Hugh White Holmes, third son of Isaac and Sarah Lynn Holmes, was born in Morgan Co., AL, on Aug. 25, 1830. At the age of 15 he moved with his parents to Itawamba Co., MS. On Dec. 4, 1849, he married Mary Jane Allen. In 1854 he moved with his wife and 3 sons near Catahoula Lake in Catahoula Parish, LA. A year later they moved to Winn Parish and built a one-room log cabin, floored with split logs, on Pope's Creek. His wife Mary Jane died Oct. 26, 1862. She was the mother of 6 children: Joseph Walter Holmes, James Isaac Holmes, William Holmes (died as a child), Lewis Napoleon Holmes, Sarah A. 'Sallie' (Mrs. Evander A.) Smith and Kithina Holmes (died in infancy).
On Dec. 20, 1863, White Holmes enlisted in the Union army, serving in Company B, Second Regiment of the Louisiana Volunteer Cavalry and after September 1864 was assigned to Company B, First Regiment of the volunteer Louisiana Cavalry. He was in battles at Clinton, LA, Blakely and Mobile, AL, and near Pensacola, Fl. In May 1864, he spent two weeks in a hospital at Baton Rouge. He was discharged at New Orleans Dec. 18, 1865, and returned to Winn Parish. On Jan. 18, 1866, he married Celia Smith, daughter of Willis Smith and widow of Confederate soldier Stephen Smith. Hugh White and Celia Holmes produced 7 children: Hugh Willis Holmes, Lucinda Pinky (Mrs. Rufus B.) Watson, Arminda (Mrs. Daniel Erwin) James, John Dennis Holmes, Julia A. (Mrs. Richmond P.) Parker, Alice C (Mrs. James E.) Parker, and Dora Ellen (Mrs. Isaac O.) Parker.
In 1867 he moved about 4 miles north to Beech Creek. He was a sucessful farmer and a leader in the community. A nephew, Floyd Holly, reported that his uncle was especially interested in improving the kind of cattle being raised in Louisiana and made a number of trips to Texas, where Hereford cattle had been introduced. White also owned a sawmill and a steamboat used to ship lumber and agricultural products to river markets. He was a strong supporter of Beech Creek Academy. When Beech Creek Baptist Church was organized Oct. 1, 1872, he was selected as the first clerk of the church.