My Genealogy Hound

Abercrombie Holmes is a wealthy planter residing near Dumas, Ark., but was born in De Soto County, Miss., July 20, 1841, and there would have received excellent educational advantages had not his school days been terminated by the breaking out of the Rebellion. He was a student in the University of Mississippi, during the early part of the war, and there became a member of the University Grays, which company was made up of his fellow students, but was afterward transferred to the Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, commanded by Col. William H. Jackson, who afterward became a general. He was in the service during the entire war, and fought in the battles of Corinth, in and around Atlanta, Fort Pillow, Peach Tree Creek, Franklin, and was in all the engagements in which Gen. N. B. Forrest participated. He was in many campaigns and saw much of the hard side of army life. He was furloughed at Okalona, Miss., after the battle of Franklin, and was captured while on a brief visit to his parental home, and was confined in a Federal prison in the Garvin Block in Memphis, Tenn., for two months. He was then sent to Vicksburg to be exchanged, and while there the war terminated. After receiving his parole, he returned to his home in Mississippi, and continued to make his home with his parents until January, 1867, at which time he settled on his present farm in Arkansas. In November of the same year he was married in Desha County, to Miss Lethia Pickett, a native of Smith County, Tenn., and a daughter of Col. Edward Pickett, now a resident of St. Louis. She is also a niece of Gen. Pickett, a famous Confederate officer during the late war. To Mr. and Mrs. Holmes, a family of nine children have been born: Claudia V. (wife of L. W. Proctor, deputy sheriff of Desha County, residing at Walnut Lake), Finley, Marcia L., Abercrombie (junior), Ruth, Burke D. and Paul K., being those who are living. Those who have passed from life, are Garland Cleveland, who died in 1887, and a child that died in infancy. The mother of these children passed from life August 1, 1886, and Mr. Holmes took for his second wife Miss Lundie L. Tillar, a Virginian, though reared and educated in Arkansas, their union being consummated in February, 1889. Mrs. Holmes is a sister of Maj. J. T. W. Tillar, her family being one of the most prominent in Southeastern Arkansas. Mr. Holmes is the owner of 640 acres of fine land, and has 320 acres in high state of cultivation, the principal products being corn and cotton. He also raises some fine Jersey and Durham cattle, also some horses of a good grade. On his farm is a cotton gin which has a capacity of 2,000 pounds of lint cotton per day, and this, as well as the products of his farm, brings him in a handsome yearly income. He is a thorough and practical farmer, and every enterprise to which he has given his attention has been attended with satisfactory results. Socially he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the K. of H., and in his political views is a Democrat, being always found at the front when his party needs his services. He has been justice of the peace for eight years, and is now notary public of Desha County. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church, and his wife to the Methodist. His parents’ history is given in the sketch of Nathaniel Holmes.