The Holmes family was prominent in the history of this county. The family of the founder, James Holmes, Sr., consisted of thirteen sons and one daughter. They were all married and all reared families with one exception. Thirteen sons, remarkable for longevity, good character and business ability. The oldest sons were very well educated and filled important positions in life. James Holmes, Sr., was a soldier of the Revolution, and after the war ended he settled in Washington County, Pa., where he married Ann Whittaker, a sister of Eli Whittaker. He had quite a family of boys before emigrating to the west and they received a good education for the time in which they lived. He belonged to the hardy people known as the Scotch Irish. He came with his family to Fairfield County in 1802. He purchased the land which lay between the William Murphey farm and what is now Millersport. On this farm he built the first brick house in that part of the county. But on this farm in an ordinary log house he reared his large family. They began to leave soon and settled upon tracts of their own. The Murpheys, Whittakers, Crawfords, Havers and Cherrys formed a fine pioneer neighborhood. They intermarried and raised large families, and for one hundred years their influence has been one for good. James Holmes lived to be 79 years of age and his wife 69 years. They were buried near the home of Alexander and James, Jr., at the Wells graveyard or George's Chapel, one-half mile north of Luray, in Licking County. James Holmes was slightly lame, caused by a wound received in the Revolutionary war. He was a man of sterling qualities, and very prominent in his neighborhood. He built the first brick house in Walnut township. Thomas Holmes, a brother of James, settled in Union township, Licking County, Ohio. He died, aged 78 years, and was buried at George's Chapel, near Luray, Ohio.
Thomas Holmes, son of James, was born in Pennsylvania, and came with his father to Ohio. He married Rachel Wells, his cousin. She was a daughter of George Wells, who married Elizabeth Holmes, a sister of James Holmes. George Wells lived in Union township, Licking County, and both he and his wife were buried at George's Chapel. Thomas Holmes purchased a section of land north of what is now Carroll. He was there as early as 1806, and a tax payer. He lived an honorable and useful life and left a good name as the heritage of his children. He died October 14, 1847, aged 68 years. Rachel, his wife, died January 8, 1845, aged 59. They were both buried at the Carroll cemetery. They were the parents of five sons. Thomas, James. George. Alexander and Richard. All dead but the last one named.
[Excerpted from "Pioneer Period and Pioneer People of Fairfield County, Ohio; pp. 258-9; 1901; CML Wiseman.]
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