John Holmes Jr
Privacy Level: Open (White)

John Holmes Jr (bef. 1687 - aft. 1736)

John Holmes Jr
Born before in Chowan County, Province of Carolinamap [uncertain]
Ancestors ancestors
Son of [uncertain] and [uncertain]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 1710 in Chowan, Carolinamap
Husband of — married after 1725 (to 1735) in Edgecombe, North Carolinamap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , , , , , , , and
Died after after age 49 in Bertie County, Province of North Carolinamap
Problems/Questions Profile managers: Richard Draper private message [send private message], Glen Spurlock private message [send private message], and Steve Stam private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 17 Sep 2011
This page has been accessed 2,196 times.
U.S. Southern Colonies Project logo
John Holmes Jr was a Carolina colonist.

Contents

Biography

John Holmes was born in 1675. He died in 1736.

James Boon & wife Elizabeth sold to John Holmes. 14 September 1717, 80 acres joining John Barefield in the Elm Swamp and Tuscarara path.[1]

John Holmes & wife Dorothy sold to Francis Pugh of Nansemond Co., Virginia 80 acres on Elm Swamp & Tuscarara path adjoining John Barefield. 10 November 1725[2]

As shown by the conveyances, until November,1725 John Holmes' spouse was Dorothy. He must have married Tamar in 1726 or later.

It would seem that John should be the son of Edward Holmes of Nansemond County and that he had a brother named Edward who was also in Chowan and Bertie. What I have so far can be viewed here.

John Holmes will

Holmes, John. Edgecombe County. Feb 28, 1735-1736. May Court, 1736.

Sons: John, Hardy, Edward, Gabriel.
Daughters: Ann (Sanders), Charity (Brown), Dorothy (Spier), Rose.
Wife: Tamar.
Executor: Hardy Holmes.
Witnesses: Edward Buxton, William Davies, Elizabeth Welsh.
Deputy Clerk of Court: Thomas Kearny[3]

•Birth: ABT 1675 in North Carolina

•Death: 28 FEB 1736 in Bertie County, North Carolina

Father: Edward Holmes b: ABT 1640 in Nansemond, Virginia Mother: Elizabeth Wingfield

Marriage 1 Tamar Byrd b: 1691 in Probably Fishing Creek, Edgecombe County, North Carolina

Children

1.Edward Holmes b: ABT 1717 in Bertie Co, NC

2. Mary Holmes b: 1692 in Bertie Co, NC

3.John Holmes b: ABT 1713 in Chowan County, NC

4. Hardy Holmes b: ABT 1711 in Chowan County, NC

5. Ann Holmes b: in Chowan County, NC

6.Charity Holmes b: in Chowan County, NC

7.Dorothy Holmes b: ABT 1720 in Chowan County, NC

8. Rose Holmes b: in Chowan County, NC

9. Gabriel Holmes b: ABT 1719 in Chowan County, NC[4]

FamilySearch: John Holmes Sr. KCV3-WFG birth: about 1677, Edgecombe Co. NC death:from 28 February 1735/36 to May 1736, Edgecombe Co. NC father: Edward Holmes LV4S-ZL9 mother: Elizabeth Whinfield GQ2V-D6K spouse: Dorothy Hardy GQ2V-9M7

Disputed Origins

FamilySearch places a John with parents John and Dorothy Holmes, but that John Holmes was born 13 Nov 1713 in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England.[5]

A prevailing theory is that John was born between 1675 and 1687 in Chowan, Carolina, which later became Bertie County, North Carolina.[6] He was a son of John Holmes and Dorothy UNKNOWN, of Nansemond County and moved to Bertie County, North Carolina,[6] although this relationship is unproven, and any time of such a move is unknown.

Family

John married twice. The name of his first wife is not known, but she may have been a Hardy, as many of that name lived in close proximity, and Hardy was often used as a given name among John's children and grandchildren.[7] John married as his 2nd wife to Tamar Byrd.[7] After John died, Tamar married as her 2nd husband to Patrick Carr, and as her 3rd husband to an unknown Molten/Moulton.[7]

Married Twice, a Note of Caution re the "Bible Record"

Apparently there is erroneous information concerning a "Bible Record" of this family. Researcher Michelle Taunton cautions that the Bible record "most often quoted by Holmes researchers was obviously not a contemporary recording of John Holmes's life, and all the info contained in the Bible record comes straight from his will."[7] It implies, or is misinterpreted to imply, that Tamar was John's only wife, and the mother of all his children. However, after recording the marriage to Tamar, it lists his children, not their children, in exactly the same order as John's will.[7]

In John's will, Mary is specifically named as his youngest child. A slave girl was provided to Tamar for her use until Gabriel, the youngest son, reached the age of twenty-one.[7] In the will of Patrick Carr, who was Tamar's 2nd husband, the wishes of John Holmes are reinforced by specifying that Tamar would have the use of the slave woman until Gabriel Holmes reached twenty-one.[7] This shows that the wife of Patrick Carr was the same as the widow of John Holmes Jr.

When Tamar made her will in 1763, she named only five children.[8] First was Mary (Holmes) Scott, (no other Holmes children), listing her before the four Carr children, all in the same order as in Patrick Carr's will, presumably in order of birth. This strongly suggests that Tamar was mother of only Mary Holmes, and not the older Holmes children.

Associations

Gabriel Holmes, brother, who became Governor of North Carolina.[9]

Death and Legacy

An abstract of his will, probated in Edgecombe (Bertie) County, shows a will date of 28 Feb 1735/6 and May Court, 1736. It lists his children, as follows (sons, and then daughters), and lists his wife as Tamar.[10] The additional child by his second marriage is named in his second wife's will, and is below appended to the names of children. A daughter Beatrice or Beatrix is not found in any sourcing close to original or secondary sourcing.

  1. John Holmes
  2. Hardy Holmes
  3. Edward Holmes
  4. Gabriel Holmes
  5. Ann (Holmes) Sanders
  6. Charity (Holmes) Brown
  7. Dorothy (Holmes) Spier
  8. Rose Holmes
  9. Mary (Holmes) Scot[8]

Slave

James Holmes-19843 - John Holmes bequeathed a mulatto man called James to his son Hardy in his will.

Research Notes

The Research Notes are embedded in the Sources section.

Sources

  1. ↑ Chowan County, North Carolina Deed Book 1, p 664.
  2. ↑ Bertie County North Carolina Deed Book B, p 25,
  3. ↑ "Abstract of Wills, 1690-1760" by J. Bryan Grimes, Sec. of State, pub. 1910, page 170
  4. ↑ Entered by Allan Thomas.
  5. ↑ Research Note: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch: indexed 19 Mar 2020, John Holmes in entry for John Holmes, 1713.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Research Note:Moore, Judi "Re: Charity Holmes", genforum post made April 16, 2002, citing Bill Royce Linder, former director of historical information at the National Archives and a leading authority in genealogical research, Web accessed July 23, 2014. Link broken by Aug 3, 2020. A replacement source is needed.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Research Note: Taunton, Michelle "Re: Byrd's in NC ", ancestry board post made 14 August 2001, Web accessed July 23, 2014
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Transcription from FamilySearch records for Tamar Byrd:
    citing Duplin County, North Carolina Will Book A, pages 286-287:
    In the name of God Amen the twenty second day of September in the year of our Lord 1761. I TAMER MOLTEN being very sick and weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory, Thanks be given unto God for the same and calling to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all people once to die Do make and ordain this my last will and Testament that is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and for my body I recommend it to the earth to be Buried in a Christian Like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the general[?] resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in manner and form following, Viz: Item First I give & bequeath to my Daughter MARY SCOT one spice morter and ten shillings procklimation money. Item. I give and bequeath to my son JONATHAN CARR twenty shillings proclimation money. Item I give and bequeath to my daughter MARGET JONES one Iron pot rack, one brass hackel. Item I give and bequeath to my grand daughter TAMER JONES twenty shillings Proclamation money. Item. I give and bequeath to my daughter WINNY CARR one feather bed and furniture, two Cows and calves, two sows and five shoates that I bought of Cannon Cason, one pewter dish, two pewter plates and one puter midlesized bason one Lining wheal and my saddle and my Executors to get it new covered. Item. I give and bequeath to my son THOMAS CARR whom I likewise constitute make and ordain my sole executor of this my Last will and testament all and singular my Land Messuages and Testaments by him freely to be possessed and enjoyed and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and Disannull all and every other former Testaments Wills Legacies and bequests and Executors by me in any ways before named willed and bequeathed. Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written. Signed: TAMER (X) MOLTEN Witnesses: Samuel Weliston[?], Joshua Chesnutt, Martha (X) Chesnutt.
  9. ↑ Research Note: Taunton, Michelle "Re: John Holmes, b. c. 1675 & Tamar Byrd", posted June 25, 2000, Web accessed July 23, 2014
  10. ↑ Grimes, J Bryan. Abstract of North Carolina Wills Compiled from Original and Recorded Wills in the Office of the Secretary of State. Abstracts of Wills, 1690-1760: Holmes, John. 1910, p. 170. Raleigh: E M Uzzell & Company, State Printers and Binders.

and Research Notes

See also:

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Allan Thomas for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Allan and others. First-hand information as remembered by Steve Stam, Friday, February 6, 2015.





Is John your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon contact private message private message private message a profile manager, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with John: Have you taken a test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
Images: 2
John Holmes Will, Part I
John Holmes Will, Part I
John Holmes Will, Part II
John Holmes Will, Part II


Comments: 8

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
Renee Newman
I have put together all of the records I can find for John and Edward Holmes, who were brothers. I am proposing that John be detached from John and Dorothy as that seems to be a mistake, possibly made because of the deed for John and Dorothy in Chowan. The records in Nansemond, Chowan, and Berite leave no doubt that John and Edward were brothers, from Nansemond. Edward Holmes was called JR in 1717 and 1721. There is only one known Holmes man in Nansemond at that time, Edward Holmes, of Bennett's Creek. John and Edward JR were involved with the families surrounding Edward. I believe John should be connected to Edward Holmes of Nansemond. The records can be seen here.
posted by Renee Newman
Fann-206 Porter Fann
I have updated his 2nd wife, Tamar Byrd's profile. I don't think the dates make any sense for Tamar to have been a mother to any of his children. Thus, we should work on moving them to Dorothy as the mother.

A FindAGrave profile mostly makes sense out of the scenario and also has some will documents in place that coincide with what is outlined on this profile. I think that Dorothy (Hardy) Holmes is the most likely first wife, and some reasonable information can be found on John, Dorothy and Tamar (though they do not have Tamar's 3rd marriage), here:

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/243770196/john-holmes: accessed 28 December 2022), memorial page for John Holmes (1677–1735), Find a Grave Memorial ID 243770196; Burial Details Unknown, Johnston County North Carolina; Maintained by V. Andrew Burch (contributor 48671296).

posted by Porter Fann
Renee Newman
Hi Porter, Thanks for your work on this. I descend from this family but have never worked on John and his wives. After reading what you have added, I completely agree with you. I already had Dorothy as their mother in my personal tree but it came from information given to me. Edit - I should have said that I have Dorothy in my tree but didn't have any information on a second marriage to Tamar Byrd.
posted by Renee Newman
edited by Renee Newman
Renee Newman
I have been working on the records for John Holmes in Chowan and Bertie Counties. I don't understand why John is listed as the son of John Holmes. Records seem pretty clear that he would seem to be the son of Edward Holmes of Nansemond and he had a brother named Edward, as a deed in Chowan in 1717 says "joining his brother Edward Holmes". He probably a brother named William, as they both witnessed the 1717 deeds.

It would seem that John's son, John Holmes Jr, may be the John Holmes listed as John Jr in a Bertie County record and is also the one called Rev John Holmes. John Holmes witnessed a deed for him "1734 John Homes Jr to James Wood 300 acres in Albemarle County NC on Conariton? Swamp. Granted to John Home Dec 22 1724. Signed John Homes. Witnesses: John Homes and James Holland". Maybe that deed has caused some confusion? It would also seem likely that some of the other Holmes/Homes men in the area would brothers or cousins of John and Edward. I am not finished yet but here is what I have on them, right now. Does anyone have more or can anyone provide reasoning for the parents he is currently connected to?

posted by Renee Newman
edited by Renee Newman
Fann-206 Porter Fann
It is a highly likely scenario that her husband was not John Jr, but just John. That should be an easy fix.

I wrote to you separately about the limitations I am working under, regarding health.

Seems a good place to start, though, to clarify that the generation of John who fathered John is where the confusion originates?

posted by Porter Fann
Linda (Johnson) Leslie
Holmes-5330 and Holmes-1583 appear to represent the same person because: they share a similar birth year, the same spouse, Tamar Byrd, and the same daughter, Dorothy Holmes.
posted by Linda (Johnson) Leslie
Carruth-363 Linda (Carruth) Peterson
2 spouses with same names are not necessarily the same person. It looks like profiles re being conflated and could be made worse with merges. There are duplicated children names that have very different dates, indicating they could be different families with the same names, ie cousins, keeping the same family names.

Notes on this profile indicate that the spouse is not the mother of many of the children.

posted by Linda (Carruth) Peterson
Linda (Johnson) Leslie
Holmes-3299 and Holmes-1583 appear to represent the same person because: they share similar vital statistics (the same death year) and some of the same siblings. The difference in parents needs to be rectified.
posted by Linda (Johnson) Leslie

Rejected matches › John Holmes (1688-)

Featured Eurovision connections: John is 31 degrees from Agnetha Fältskog, 23 degrees from Anni-Frid Synni Reuß, 26 degrees from Corry Brokken, 19 degrees from Céline Dion, 23 degrees from Françoise Dorin, 24 degrees from France Gall, 26 degrees from Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, 21 degrees from Lill-Babs Svensson, 19 degrees from Olivia Newton-John, 29 degrees from Henriette Nanette Paërl, 28 degrees from Annie Schmidt and 18 degrees from Moira Kennedy on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.

H  >  Holmes  >  John Holmes Jr

Categories: Holmes Name Study | USBH Heritage Exchange, Needs Slave Profiles | Bertie County, North Carolina | Bertie County, North Carolina, Slave Owners | Carolina Colonists