John Thomas Holmes was the son of Thomas H. Holmes (CSA Veteran) & Telitha (Duncan) Holmes of old Pike County (present-day Walthall County). He married Mindana {called Danie"} Cothern of Carter's Creek in old Pike County. She was the daughter of John Cothern (CSA Veteran) & his 1st wife, Arminda (Dunaway) Cothern.

In 1882 & 1883 members of Magee's Creek Baptist Church & families in the community helped to establish a new congregation, Salem Baptist Church. A small community eventually grew around it. Thomas H. Holmes' family was among the charter members of this congregation who came from Magee's Creek Baptist Church. His son, John T. Holmes, was Salem Church's first clerk as well as the first deacon along with J.T. McKenzie. John T. Holmes began his adult life farming & teaching school. A grandson, Jesse L. Howell of Jackson, remembered his grandfather to have been very well read and a very good example of Christian manhood. John T. Holmes received some of his father's land for a farm of his own (which he later would divide among his sons to get them started in life). He was also a landlord and had a grist mill and sugar mill. He served as a Justice of the Peace in an exemplary manner for Walthall County for about 20 years. Cotton was the cash crop of the day and plenty of corn was planted for livestock as well as for the table. In his later days he would ride his horse and buggy to church, preferring the old ways. John Thomas Holmes lived in a day when higher standards were expected. He was an exceptionally godly man, even for his day. Not only the white community but the black community as well turned out in numbers to show their last respects at his funeral. His Christian example has touched lives with a ripple effect even to the present generation. Although he was a member of the Masonic Lodge (Varnel Creek Lodge), as was his father, he did not allow the Lodge to hold a place of preeminence over Christianity in his life.

Six children lived to maturity:

1. Eula A. Holmes Crawford,
2. J. Victor Holmes,
3. Ninnie Beulah Holmes Ainsworth,
4. Lottie Elizabeth Holmes Howell,
5. J. Herschel Holmes, &
6. Herbert Lee Holmes.

His obituary was published on the front page of "The Tylertown Times" on Thursday, June 30, 1949 under the heading, "Pioneer Citizen Interred Sunday At Sartinsville."