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