Springfield-Greene
County LibraryTHOMAS B. HOLDER is a physician and surgeon of Greene County, Mo., who possesses a genius for his calling, and for that reason has attained an enviable reputation among the citizens of the county as well as his professional brethren. He is a product of Polk County, Mo., born in 1857, a son of Moses F. and Elizabeth (Jones) Holder, the former born in Alabama in 1833 and the latter in Washington County, Tenn., in 1840. When two years old Moses Holder was taken by his parents to Polk County, Mo., and there he received such education as could be obtained at the common district schools, married and spent the remainder of his days. He resided for some years about in the center of the county and when Thomas B. was a little boy removed to a few miles north of Walnut Grove where he died in 1887, a prosperous farmer. During the great Civil War he served in the Home Guards for about two years and then for three years, or until the close of the war, he was in Company H, Eighth Missouri Cavalry, Union Army, serving in southwest Missouri. He was a member of a large family of children, one of whom died soon after coming to the State. The others are. William, who died in Texas; John C., a farmer of Polk County; Benjamin, Burton and Jackson, all farmers of Texas; Lewis, who was killed in the Confederate Army; Martin A. (deceased); Samantha (Looney); and Amanda (Bray). Their father was Bledsoe Holder, a Tennesseean by birth, in which State he was reared, married and lived a few years, later going to Alabama where he spent some time. He came to Polk County, Mo., in 1835 and there improved a good farm on which he lived for many years. Later he removed to near Walnut Grove and just before the opening of the Civil War, he went to Texas for his health where he died, his wife's death occurring there also, a few years ago at the age of ninety-two years. She was of German descent, was very small and never weighed over 100 pounds. Mr. Holder was of English descent. Elizabeth Jones, the mother of the subject of this sketch is living at Walnut Grove and is in her fifty-second year. She has long been identified with the Baptist Church and is a woman of many noble traits of character. Thomas Jones, her father, was a Tennesseean and after his marriage in that State he came to Greene County, Mo., where he followed farming successfully until the Civil War, in the very early part of which he was wantonly killed while at his home. His widow died a few years ago, both have been consistent members of the Christian Church. Their children were as follows: George W., of California, was in the Federal Army during the. Civil War; William (deceased) was in the Confederate Army; James died soon after the close of the war; John M. resides in this county; Isaac L. is a resident of Polk County, Mo.; Nancy J. is the wife of John W. Blakey, of Polk County; Elizabeth (Mrs. Holder); Dr. Thomas B. Holder is the eldest of three children that were given to his parents; the other two members being Walter M., a farmer of Polk County, and Annie J. who died at the age of three years. The Doctor was reared on a farm and obtained a practical education in the neighboring schools, finishing his education at Morrisville Institute. At the age of twenty-two years be began reading medicine with Drs. J. K. Perry and Jefferson Lemmon of Walnut Grove and in 1880 he entered the Missouri Medical College, from which he graduated two years later. He practiced two years at Cave Springs and since then he has been located at Walnut Grove where he has an exceptionally large practice, due to his devotion to his profession, his thorough knowledge of it and his good habits. In 1880 be was married to Rosetta I., daughter of Robert and Mahala Davis, who came from Tennessee to this State in an early day and are now among the respected citizens of Walnut Grove. Mrs. Holder was born in Greene County, Mo., and she and the Doctor are the parents of four children: Winnie, Moses F., Robert Harry, and B----. The Doctor is a Mason and a member of O'Sullivan, Lodge, No. 7.
[180-181]
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | V | W | Y
Pictorial and Genealogical Home | Keyword Search
Greene County History Home | Local History Home