Edward S. Holme, who may almost be called a landmark
character of Cahokia township, Macoupin County, on account of his early
settlement and subsequent usefulness, lives retired on his farm of 140
acres, situated in section 17, 18 and 20, and also owns an additional tract
of 75 acres in section 24. He is a son of James and Sarah (Shirtcliff) Holme
and was born July 15, 1822, in England.
James Holme was born at Syck
House, Yorkshire, England, in September, 1790, and was one of the eight
children born to Robert Holme and wife. In 1830 James Holme came to America,
and was joined in the succeeding year by our subject and his mother and
sister. Mr. Holme had been a merchant in his native land, but engaged in
farming after settling in Morgan County, Illinois, his death taking place at
Gillespie, Macoupin County, in 1860. Although never a man of abundant means,
he was always independent and left his family provided for. He was a member
of the Methodist Church. He married Sarah Shirtcliff, born also in
Yorkshire, who died in Macoupin County at the age of 70 years. They had four
children, viz: Mrs. Sarah Challacobe, who died in Andrew County, Missouri,
aged 82 years; Henry, who died in 1892, in Andrew County, Missouri, aged 73
years; Edward S., of this sketch; and Mrs. Jane Stephenson, born in
Illinois, who lives in Andrew County, Missouri.
Our subject was
eight years old when his parents settled near the present town of Lynnville,
Morgan County, Illinois, which he later laid out, ploughing along the town
lines with an oxteam. Mr. Holme grew up under pioneer conditions and
experienced many of the hardships pertaining to those early days. He recalls
the year 1838 when the Pottawattamie Indians, 800 strong, were moved from
Northern Indiana. In 1845 Mr. Holme took possession of his present farm,
buying the land for the small sum of $3.28 per acre. At that time even the
most optimistic person could not have predicted the wonderful changes which
Mr. Holme has brought about. The prairie was unbroken, the land was covered
with a brush thicket, and not even a rude dwelling welcomed the pioneer. He
put up a plank house as soon as possible, with dimensions of 16 by 18 feet,
the structure being of so substantial a character that it still serves a
purpose. Deer, wild turkeys and prairie chickens constantly tempted the
hunter, but the busy farmer had little time for sport, when he had to drive
his hogs 30 miles to Alton, or 50 miles to St. Louis, to find a market. Mr.
Holme is a veritable mine of interesting reminiscences and his stories of
the way he and his neighbors fought prairie fires, of which they lived in
dread, are very exciting. He was an observer of the building of the "Big
Four" Railroad through this section and remembers that wheelbarrows were
used in the filling of the cuts, the labor-saving machinery of to-day not
having then been thought of.
On June 18, 1851, Mr. Holme was married
to Ellen Stull, who was born near Columbus, Ohio, April 17, 1830, and is a
daughter of John and Mary (Harland) Stull. Their only surviving child is
John Pearson, who operates the home farm. Dora died, aged 16 years; William
H. died, aged S7 years, and three died in infancy.
In youth Mr.
Holme was a Democrat, but has been identified with the Republican party
since its organization. He served as supervisor of Cahokia township during
1871, 1872, 1873 and 1884 — four terms — and was one of the 17 supervisors
who, by their refusal to obey a mandamus issued by the United States Circuit
Court in 1873, caused a fine of $1,000 apiece to be assessed against the
county, but by their action subsequently saved the county an immense sum.
Since 1889 Mr. Holme has been somewhat incapacitated physically, but
is as hale and hearty mentally as in early years. He has hundreds of friends
in his locality and is still frequently consulted on questions affecting the
public welfare. Mr. Holme considers it a matter worthy of record that he and
his mother were passengers on the first railroad ever built in the world. He
was for many years a member of the I. O. O. F.
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 449-451.
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