Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Holmes, Joshua C 1866 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com February 20, 2006, 8:36 am

Author: History of Grundy County 1914

Holmes, Joshua C. – There is no better evidence of the prosperity of a 
community than the success of its building contractors, for when they are kept 
busy, the city is growing to accommodate increase of wealth on the part of the 
older residents, and the influx of outside capital.  One of the men who 
certainly belongs to the class referred to above in the city of Morris is 
Joshua C. Holmes, who was born in Saratoga Township, this county, April 30, 
1866, a son of John H. and Rebecca (Winnie) Holmes of Albany County, N. Y.  
The father was a carpenter who left his native place in 1860, for Morris, 
Ill., where he carried on his line of work, being engaged in the construction 
work on the first bridge across the Illinois River.  Finding things in a 
prosperous condition, he returned for his family, and coming back with them, 
located on a farm in Saratoga Township where he lived until his death on April 
23, 1910, aged eighty-two years.  His widow, born November 20, 1835, survives, 
making her home at Morris.  They had the following children:  William, who is 
deceased; Frazier, who is of Chicago; Charles, who is of Morris; Joshua C.; 
Leonard, who is of Chicago; Jennie, who is Mrs. William Ashton of Morris; and 
Noble, who is of Morris.

Joshua C. Holmes went to the neighboring school, and grew up on the homestead 
and healthy, normal surroundings, where he remained until his marriage in 
1891.  After that event he was employed as a cooper in the oatmeal factory, 
and also worked as a carpenter during the summers until 1898, when he embarked 
in a general contracting business, and now gives employment to from four to 
five men in season.  On August 16, 1891, Mr. Holmes was married to Lena Mae 
Read, born at Genoa, Ill., a daughter of Walter Van Buren and Caroline V. 
(Thompson) Read, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Illinois, where Mr. Read 
was a farmer for some years, later going to Missouri, and still later to North 
Dakota.  At present he is living retired at Morris.  Mr. and Mrs. Holmes have 
two children, Pearl and Zelma, both of whom are at home.  Politically Mr. 
Holmes is a Republican.  In fraternal matters he belongs to the Modern Woodmen 
of America and the Odd Fellows, both of Morris, and is popular with his fellow-
members for he is a man to command respect.

Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914, p831

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