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Hugh Holmes
Member From: 1802 - 1806
- Birth Date: November 8, 1768 Birth Place:York County, PA
- Death Date: January 19, 1825
- Gender: Male Race: Caucasian
- Spouse: Elizabeth Briscoe, December 20, 1791
- Children:
- Religion:
- Education:
- Military Service:
- Occupation/Profession: Lawyer/Judge
- Additional Info: His brother, David, was the first governor of Mississippi.
1805 - 1806 - Hugh Holmes, having been elected a judge of the General Court, resigned as Speaker of the House. The vacancy in the Frederick delegation was filled by Charles Brent and the Speakership by Peter Johnston.
- Bio: Born in York County, Pa., November 8, 1768. Died in Winchester, Va., January 19, 1825. Buried in Old Presbyterian Church Cemetery on East Piccadilly Street, and reinterred, 1912, in Mt. Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Va. Hugh Holmes of Frederick County was the son of Joseph and Rebecca (Hunter) Holmes of York County, Pennsylvania. His bachelor brother, David, was the first Governor of Mississippi. He was a lawyer. He was mayor of Winchester in 1795; member of the State Senate, 1795-99; member of the House of Delegates, 1802-06; and judge of the General Court and Superior Court of Law for the Ninth Circuit. He married, December 20, 1791, Elizabeth Briscoe, daughter of Colonel Gerard and Margaret (Baker) Briscoe of Frederick County. The History of the Virginia Federal Convention of 1788 (page 17) reads as follows: “Gabriel Jones was engaged in a case in which the late judge Holmes was the opposing counsel. Holmes was mischievous and witty, and contrived to get Jones into a furious passion, when he became very profane. After hearing Jones for some time the court consulted together in order to determine what steps should be taken to preserve its dignity. To think of punishing Lawyer Jones was out of the question; so the presiding judge gave it as the decision of the court, 'that if Mr. Holmes did not quit worrying Mr. Jones and making him curse and swear so, he should be sent to jail.'” There is no known portrait of him. While he was Speaker of the House, the Clerk was JAMES PLEASANTS, JR.
- Other Notable Service and/or Elected Offices:
Mayor, City of Winchester (1795)
Member, Senate of Virginia (1795-1799)
Speaker of the House, 1803-1805
Judge of the General District and Superior Court of Law for the Ninth Circuit
| Session | District | District Number | Party | Leadership | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1802-1803 | Frederick | Democratic-Republican | Courts of Justice Privileges and Elections |
||
| 1803-1804 | Frederick | Democratic-Republican | Speaker of the House | ||
| 1804-1805 | Frederick | Democratic-Republican | Speaker of the House | ||
| 1805-1806 | Frederick | Speaker of the House |
*The information within this interactive and searchable application has been researched extensively by the House Clerk’s Office. As with any historical records of this age and breadth, there may be discrepancies and/or inconsistencies within records obtained from a variety of credible sources. Any feedback is encouraged at history@house.virginia.gov.