John A. Holmes Biography This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 878-879 Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm JOHN A. HOLMES is a well-known and prominent attorney of Pierre, South Dakota, whose powers as an advocate have been demonstrated by his success on many occasions, for he is an able lawyer of a large and varied experience in all the courts. Thoroughness characterizes all his efforts, and he conducts all his business with a strict regard to a high standard of professional ethics. Mr. Holmes was born in Licking county, Ohio, December 25, 1846, and is a son of Nicholas and Rebecca (Hooper) Holmes, who were also natives of Ohio. The paternal grandfather was from Pennsylvania, the mother from Ireland, and representatives of both families have principally engaged in farming. In 1851 the father removed to Crawford county, Illinois, but after residing there for six years he returned to Ohio. Subsequently, however, he again went to Illinois, and died in that state in 1897. During the Civil war he enlisted in 1862 in Company, I, Forty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served for nearly two years as a member of that regiment, taking part in the battle of Shiloh and several minor engagements. He was honorably discharged for disabilities in 1864. His son, James A., was a member of the same company and regiment, and remained in the service until the close of the war, serving under General Logan and going with General Sherman on his famous march to the sea. He is now a resident of Pueblo, Colorado. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of Ohio and Illinois. He had hardly laid aside his text books when the Civil war broke out, and in 1862, prompted by a spirit of patriotism, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served ninety days, spending most of the time in drilling. He was then transferred to the quartermaster's department and assigned to duty at Nashville, Tennessee, where he remained until the fall of 1864. Coming home, he re-enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Ninety eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and with his regiment was engaged in guarding prisoners at Camp Chase, Ohio, until mustered out at the close of the war in 1865. Soon after his return to his home in Millersport, Ohio, Mr. Holmes entered the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, that state, and spent some time in study at that famous institution of learning. He then began reading law, and was admitted to the bar in Illinois, in 1871, having removed to Milford, that state, in 1867. He taught school there for a time, and after his admission to the bar engaged in practice, and was also interested in the wholesale and retail grocery business in Milford until 1881. In the spring of 1882 he became a resident of Pierre, South Dakota, and has since given his undivided attention to his profession. In 1879 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Holmes and Miss Jennie Laird, a native of Illinois, and to them have been born six children, namely: John N., Frank D., Earl C., Flo E., Linna B. and William R. Fraternally, Mr. Holmes is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and politically is identified with the Republican party. In 1872 he filled the position of county superintendent of schools in Iroquois county, Illinois; was county judge of Hughes county, South Dakota, in 1893 and 1894; and was state's attorney in 1895 and 1896. For twelve years he was engaged in practice with J. F. Dillon as a member of the firm of Dillon & Holmes. With a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the fundamental principles of law, he combines a familiarity with statutory law and a sober, clear judgment, which makes him not only a formidable adversary in legal combat, but gives him the distinction of being one of the ablest jurists in this section of the state.