James and Harriet Holmes
Information comes from the History of Bear Lake Pioneers by Irene H Budge and Beatrice Holmes Burgoyne
James Holmes was born in Londonderry, New Hampshire 25, Dec 1828, the son of James Holmes and Martha Barker. His parents divorced before he was born and later his mother married Morris Phelps at Winter Quarters in 1848. James married Morris' youngest daughter Harriet Wight Phelps in Council Bluffs Iowa. Harriet was born 7 Apr 1832 at Independence Missouri, the daughter of Morris Phelps and Laura Clark. Harriet was the first Mormon female child born in that county. Before she was two years old her parents were driven from Independence and in 1846 joined the general exodus of saints coming west.
Children of James Holmes and Harriet Wight Phelps
1. Morris Charles Holmes b-18 Oct 1849 in
Council Bluffs Iowa; d-27 Feb 1907 in Montpelier
2. Laura Holmes b-15 June 1852 in Alpine Utah; d-27 Feb 1917 in Union Oregon
3. James Merrill Holmes b-17 Jan 1855 in Alpine Utah; d-10 July 1933
4. Harriet Ellen Holmes b-6 Mar 1857 in Alpine Utah; d-28 Jan 1935
5. Martha Jane Holmes b-20 May 1859 in Alpine Utah; d-1 Sep 1923 in Soda Springs
Idaho
6. Mary Pauline Holmes b-6 Apr 1862 in Alpine Utah; d-6 Feb 1917
7. Sarah Almira Holmes b-12 Aug 1864 in Montpelier; d-19 May 1894 in Paris Idaho
8. Joseph Hyrum Holmes b-7 Mar 1867 in Montpelier; d-16 Jan 1948 in Montpelier
9. Ida Louise Holmes b-2 Apr 1869 in Montpelier; d-25 Mar 1942 in Salt Lake City
10. Susan Effie Holmes b-12 Aug 1871 in Montpelier; d-26 July 1960 in Los
Angeles California
11. William Riley Holmes b-11 Feb 1874 in Montpelier; d-18 May 1949 in Salt Lake
City
When Charles C Rich was called to settle Bear Lake, Morris and James sold their properties in Alpine Utah and took their families to there in 1864. James and Harriet built a log house of their own with a dirt roof near the Montpelier Creek. Their daughter Sarah was the first white child born in Montpelier. When Harriet's father, Morris Phelps died, one of his wives moved to Arizona to be with her son, so James and Harriet moved into the large log house. In 1883 they moved to Arizona a journey of more than 1000 miles and arrived in Mesa 15 Jan 1884. After all the glowing reports of the area, the climate was not what they expected. The weather was hot, the land dry and water scarce. They returned to Montpelier in August.
Harriet not only took care of her own family, but also took care of others who were sick. Many times he went on horseback when the roads were bad. Her home was a hospital many times. She kept the post office for a number of years and many community gatherings were held upstairs of their home. James was a public servant serving on committees for general supervision of all public improvements, streets, sidewalks, alleys, bridges, highways and irrigation canals. He was one of the original five trustees appointed by the county commissioner. He loved horses and owned a large number of them. James was called on a special mission to the New England States in 1898 and joined his youngest son William, after his Southern States Mission and did research on their people. They traveled to Londonderry and Salem and renewed family friendships.
James returned home and died in Montpelier 31 Aug 1904. Harriett died 19 Mar 1893 in Montpelier.