Thomas Holmes
His father, James Holmes, was born in 1790. in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was married to Nancy Shaw, June 28, 1791. He came to the Northwest Territory in 1800 and located in Adams County as a farmer. He died in 1833. He had fourteen children, all of whom grew to maturity, and all of whom married and had families except one son, Silas, who died a young man. His son, William, lived on the hill west of West Union and died there many years ago, leaving two sons, William and Nathan, and a daughter. James Holmes' daughter, Nancy, married Salathiel Coryell and she was the mother of Judge James L. Coryell.
Thomas was the eldest son and child and was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, August 7, 1792. He was set to learn the cabinet maker's trade as a boy and youth, and did learn it, but never followed it, having taken up farming and followed that all his life. He went into the War of 1812. On his way home, his party was waylaid and ambushed by a party of Indians at a spring where they had stopped to drink, and his Uncle Shaw and another of the party were killed. The Indians escaped after the first fire. He celebrated his safe return from the war by marrying Margaret McClanahan, December 23, 1813. She was born April 8, 1795, There were ten children of this marriage, as follows: James, born December 31, 1814, married Morella McGovney, November 5, 1840, died December 31. 1885. Eliza, born November 17. 1816, married James McGovney, February 20, 1840, died July 29. 1897. Nancy, born October 27, 1818, married Richard W. Ramsey, 1838. John Holmes, born November 30, 1820, married July 22, 1846, to Elizabeth Treber. died December 29, 1895. Rebecca, born October 15, 1822, married John McGovney, 1843, died February 25, 1879. Sarah, born November 28, 1824, married Crockett McGovney. December 20, 1849. She is the only one of Thomas Holmes' children surviving. She is now a widow residing at Manchester. Caroline, born December 14, 1826, married Andrew Alexander, October 12. 1848, died August 18, 1897. Margaret, born March 14, 1830, married James Clark, March, 1850, died in August 1880, Harriet, born August 2, 1832, died at the age of seven years. Thomas F. Holmes, born April 28, 1835, married Margaret Compton, 1857, died October 10, 1886.
Thomas Holmes, the subject of our sketch, died October 25, 1866, on the premises just west of West Union, built by Rev. John P. Van Dyke, and now occupied by the Stewart family. His wife survived him until January 22, 1879. He lived an honorable, upright life. He was just in all his dealings. He was strongly attached to the Baptist Church and brought all his children up in that faith.
He was respected by all who knew him, and his death, like his life, was peace. The best commentary on his life are his children and grand children surviving him, all of whom are honorable men and women, striving to do the best for themselves and those dependent on them. While his life was uneventful, it was a record of every duty well done and a family well trained in their duties toward God, toward their neighbors and toward their country.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900