Dear Ms. Roper THsi is what is in the 1880 Census. I can't find a Colby or Almira. I could check the 1850 CT Census Index (in a couple of weeks) if you need that. Census Place: New London, New London, Connecticut Source: FHL Film 1254107 National Archives Film T9-0107 Page 34D Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace Albert HOLMES Self M M W 23 CT Occ: Drugist Fa: CT Mo: CT Sarah HOLMES Wife F M W 21 NY Occ: Keeping House Fa: ENG Mo: ENG George HOLMES Brother M S W 12 CT Occ: At School Fa: CT Mo: CT -------------------- Census Place: New London, New London, Connecticut Source: FHL Film 1254107 National Archives Film T9-0107 Page 117C Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace Elisha C. HOLMES Self M M W 26 CT Occ: Machinist Fa: CT Mo: CT Mary E. HOLMES Wife F M W 24 CT Occ: Keeping House Fa: CT Mo: CT -------------------------------------------- Deb Tajmajer Census Lookup Volunteer Member <A HREF="http://www.usgenweb.com/">The USGenWeb Project - Home Page</A> http://www.usgenweb.com/ ------------------------------------------- In a message dated 7/11/2002 10:40:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: > Subj:[CTNEWLON-L] The family of Colby Holmes > Date:7/11/2002 10:40:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time > From:<A HREF="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A> > To:<A HREF="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A> > Sent from the Internet > > I am looking for information/confirmation regarding Colby Holmes who should > > have been born in New London about 1830 and his wife, Almira Fairfield who > I > believe was also born in New London about 1835. They are listed in the New > > London census records for 1860 as having two children: Elisha, age 7 and > Albert age 3. He is recorded in those census as a fisherman. My > grandfather > was born in January 1869 in New London to this family (C. C. Holmes). The > > records seems to be a little murky on the 1870 census and difficult to > read. > However, according to my grandfather, he was raised in New London until he > ran away "to the sea" (as a cabin boy) sometime between 1879 and 1881 with > two of his older brothers, one of whom may have been Albert. He maintained > > close contact with only two brothers into early adulthood when he left the > sea, became an adventurer, then a commercial farmer in Alaska until 1910 > when he became a commercial farmer in Oklahoma. Not only did my > grandfather > have a great love for the sea, he was a remarkable farmer, being one of the > > first to commercially farm in Alaska. This leads me to believe that he > might > have been related to fishermen and farmers in New England. Grandfather > Holmes was crippled in his right hand, possibly from a seafaring accident > which may have ended his career (it was never thought that he was crippled > from birth and it was never discussed). From what my grandfather has said, > > there may have been as many as nine children born to the Colby Holmes > family, > or Colby could have been one of nine brothers. He spoke often about "nine > brothers". He returned to the home (I assume, in New London about 1887 for > a > few days before he left for good, never to return). I would like to see if > > someone can find the name of the parents of both Colby C. Holmes and Almira > > Fairfield. My grandfather was known as H. N. Holmes. The family called > him > Harry Norman, but my grandmother (Sadie Leah Weaver) said that his real > name > was Henry. I feel that I have found the right parents because of the names > > and dates and places he listed on his marriage license in 1910 along with > family history seem to match this family best. Additionally, my > grandmother > insisted that my father bear his father's name (they chose Norman) and > Harry > chose to name my dad after one of his brothers, Albert. Any information > which would shed light on what happened to this family; who their children > were, where any of them might be buried, names of parents, confirmation of > my > grandfather's real name (Harry or Henry), anything would be wonderful. > This > grandfather and his family has been a man of awe and mystery for decades. > > Many members of my family have gone to Connecticut as early as the late > 1940s > to try to find information, but in the past, information was more difficult > > to obtain. (Absence of the marriage license also made it a little more > difficult because we didn't have any place to start only recently have I > been > able to find it in Wood Co. Ohio.) I would like to someday go back for > myself, but I would like to get as much information on the family as > possible > before I go. > > Thank you for any assistance! > > Pamela Holmes Roper >