Person:Joseph Holmes (1)

Records of Joseph Holmes in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley’s Augusta County Records:

• Vol. 2 - Holmes vs. Holmes-(undated, appears to be abt. 1806-1811) -O. S. 172; N. S. 61--Spa. from Staunton Chancery District Court to Sheriff of Frederick County to summon Nancy Holmes, Gertrude Ehra (Elva) Holmes, Joseph Holmes, Andrew Hunter Holmes, infant and orphans of Joseph Holmes, deceased; David Holmes,Edward McGuire, Jr., and Elizabeth, his wife, late Holmes, Betsey Ann Legrand, Rebecca Legrand, Noah (Nash?) Legrand, Jr., Lucy Legrand, Horace Holmes Legrand, children of Margaret Legrand, deceased, late Margaret Holmes, to answer Hugh Holmes, Daniel Conrad and Rebecca, his wife, late Holmes, also heirs of Joseph Holmes, deceased.

Notes

From "Memoranda For Colonel J. F. H. Claiborne, Relative To The Late Governor David Holmes Of Mississippi, His Lineage:

The father of David Holmes (Col. Joseph Holmes) lived in the town of Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia—the old fort Loudoun—which gave the name to the main street of the present town—of some five thousand inhabitants. When he was born, but a frontier village, of the colony of Virginia, settled chiefly by Germans from the Palatinate, driven out of their native land, by the persecutions of the Papal power and the results of the Thirty Years War, and by Lutherans who from religious persecution fled to this our country of refuge, whose settlements from North to South were founded by those who fled from spiritual despotism in all its forms, to raise up an empire where religious liberty might be the corner stone of a free republic. Among this population also were the Scotch Irish, or Presbyterian settlers, from the north of Ireland, and from this last class David Holmes was derived, both on his father's and mother's side. The French pretensions had been quieted after the taking of Quebec, but the troubles of our revolutionary struggle, the precursory mutterings of the storm, were rolling over the land, when David Holmes was born and his childhood and early boyhood were spent in the very times of revolutionary struggle. He was over seven years of age when the Declaration of Independence was heard through the land. His father had control of the prisoners of war sent out into the back settlements of Virginia for safety. He saw in Winchester the disaffected Quakers sent by General Washington's orders from Philadelphia under surveillance to remain there—wealthy merchants and educated men such as the Whartons, Potts and others who have since published a work, to exonerate them from the suspicion which then led to this severe measure. He witnessed as a boy of ten years old, the town filled with British officers and soldiers and Hessians taken at the battles where Burgoyne and Fraser and Reidesel had to surrender to Gates and Morgan and Schuyler. He was thus a child of the Revolution, for his father, a staunch Whig, carried out his high toned patriotism so far as to lock up the tea in his store; to be spoiled and rendered useless rather than use the "Accursed thing," which was regarded as the symbol of our purposed subjugation—and where he chose to take continental paper money at par, until his fair fortunes were seriously impaired by his overstrained resolve to stand by all the acts of the Continental Congress. David's youth and early manhood were spent under the administration of General Washington—his education such as the academy in his native town could afford—and as the trusted clerk in the store of his father—who in 1785 made him a partner and from that time he became the acting partner and accountant of the mercantile establishment. The effect of this training made him all through life a man of business—a man of accuracy in keeping accounts and especially careful in meeting his pecuniary engagements; by natural disposition, he was rather disposed to neglect this important requisite of usefulness, in all kinds of business—but his mercantile training always pointed to the system of debtor and creditor by careful entries—by which he was enabled in after life as territorial governor to handle safely and account for truly, vast sums of money which passed through his hands in the affairs of the Indians that occupied so much of the Mississippi Territory and during the war, in his heavy disbursements to troops, called out in the Indian wars; and in the time of the battles, near New Orleans. He was not destined however to be confined to the "dead wood of the desk" (as Charles Lamb called it). He was a merchant until about 1790. In that year his father, Colonel Holmes, went to Richmond, as member of the legislature; and about that time David Holmes studied law in Williamsburg, the old colonial capital of Virginia. About the year 1792, David Holmes probably became a member of the bar—and not long after he settled in Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, as a lawyer ready for practice. His forensic career was not brilliant, but eminently successful, though short; for it was soon exchanged for political life. But the tradition of his career as an advocate ascribes to him an unusual fascination in his public efforts as a barrister. He had not the fire and rapidity of his brother Hugh Holmes, whose practice was unexampled for its extent, and profitableness, all through the valley; but I have heard one of his old compeers (Judge Alexander Stuart of Missouri) say that David could win his way better by his "suaviter in modo," than Hugh could by his "fortiter in re." To show you the opinion of one of the most eminent men that ever lived in Virginia and whose early barrister life brought him in contact with both brothers, I will transcribe here from the original letter—of the late Mr. William Wirt—directed to my lamented father-in-law, Judge Carr (late of the Court of Appeals of Virginia) an extract which was not incorporated in Kennedy's life of Wirt, but excluded expressly by Judge Carr for fear of giving offence. But now that all parties have passed off this transient stage of life there can be no reason forbidding its publication. These men were both alike to me in relationship and avuncular kindness; and as the oldest male representative of the family their reputations are both equally dear to me. Mr. Wirt had been writing confidentially to his dearest friend, in reference to Judge Hugh Holmes' claim to the bench of the Court of Appeals, and in which he had intimated something like an opposition to him. In a subsequent letter dated Richmond, June 10, 1815, in answer to the reply of Judge Carr, then Chancellor, living in Winchester, is this passage, so characteristic of the noble minded writer: "You ask me why a certain gentleman" (Judge Holmes) "is not a favorite of mine—in truth, he is a favorite. But there has never been that mingling of souls between us, which I have had with some others. Why? I do not know myself, unless there be a je ne sais quoi in friendship, as well as in love. When I first went to the bar in Stantown, he was decidedly at the head of it; and showed very clearly by his tone and manner, that he knew he was. I fancied that he exacted from me the same homage and acknowledgment of superiority that he received from other quarters. I was not entirely disposed to meet the exaction, and thought as old Johnson used to say that he did not take to me. I had been spoiled perhaps by the indulgence and tenderness of my friends, and he seemed to take so little interest in me, and to be so indifferent about me, and my fate; that for spite I did not take to him. I have been liking him more and more ever since, and could love him now if I thought he cared for my love. This is the whole truth of the matter so far as I know it myself, and I have the most perfect confidence in the character you draw of him.

[Source: Publications of the Mississippi Historical Society: Centenary series, Volume 4, by Mississippi Historical Society. pub. 1910].

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. One World Tree (sm). (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., n.d.).

   Online publication - Ancestry.com. OneWorldTree [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc.