Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/342

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HOLMES


HOLMES


HOLHES, Gabriel, governor of Xorth Carolina, was born in Sampson county, N.C., in 1709. He prepared for colkge in his native state and entered Harvard, but left before completing liis course, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1790. He practised in Clinton, N.C., 1790- 1826, and served as a member of the house of commons, 1793-1813. The house elected him governor of the state in 1821, and he served for tliree years. He was a trustee of the University of North Carolina, 1801-04, and 1817-29. and president of the board of trustees, 1821-24. He was a representative in the 19th and SOth con- gresses, 182.1-29, and was elected to the 21st congress, but did not take liis seat. He died in Montpelier. Richmond county, N.C., Sept. 2G, 1829.

HOLflES, George Frederick, educator, was born in Deinerara, Britisli Guiana, in 1820. He was educated at Durham university, England, and came to the United States in 1838, making his home in the south and leaching in various states. He was admitted to the bar of South Carolina by special act of the legislature in 1842, he having neglected to become naturalized. He was professor in Richmond college, Va., 1845-48; the first president of the Universitj' of Mississippi, 1848-49; professor of liistor}- and political econ- omy at William and Mary college, Va., 1849-57, and professor of historical science in the Uni- versity of Virginia, 1857-97. Ui>on the founding of the Corcoran School of Historical Science, in- cluding political economy and science of society, Professor Holmes was given the chair and insti- tuted inquiries and criticisms of the teachings of modern economists, American, English and Ger- man. In the science of society', having no text- book, he interpreted all systems and studied the necessarj' organic functions of society in their several forms. He received the degrees of LL.D. and D.C.L. and published a series of text-books. He died in Charlotteville, Va., Nov. 4, 1897.

HOLMES, Isaac Edward, representative, was born in Cliarleston, S.C, April G. 1796; son of John Bee and Elizabeth (Edwards) Holmes, grand- son of the Hon. Isaac Holmes, a member of council of South Cai"olina; and a descendant of Francis Holmes, who came to Cliarleston, S.C, from Boston, Mass., in 1702. He was a cousin of the Rt. Rev. Christopher Edwards Gadsden, bishop of South Carolina, who prepared him for college. He was graduated at Yale in 1815, studied law at Charleston, and was a practising lawyer there, 1818-28. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1826-38, a leader of the extreme state-rights party, a founder of the Soutli C^arolina assrK-iation and originator of the proposition to nullify the tariff. He was a rep- resentative in the 26th-31st congresses, in- clusive, 1839-51, and served as chairman of the


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committees on commerce, naval affairs and for- eign relations. He removed to California and practiseel law there, 1851-61. The a.lvent of the war between the states induced him to return tc his native state, and in passing through Wasliington in April, 1861, he souj^lit, through intervieus with General Scott and Secretary Se- ward, to effect a set- tlement of sectional differences without appealing to arms He remained in Sou 11 1 Carolina throughout the war and in l'^65 was appointed a com- niiss'oner from the state to confer with the Federal government on the subject of re- construction. He was the author of: Recrea- tions of George Taletell (1822), and, in collab- oration with Robert T. Turnbull, of a volume of essays on state rights, signed " Caroliniensis" (1826). He died in Charleston, S.C, Feb. 24, 1867. HOLMES, John, senator, was born in Kings- ton, Mass., March 28, 1773; son of Melatiah and Elizabeth (Bradford) Holmes; grandson of Joseph and Rebecca (Waterman) Holmes and of Simon Bradford, and a descendant, in the sixth genera- tion, of William Holmes, of Marshfield, Mass., who was born in 1593. He was early emploj'ed in his father's iron works at Kingston, leaving to enter Brown university, where he was graduated, A.B., 1796; A.M., 1799. He was admitted to the bar and practised in Alfred, Maine, 1799-1841. He was a representative in the Massachusetts legislature, 1802-03, and 1812; a state senator, 1813-17; a northeastern boundary commissioner, 1815; a representative from Massachusetts in the 15th and 16th congresses, 1817-20; a delegate to the constitutional convention of 1820, and chair- man of the committee that drafted the constitu- tion of the state of Maine: U.S. senator from the newly organized state, 1820-27, and was again elected to the senate to fill the unexpired term of Judge Albion K. Parris, appointed to the bench of the supreme court of Maine, .serving 1829-33. He was a commissioner to revise the criminal code and to organize a state prison system. He repi'esented his district in the state legislature in 1829 and 1835-38. He removed to Thomaston, Maine, in 1838, and remained there until 1841, when having been appointed U.S. district attor- ney by President Harrison, lie divided his time between Tliomaston an<l Portland. He wns twice married: first, Sept. 22, 1800, to Sally, daughter