Fairfield County ScArchives Biographies.....Holmes, William 1747 - 1799 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/sc/scfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Paul Holmes paulhol@gmail.com March 16, 2022, 4:28 pm Source: Reference listed at end of text Author: Paul W. Holmes William Holmes William Holmes, born in County Down, Ireland in 1747, was a cousin of Finley Holmes, born 1767 in Ireland who settled in Columbia, South Carolina and in the Fairfield District, South Carolina. William and Finley both arrived at the port of Charleston *1* shortly after the colonies had independence from Britain. William and Finley probably traveled together to the upstate districts of South Carolina, where William settled along the Little River in Fairfield District about 20 miles north of what would become Columbia, South Carolina. *2* Records show that he purchased land there in 1795 on the Little River at Neckley's Creek (shown on Robert Mills' map of the Fairfield District, SC surveyed in 1820). *3* William was 20 years older than Finley. He had married in Ireland and his wife, Mary, and most (or all) of their children were born there. *4* The family probably sailed over after William had established himself in the Fairfield District, South Carolina. In 1793, William Holmes was listed as one of the charter members of Old Brick Church (first called Little River Church and later, Ebenezer Church). *2* He and his wife, Mary, had six children: Ann Holmes (b. ~1777, d. 1825), who married Adam Hawthorn (b. ~1778, d. 1827); Jane Holmes, Mary Holmes (b. 1782 in Ireland), who married Robert Martin (b. ~1770 in Fairfield County SC, d, 1860); Harry (or Henry) Holmes; William B. Holmes (~1785 in Fairfield County SC, d. after 1850); and Joseph Holmes (b.~1789 in Fairfield County SC), who married to Mary Ann Pearson Holmes - her father was Philip Peter Pearson, RS-SC (b. 1746, d. 1835) and her mother was Mary Butler Pearson (b. 1765, d. 1854). *4* Both sons of William, William B. Holmes and Joseph Holmes, were Reverends in the Methodist Episcopal Church and, according to one source, "They were the sons of a pious Associate Reformed elder." *2* William Holmes died in 1799 in Fairfield County, SC. His last will left all his property to his wife and children. *5* An 1800 census of Fairfield County shows William's wife with two male children and one female child in the family. *4* The children all resided in South Carolina. The children of the two sons that were reverends (William B. and Joseph), settled in South Carolina, Georgia, or Florida. In the 1850 Fairfield County Census, the household of Rev. William B. Holmes is shown as including a Robert R. Holmes, a 23 year old white male physician (shown as being born in Fairfield County, SC). *6* In the 1840 census for William's family in Fairfield County there is one male age 10-14 (William's son, Francis A. Holmes, would have been 13 then), but not a slot for a Robert R. Holmes. *7* Likewise for the 1830 census in Fairfield County for William's family, there is only one male age Under 5 (Francis would have been 3 years old). *8* In the 1860 census for William's family (now in Fulton County, GA), Francis (son of William B.) is shown, but there is no entry for a Robert R. Holmes. *9* Thus, Robert R. Holmes only appears on census records with William B. Holmes in 1850. The Robert R. Holmes was Robert Raines Holmes MD, son of Finley Holmes (b. 1802) and grandson of Finley Holmes (b. 1767). In 1850 Robert was 23 years old and had completed studies at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School - he was born in Georgia (not Fairfield County, SC). Robert most likely was visiting his cousin, William B. Holmes, in South Carolina in August of 1850 when the census was taken. Later that year in October Robert was back home with his parents in DeSoto County, MS for the census there - thus, he was listed twice for the 1850 census. 1 Beasley, I. (1973). As I remember them —. (Memoirs of the Holmes family - printed for family distribution). 2 Chreitzberg, A. M. (1897). Early Methodism in the Carolinas. Nashville: Publishing House of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. pp. 210-211. 3 Property Indenture. (1795/1835). Fairfield County SC Deed ,1835, Book MM , Fairfield County, SC. p. 28. 4 1800 US Government Census, Fairfield County, SC - line 7 - "Mary Homes" (wife of William Holmes) 5 Last Will and Testament of William Holmes, Fairfield County, SC. (1798). p. 51. Will Book #2. Recorded July 18, 1799, Apt. #4, File 117. 6 1850 US Government Census, Fairfield County, SC - Fairfield County SC - line 24 "William Holmes" (son of William Holmes). 7 1840 US Government Census, Fairfield County, SC - Fairfield County SC - Fairfield County SC - four lines from bottom "Homes [sic] Revd Wm" - shown next to Joseph Homes [sic], his brother. 8 1830 US Government Census, Fairfield County, SC - Fairfield County, SC, five lines from bottom "William Holmes" - shown next to Joseph Holmes , his brother. 9 1860 US Government Census, Fulton County, GA - line 1 - "William Holmes" (son of William Holmes). File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sc/fairfield/bios/holmes20nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/scfiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb