From the History of Allen County, Ohio
ISAAC HOLMES, farmer, P. O. Columbus Grove, Putnam County, was born November 30, 1827, in Carroll County, Ohio; son of William and Elizabeth (Davis) Holmes, former a native of Washington County, Penn., born August 20, 1801, died in February, 1884. He was a son of John and Sarah (Norris) Holmes, first named being a native of England, and one of the early settlers of Seneca County, Ohio, where he and his wife died; latter a native of Carroll County, Ohio. William Holmes was first married to Mary Joseph, by whom he had four children—William, residing near Carrollton, being the only one now living. By his second marriage there were eighteen children: Isaac, Mrs. Catharine Fishill (deceased, leaving family in Carroll County, Ohio); Mrs. Martha Crunibecker in Carroll County, Ohio; Jonathan, killed by a falling tree when sixteen years of age; James'(deceased), a surgeon in the Forty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Rebellion; Mrs. Myrian Harlan (widow), in Wayne County, Ill.; Samuel, in Greenwood County, Kans.: Mrs. Eliza Best, and David, residing in Wayne County, Ill.; Oliver in Fairfield, Ill., where he was county clerk for eight years; Martin and Daniel died young; Milton in Wayne County, Ill.; Mrs. Sarah Webb in Lyon County, Kans.; Mrs. Eleanor N. Enlow in Wayne County, Ill.; Mrs. Samantha J. Robertson in White County, Ill.; Calvin, near Clifton, Tex., and an infant (deceased). The third marriage was with Mrs. Martha Weisman, who bore him following children: Eli, living in Wayne County, Ill.; Mrs. Melissa Statten and George, residing near Denver, Col., and Mrs. Mary Westfall, in Wayne County, III. Six of the sons were in the , late war of the Rebellion, and all held offices—James, Samuel, Oliver, David, Milton and Calvin; five sons-in-law were also in the service—A. Best, M. Webb, J. Enlow, J. Robertson and J. Crumbecker. Calvin served five years in the regular army. All of these twenty-six children were born between the years 1821 and 1859, all single issue, and seventeen of them are still living. Our subject was married, August 22, 1850, to Elizabeth Downs, born in Carroll County, Ohio, February 26, 1828, daughter of George and Sarah (Miller) Downs, and by this union were born nine children, five of whom died in early childhood; those now living are George William, married and living in Putnam County, Ohio; Amos B., also married and residing in Putnam County; Martha A. and Clark B., at home. Mr. Holmes, in 1870, was one of the land appraisers for Putnam County. He has held the offices of justice of the peace, assessor and township trustee, of the latter of which he is present incumbent. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Democrat.