Shelby County TN Archives News.....Hand-Hewn By Skill Slaves January 30, 1934
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Paul Holmes holmesp@cofc.edu March 7, 2012, 10:31 pm

Memphis Press-Scimitar January 30, 1934
Historic Houses of Memphis . . .

Hand-Hewn By Skill Slaves
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sturdy Holmes Homestead Stands Majestic as Ever
_________

Shrubs of 1850 Now
Rear as Guards
Over Grounds
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By MARSHALL SMITH

THE old Holmes homestead on the Chulahoma Road seems to be one of those fine 
old houses that smiles at the visitor and seems to say, "Come in. We're glad to 
see you. Sit down in that rocking chair and take things easy." 

This house with the pleasant appearance was built between 1852 to 1854 and is 
occupied today by the direct descendants of the original builder and landowner, 
Finley Holmes, who came to Tennessee from Georgia in the early 1850s.

The first Finley Holmes wanted to homestead in Mississippi and obtained two 
sections of land near the state line. He built his kilns, fired his bricks and 
started the foundation of a home that is-, his slaves did it under his 
direction. 

* * *
Slave-Hewn Logs
A SURVEYOR convinced Mr. HoImes he was building his home in Tennessee, so the 
site was abandoned and Mr. Holmes moved about one-quarter of a mile south and 
started the foundation of the present house, which is just across the 
Mississippi line. One side of the north fence is in Tennessee and the other 
side is in Mississippi. Most of the Holmes plantation, however, is in Tennessee.

Finley Holmes' negroes cut the timber from the forests and laid full-length 
trees across the foundation. The rough bark was cut away and the sleepers 
fitted with ax and riving tool. The two-story frame house went up with slave-
milled lumber and board shingles made from pine trees were used on the roof. 

The old wooden pins, used instead of nails, can be seen at the Holmes 
homestead. 

There are four big rooms downstairs and the sleeping rooms are upstairs. Four 
white wooden pillars support the front part of the house. 

Two old brick houses stand at the back. One was used as a plantation office, 
with a partition divided off for the tutor to teach school. The other house was 
for tools. 

* * *
Majestic Trees
TREES that now shroud the grounds in solemn majesty shrubs 50 years ago. 

Finley Holmes' son, Capt. Francis Holmes, marched away with the Southern 
armies, was wounded at the battle of Lookout Mountain and came home to find a 
few of his slaves still faithful. So faithful were these old negroes that they 
had hidden away in the woods. 

Finley Vance Holmes Sr. now lives on the old plantation. His brother, J. Elmore 
Holmes, is a Memphis attorney. Herbert Holmes practices law at Senatobia. 
Clarke Holmes is an attorney at Hernando. 

These four brothers are grand children of the original builder. 



Additional Comments:
Caption under photo of home:
This house seems to smile at its visitors who ride the Chulahoma Road to the 
Tennessee-Mississippi line. This is the old Holmes homestead, built about 1852 
with slave labor. The timbers were cut from the Oaks standing on the land. The 
small plantation office was built with bricks made on he farm, baked in kilns 
by negroes. It is still owned by the descendants of Finley Holmes, who came 
here from Georgia about 1851 or 1852.

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