Holmes, Henry, 1835-1914

HOLMES, GARROTT, OSTRUM

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/29/2015 at 19:31:11

From the Rock Valley Bee, February 20, 1914:

FORMER RESIDENT DIED AT SHELDON

Henry Holmes, for a number of years a resident of Rock Valley and one of the early settlers of Sioux county, died at his home in Sheldon Friday from paralysis, and the remains accompanied by three of his children, George H. Holmes, R. J. Holmes and Mrs. H. E. Carpenter of Sheldon, were brought here for burial Saturday. The deceased was one of the homesteaders of this section having come here in 1873. He moved from this place to Wisconsin in 1890. The following account of his life taken from the Sheldon Mail will be of interest at this time:

"Henry Holmes was born in New York City on November 3rd, 1835, and died at Sheldon, Iowa, Feb. 13, 1914, aged 78 years, 3 months and 10 days. Soon after his birth he went with his parents to England where he made his home until he was 21 years old. He then returned to Canada, living at St. Mary's where he became married to Mary J. Garrott. From this union there were born 13 children, of whom there are living four boys and two girls. After their marriage they lived at St. Mary's for seven years and then moved to Kenosha, Wis., where they lived until 1873 when they came to Sioux county in the vicinity of Rock Valley. Mrs. Holmes died at Rock Valley and Mr. Holmes then moved back to Kenosha. Three years ago he came to Sheldon, marrying Mrs. Christiana Ostrum.

The funeral was held Saturday at ten o'clock a.m., from Wood's undertaking parlors, Dr. Bushnell officiating. The children attending the funeral were George H. Holmes and Mrs. H. E. Carpenter, of Sheldon and R. J. Holmes, of Bingham Lake, Minn. The remains were taken to Rock Valley where they were interred beside those of his first wife."

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From the Alton Democrat, February 21, 1914: Sheldon News:

A resident of southwest Sheldon in the person of Henry Holmes crossed the silent river on Friday, after an illness of brief duration resulting from a paralytic stroke. Mr. Holmes was born on Nov. 3, 1935, in New York, N.Y., and while yet in his infancy crossed the Atlantic ocean with his parents, who found a home in England, the dead man's place of residence for twenty-one years. Coming to St. Mary's, Canada, he met, wooed and won Miss Mary Garrott, to whom he was united in marriage. Thirteen children, of whom four sons and two daughters survive, were born of the union. The Canadian town was their home for seven years preceding [following?] their marriage. They then came west to Kenosha, Wis., their home until 1873, when they came to Sioux county, locating on a farm in the vicinity of Rock Valley. There the wife and mother died, after which the husband returned to Kenosha. Coming to Sheldon three years previous to his demise, he and Mrs. Christina Ostrum were married.

The H. J. Wood funeral parlors were the scene of a simple funeral service on Saturday, when Rev. J. J. Bushnell of the Methodist church, officiated, after which were consigned to East Lawn cemetery the mortal remains of one who had been spared to live beyond the prophet's allotted "three score and ten." The bereaved wife, who is recovering from a severe illness of pneumonia, has the sympathy of local residents.