  john holmes (march 14, 1773 â july 7, 1843) was an american politician. he served as a u.s. representative from massachusetts and was one of the first two u.s. senators from maine. holmes was noted for his involvement in the treaty of ghent. ==biography== holmes was born in kingston, massachusetts, and attended public schools in kingston. in 1796, he graduated from the college of rhode island and providence plantations (the former name of brown university) in providence, rhode island. holmes studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1799, opening a law practice in alfred, maine &mdash; then a district of massachusetts. at this time, he was also engaged in literary pursuits. ==career==  holmes, a national republican, was elected to the massachusetts general court in 1802, 1803, and 1812. he was elected to the massachusetts state senate in 1813 and 1814. in 1816, holmes was one of the commissioners under the treaty of ghent to divide the islands of passamaquoddy bay between the united states and great britain. he was also appointed by the legislature to organize state prisons and revise the massachusetts criminal code. holmes was elected as a united states representative from massachusetts in 1816, serving from march 4, 1817, to his re
1773_births 1843_deaths Brown_University_alumni Democratic-Republican_Party_United_States_Senators Democratic-Republican_Party_members_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives Maine_Democratic-Republicans Maine_National_Republicans Massachusetts_Democratic-Republicans Massachusetts_National_Republicans Massachusetts_State_Senators Members_of_the_Maine_House_of_Representatives Members_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives_from_Massachusetts National_Republican_Party_United_States_Senators People_from_Alfred,_Maine People_from_Kingston,_Massachusetts People_from_Portland,_Maine United_States_Senators_from_Maine