The first proven record of Thomas Holley was when he married Sarah Catherine (Witcher) Greenwood, a young War widow of John Greenwood who served in the Confederacy, with two orphan children, in Coryell Co. Texas on July 20, 1870. The Witchers lived in Hamilton Co., and I suspect that Tom & Sarah married in Coryell was to avoid contact with the farmer/merchant league in Hamilton. Sarah's father and brothers had problems with the above, and since there were more farmers and merchants who depended on the trade from the farmers, the stockmen were labeled as the "bad guys".
In the 1870 census they were enumerated in Hamilton County Texas.
Thomas Holley-20 born Cherokee Nation- Stock Driver- personal worth $800.
Sarah age 25 born Illinois
Louisa 9 born Texas
Gano 6 born Texas
None of them, or the Holley children are found in the 1880 Federal Population Schedule.
Other than the Hamilton County Court records, there are no further records of Thomas Holley. The last records were in 1875 when the court
confiscated the bonds that had been posted for Thomas. Ther were two friends of Thomas who were forced to pay up.
The whereabouts of Thomas and his family is unknown from this point on, until his widow and children are in Montague County Texas, in about 1881.
The story is that Thomas was killed or died six months before his youngest son, Thomas Franklin Holley, was born March 2,1881. Several stories are told about the circumstances of his death. One was that he died after eating too much watermelon, and died of the colic. Another is that he had the fever, and the sheriff came out to arrets him, but refused to take him when found to be sick. Another, and this one was told by Louise Jane Greenwood (1861-1954) who was with her mother, is that "one time they lived in a swampy area" and that " Thomas Holley was killed somewhere around or below Dallas". I suspect that she knew the truth, but didn't tell the whole story, if she and her mother even knew for sure what happened to Thomas.
They are not found in the 1880 Federal census of he United States.
The story alleged by some that Thomas was enumerated in Parker County Texas in the 1880 census is false. There were some Hollys in Parker County, but the only one named Thos. F. Holley was born in 1875, and lived in the HH of a John Holley. My Thomas Franklin Holley was born March 2, 1881.
The 1880 Parker County Agricultural census has a Thomas Holley farming 125 acres, but that is not proof that it was my Thomas.
The story about Thomas being the son of an Arnold Holly who married a Nancy Miller on March 24, 1838 in Wilcox Co. Alabama could possibly be true, but, on Aug, 23, 1850 an Arnold Holley b. 1812, was enumerated in Greene County Ms.
Arnold Holly b. 1812 in Ga.
Nancy b. 1822 Alabama
David b. 1839 Alabama
Sophronia b.1846 Alabama
Leana b. 1848 Mississippi
Thomas b. Mississippi. aged 2/12 This would put him as being born in June 1850.
By 1860, Arnold is in Caddo Parish La. Nancy is gone
David is gone
Thomas is there aged 10.
No further record of the Holleys was found in Caddo Parish, at least none by me.
If my Thomas was the son of Arnold and Nancy, there is a ten year gap where no apparent information exists about Thomas. Without any proof, I cannot accept the Arnold and Nancy Holley as being my great-great grandparents..
I am the only surviving grandson of Thomas Franklin Holley and Edna Louise (Bonnifield) Holley, who bears the Holley surname.
Ron Holley Jan 24, 2026.
In the 1870 census they were enumerated in Hamilton County Texas.
Thomas Holley-20 born Cherokee Nation- Stock Driver- personal worth $800.
Sarah age 25 born Illinois
Louisa 9 born Texas
Gano 6 born Texas
None of them, or the Holley children are found in the 1880 Federal Population Schedule.
Other than the Hamilton County Court records, there are no further records of Thomas Holley. The last records were in 1875 when the court
confiscated the bonds that had been posted for Thomas. Ther were two friends of Thomas who were forced to pay up.
The whereabouts of Thomas and his family is unknown from this point on, until his widow and children are in Montague County Texas, in about 1881.
The story is that Thomas was killed or died six months before his youngest son, Thomas Franklin Holley, was born March 2,1881. Several stories are told about the circumstances of his death. One was that he died after eating too much watermelon, and died of the colic. Another is that he had the fever, and the sheriff came out to arrets him, but refused to take him when found to be sick. Another, and this one was told by Louise Jane Greenwood (1861-1954) who was with her mother, is that "one time they lived in a swampy area" and that " Thomas Holley was killed somewhere around or below Dallas". I suspect that she knew the truth, but didn't tell the whole story, if she and her mother even knew for sure what happened to Thomas.
They are not found in the 1880 Federal census of he United States.
The story alleged by some that Thomas was enumerated in Parker County Texas in the 1880 census is false. There were some Hollys in Parker County, but the only one named Thos. F. Holley was born in 1875, and lived in the HH of a John Holley. My Thomas Franklin Holley was born March 2, 1881.
The 1880 Parker County Agricultural census has a Thomas Holley farming 125 acres, but that is not proof that it was my Thomas.
The story about Thomas being the son of an Arnold Holly who married a Nancy Miller on March 24, 1838 in Wilcox Co. Alabama could possibly be true, but, on Aug, 23, 1850 an Arnold Holley b. 1812, was enumerated in Greene County Ms.
Arnold Holly b. 1812 in Ga.
Nancy b. 1822 Alabama
David b. 1839 Alabama
Sophronia b.1846 Alabama
Leana b. 1848 Mississippi
Thomas b. Mississippi. aged 2/12 This would put him as being born in June 1850.
By 1860, Arnold is in Caddo Parish La. Nancy is gone
David is gone
Thomas is there aged 10.
No further record of the Holleys was found in Caddo Parish, at least none by me.
If my Thomas was the son of Arnold and Nancy, there is a ten year gap where no apparent information exists about Thomas. Without any proof, I cannot accept the Arnold and Nancy Holley as being my great-great grandparents..
I am the only surviving grandson of Thomas Franklin Holley and Edna Louise (Bonnifield) Holley, who bears the Holley surname.
Ron Holley Jan 24, 2026.
The first proven record of Thomas Holley was when he married Sarah Catherine (Witcher) Greenwood, a young War widow of John Greenwood who served in the Confederacy, with two orphan children, in Coryell Co. Texas on July 20, 1870. The Witchers lived in Hamilton Co., and I suspect that Tom & Sarah married in Coryell was to avoid contact with the farmer/merchant league in Hamilton. Sarah's father and brothers had problems with the above, and since there were more farmers and merchants who depended on the trade from the farmers, the stockmen were labeled as the "bad guys".
In the 1870 census they were enumerated in Hamilton County Texas.
Thomas Holley-20 born Cherokee Nation- Stock Driver- personal worth $800.
Sarah age 25 born Illinois
Louisa 9 born Texas
Gano 6 born Texas
None of them, or the Holley children are found in the 1880 Federal Population Schedule.
Other than the Hamilton County Court records, there are no further records of Thomas Holley. The last records were in 1875 when the court
confiscated the bonds that had been posted for Thomas. Ther were two friends of Thomas who were forced to pay up.
The whereabouts of Thomas and his family is unknown from this point on, until his widow and children are in Montague County Texas, in about 1881.
The story is that Thomas was killed or died six months before his youngest son, Thomas Franklin Holley, was born March 2,1881. Several stories are told about the circumstances of his death. One was that he died after eating too much watermelon, and died of the colic. Another is that he had the fever, and the sheriff came out to arrets him, but refused to take him when found to be sick. Another, and this one was told by Louise Jane Greenwood (1861-1954) who was with her mother, is that "one time they lived in a swampy area" and that " Thomas Holley was killed somewhere around or below Dallas". I suspect that she knew the truth, but didn't tell the whole story, if she and her mother even knew for sure what happened to Thomas.
They are not found in the 1880 Federal census of he United States.
The story alleged by some that Thomas was enumerated in Parker County Texas in the 1880 census is false. There were some Hollys in Parker County, but the only one named Thos. F. Holley was born in 1875, and lived in the HH of a John Holley. My Thomas Franklin Holley was born March 2, 1881.
The 1880 Parker County Agricultural census has a Thomas Holley farming 125 acres, but that is not proof that it was my Thomas.
The story about Thomas being the son of an Arnold Holly who married a Nancy Miller on March 24, 1838 in Wilcox Co. Alabama could possibly be true, but, on Aug, 23, 1850 an Arnold Holley b. 1812, was enumerated in Greene County Ms.
Arnold Holly b. 1812 in Ga.
Nancy b. 1822 Alabama
David b. 1839 Alabama
Sophronia b.1846 Alabama
Leana b. 1848 Mississippi
Thomas b. Mississippi. aged 2/12 This would put him as being born in June 1850.
By 1860, Arnold is in Caddo Parish La. Nancy is gone
David is gone
Thomas is there aged 10.
No further record of the Holleys was found in Caddo Parish, at least none by me.
If my Thomas was the son of Arnold and Nancy, there is a ten year gap where no apparent information exists about Thomas. Without any proof, I cannot accept the Arnold and Nancy Holley as being my great-great grandparents..
I am the only surviving grandson of Thomas Franklin Holley and Edna Louise (Bonnifield) Holley, who bears the Holley surname.
Ron Holley Jan 24, 2026.
In the 1870 census they were enumerated in Hamilton County Texas.
Thomas Holley-20 born Cherokee Nation- Stock Driver- personal worth $800.
Sarah age 25 born Illinois
Louisa 9 born Texas
Gano 6 born Texas
None of them, or the Holley children are found in the 1880 Federal Population Schedule.
Other than the Hamilton County Court records, there are no further records of Thomas Holley. The last records were in 1875 when the court
confiscated the bonds that had been posted for Thomas. Ther were two friends of Thomas who were forced to pay up.
The whereabouts of Thomas and his family is unknown from this point on, until his widow and children are in Montague County Texas, in about 1881.
The story is that Thomas was killed or died six months before his youngest son, Thomas Franklin Holley, was born March 2,1881. Several stories are told about the circumstances of his death. One was that he died after eating too much watermelon, and died of the colic. Another is that he had the fever, and the sheriff came out to arrets him, but refused to take him when found to be sick. Another, and this one was told by Louise Jane Greenwood (1861-1954) who was with her mother, is that "one time they lived in a swampy area" and that " Thomas Holley was killed somewhere around or below Dallas". I suspect that she knew the truth, but didn't tell the whole story, if she and her mother even knew for sure what happened to Thomas.
They are not found in the 1880 Federal census of he United States.
The story alleged by some that Thomas was enumerated in Parker County Texas in the 1880 census is false. There were some Hollys in Parker County, but the only one named Thos. F. Holley was born in 1875, and lived in the HH of a John Holley. My Thomas Franklin Holley was born March 2, 1881.
The 1880 Parker County Agricultural census has a Thomas Holley farming 125 acres, but that is not proof that it was my Thomas.
The story about Thomas being the son of an Arnold Holly who married a Nancy Miller on March 24, 1838 in Wilcox Co. Alabama could possibly be true, but, on Aug, 23, 1850 an Arnold Holley b. 1812, was enumerated in Greene County Ms.
Arnold Holly b. 1812 in Ga.
Nancy b. 1822 Alabama
David b. 1839 Alabama
Sophronia b.1846 Alabama
Leana b. 1848 Mississippi
Thomas b. Mississippi. aged 2/12 This would put him as being born in June 1850.
By 1860, Arnold is in Caddo Parish La. Nancy is gone
David is gone
Thomas is there aged 10.
No further record of the Holleys was found in Caddo Parish, at least none by me.
If my Thomas was the son of Arnold and Nancy, there is a ten year gap where no apparent information exists about Thomas. Without any proof, I cannot accept the Arnold and Nancy Holley as being my great-great grandparents..
I am the only surviving grandson of Thomas Franklin Holley and Edna Louise (Bonnifield) Holley, who bears the Holley surname.
Ron Holley Jan 24, 2026.
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