Upon arriving in America he was admitted to membership in The Church of England in Salem, MA. On Mar 24, 1639, he established a glass foundry, the first in America to make window glass. However, he became a victim of religious persecution, was excommunicated from the church at Salem, and in 1646 moved his famiy from Salem to Rehoboth, MA. On Oct 2, 1650 Obadiah Holmes and others of Rehoboth, were indicted by the Grand Jury at New Plymouth for holding meetings in their homes on Sunday. This indictment prompted his move from MA to Newport, RI. There he became a colleague of Roger Williams, and the 2nd minister of the first Baptist Church in Newport,RI, taking the leadership of the church while Pastor John Clarke, M.D. was England.
He married Catherine Hyde on 20 Nov 1630 at Manchester, Co.Lancashire, England.
Children: John Holmes, Jonathan Holmes, Mary Holmes Brown, Lydia Holmes Bowne, Martha Holmes Odlin, Samuel Holmes, Obadiah Holmes Jr, John Holmes, Joseph Holmes, and Hopestill Holmes Taylor.
Upon arriving in America he was admitted to membership in The Church of England in Salem, MA. On Mar 24, 1639, he established a glass foundry, the first in America to make window glass. However, he became a victim of religious persecution, was excommunicated from the church at Salem, and in 1646 moved his famiy from Salem to Rehoboth, MA. On Oct 2, 1650 Obadiah Holmes and others of Rehoboth, were indicted by the Grand Jury at New Plymouth for holding meetings in their homes on Sunday. This indictment prompted his move from MA to Newport, RI. There he became a colleague of Roger Williams, and the 2nd minister of the first Baptist Church in Newport,RI, taking the leadership of the church while Pastor John Clarke, M.D. was England.
He married Catherine Hyde on 20 Nov 1630 at Manchester, Co.Lancashire, England.
Children: John Holmes, Jonathan Holmes, Mary Holmes Brown, Lydia Holmes Bowne, Martha Holmes Odlin, Samuel Holmes, Obadiah Holmes Jr, John Holmes, Joseph Holmes, and Hopestill Holmes Taylor.
Inscription
"In Memory of the Rev. Obadiah Holmes Baptist Minister from Great Britain who died October 15th 1682 in the 76th year of his age"