Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-01-05

passing through tue COuEts WcIc icOOk
nized as valid mortgages of personal
property. Later, purchasers of property
so often found il covered by Holmes
Note that law was enacted requiring
them to be recorded as mortgages. The
form is still in general USE
Mr.. Pidgin is a nephew of the two
brothers, and tells the story as it was
told him by his uncle.
The Democrat in investigating this
matter made inquiries OF some OF the
older residents of the vicinity, who al
agreed that the note originated with
Eleazer Austin Holmes. The special
statement on which the conclusion was
based was made by Silas P. Maxim OF
South Paris. In the early tifties-accord'
ing TO his recollection in 1S53-Mr
Maxim taught school in the district In
Oxford where Ebenezer Rawson Holmes
lived, and boarded portion of the time
at Mr.. Holmes. Mr.. Holmes at that
time told Mr.. Maxim that the Holmes
note was first used by his brother
Austin.
II had been suggested to the Democrat
that perhaps Hon. A. S. Kimball of Nor.
way might have some information re-
garding the Holmes note. After the
death Of Eleazer Austin Holmes, his son,
James A. Holmes, partially administered
on bis estate, but died before it was
finally settled. Mr.. Kimball administer
ed upon the estate of Mrs. James A.
Holmes, and was also appointed adj
ministrator de bonis non upon the estate
of Eleazer Austin Holmes, and completed
the settling of the estate. In answer to
a question by the Democrat as to what
he knew of the origin of the Holmes
note, Mr.. Kimball replied:
"An know about it is what Austin
Holmes himself told me. In 1865 some
of the boys in Waterford, where then
lived, went blueberrying in StOnehsm.
Perhaps they were little ssucy, at any
rate they got into row with the Stone
ham boys, and got pretty badly used up.
The Stoneham boys were arrested and
brought down to Waterford for trial, and
/ appeared for the state. Austin Holmes
went over and paid the boys fines. As
/ was talking with him on that occasion
and remember just how the scene
looked, the sun shining brightly and he
and leaning against the fence = re-
marked,
"'Well, you can afford to settle for
these fellows. You own everybody in
that section
az never should have dared to deal
with all these people have was his
reply, If | hadn't devised that form OF
note to protect myself
Then Mr.. Kimball took down box
which contained some papers connected
with the Holmes estate, among them
quite number of the earliest "Holmes
notes." dated fifty years and more ago.
They are mostly in the handwriting OF
Eleazsr Austin Holmes, and on narrow
strips of paper of various sizes. Some
are plain notes of hand, without security.
Some are Holmes notes in substantially
the form now used. One Is different, and
seems to DO variation of the form, or
perhaps q step in the evolution OF the
form. The filing on the back Of it is,
downing. for cow" and the face OF the
note Is as follows:
Paris, May 70. 1870. For value received OF Z
A. Holmes promis TO paw him or order one
likely heiffer three years oil and calf In good
order and coalition to be paid 10 one year:
SOLOMON DOWNING
MOSES DOWNING
Paris, May 10, 1910 For value received Of E
A. Holmes promis to pay him or order two
dollars and fifty cents In one year.
SOLOMON DOWNING
MOSES DOWNING
All this doesn't absolutely dispose OF
the conflict of testimony regarding the
really unimportant matter of the origin
of the note, but there certainly should
be no doubt in what Holmes family the
;rot;tufion vac dav;aaI