Charles Tarbell Holmes ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7}

  General Notes:

Ancestry.com/RootsWeb.com Database: Lisa Holmes Family Tree: (From Sharon Rouse Eye) We do have copies of Pension application papers for Great Grandpa Charles, which are quite interesting. He was in the Civil War. Some interesting comments from Mary Josephine (his wife), are in there, in fact rather amusing.
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So where does the name TARBELL come from? Apparently nobody in the family seems to know but I found one possible source on the 1860 US Census of Ira Holmes in Pepperell, Massachusetts. Living next door to them was John P. Tarbell and his family. Perhaps Ira was fond of this family and gave their name as the middle name to one of his sons. Also the name of the town clerk of Pepperell was George Tarbell.
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Possible 1900 US Census
Charles was previously living in Cherry Valley, Illinois and there would have been little reason for him to return to Pepperell, Massachusetts but he is not found anywhere else as living in Illinois. The census shows him living next to his 1/2 brother Ira Cates Holmes and his family.

Family 150
Pepperrell
Home owned, no mortgage
11 Jun 1900
Rolan H. Blood..Head..Jul 1848..51..MA..Undertaker
Mary L. Blood..Wife..Jul 1858..41..MA
John F. Wilkinson..Boarder..May 1860..40..MA..Inventor
Charles Holmes..Servant..May 1840..60..MA..Married for 34 years..Farm Laborer
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  Burial Notes:

Find a Grave Memorial ID: 242389884
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/242389884/charles_t-holmes: accessed 16 Sep 2026), memorial page for Charles T Holmes (Feb 1843\'9621 Nov 1910), Find a Grave Memorial ID 242389884, citing Greenwood Cemetery, Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by honorwasp (contributor 50036634).
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  Noted events in his life were:

1. 1850 US Census, 27 August 1850, Pepperell, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. ⁸ 1850 US Census
Page 257A, Dwelling 386, Family 433
Pepperell, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Samuel Merrill..55..NH..Carpenter
Sarah N. Merrill..43..MA
Abigail N. Holmes..13..MA
Charles T. Holmes..9..MA
Samuel B. Merrill..6..MA

(Living with sister, Abigail, at the home of Samuel and Sarah Merrill.)

2. 1860 US Census, 22 August 1860, Pepperell, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. ⁴ 1860 US Census
Page 236, Roll 511, Dwelling 1969, Family 1936
Pepperell, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Value of Real Estate, $250 (comparatively very low)
Charles Holmes..19..MA..Farmer Laborer

(Living with his father and step-mother.)

NOTE - This census shows the neighboring farm to be inhabited by John and Catherine Tarbell which probably explains where Charles got his middle name of Tarbell. It was probably just a unique name that Ira and his 1st wife, Harriet, liked or maybe they were very close friends with the Tarbell family and named their son after them.

3. Military Service: 37th IL US INF, 19 September 1861, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States. ⁹ ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
NameHOLMES, CHARLES
Rank: PVT
Company: I
Unit: 37th IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence: CHERRY VALLEY, WINNEBAGO CO, IL
Age: 20
Height: 5' 6
Hair: BROWN
Eyes: BLUE
Complexion: LIGHT
Marital Status: SINGLE
Occupation: FARMER
Nativity: MA

Service Record
Joined When: SEP 19, 1861
Joined Where: BELVIDERE, IL
Joined By Whom: LT DODGE
Period: 3 YRS
Muster In: SEP 18, 1861
Muster In Where: CHICAGO, IL
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4. 1870 US Census, 22 June 1870, Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. ⁵ 1870 US Census
Page 5, Dwelling 31, Family 35, Roll 294
Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois
Charles Holmes..23..MA..Farmer

(Living with wife and daughter.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 22 May 1841, then his age should have been 29 instead of 23.

5. 1880 US Census, 1 June 1880, Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. ² 1880 US Census
Page 15C, District 217, Dwelling 149, Family 153, Roll 0261
Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois
Charles Holmes..Self..39..MA..Laborer

(Living with wife and 6 children.)

6. 1910 US Census, 19 April 1910, Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. ⁶ 1910 US Census
Page 7B, District 173, Dwelling 131, Family 148
Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois
810 Elm Street; house rented
Charles Holms..Father..65..MA..Laborer, Odd Work

(Still married but living separately from wife at the home of his married son, Charles, and his family. His estranged wife, Mary, lived next door at 806 Elm Street but she claimed on her census form that she was widowed.)

7. Obituary: Rockford Morning Star, 22 November 1910, Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. ¹⁰ Charles Holmes Found Dead in Bed

Veteran of Civil War Succumbed To Rheumatism of the Heart

Rheumatism of the heart is believed to have caused the death of Charles Holmes, whose lifeless body was found in his bed at the home of his son, William Holmes, 1122 Charles street, about 10:15 Monday morning.

Deceased retired to his room Sunday evening about 8:30 o'clock and was last seen alive about 9 o'clock. He was accustomed to read an hour or so before going to bed and was thus engaged when Mrs. Holmes went upstairs at 9 o'clock. He had no regular time for arising, sometimes remaining in bed until 10 o'clock so when he did not appear before that time nothing strange was thought of it. However about 10:15 o'clock his daughter-in-law called to him and receiving no response entered his room. A glance at the body satisfied her life was extinct and she notified her husband who was working in the country. Dr. Haughey was summoned and gave it as his opinion that death had ensued about 10 hours before.

Mr. Holmes has been in comparatively good health this fall although his knee injured two years ago was sprained again about a month ago. He also complained of rheumatism in his left arm and shoulder at times and this ailment bothered him on Sunday.

Charles Holmes was born in East Pepperell, Mass, in February, 1843. Belvidere was his home for years previous to his removal to Rockford three years ago, since which time he made his home with his son William. Deceased was a veteran of the civil war having served four years in Co. F. of the Twenty-ninth Iowa Volunteers. Mr. Holmes never affiliated with G. L. Nevlus post.

The widow, six sons and four daughters survive. They are William, Edward, and Frank Holmes. Mrs. Clarence Leggett, Mrs William Crowell, Rockford; Walter, Seattle, Wash.; Fred, Chicago; Wagner, Charles City, Iowa, and another son in Cherry Valley. Ira Holmes living at East Pepperell, Mass., is a brother and there are nineteen grandchildren living.

(Source: Rockford Morning Star, November 22, 1910, Rockford, Illinois)
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8. Obituary: Turner's Public Spirit, 17 December 1910, Ayer, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. ⁷ Charles Holmes, who was born in Pepperell, February, 1843, was found dead in his bed in Rockford, Ill., on Sunday, December 4, at the home of his son, William Holmes. The deceased was a veteran of the civil war having served for four years In Co. F, of the Twenty-ninth Iowa Volunteers. The widow, six sons and four daughters survive. They are William, Edward and Frank Holmes, Mrs. Clarence Legett, Mrs. William Crowell, Rockford; Walter, Seattle, Wash.; Fred, Chicago; Mrs. Byron Walker, Belvidere, 1ll.; Mrs. Frank Wagner, Charles City, Iowa, and another son in Cherry Valley. Ira Holmes living at East Pepperell is a brother and there are nineteen grandchildren living.

(Source: Turner's Public Spirit, Dec 17, 1910, Ayer, Massachusetts)
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Charles married Mary Josephine Packard, daughter of William Porter Packard, Sr. and Sarah Ann Fowler, on 24 December 1867 in Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois, United States.^{1 2} (Mary Josephine Packard was born on 6 April 1850 in Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois, United States,^{2 5 11 12 13} died on 12 March 1925 in Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States ¹² and was buried on 14 March 1925 in Greenwood Cemetery, Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States ^{12 13}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. Marriage Image, 24 December 1867, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. ¹

2. 1870 US Census, 22 June 1870, Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. ⁵ 1870 US Census
Page 5, Dwelling 31, Family 35, Roll 294
Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois
Charles Holmes..23..MA..Farmer
Mary Holmes..19..IL..Housekeeper
Addie Holmes..1..IL

3. 1880 US Census, 1 June 1880, Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. ² 1880 US Census
Page 15C, District 217, Dwelling 149, Family 153, Roll 0261
Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Illinois
Charles Holmes..Self..39..MA..Laborer
Mary J. Holmes..Wife..29..IL..Keeping House
Addie M. Holmes.Daughter..11..IL..At School
Rosanna Holmes..Daughter...9..IL
William Holmes..Son..7..IL
Ira E. Holmes..Son..5..IL
Clara D. Holmes..Daughter..3..IL
Frank Holmes..Son..1..IL

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Charles Holmes
Titles and Terms: Mr
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 24 Dec 1867
Event Place: Winnebago, Illinois, United States
Gender: Male
Spouse's Name: Mary J Packard
Spouse's Titles and Terms: Miss
Spouse's Gender: Female
Page: 1290

Citing this Record
"Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9L-5TDN : 17 October 2017), Charles Holmes and Mary J Packard, 24 Dec 1867; citing Winnebago, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,914,066.
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Neither Charles nor Mary can be located in the 1900 US Census but in 1910 both are found separately with each living with one of their married children. I suspect that sometime after the birth of their last child in 1886 that the couple started to split up, although not divorced, and lived separately in the Rockford area for a number of years perhaps even eluding the census enumerators during 1900. However, the obituary for Charles in November of 1910, several months after the census was taken, indicates that both Charles and Mary were living with their son, Charles William Holmes.
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The obituary for Charles Tarbell Holmes is interesting in that it claims he had 10 children (7 sons and 3 daughters) yet almost all researchers, myself included, only show a total of seven names (only 4 sons and 3 daughters). The obituary for Charles specifically names the following children:
1. [Charles] William
2. [Ira] Edward
3. Frank
4. Walter (a previously unknown name)
5. Fred (a previously unknown name)
6. Wagner (a previously unknown name)
7. another son (only mentioned in the obituary as "another son" but this was probably Benjamin who was adopted out; aka Francis Stimax)
8. [Addie] Mrs. Leggett
9. [Clara] Mrs. Crowell
10. the obituary only provided 9 names but said he had 10 children. The tenth name was probably his daughter, Rose Walker.

Meanwhile, the obituary for his wife, Mary Josephine Holmes, is also interesting in that it claims she had 9 children (4 sons and 5 daughters). Her obituary specifically names the following children:
1. [Charles] William
2. [Ira] Edward
3. Frank
4. Bert (this would be Benjamin who was adopted out and became known as Francis Stimax)
5. Adeline Noreen
6. Rose Walker
7. May Wagner (a previously unknown name)
8. Clara Gustafson
9. Bertha Holmes (a previously unknown name and unmarried)

The difference between their two obituaries is that the one for Charles shows 3 additional sons and the one for Mary shows 2 additional daughters. If these 5 additional names were indeed their children, then when added to the seven known and verified children's names, their total would be up to 12. So how much faith should I put into these obituaries? Should I add May and Bertha as daughters? Should I add the sons Walter, Fred, and Wagner? At this point, I think it all to be erroneous information added by surviving relatives who did not really know. As the siblings died off, none of the obituaries seem to mention these previously unknown names so this reinforces the idea that they were erroneous names coming from surviving relatives when Charles and Mary died.

On the 1910 US Census when Mary was living with her married son, Frank, she indicated that she had a total of 11 children and all 11 were still alive. This census was just about 6 months before Charles died.

On top of all this confusion about the names and number of children, there is the possibility on additional daughter, Helen Mae Holmes, born about 1883 in Cherry Valley, Illinois. Of course the 1890 US Census that would show her with the family is the census that was destroyed in the fire. And the family is not found at all for the 1900 US Census. She was supposedly married in 1904 in Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa in 1904. There are no other records or documents that show either her maiden name or her married name. Notice the names of the parents for Helen Mae Holmes in the following marriage record:

Name: Clarence G. Wagner
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 13 Jul 1904
Event Place: Charles City, Floyd, Iowa, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Birth Year (Estimated): 1880
Father's Name: Isaac Wagner
Mother's Name: Letty Socks
Spouse's Name: Mae H. Holmes
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Age: 21
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1883
Spouse's Father's Name: Charles Holmes
Spouse's Mother's Name: Mary Packard

Citing this Record
"Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KC4C-X8Y : 18 October 2017), Mary Packard in entry for Clarence G. Wagner and Mae H. Holmes, 13 Jul 1904, Charles City, Floyd, Iowa, United States; citing reference 278, county courthouses, Iowa; FHL microfilm 1,481,686.
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