William Holmes's biography Eagle Township, Clinton County, Michigan

Copyright © 1999 by Jan Sedore. This copy contributed for use in 
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PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY
CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN
Page 422
WILLIAM H. HOLMES
        William H. Holmes, who is serving for the third term as township treasurer
of Eagle township and makes his home on section 32, where he is extensively
engaged in farming, was born in Oneida township, Eaton county, Michigan, on
the 19th of September, 1861. His parents, Anson T. and Sylvia (Henry)
Homes, were also natives of Michigan, the former a native of Washtenaw
county and the latter of Eaton County. In 1854 the father removed to
Clinton county with his parents, settling on section 32, Eagle township,
and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land where he lived on this
and the adjoining farm until 1891, when he moved to Grand Ledge. He died at
that place in May 1901, at the age of sixty-six years, and is still
survived by his wife, who resides in Grand Ledge. Calvin Holmes, the
paternal grandfather, was a native of New York and brought his family to
Michigan in 1834, where he lived to the advanced age of ninety-four years,
while his wife, Sylvia Maltby, passed away at the age of seventy-eight
years. In their family were the following named: Lovisa, the wife of Henry
Swegles, of Eaton county, Michigan; Wilson, who is living in Ludington,
Michigan; Rosina, deceased; Mrs. Sarah Van Leuvan, a widow; Luther, of
Grand Ledge; Willis, deceased; and Elizabeth Robinson.
        William H. Holmes, whose name introduces this review, is indebted to the
district schools for the educational privileges he enjoyed, and through the
period of vacations he engaged in farming on the old homestead, thus
becoming familiar with all the duties and labors that fell to the lot of
the agriculturist. In 1885, he began farming on his own account on forty
acres of land and in 1901 he added to his property nearly all of the old
homestead farm on section 32, Eagle Township, so that he now has a valuable
property which is productive by reason of the care and labor he has
bestowed upon it. He is a thorough up-to-date farmer, painstaking and
careful in the management of his business, practical and progressive in all
that he does and his efforts have been resultant factors in winning his
success.
        On the 10th of June 1885, Mr. Homes was married to Miss Lena Stearns, a
daughter of Thompson Stearns, of Eagle. In politics he is a republican,
prominent in the local ranks of his party. He has served as justice of the
peace for two terms and as a member of the board of reviews and in 1901 was
elected treasurer of Eagle Township, which office he held tow terms and is
now serving for the third term. He is prompt and faithful in the
performance of all his public duties and the trust reposed in him is well
merited. He belongs to the Grange, has been identified with the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows for ten years and is a member of the Universalist
church of Eagle.