Sidney Tracy Holmes (August 14, 1815 – January 16, 1890) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from New York. Born in

Schaghticoke, New York Schaghticoke is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 7,679 at the 2010 census. It was named for the Schaghticoke, a Native American tribe formed in the seventeenth century from an amalgamation of remnant peop ...

, Holmes moved with his parents to

Morrisville, New York Morrisville is a village in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 2,199 at the 2010 census. The village is named after its founder, Thomas Morris. The Village of Morrisville in the northwest part of the Town of Eaton on ...

in 1819. He attended the public schools, graduated from Morrisville Academy and Waterville Seminary, and taught school. Holmes later worked as a civil engineer, and was employed on the Chenango and Black River Canals and the New York and Erie Railroad. He later studied law with his father Epenetus Holmes, an attorney and Judge. Sidney T. Holmes attained

admission to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1841 and commenced practice in Morrisville. He was a Loan commissioner for Madison County from 1848 to 1851, responsible for obtaining approval for and overseeing expenditure of money borrowed for public works improvements. From 1851 to 1864 Holmes served as Judge of the Madison County Court and county Surrogate Judge. He was a supporter of the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. In addition to aiding in recruiting efforts, in 1862 he served as a Loan Commissioner for funds borrowed to train and equip soldiers from Madison County. Holmes was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-ninth Congress (March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1866. He resumed the practice of law in Morrisville. For three years he practiced in Utica as the partner of

Roscoe Conkling Roscoe Conkling (October 30, 1829April 18, 1888) was an American lawyer and Republican Party (United States), Republican politician who represented New York (state), New York in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Se ...

. In 1872 Holmes traveled in the western United States while attempting to restore his failing health, and was impressed with the activity and possibilities of

Bay City, Michigan Bay City is a city and county seat of Bay County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and it is the principal city of the Bay City Metropol ...

. He moved there permanently, and continued to practice law. In 1873 Sidney T. Holmes had invested in S.T. Holmes Planing Mill, Sash, Door & Blind Factory,

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...

. It would be the first west side water power canal factory to be completely operated by wheelhouse cable power. By 1876 this same factory would be known as Holmes, Parker & Co. a picture frames and moldings factory in partnership with Francis A. Parker. Holmes died in Bay City on January 16, 1890. He was interred in Cedar Street Cemetery,

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Sidney Tracy 1815 births 1890 deaths Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) People from Schaghticoke, New York People from Morrisville, New York Politicians from Utica, New York Burials in New York (state) 19th-century American legislators