Samuel was born in 21 Aug 1859 in Birmingham, to William Holmes, a brushmaker and Caroline née Whateley, and was with his parents until 1871, when his father died.

He emigrated to New York on the ship The City of Paris, arriving in New York from Liverpool 19th July 1872 at the age of only 13, to join his older siblings, though no other members of the  family who emigrated were with him on this ship.

By 1880 he is a jeweller staying with his sister Alice and her husband John Dagwell.

He became a naturalised American on 9th October 1883, witnessed by John Dagwell.

He was married by 1881 to Marian Loster, daughter of John and Katter(ina) Loster, born about 1863.

            They had two daughters, Carrie and Elsie, born in Jan 1882 and Nov 1884. (See Elsie below)

He was shown as a jeweller in a directory 1889-1890, living at 495 Herkeimer, Brooklyn. He is still a jeweller in 1900 in Lafayette Court, Brooklyn, New York. By this date, he was already widowed his in-laws and sister-in-law Madilina are living with him. Marian died on the 8th March 1899 at Sag Harbor, Long Island, where Samuel had moved with his Employers, the Faby gold watch case company.

Then he married his late wife’s sister Magdalene Loster (born about 1870) in 28 Nov 1901 in Kings County. She however died in 28 Sep 1903, also in Kings County.

On 24 Dec 1909 he remarried to Helen Pauline Hope or Hore, who was born in New York in 1887 of English, with some Irish ancestry.

            They had two children, Samuel H Holmes born July 1912, and Paul L Holmes born Oct 1918

He was later at 51 Oak Street, Richmond Hill, New York, USA at an unknown date, this from an unsent envelope

He remains as a watch case maker and foreman jeweler. He is still working in 1930, and he died on Dec 4th 1945 at his home at 192 Pomander Road, Mineola, Long Island.

He was apparently a Mason, the outfit he is wearing may be Masonic regalia rather than military or even theatrical.  Some events have been located.

He was SM of C of Polar Star Lodge in 1877, and J D of Polar Star Lodge in 1878. Became SD in 1879

He was elected as J W (junior wizard?) to Joppa Lodge Brooklyn on 28.12.1892.

In 1900 he was acting master of this Lodge, and Master in 1901.

New York Times Dec 6, 1945	Brooklyn Eagle 9.3.1899	New York Times 1.10.1903
Evening Telegraph 26th April 1907

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