Holmes families of Montville, New London, Connecticut

From Henry A. Baker, History of Montville, Connecticut, published by Case, Lockwood, and Brainard (Hartford, Connecticut, 1896), pp. 327-332. Anyone with an interest in the HOLMES surname in Montville and the surrounding area is urged to contact me!

In the process of trying to determine whether my HOLMESes were from Montville — they were — I’ve obtained some other Montville HOLMES material including census records, the will of Seth W. HOLMES, and some vital records and cemetery records.

Names included herein are:

ALLEN, Lydia AVERY, Samuel BARTLETT, Joseph BARTLETT, Sarah BILL, Thomas BISHOP, Robert BLISS, Peletiah BRADFORD, John BRADFORD, Mary BROWN, ____ BROWNING, ____ BUSHNELL, Lydia CHAPMAN, Alpheus CHAPMAN, Col. Samuel CHAPMAN., Jason COBB, Eliza Ann DANIELS, Clement DUDLEY, Lucretia DUDLEY, Thomas FORD, Rose C. FORSYTH, Jonathan FORSYTH, Mary Ann GARDNER, Peregreen GATES, Elizabeth GEER, Mary GREEN, Althea T. GREEN, Edwin GREEN, Samuel GUSTIN, Thomas HARRIS, Alice HARRIS, Ephraim HARRIS, James HARRIS, Lydia HARRIS, Mary HARRIS, Sarah HAUGHTON, Samson HINMAN, Josephine HOLCOMB, Philo HOLMES, Albert Isham HOLMES, Alice Lucinda HOLMES, Althea Bartlett HOLMES, Ann HOLMES, Bartlett HOLMES, Betsey HOLMES, Charles HOLMES, Charles Burdett HOLMES, Charlotte

HOLMES, Dorothy HOLMES, Dr. Seth Wymond HOLMES, Eddie Cogswell HOLMES, Elisha HOLMES, Elisha (son of Samuel) HOLMES, Elisha Harlow HOLMES, Elizabeth HOLMES, Ellen Forsyth HOLMES, Ellis or Alice HOLMES, Ephraim HOLMES, Frank Hoyt HOLMES, George HOLMES, George Griswold HOLMES, George James HOLMES, George Nelson HOLMES, Griswold HOLMES, Hannah HOLMES, Harris HOLMES, Harris Stanton HOLMES, Harta Parmelia HOLMES, Henry HOLMES, Henry Jabez HOLMES, Jabez HOLMES, James HOLMES, John (son of Lieut. John) HOLMES, John (son of Thomas) HOLMES, John B. HOLMES, John Griswold HOLMES, Jonathan Gilbert HOLMES, Joseph Bradford HOLMES, Kate Bell HOLMES, Libbia Amelia HOLMES, Lieut. John HOLMES, Lois HOLMES, Lovina HOLMES, Lucretia HOLMES, Margaret Kimball HOLMES, Maria Stanton HOLMES, Mary (daughter of Elisha) HOLMES, Mary (daughter of Lieut. John) HOLMES, Mary Ann HOLMES, Mary Ellen HOLMES, Mary Louisa HOLMES, Nathan (son of Jabez) HOLMES, Nathan (son of Samuel) HOLMES, Pauline HOLMES, Prudence

HOLMES, Robert Stanton HOLMES, Salina Matilda HOLMES, Sally HOLMES, Samuel HOLMES, Samuel (son of Elisha) HOLMES, Samuel (son of Samuel) HOLMES, Sarah (daughter of Elisha) HOLMES, Sarah (daughter of Lieut. John) HOLMES, Sarah Amanda HOLMES, Sarah Elizabeth HOLMES, Sarah White HOLMES, Thomas HOLMES, William Palmer HOWARD, James JONES, Sergeant Thomas KIMBALL, Mary Stanton KIMBALL, Nathan LATIMER, Hannah LOOMIS, Jacob LOVETT, Ann LOVETT, Rev. Joseph LOOMIS, Dea. Samuel, Jr. MCALPINE, John MURDOCK, Hellen Maria PALMER, Amanda Raymond PALMER, James B. PARKER, Augustus A. PERKINS, Luke ROCKWELL, Ann ROGERS, Alpheus ROGERS, Benjamin G. ROGERS, Sarah ROGERS, Sarah SHEFFIELD, Jeremiah SHERMAN, Robert B. SHERWOOD, Esther SMITH, Ebenezer VIBBER, John WAY, John WICKWIRE, Zadoc WILLIAMS, Grace WOOD, Noah ____ , Lucretia ____ , Lucy

HOLMES FAMILIES

The families of the name Holmes were early settlers in Montville and Colchester, and were among the best citizens of the towns. Their intermarriage with other families of prominence show them to have been persons of high standing in the community. It is, however, a very difficult task to compile a genealogy of the families bearing the name, so as to make the lines of the various families connect with each other, owing to incomplete records and lack of dates of births and marriages.

The Holmes families of Montville and Colchester appear to be very closely connected with those of Plymouth, Mass., and they probably emigrated from the Plymouth Colony to Connecticut. Lieut. John Holmes appears in Colchester and was voted an inhabitant there 22 Dec., 1718. Chosen Surveyor 27 Dec., 1720, and again in 1722. Selectman in 1723 and 1724.

James Harris conveyed by deed to Lieut. John Holmes, Sergeant Thomas Jones, and Peletiah Bliss in trust, a certain tract or parcel of land containing, by estimation, two acres, dated 10 Nov., 1726, “for the uses hereafter mentioned, and for no other, to hold for the use of the aforesaid Parish (called New Salem) for the building of a Presbyterian Meeting House, and for a burying place, and for a training field. The aforesaid meeting house to be built for the inhabitants therein to worship God in the Presbyterian faith.” The meeting-house was built on the parcel of land conveyed by James Harris and for many years used for place of worship. The Presbyterian order, after a time, was given up and a Baptist element formed a church in that neighborhood, which afterwards came in possession of the meeting-house, and held their meetings there. This house, however, was abandoned, and a new house of worship erected on a spot about one-fourth of a mile east from the old church, and now occupied by the Baptist denomination, and called the First Baptist Church of Salem.

Lieut. John Holmes married first, Elizabeth Gates, and second, Ann Rockwell, 3 Dec., 1729. By his first wife, Elizabeth, he had a daughter, Elizabeth, born about 1692, married 12 Dec., 1717, Dea. Samuel Loomis, Jr., and died 27 May, 1760. She left her estate to her brother, John Holmes, to the heirs of her deceased brother, George Holmes, to her sister Dorothy, wife of Clement Daniels, to sister Mary, wife of John Way, to sister Sarah, wife of Thomas Gustin, and to her niece, Ann, daughter of her sister Ann, who married Rev. Joseph Lovett. His first wife, Elizabeth, mother of all his children, died 14 Dec., 1726.

John Holmes, Jr., married Mary Harris, born 1 Nov., 1702, daughter of James Harris and Sarah Rogers. Thomas Holmes, another of the name who was an inhabitant of the North Parish of New London, is said to have been born in London, England, and came to New England in 1663, married Lucretia Dudley, daughter of Thomas Dudley of New York. Had a son John, born 11 March, 1686, who settled in Haddam, Conn. Thomas, the father, died at Haddam, 12 Dec., 1724, aged probably about 95 years. John of Haddam was probably his only child.

A deed from Thomas Bill of New London to Samuel Holmes, dated 15 Feb., 1749, conveys land at a place called Pomechaug (in the North Parish of New London, now Montville), “beginning seven rods west from a spring that comes out from under a ledge adjoining Samuel Avery’s fence, on said Avery’s land twenty-seven rods, with the right of a cart way to and from the river to usual landing place, thence to Peregreen Gardner’s land to Norwich road.” This same land was conveyed by Samuel Holmes to Ebenezer Smith in March, 1749-50. On the 27th day of August, 1750, Samson Haughton conveyed to Samuel Holmes “land near Poles Hill running to Saw-mill Brook and adjoining land of John Vibber,” containing 25 acres.

This last-named piece of land was conveyed by Samuel Holmes, 6 April, 1754, to Luke Perkins.

This Samuel Holmes was a resident of the North Parish and died about 1774, aged fifty-two years. His will, dated August 4, 1774, names his wife as executor, but does not give her name. He says there are eleven children, and only names one, his daughter Prudence, “who is incapacitated to help herself.” He was the owner of twelve acres of land with a dwelling thereon, which was located on the North side of Saw-mill Brook (Oxoboxo), a few rods below the Vincent Woolen Mill. The land was afterward included in the Alpheus Chapman farm, and late owned by John McAlpine. After his death his wife is supposed to have removed to Salem and lived with her son, Samuel, until her death, Sept. 20, 1820.

In the old Salem burying-ground there are several by the name of Holmes whose gravestones appear there. Upon one stone in the group of the Holmeses is the name “Lucretia, wife of Samuel Holmes, Died Sept. 20, 1820, aged 93 years [sic — in fact the inscription says 95 years (RSH)],” which shows that she was born about 1727, and would correspond with the age of the Samuel Holmes who purchased land in North Parish in 1749. Assuming that the Lucretia Holmes, born about 1727, was the wife of Samuel Holmes, we have a basis upon which to proceed in the lineage of the Holmes families.

This Samuel Holmes was probably the son of Elisha Holmes and Sarah Bartlett, daughter of Joseph Bartlett of Plymouth, Mass., born about 1722, and married Lucretia ____ .

[Added notes on Samuel HOLMES’s parents, ancestry, and children.]
[Cemetery inscriptions for this family in HOLMES and HOME burials in Salem.]

Children.

1. Jabez, b. about 1748; m. Lydia Harris.
2. Elisha, b. about 1756; m. Sarah Harris.
3. Samuel, b. about 1763; m. Lucy ____ .
4. Nathan, b. about ; m. .

JABEZ (2), b. about 1748, son of Samuel Holmes and Lucretia ____ ; married Lydia Harris, born about 1754, daughter of Ephraim Harris.

He settled in Chesterfield Society, a farmer. He died 22 April, 1814. She died 1 Jan., 1826.

Children.

1. Ephraim, b. ; died young.
2. Bartlett, b. 8 Oct., 1789; m. Mary Stanton Kimball.
3. Charles, b. ; m. Hannah Latimer.
4. Nathan, b. ; m. Lydia Bushnell.
5. Jonathan Gilbert, b. 27 Sept., 1797; m. Eliza Ann Cobb.
6. Harris, b. about 1799; died 27 Sept., 1822.
7. Lovina, b. ; m. Zadoc Wickwire.
8. Hannah, b. ; m. Jason Chapman.

ELISHA (3), b. 27 Oct., 1756, supposed son of Samuel Holmes and Lucretia ____ ; married Sarah Harris, born 7 March, 1762, daughter of Ephraim Harris and ____ . He settled in Chesterfield Society, a farmer. He died 21 Dec., 1845. She died 9 April, 1839.

Children.

1. Sarah, b. 15 Dec., 1784; m. Robert Bishop.
2. Charlotte, b. ; m. Philo Holcomb.
3. Pauline, b. ; m. Noah Wood.
4. Lucretia, b. ; m. ____ Brown.
5. Lois, b. ; m. Jonathan Forsyth.
6. Mary, b. ; died young.
7. Samuel, b. ; died , unm.
8. Elisha Harlow, b. 29 Oct., 1799; m. Lydia Allen.
9. Griswold, b. 29 Oct., 1801; m. 1st, Mary Ann Forsyth; 2d, Widow Josephine Hinman
10. Ellis or Alice, b. ; died , unm.

CAPT. BARTLETT (7), b. 8 Oct., 1789, son of Jabez Holmes and Lydia Harris; married 1 Jan., 1809, Mercy S. Kimball, born 11 Oct., 1788, daughter of Nathan Kimball, born 10 Dec., 1767, and Alice Harris, daughter of Ephraim Harris.

Children.

1. Harta Parmelia, b. 9 Nov., 1809.
2. Alice Lucinda, b. 11 Nov., 1811.
3. Robert Stanton, b. 27 May, 1813.
4. Henry Jabez, b. 20 May, 1815.
5. Mary Ann, b. 8 Dec., 1817.
6. Harris Stanton, b. 10 Sept., 1820.
7. George Nelson, b. 2 Feb., 1823; m. Amanda Raymond Palmer.
8. Margaret Kimball, b. 22 July, 1825.
9. Maria Stanton, b. 30 Jan., 1828.
10. Sarah White, b. 27 Jan., 1831; m. James B. Palmer.
11. Joseph Bradford, b. 9 Jan., 1836.

GRISWOLD (22), b. 29 Oct., 1801, son of Elisha Holmes and Sarah Harris; married 20 May, 1834, Mary Ann Forsyth, born 9 May, 1813, and died 7 July, 1848. He then married, 2 March, 1854, Josephine H. Hinman. He settled in Chesterfield, a farmer. He died in New London, Oct., 1886.

Children by Mary Ann.

1. Ellen Forsyth, b. 18 May, 1835.
2. John Griswold, b. 8 July, 1837.
3. George Griswold, b. 8 July, 1839.
4. Mary Ellen, b. 2 Nov., 1841.
5. Sarah Elizabeth, b. 29 July, 1845.

Children by Josephine.

1. Charles Burdett, b. 1 Feb., 1856.
2. Frank Hoyt, b. 27 May, 1858.
3. Albert Isham, b. 5 Aug., 1860.
4. Kate Bell, b. 24 Nov., 1864.

GEORGE NELSON (30), b. 2 Feb., 1823, son of Bartlett Holmes and Mercy Stanton Kimball; married 27 Nov., 1848, Amanda Raymond Palmer, daughter of Asher Palmer. She died and he married for his second wife, Althea T. Green, daughter of Edwin Green and Mary Geer.

Children.

1. Althea Bartlett, b. 15 March, 1849; m. Hellen Maria Murdock.
2. Mary Louisa, b. 1 May, 1850; m. Robert B. Sherman.
3. Libbia Amelia, b. 4 Dec., 1852.
4. George James, b. 27 Feb., 1854.
5. Eddie Cogswell, b. 16 Feb., 1857.
6. Sarah Amanda, b. 16 May, 1858, m. James Howard.
7. William Palmer, b. 19 May, 1865; m. Rose C. Ford.

DR. SETH WYMOND HOLMES, b. about 1738, was another of the name who was an inhabitant of the North Parish of New London. He married 1st, Sarah Rogers, born 27 Oct., 1745, daughter of Alpheus Rogers and Grace Williams. He was a physician and farmer, lived at one time near his father-in-law, who then owned the farm now occupied by Augustus A. Parker. He afterwards moved to a place near what is now called Bartlett’s Cove, and died at the house of his daughter, Betsy, wife of Samuel Green, now owned by Benjamin G. Rogers, whose wife was a granddaughter of Dr. Holmes. His first wife died 17 Sept., 1778. He then married Mary Bradford, daughter of John Bradford and Esther Sherwood. She died in March, 1837. Dr Holmes served in the war of the Revolution; was captain of a company in the colonial regiment, commanded by Col. Samuel Chapman.

Children by Sarah.

1. James, b. ; m. ____ Browning.
2. Salina Matilda, b. ; m. Jacob Loomis.

Children by Mary.

1. John B., b. 23 June, 1780; m.
2. Henry, b. ; died at sea, aged 23 years.
3. Sally, b. ; m. Jeremiah Sheffield.
4. Betsey, b. ; m. Samuel Green.