Joseph R. Holmes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph R. Holmes
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| Born | ca. 1838 Charlotte County
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| Died | May 3, 1869 (aged 30–31) Charlotte County courthouse
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| Cause of death | Pistol shot |
| Occupation | Shoemaker, politician |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Clark |
| Children | Payton (1865), Louisa (1866), Joseph (1867) and William H. Holmes |
| Parent(s) | Payton and Nancy Holmes |
Joseph R. Holmes (1838-1869) was an important leader in Virginia after the American Civil War. He was born into slavery but became free. He worked as a shoemaker and later became a farmer and a politician. Holmes was elected to a special meeting called the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1868. Sadly, he was killed because of his political work.
Contents
Joseph R. Holmes: A Voice for Change
His Early Life and Freedom
Joseph R. Holmes was born around 1838 in Charlotte County, Virginia. He was born into slavery. After the American Civil War, he became a free man. He worked as a shoemaker. Later, he became a farmer.
Holmes married Mary Clarke. They had three sons and one daughter.
Becoming a Political Leader
After the Civil War, Joseph Holmes became very active in politics. He joined the Republican Party. This party wanted to make big changes in the South. Holmes wrote articles that spoke out against people who wanted to keep things the same.
In October 1867, Holmes was chosen to represent Charlotte and Halifax Counties. He was elected to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1868. This was a very important meeting. Its goal was to write a new constitution for Virginia. Holmes won against a former judge. Some newspapers made fun of him because he was an African American delegate.
The convention finished its work in April 1868. They created a new constitution. This constitution needed voters to approve it. In March 1869, Holmes went to a meeting of Republicans in Petersburg, Virginia. He represented his local area there.
Holmes also bought land in Charlotte County in May 1868. He bought about 11.5 acres near Keysville. He could read and write well. He even wrote letters to the local Freedmen's Bureau agent. He asked them to help start a school in Keysville.
His Tragic End
On May 3, 1869, Joseph Holmes went to the Charlotte County Courthouse. A man named John Marshall thought Holmes was going to report him. Marshall had reportedly threatened Black people active in the Republican Party. He had also shot another Black man earlier that day.
A fight happened outside the courthouse. Many people were watching. Holmes was not carrying a weapon. He was shot and killed. John Marshall and his brother, Griffin S. Marshall, along with two other men, were accused of his murder. However, they were never brought to trial. The news of Holmes's death was reported all over the United States and in other countries.
What He Left Behind
Joseph Holmes is thought to be buried on the land he bought. Only the paper showing he was buried still exists. In 2012, old witness stories about his murder were found at the Charlotte Courthouse. Joseph R. Holmes is remembered as a brave leader. He fought for change and equality after the Civil War.
