluff, Ark., at the time of the surrender, and at Shreveport, La., was mustered out, returning to St. Louis June 23, 1865, where he took the oath of allegiance to the United States.

On returning to Missouri, Mr. Holmes found his wife living in Macon County and his father in Howard County, as nothing was left of the old home except the fireplace, everything being burned by the Union men. Sending for his wife, they lived in a log schoolhouse containing two rooms for some time, when a house was erected on the home farm, obtaining the lumber for its construction from St. Louis. They there remained for several years, when they removed to the Rathfon Farm, but in 1867 a house was erected on a farm of eighty acres given Mr. Holmes by his father. He has made many good improvements and added to his land, until he now has four hundred and forty acres, about half of which is under cultivation.

In the family of our subject and his wife were seven children, five of whom are still living. Robert H., born May 20, 1861, died July 8, 1876; Charlie A., born January 8, 1863, is engaged in the cattle business in Duncan County, Ariz.; James R., born May 24, 1866, lives in Barber County, Kan., where he is engaged in farming; Minnie M., born March 9, 1868, is at home; Wilson H., born June 7, 1871, is a farmer of Barber County, Kan.; Almira L., born September 19, 1874, died on the 29th of November of the same year; and Benjamin E., born July 2, 1876, is with his parents.

Mr. Holmes is an extensive farmer, raising principally corn and wheat, but his chief business is that of stock-raising, in which he meets with excellent success. He has also good coal land on his farm. Formerly he voted with the Democratic party, but now is an Alliance Democrat. For two years he served as Assessor of the county, and has held several township offices, including those of School Director and Road Overseer. In the spring of 1888 a new postoffice was originated, called Aubrey, which he is carrying on at his own home. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church, attending one near their home, and are earnest, consistent Christian people, having the respect of all who know them.