James Shelby Holland Sr., the first child of seven of James Edward and Marietta Cheatham Holland was born Dec. 21, 1873 in Lincoln County, Tennessee near Kelly's Creek. One sister and three brothers were born in Lincoln county, after which the family moved to Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, where two more brothers were born.
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James met a young lady, Marietta Pruitt, who everyone called "Mate". They were married Jul. 7, 1894. Mate was a devout young lady and could not adapt to James "Boot-Legging" side job plus some bad habits that went along with that occupation. After their first child, Robert Earl, passed away Oct. 3, 1898, they came to a parting of the ways.
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James married a red headed lady named Rosa M. Blanton on Jun. 15, 1901. Rosa passed away 6 months later, causes unknown. she is buried at Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, AL.
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After losing his second wife, James began to realize what an "Angel" he had lost in Marietta and came on penitant knee, asking for another chance promising to lead a new life. They were re-married Oct. 11, 1902 and lived on Ward Avenue near 5th in Huntsville, AL. By 1905 James had a growing grocery concern in the Dallas area of Huntsville called J.S. HOLLAND & Company. The store was located at the corner of 5th and Humes. James father Edd joined him in the business and two of his brothers, Claude and Whitman, worked for him for a short time.
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James and Marietta had five children;
1)Earl Pruitt Holland, born 9/25/1896, died 10/3/1898.
2)Roy Edward Holland, born 11/16/1903, died 8/24/1981.
3)Louise Gertrude Holland, born 11/9/1906, died 6/22/1945.
4)James Shelby Holland Jr., born 12/17/1909, died 4/20/1994.
5)William Lorenzo Holland, born 1/4/1913, died 7/6/1969.
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To supplement his income from the store in these lean times, James worked at other trades. He was a street car conductor and Merchant. His boys would bring him hot lunches from home. James and Mate also made candy in their home (divinity, peanut brittle, bon-bons and taffy), selling it privately and in the store.
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James had indeed kept his promise to Mate and in time he became a deacon, a superintendent of Sunday School, a Church Clerk, and eventually a Minister of God. James was a successful Minister. Some of the Churches he pastored were; 5th Avenue Baptist in Huntsville (This is the Church that ordained him), Packer Memorial Church at Avondale, Oakman, Dolomite, Siluria,Rutledge Springs, Brighton, and then because of Shelby Jr's health and need for a drier climate, they moved to Brownsville, Texas. James could not get a Church here because he had not fulfilled the one year residence requirement sp he could not become a member of the Texas Association. Needing work, they moved back to Bessemer, AL., then to East Tallassee in 1929. While here he preached in Clanton at Liberty Hill Baptist for 12 years. For a short time he preached at Pepperell Church in Opelika, however he became disabled and retired. they moved more than 50 times during their marraige.
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The later part of James life he had what was called creeping paralysis and was in a wheel chair. He retired to Carrville, AL., where he died May 27, 1944. Mate lived with her sons for a while, then went to a nursing home. She had tuberculosis the last years of her life and died in 1961. They are both buried at Friendship Cemetery at Friendship, AL.
(Excerpts from "THE HOLLAND AND JOHNSON LINES and RELATED FAMILIES by Eddie Doris Holland-Smith)