The following obit is of our grandmother, wife of Manasseh Holmes, dated Wednesday, Jan. 9, 1889 from "The Coos County [NH] Democrat," Lancaster, NH: "Jefferson" "Life's Work Ended" Mrs. Manassah (Perkins) Holmes, of Jefferson Mills, NH, who died Dec 30, 1888, was born in Middleton, NH, 1802. She married in 1818, Manassah Holmes. He died about ten years ago. They lived in Newdenham [sic], Middleton and Farmington, NH, and about 1830 moved to Jefferson, NH. She had two brothers, both of whom are now dead. One was the father of Hon. N. R. Perkins, of Jefferson, NH. They had twelve children: six sons and six daughters. Two sons, Charles S., of Pittsburg, NH, and George R., of Jefferson, NH, survive her; also three daughters: Mrs. A. J. Taylor, of Northumberland, NH, Mrs. James Merrow, of Lancaster, NH, and Mrs. B. F. Blodgett of Jefferson, NH, with whom she lived. The home where she died had been owned and occupied by them, most of the time, for more than forty years. For many years she was a member of the Baptist Church, of Jefferson. She was possessed with a very social disposition. She enjoyed company, both old and young. In her later life, her Bible was always near her. She loved to talk of its precious teachings, and of her hopes of the better life beyond the earthly grave. Her health remained quite good, and her faculties but little impaired, until the accident which caused her death. At about eight p.m., December 26th, she opened the cellar, instead of the hall door, falling to the cellar bottom. She was fully conscious for twenty-four hours, talking freely with her children, and many friends who called, giving her last words of counsel, and sending last messages of love to absent ones. Her daughters, and one son, had the great satisfaction of being with her, and ministering to her comfort, until the lamp of life went peacefully out on Sunday morning, Dec. 30th, 1888. Although severely briised, no bones were broken by the fall. Death was caused by paralysis, produced by the shock to her system. On the morning of the New Year, a large number gathered at the schoolhouse at Jefferson Mills, to pay their last respects to the memory of one so long and so well known in our midst. About seventy-five relatives were present. The sermon was delivered by Rev. James Crowly, from words selected by the deceased (2d Cor. v. 1): "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." The sermon was largely an eulogy of the deceased, based upon a personal acquaintance of several years of her later life. The pall bearers were Benjamin R. Kennison, Freeman Orcutt, L. R. Dexter and Isaac Johnson. Her remains were tenderly laid beside those of her husband, in the cemetery in Jefferson Mills [NH]. Does anyone connect to the Holmes families of Strafford County, NH, or those who migrated to Coos County in northern NH?