John Milton Holmes became a resident of Massena, Iowa in 1894. It was his final move west after a life spent participating in the westward movement of the 19th century. He began his westward quest before the age of twenty. He left his birthplace of Monroe County, New York and headed for the lead mines of western Wisconsin (then a territory) in abt. 1838.
In or near Platteville, Wisconsin, he met and married Belinda Waldruff who had immigrated to the area from Trumbull County, Ohio. In 1842, John Milton and Belinda Holmes crossed the Mississippi. For the next twenty-six years they lived and worked in northeastern Iowa in the areas that are now Clayton, Delaware, and Dubuque counties.
John Milton applied himself readily to any work at hand weather it was milling, farming, or laying railroad ties but his desire was to preach. John was ordained a minister of the Methodist Church at Rockwell, Iowa, (no longer on the map, but in Delaware County) in 1858. He pushed west to Montgomery County in 1868 and eventually to Massena in 1894. He preached in Massena until his 99th year. He was a familiar figure on Main Street and came to be called "Father Holmes." When greeted by all with "how are you today Father Holmes?," he unvarying replied "about as usual!"
The deaths of John and Belinda occurred in 1905. They had eight children who were scattered by 1894. Two lived in Massena.
Mary Celestia Holmes Black (1848-1915) was a Massena merchant. The Blacks had two children who died in infancy but were otherwise childless. They reared a foster son, Wesley Frazier.
Emery Wendell Holmes (1855-1929) was a teacher turned business man and dealt in lumber. Emery Wendell had five children: Clifford (1883-1949), Donna (1885-1940), Charlotte Belinda (1887-1975), Nathan Glenn (1889-1982) and Wilmanelle (1891-1984).
