Holmes County was officially recognized as a county by the Ohio State Legislature on January 20, 1824, but how did the county come by that name? The answer to that question is so shrouded in mystery that we may never be completely certain of the truth.
Some believe that the county was named for Captain Joseph Holmes, a notable resident of Jefferson County that settled in Holmes County after the War of 1812. Others say that the county was named for Judge Alexander Holmes, another Jefferson County resident who was responsible for surveying large parts of Holmes County. Still more think that it could have been Jacob Holmes, a scout from Virginia that helped to guide many settlers to their new homes throughout Central Ohio.
Most experts agree, however, that Holmes County was likely named for Major Andrew Hunter Holmes. Major Holmes was a Mississippian, born to Colonel Joseph Holmes and Rebecca Hunter Holmes. The Holmes family were proud public servants. One of Andrew Holmes brothers, David Holmes, was the Mississippi Territory governor and later became a United States senator. Another, Hugh Holmes, was a respected judge.
Andrew Holmes took a different path, choosing to enlist in the United States Army. On March 12, 1812, he became captain of the 24th Infantry, and from there he worked his way to the rank of major. Over the course of his career Holmes distinguished himself several times.
One of those instances, perhaps the most famous, was toward the end of the War of 1812. In February of 1814 Holmes and his soldiers were marching along the Thames River in Canada. British forces had taken up a position on the river. Scouts, or perhaps a defector from Canada, warned Holmes of the British force in his way. Holmes had a complement of bear hunters, men who were renowned marksmen, as part of his force, so he sent them to engage the British, forcing them to retreat.
Holmes then continued his march along the Thames, but on March 2 scouts warned him that a British force was no more than an hours march away from him. The British had known Holmes was coming, and that his force was small, only 164 men.
He decided to break away from the Thames and instead march five miles up 20 Mile Creek. There Holmes and his men took up position on a hilltop that overlooked a bridge crossing the creek. They got to work building makeshift defenses out of felled trees.
The Americans waited two days before the British finally attacked them. They only sent a small force against Holmes, hoping to draw him and his men out. This move succeeded, but Holmes soon learned that he was being drawn into a trap with a much larger British force waiting to intercept the Americans, so Holmes marched his men back to their makeshift hilltop fort and waited. At 5 p.m. on March 4 a British force comprised of Scottish Highlanders, Native Americans and British regulars attacked. The British outnumbered Holmes men by almost two to one, nearly 300 British soldiers against 164 Americans.
Unfortunately for the British their commander was unaware that the Americans had built fortifications. He sent his forces across 20 Mile Creek and up the hill that the Americans held. Holmes and his men, safe behind their defenses, rained down gunfire on the British, causing them to retreat.
Holmes knew that he had won the battle, but he also knew that he was drastically outnumbered and wasnt likely to win another. At 9 p.m. under cover of darkness the Americans retreated from their hill and began the long march back to Detroit. For his bravery he was awarded the rank of major.
Once Holmes returned to Detroit, U.S. Secretary of War asked Holmes about the feasibility of launching an attack against Fort Mackinac because it was believed that the British were building a fleet of ships nearby. It was decided that Major Holmes, Colonel Groghan and 750 men were to set sail from Detroit across Lake Huron.
The Americans reached Fort Mackinac in July of 1814, finding the fort heavily defended by the British. They spent two days shelling the fort, but it stood so high on the island that the American cannons simply couldnt reach it. Eventually Major Holmes led a contingent of men through the woods to the forest. In the ensuing battle, which the Americans lost, Major Holmes and 11 other Americans were killed. According to Kelsey Schnell of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, He was killed in that battle, and after the war when Mackinac Island was returned to American territory, the small fort at the top of the island was renamed in his honor.
At this point youre probably wondering how Holmes County came to be named after a man from Mississippi that perished in Michigan. Well, it turns out that there was one man, John Harris, from Maryland, that settled in Holmes County after the War of 1812. Harris had served under Holmes and no doubt brought many tales of Major Holmes exploits to Holmes County. We will never know for sure, but it could very well be that Harris is the man that suggested the name during the formation of Holmes County as a way to honor the memory and deeds of Major Andrew Hunter Holmes.
