As of now, information on James Holmes is not conclusive. Therefore, I am just including research notes here until it can be proven conclusively that the information given is for our James Holmes.
James Holmes SR was born abt 1768 in South Carolina. He was the son of William Holmes. James served enlisted under Lt Thomas Farrow in Captain Benjamin Tutt's Independent Company from Greenville District South Carolina. On Jan 23 1836 from Perry County, Tennessee, James applied for a pension. James was turned down because they thought he was too young to have been a soldier. He said he was born in 1768 and served in 1780, which put him at 12 yrs. Old. He said he served alongside his father William Holmes and that they both had received bounty land for their service. James never got the pension, even though Davy Crockett, who was a congressman or senator at that time, and whom James called “my friend” tried to help him.
From South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution: Holmes, James R5171 While residing in Greenville District, he enlisted during 1779 under Lt. Thomas Farrow in Captain Benjamin Tutt’s Independent Company (Moved to Tenn.) A.A. 3717, R148
Holmes, William He enlisted in the Third Regiment on 13 Feb 1779 and re-enlisted on 1 Feb 1780. He was in the fall of Charleston. A.A. 3719C; N.A. 853
Holmes, William, Sr. He served 346 days in Captain Benjamin Tutt’s Independent Company during 1779 and 1780. A.A. 3719C; R149; X493.
American Revolutionary War Rejected Pensions Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C.: n.p., 1852.
During America’s struggle for freedom, thousands of men fought for the colonial government and many received pensions or bounty land grants for their service. This database is a listing of men who applied for a pension but were rejected. It was originally published in 1852 and was an expanded version of a book published in 1838. Each record provides the applicant’s name, state and town of residence, and the reason their petition was denied. It contains the names of over 8600 individuals. For researchers of Revolutionary War ancestors, this can be a helpful database
James Holmes Tennessee Perryville, Perry County, No evidence of service
Holmes, James, or James Holloms or Halloms or Hallows, R5171, SC Line, applied 23 Jan 1836 Perry Co TN aged 68, he lived in Spartanburg Dist SC at enl
1790 HOLMS JAMES Greenville Dist SC 70 02-01-02-00-00 2 males over 16, 1 male under 16 and 2 females
From 1800-1810 it is unknown exactly were James was. In 1812 it appears as if they were in TN. Unfortunately the Federal censuses for Tennessee have been lost or destroyed for 1790 and 1800, though tax lists can serve as substitutes for the missing enumerations. The 1810 census has survived for only Rutherford and Grainger counties, and the 1820 enumeration exists for only twenty-six counties, all in middle and west Tennessee. Beginning in 1830, the censuses are available for each decennial year through 1920, except for the nation-wide destroyed census of 1890. All are indexed in at least one format. No territorial or state censuses are known to exist except for the reconstructed records.
“Holmes” when first in Tennessee shows: James Holmes 1812 Williamson County James Homes 1815 Williamson County James Holmes 1812 Bedford County James Holmes 1819 Washington County For the War of 1812 there were 2 James Holmes and 3 William Holmes that served. It is unknown if these James or Williams were the ones that settled in Perry Co TN.
Perry County TN wasn’t created until 1819 from Hickman Co. Perry County was created by an act of the General Assembly of the state of Tennessee, which was passed in November 1819. This act provided for a new county to be established north of Wayne County, west of Hickman County, and south of Humphreys County. It’s possible that James and William could be in Hickman, Humphreys or Wayne Co. prior 1819.
The Holmes that were in Perry Co by 1820 were: James, William and George.
1820 HOMES JAMES Perry Co TN 421101-11010
1 male of 45 and up (James age 60-69) 1 female 26-44 (possible 2nd wife, name unknown) 1 male 16-25 born 1795-1804 1 male between 16 and 18 born 1802-1804 1 female 10-15 born 1805-1810 1 male 10-15 born 1805-1810 1 male 10-15 born 1805-1810 1 female under 10 born 1809-1820 1 male under 10 born 1809-1820 1 male under 10 born 1809-1820 1 male under 10 born 1809-1820 1 male under 10 born 1809-1820
1820 HOMES WILLIAM Perry Co TN 310010-01010 William 26-44 1820 HOMES GEORGE Perry Co TN 000010-10010 George 26-44
1830 HOLMES JAMES Perry Co TN 46 2 males 10-14 , 2 males 15-20
1830 HOLMES ABRAHAM Perry Co TN 47 born 1800-1810 2 males 5-10, 1 male 20-30 1 female 5-10, 1 female 20-30
1830 HOLMES ABRAM Perry Co TN 46 born 1800-1810 1 male 20-30 2 females 10-15 1 female 20-30
1830 HOLMES SAMUEL Perry Co TN 47 born 1800-1810 3 males under 5 , 1 male 20-30, 2 females 5-10
1830 HOMES WILLIAM Perry Co TN 46 born 1780-1790 1 male 5-10, 1 male 10-14, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 20-30, 1 male 40-50 1 female un 5, 1 female 40-50
1830 February 18th Revolutionary Claims
Sir: I received your letter requiring me to transmit to you further information of my claim as a soldier of the Revolution South Carolina in the State in which I served but as to the Regiment to which I belonged I cannot recollect as make any proof. You will perceive by a search of the records that I have drawn my bounty-land You will also see that William Holloms, My Father who served at the same time and in the Same Regiment will see he drew his bounty land in at in at least I drew it ?? to him?? If the statement will be of any service to you in naming my claim, I will be very happy, as I am in great many of acceptances??? Very Respectively yours James Holloms
1830 Dec 20 Survey for James Holmes, Senior, 25 ac, his occupant in Perry Co., R10, S3, on waters of Cedar Creek. SCC Isaac Horner, Abram Holmes.
1836 Jan 23 Declaration In Order to Obtain the Benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832 State of Tennessee, Perry County On the 23 day of January 1836 personally appeared in open Court before the County Court of the said County, James Holmes a resident of Perry County the State of Tennessee aged 68 who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following Declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress as of June 7th 1832 that he entered into the Army of the United States in the year of 1779 with Lieutenant Farrow and served in the Regiment in the South Carolina line of the Continental line under the following named Officers Capt Benjamin Tutt His Col name he thinks was Williamson James Declares being young and can not tell all of his officers as near as he can. James left the service in the Spring of 1782 He served two years and a half. James entered the Service in Spartanburg District South Carolina; from there he marched through Greenville District South Carolina to Levia? Fort on Savannah River He was not in any Battle and was not taken at said Fort and put out any pay roll. He hereby relinquishes every claim and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any in any State. James X his mark Holmes
1838 April 25 James Holmes Senior, Cedar Creek R11, S3, adj. Elisha Denton And adj. a 32-ac survey of said James Holmes. (This was transferred to Samuel Denton 12-21-1842)
1838 Aug Benjamin Holmes, 30 ac, Cedar Creek, R11, S3, beginning at a sugar tree the SE corner of a 25 ac survey in the name of James Holmes, thence west with the south boundary line of the same 62 poles to the sw corner of the same, and standing on the east boundary line of a 50 ac survey in the name of B. Holmes, thence south 83 5/10 poles to the se corner of a 50 ac in the name of James Holmes Seignior and east for complement. Benjamin Holmes, locator. (this was transferred to Samuel Denton 12-11-1845 by order of Benjamin Holmes. Then same day to Jas. C. Randle by Samuel Denton.)
Pension Office Sept 12 1845
Sir The supplemental declaration of James Holmes claiming a pension under the Act of 1832 have been examined and filed with ??? Papers
Claimant alleges he enlisted in 1780 in South Carolina and left the service in 1782. Agreeably to his own declaration at the time of his enlistment was but 12 years old and was only 15 at the close of the war. Too, young to incur the responsibility, or perform the duties of a Soldier. Accompanying by former declarations was a letter from the ???? General of South Carolina showing that James Holmes had received a certificate for 7.2 lbs sterling for 130 days service in Captain Tutt’s Company in 1779 .
The courthouse in Perry County had fires in 1863 and 1928, and the earliest surviving wills / probate records for the county begin with 1863. The chance of finding James Holmes will around 1840-49 doesn’t look like it will happen.
It appears as if the Holmes family may have started out in Williamson Co TN, which was created in 1799 from Davidson County. Rutherford County was created from Williamson Co TN in 1803. From there they seem to have gone to Perry and Wayne Counties. Wayne and Perry County both were created from Hickman. Wayne in 1817 and Perry in 1819. Some of the Children that are listed here are from these counties.
POSSIBLE Children of James Holmes:
1 WILLIAM HOLMES….................... 2 GEORGE HOLMES born 1776-1794 3 SAMUEL HOLMES born 1802 TN. 4 James Holmes, Jr. b. October 18, 1807; d. October 2, 1884