Holmes family.

James Henry Holmes, Jr. (b. 1879), the son of James Henry Holmes (1833-1907) and Esther Maria (Deavitt) Holmes (1854-1925), was born on March 27, 1879, in New York. The oldest of six, he had three brothers, Henry, Charles, Eugene, and two sisters, Phebe and Susan. Although the 1880 U.S. Census shows Holmes senior, Esther, and James junior living in New York City, the family soon moved to Essex County, New Jersey, where James junior's brothers and sisters were born. From the diaries it appears that James Henry Holmes senior left Esther sometime between January 1893 and October 1894. In April 1894, Esther and her six children moved from Caldwell, New Jersey, to Esther's hometown of Moretown, Vermont.

James and his siblings finished school while living in Moretown and Waterbury, Vermont. In 1901, James and his younger brother, Henry, began work for the Charles H. Cross Bakery in Montpelier, where James' duties initial included running the bread cart, delivering orders and occasionally working in the candy room or doing odd jobs. From 1903 to sometime between 1912 and 1914, James worked in the company's shipping department. From July of 1914 to at least 1918, he worked as a school janitor in Montpelier. James was also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

In 1903, James met Myrtle "Mertie" Gallup (b. 1882) of Plainfield, the daughter and oldest child of Hoyt Ransom Gallup (1851-1920) and Lizzie (Glidden) Gallup (1861-1915). Mertie had two brothers, Charles Henry Gallup (b. 1885) and Harry M. Gallup (b. 1888), and one sister, Leila M. Gallup (b 1892). James and Mertie were married in Plainfield on December 31, 1903. James and Mertie had three children who lived to adulthood, (Maurice) Wendell (b. 1905), Pearl (1912-2008), and Myra (b. 1916) Holmes. Additionally, in 1910, the couple's infant son, George Holmes, died on December 30 at 29 days old.

Beginning in July of 1904, Mertie worked as a photographer's apprentice for Mr. Herbert W. Shores of Blanchard's Studio. This job lasted until the end of the year, after which Mertie did not work outside of the home. Prior to her marriage, Mertie worked for Mr. & Mrs. William Jackson of Barre from May of 1901 to January 25, 1902 and for Mr. & Mrs. William Pollard of Montpelier later in 1902.

Brief biographical sketches of those family members repeatedly mentioned in the diaries are in the collection in folder 0.