The Holland Family

1. Elliot Holland and Edith Holland are the earliest known members of the Holland family. Elliot (“Ellit) and Edith are mentioned on the marriage license of their son Deveraux Holland and Matilda Richardson.

2. James D Holland (1852-1942) Son of Elliot Holland and his wife Edith

Devereux (James) Holland married Matilda Richardson on Saturday, December 8, 1877. Two and a half years later we find the family in the 1880 Census. Devereux Holland and his wife Matilda live in Middle Creek NC, and work as servants / laborers for the widow Sarah Utley and her two daughters. Devereux and Matilda have a son named Mack.

  • William Holland (Aug 1878–1950) Married Ada Conley
  • Mack Holland (1878 – ) Married on 8 Mar 1902, in Wake, North Carolina, to Sarah Ann Beckwith.
  • Cara Holland (Mar 1884–1910)
  • Robert Holland (Jan 1888–1930), Married Esther Judd on 13 Apr 1910, in Wake, North Carolina, USA. Robert dies on Nov 1, 1930 from head injuries sustained on the 24th of October. The death certificate does not show a lot of information, but mentions he suffered a fractured skull with depression of the curvature. The cause mentions homicide with a question mark (“homs?”).
  • Lema G. Holland (Jan 1890 -?), Appears in the 1910 census with her twin sister Bessie.
  • Bessie L Holland (Jan 1890 – Feb 1978), married on 27 Dec 1910, in Wake, North Carolina, to Archie Steward (Stuart).
  • Mary E Holland (Mar 1892–21 Dec 1986) Married on 11 Nov. 1911, in Wake, North Carolina, USA to Robert Adams. Robert is a son of Quint and Alice Adams, and the brother of Bud Adams who married a sister earlier that year.
  • Addie Q Holland (Jan 1893–?)
  • LaPlatte (Pattie) “Pluttie” Holland (Sep 1895–1938) Married Hermon McCloud. Death certificate mentions 1899 as (estimated?) year of birth. Plattie Mccloud, is identified in the 1930 census records as a 31-year-old Black female living in Elizabeth City, Pasquotank, North Carolina, on Bell Street at house number 300. She is married to Hermon McCloud, the head of the household who is 40 years old. Plattie married Hermon at the age of 16 and has four sons: Charlie L McCloud (1923) , Audra Mccloud (1924), Arche Mccloud (1925) , and Elgin A Mccloud (1928). Plattie works as a helper in the telephone office. She died of pulmonary tuberculosis in 1938, leaving behind fairly young children.
  • Lena G Holland “Manda” (Aug 1897–1969) Marries Bud Adams on Feb 17, 1911, in Wake, North Carolina, USA. Bud was the son of Quint and Alice Adams. A woman named Mandy Holland, daughter of Debro Holland and Tilda Holland, marries on Dec 20, 1919 with Charlie Douglass, 24 years old. This appears to be a second marriage for Mandy. In 1920, Mandy and Charles live with Mandy’s father, who is named James D. Holland in the census records. Mandy and Charlie have a daughter named Alma, who is 1-years old.
  • Thomas R. Holland (Apr. 1899 -)
  • Lizzie M Holland (Apr. 1899 – 1941) Lizzie dies in August 1941 after being in an accident on the highway. Her death certificate mentions that she suffered from a broken clavicle and a broken pelvis in the accident. She was a widow, but the name of her husband is not mentioned on the certificate.
  • Ray “Wray” Holland (1900–1973). Appears in the 1920 census. He lives with his father James D. Holland at that time.
  • Jesse C Holland (1905–1951)

3. Will Holland (1878-1918)

William (“Will”) Holland was the son of Devereux (James) Holland and Matilda Richardson. The records suggest that Will and his brother Mack Holland were twins. In different records they are listed as sons of Devereux Holland and Matilda Richardson, and both have their birth year listed as 1878. It is interesting that the 1880 census only listed Mack as a son of the couple, but it is possible that Will lived with relatives so that Devereux and Matilda, who both worked, did not have to take care of two small toddlers. The marriages and wives listed in the census indicate Mack is not a nickname for Will or the other way around.

In the 1900 United States Federal Census, William Holland, is listed as a single Black male born in August 1878 in North Carolina. He lived in Middle Creek, Wake, NC. He was 21 years old at the time of the census, and is listed as the son of James D. Holland, aged 47, and Matilda Holland, aged 43. William Holland worked as a day laborer on the farm owned by his parents. William was one of 11 siblings: Carra L, Robert, Bessie, Lemer, Mary, Addie, Pluttie, Manda, Lizzie, and Thomas R Holland. The record shows that his parents had 11 surviving children (out of 14 born) and all the children lived with their parents.

Will married Ada Canby (also called Ada Connely) on December 25, 1901, in St Francis, Arkansas.

In September 1918 Will Holland reports for the World War I draft registration. He is 40 years old at that time and lives in Center Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina. He is described as a black man of medium height and medium build, with black hair and eyes. Ada (called “Addie”) is mentioned as his wife. William is a cook for the Southern Railway Company according to the record.

In the 1920 census, we see Ada Holland, now a widow, living with 9 children. Ada is listed as the head of her household in Franks, St Francis, Arkansas. She rented a farm where she worked as a farmer on her own account. Ada lived with her nine children aged 3 – 16: Ophelia (16), Oscar (14), Eliza (12), Pearson (12), Delah (10), Nathan (9), Melvina (6), Jesse (4), and James (3).

  • Teagan Holland (1903–1939), died 2 Nov 1939, single, in Tyronza, Crittenden, Arkansas. He was 36 years old and worked as a farmer. He died suddenly of what is referred to as “indigestion” on his death certificate.
  • Ophelia Holland (1904–) is shown in 1920, aged 16, living with her mother and siblings in Franks, St Francis, Arkansas. It is likely that she is the Ophelia Holland who marries Dickey Daniel on 12 Jun 1921.
  • Fiercan Holland (1905–?) Fiercan is a son listed in the 1910 census, but is not listed in the 1920 census, indicating he likely passed away at a fairly young age.
  • Eliza Holland (10 Mar 1905–18 Oct 1991), appears in the 1910 and 1920 census. The U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index states that Eliza died 18 Oct 1991. She married a man named Doc Dickson before 1930, when she appears as his wife in the 1930 census. Her husband worked for the railroads, while Eliza worked as a cook.
  • Oscar Holland (1906–)
  • Joe Nathan Holland (1906–1988)
  • Pearson Holland (1908–)
  • Melvina (Millie) Holland (1910–)
  • Delah Holland (1910–)
  • Nathan Holland (1911–)
  • Jesse Holland (1916–)
  • James Holland (1917–)

4. Melvina (Millie) Holland (1910-) Daughter of Will Holland