Although but in the meridian of life the subject of this sketch has had
wonderful success in alleviating the ills and sufferings of his fellow men,
and in Haines township, Marion county, he is regarded as a credit to the
noble profession in which he has been engaged for more than twenty years.
His boyhood days were spent on a farm, but early in life he showed a desire
to become a medical practitioner, and when his school days came to an end
his parents decided that the longing of his heart should be realized.
Dr. Holt was born in Haines township, May 14, 1862, the son of Charles
Wesley and Violindia (Wilkins) Holt. The father of the subject first saw the
light of day in West Virginia, November 20, 1834, and was the son of Joseph
and Elizabeth (Jackson) Holt, the latter a native of South Carolina. Joseph,
after going South, where he was married, settled in Virginia, and finally
removed to Tennessee, where he lived until 1837, when he decided that he
could better his condition by moving further west, and as a result,
emigrated to Marion county, settling at Centralia. Later he took up his
residence in Washington county, Illinois, and remained there until the death
of his wife, Elizabeth (Jackson) Holt, which occurred in 1847. After this
sad event he went to Texas, and died there a few years later. The couple
were survived by eleven children, Joseph, John, Eliza, Gordon W., Lee, Sarah
J., Thomas J. Charles W., Nathaniel, Albert and Fletcher L.
Charles
W. Holt, father of the subject, has spent all of his life in Marion county,
Illinois. He was only three years old when the family removed to the state,
making the trip with an ox team and pack horses. When a young man he worked
on farms, and was employed at times as a laborer on public improvements. He
helped to grade the Illinois Central road when it was constructed, and this
work was done with shovels and wheel-barrows. Later he began farming for
himself on forty acres in section 12, settling on his present farm in
section 15, in 1865, which was almost an unbroken prairie at the time. This
farm now consists of 220 acres of well tilled land.
The mother of the
subject is a native of Marion county, being the daughter of Benjamin and
Cloanna (Brewer) Wilkins, the latter a native of Kentucky. Her parents were
early settlers of Marion county, and are both dead. The father and mother of
the subject are members of the Baptist church at Pleasant Grove. Mr. Holt is
a Democrat and has served in the capacity of school director. In connection
with the cultivation of his farm, he gives considerable attention to stock
breeding, raising a high grade of mules, horses, cattle, sheep, hogs. Dr.
Holt, the subject of this sketch, lives on the farm with his father and
mother, upon which is a building which is utilized by him as an office. He
received a common school education, and in 1884 entered the St. Louis
Medical College, and three years later graduated in medicine and surgery. He
then returned to Illinois and began practicing with Dr. A. P. Kell, at
Fortville, but after a short time went to Xenia, Illinois, where for one
year he practiced with Dr. Shirley. At the end of that interval he returned
to his father's farm, and since then has conducted his practice from that
place.
In 1889 the subject was married to Josie Huff, who was born
and raised in Haines township, and is the daughter of Thomas and Emma
(Fulton) Huff. Seven children were born to the subject and his wife, six of
whom survive. They are Hallie, Althia, Edna, Earl, Edgar, Ida and Roy.
Althia is dead; Edna lives with her parents, and Hallie is a teacher in the
Marion county schools. Dr. Holt is a member of the Marion County Medical
Society, and in politics he is a Democrat. He has served as School Director,
and is a stockholder in a Salem bank. He has always taken a great interest
in public affairs.
Extracted 08 Jul 2017 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 334-335.