BIO: James H. HOLMES, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  JAMES H. HOLMES, one of the representative and prominent citizens of 
State College, is numbered among the self-made men of Centre county, 
his accumulations being the result of his own industry, obtained by 
self-denial, economy and the exercise of a naturally good judgment, in 
regard to both agricultural pursuits and business matters. This county 
has ever been the field of his operations and the center of his 
interests and hopes.
  Mr. Holmes traces his ancestry to James Holmes, a wealthy Scotch-
Irish gentleman, a copy of whose will is now in our subject's 
possession. His son Robert was the father of Jonathan Holmes, the 
grandfather of the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch. The 
last named was born in the city of Belfast, Ireland, September 25, 
1760, and on coming to the New World located in Mifflinburg, Union Co., 
Penn., where he conducted an inn until his death. He married Jennet 
Laird, who was born March 24, 1764, and they became the parents of five 
children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Rachel, 
February 19, 1788; Jennet, October 25, 1789; Elizabeth, April 26, 1792; 
Mary, August 9, 17944; and Robert, November 9, 1799.
  Robert Holmes, the father of our subject, was born in Union county, 
and there acquired his education. He worked at his trade as a 
millwright until forty years of age, when he purchased 150 acres of 
land near Bellefonte, which he sold a year later; then bought 167 acres 
in Marion township, Centre county, removing to the same in 1835, when 
it was still unimproved. He at once began its development and 
cultivation, and added to the tract until, at his death, September 16, 
1874, he had 300 acres of valuable land. He was a Democrat in politics, 
and an elder in the Lick Run Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, of 
which he was a consistent and devoted member.
  On November 5, 1822, Robert Holmes was married to Mary Snyder, who 
was born August 8, 1803. Nine children blessed their union, whose names 
and dates of birth are as follows: Sarah Jane, January 20, 1824; 
Caroline, December 8, 1825; William Laird, July 20, 1827; James, 
October 18, 1831; Robert, November 11, 1833; Mary Amanda, March 24, 
1836; Harriet Elizabeth, November 4, 1838; John, August 4, 1840; and 
Margaretta, August 31, 1844. The mother of these children passed away 
on the 16th of April, 1893, the father on the 16th of September, 1874.
  The birth or our subject occurred in Bellefonte, and in the schools 
of Marion township, Centre county, he acquired his early education, his 
first teacher being Samuel Kline, who is still living in Howard. His 
opportunities, however, for securing an education were poor, and at the 
age of sixteen he laid aside his text books to assist his father in the 
labors of the farm, which he continued until he was twenty-one, when he 
rented a farm for a year.
  On January 2, 1854, Mr. Holmes wedded Miss Emily McKibben, and to 
them were born twelve children, namely: William J., born November 3, 
1856, died in infancy; Robert E., born May 4, 1859, is a practicing 
physician of Spruce Creek; Mrs. Mary A. Deal, born January 7, 1864, is 
living in State College; Olivia R., born September 18, 1865, is 
deceased; Clayton I., born January 18, 1866, is a dry-goods clerk; J. 
Laird, born February 17, 1868, is a school teacher of State College; 
Hamill, born September 5, 1870, is a carpenter of that place; and James 
H., born February 28, 1873, and Jennie Mabel, born November 9, 1878, 
are all at home; and Mandella, born March 10, 1881, died in infancy.
  Mr. Holmes continued to reside in Marion township until his 
enlistment in the Union army during the Civil war, October 3, 1861, in 
Company G, 51st P. V. I., and served as corporal under Capt. Snyder in 
the battles of Roanoke, Newberne and Camden. He was wounded at the last 
named, and was taken to the hospital in Georgetown, D.C., where he was 
honorably discharged November 8, 1862.
  In 1865 Mr. Holmes purchased 135 acres of land in Ferguson township, 
Centre county, on which he continued to make his home until 1888, when 
he removed to State College, where for four years he engaged in 
merchandising, but is now living retired. He is the owner of 
considerable property, including the Holmes Block, a beautiful three-
story business block on College avenue, erected in 1896. His business 
dealings have ever been characterized by a straightforward, honorable 
policy, which has won the confidence of all. For forty-five years he 
has been a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church, and was a member 
of the Grange and Good Templars at Centre Furnace for several years. He 
also holds membership in the Grand Army Post No. 57, of Lemont, and his 
political support is given the Republican party; but he has neither 
time nor inclination for public office, preferring to devote his 
energies to his business interests, which being well conducted along 
honorable lines have brought to him a comfortable competence.
  Mrs. Holmes was born July 22, 1839, a daughter of Joseph and Mary 
(Smith) McKibben, 

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  345

who were the parents of seven children, viz.: Mary J., Sarah G., 
William S., John (deceased in infancy), Margaret J., Nancy S. and Emily 
(Mrs. Holmes). Joseph McKibben (Mrs. Holmes' father) was among the 
earliest settlers of Clinton, Pennsylvania.