U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Holmes, David (1769-1832) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Aler's History of Martinsburg and Berkeley County, West Virginia by F. Vernon Aler, 1888 Printed for the Author by The Mail Publishing Company, Hagerstown, MD. CHAPTER VIII. Historical Pen Sketches of the Early Residents of Berkeley County by the late Hon. Chas. James Faulkner. Pages 183-185, DAVID HOLMES Born in Winchester, was the son of Col. Joseph Holmes, of Frederick County, Va., and a brother of Major Andrew Hunter Holmes, so distinguished during the recent war with Great Britain for his talents and high military qualities. He was killed in the battle of Mackinaw, on the northern frontiers, on the 4th of August, 1814, and a sword voted to his heirs by the General Assembly of Virginia, in consideration of his gallantry and good conduct. Also brother to Judge Holmes, who occasionally presided in this judicial circuit, and brother to Ann Holmes, married to Gen. Elisha Boyd, of this county. He was a member of the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Congresses. At the close of his service in Congress he was, in 1809, appointed by President Madison Governor of the territory of Mississippi, and when admitted into the Union as a State he was elected Governor by the people. He was subsequently, in 1820, elected a Senator in Congress for six years, from the same State, but resigned before the end of his term of service. He died in Winchester on the 20th of August, 1832. Although twelve consecutive years a member of the House of Representatives, and six in the Senate, the records of Congress show nothing but his votes. It does not appear that he ever submitted a motion or made a remark in either body. And yet there must have been something very remarkable in the intellect and bearing of a man who could, with a different constituency, thus pass so triumphantly through all the stages of political life, without any of the advantitious aids of public speaking. When elected to the 5th Congress he was a resident of Shenandoah. Gen. Morgan then represented Berkeley and Frederick in that Congress. In 1799 (6th Congress) Holmes having removed back to Winchester, was elected from the district of Berkeley and Frederick; so in the 7th Congress he represented this district. When the district was re- arranged after the census of 1803, he represented Frederick and Shenandoah from 1803 to 1809, thus consecutively representing three distinct districts of the State within the twelve years of his service in the House. Gov. Holmes was a man of modest and retiring habits, but of captivating manners, and bore the reputation of marked ability and of great integrity of character. He was the uncle of David Holmes Conrad, now residing in this county, after whom he was named. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tombstone is in Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Winchester City, Virginia Inscription on top of tombstone: This stone is erected to the memory of David Holmes, late governor & U. S. Senator of Mississippi, born March the 10th 1769, died August the 20th 1832. His death proved by the universal regret of all who knew him that he died without an enemy; his life by his stedfast honor & true Christian charity that he never deserved one. Inscription on upright side of tombstone: David Holmes was the last territorial and first state governor of Mississippi. Born in 1769, Holmes represented his native Virginia in the U. S. House of Representatives before appointed governor of the Mississippi Territory in 1809. He was elected governor of the new state of Mississippi in 1817, U.S. Senator in 1820, and governor again in 1825. in 1826 Holmes resigned due to poor health, he returned to Virginia where he died in 1832. ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Berkeley County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/berkeley/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------