James Holman (Holdman, Holeman)
Born: about 1814 in Virginia or Kentucky
Died: after 1880
Possible Ancestors of James Holman:
Great Grand Parents: Thomas Holman, who died about 1798 in Wilkes County, North Carolina and his wife Mary.
Grand Parents: Joseph Holman, born about 1746 in Maryland and his first wife, Elizabeth Wilson, born about 1750 in Rowan Co, North Carolina, the daughter of James Wilson and Mary Jones. (Joseph’s second wife was Catherine Livingston, the widow of a Mr. Wilson.)
Parents: James Marion Holman, born about 1770 in Rowan Co, North Carolina and Sarah Wilson, born about 1774 in Madison Co., Kentucky. (Sarah Wilson’s mother, Catherine Livingston Wilson, after her first husband died, married Joseph Holman, the father of James Marion Holman.)
Reasons supporting the idea that this is the family of the James Holman, born 1814, are:
· Four of the five sons of Joseph Holman and Elizabeth Wilson (Joseph Holman,
William C. Holman, John Holman, and Daniel Holman) each named one of their sons "James". I believe that James Marion Holman also named one of his sons "James".
· James Holman, born 1814, is the right age and was in the right location to be a son of James Marion Holman and Sarah Wilson. Other families suspected of being the parents of James Holman, born 1814, have been ruled out: 1) The DAR mistakenly approved an application based on the assumption that the parents of James, born 1814, were Edward Holman (born December 1760 in Kent County, Maryland and died April 6, 1842 in Callaway County, Missouri) and Abigail Williams. However, the documentation was limited to the fact that the will of Edward Holman mentions a son named James. The son mentioned in Edward’s will is the James Holman, born January 26, 1799, who married Mary E. Martin. 2) Some researchers believe that the James Holman, born 1814, is the son of Daniel Holman and Rebecca Johnson. However, this was James J. Holman, born about 1809, who married Mary A. Young.
· Daniel Holman, son of Joseph Holman and Elizabeth Wilson, and the James Holman, born 1814, used the same names for some of their children: James, Madison, Amanda, and Sarah.
· Their son Thomas Jefferson Holman first married Mayme S. McClure and after she died, he married his first cousin, Perlina Coffey. Perlina Coffey was the daughter of Thomas Jefferson Coffey and Ruth L. Carson, the daughter of (Preacher) David Carson and Catherine Lawrence.
· Their son David Carson Holman first married Capitola Slaughter, the sister of Katy Slaughter, and after she died, he married Mary Ellen Cowan.
![]() Samuel David Holman |
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James Holman and Martha Ramsey were in the 1850 census in Lincoln Co., Kentucky with their children: Mary, James, Amanda, Sally, Daniel, Thom, Mildred, and W. H.
James (listed as a farmer) and Martha were in the 1860 census in Garrard Co., Kentucky with their children: Amanda, James, Sarah, Daniel, Thomas, M.E., William, Francis, Madison, and Samuel. A nearby neighbor was Ancel George and his wife Mary, the sister of Martha Ramsey.
James (listed as a wagon maker and smith) and Martha were in the 1870 census in Crab Orchard, Lincoln Co., Kentucky with their children: Thom (listed as a hack driver), Mildred E., William (listed as a farm laborer), Francis, Madison (listed as a farm laborer and in school) and Samuel D. (listed as in school). Nearby neighbors were their daughter, Amanda and her family; Julia Lindsey, the future wife of Madison; and Elizabeth Melvin, future wife of Thomas.
James (listed as a retired blacksmith) and Martha were in the 1880 census in Crab Orchard, Lincoln Co., Kentucky with their children: Madison (listed as works on farm) and Samuel (listed as teamster). Nearby neighbors were their daughter, Amanda and her family and Archibald Carson, first cousin of (Judge) John Evans Carson.
The 1890 census is not available. James and Martha have not been located in the 1900 census.
Contributed by Gerald (Jerry) F. Radke.