DR. NATHAN HOLMES
Nathan Holmes. M. D., Mayor of Delavan and Coroner of Tazewell County, was born in Fulton County. Ill., April 25. 1842. Passing through the public schools, he entered Abingdon College, after which, deciding to take up the study of medicine, he was matriculated at Rush Medical College, graduating therefrom, with his professional degree, in 1864. He began practice at Knoxville, Knox County, Ill., where he remained for five years, and then removed to Natrona, Mason County. Ill. There he continued his professionel work for five years, at the end of which period he located at San Jose, Cal., which he made his home for seventeen years.
In 1890 Dr. Holmes came to Tazewell County, locating at Delavan, and has since continued to practice medicine and surgery, with that success which is always the result of hard, Intelligent and conscientious work. In his capacity as Coroner, Dr. Holmes held the inquest over the sixteen people who were killed in the worst wreck that has occurred in the history of the county—that of the Big Four Railroad three miles east of Tremont, on November 19, 1903.
In his religious affiliations Di’. Holmes is a member of the Christian Church. Politically, he has always been an active supporter of the Democratic party: was elected Coroner of Tazewell County, in 1900, for a term of four years, and in the spring of 1902 was honored with the office of Mayor of Delavan. He owns the property which formerly belonged to Dr. Harrington, besides which he has a farm in Nebraska. Socially, he is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Knights of Pythias.
The marriage of Dr. Holmes was celebrated in Fulton County, Ill., March 5, 1863, when he was united to Miss Mary E. Hughes, who was born October 10, 1844. Three children have been born to them, namely: Edgar R., who is a physician at Minier, Ill.: Mary, now the wife of Dr. E. K. Thompson of Kansas City, Mo; and Jessie, Lucile, wife of W. P. M. Stevens, also of that city.
The paternal grandparents of Dr. Holmes were Nathan and Mary (Miller) Holmes, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. On the maternal side, his grandfather was Elisha Elliott, a native of New York, who married Miss Hannah Vandeveer. Mrs. Elliott lived to the advanced age of ninety years.
The parents of Dr. Holmes were Samuel Hardin Holmes, a native of Kentucky, where his birth occurred in 1816, and Maria (Elliott) Holmes, who was born in Ohio in 1818. The father came to Fulton County in 1832.
Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Tazewell County - page 1025