HOLBROOK. HOLLEY. 315 Hodgkins is descended from John Barnes, one of the earliest settlers of Plymouth colony. HOLBROOK, ELISHA EVERETT, son of Elisha N. and Relief Holbrook, was born in Holbrook (then East Randolph), Norfolk county, April 23, 1835. After completing the public school course, he finished his school life at Phil- lips Academy, Andover, and entered busi- ness in connection with his father in the manufacture of boots and shoes, being in due time admitted to partnership un- der the firm name of E. N. Holbrook & Son. The upright private life and successful business career of Mr. E. N. Holbrook formed an essential element in the growth and welfare of his native town for more than half a century. It was largely in consequence of his energy, judgment, and munificence that East Randolph was made a separate town, and, as a voluntary trib- ute from the citizens, it was re-christened Holbrook. No small part of the inheritance of his son is the thorough integrity, relig- ious principle, and unassuming benevo- lence which were the strong characteris- tics of the father. Mr. Holbrook's life has not been event- ful in a public way, but has been a source of good to the community and to a large circle of devoted friends. He was the first Republican representative to the Gen- eral Court after the incorporation of the town. He is a director of the Randolph National Bank, and an active member of the Winthrop Congregational church. Mr. Holbrook was married in December, 1865, to Mary Jane, daughter of Rev. Dr. Russell of Holbrook, and has two daugh- ters : J. Louise and Mary S. Holbrook. The death of his wife occurred in 1886. In February, 1889, he married Mrs. Isabel N. Dana of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mr. Holbrook has spent two years in European travel and several winters in the South, having retired from active manufac- turing business soon after the death of his father, in 1872. HOLLEY, RICHARD, son of Richard and Patience Hoi ley, was born at Edgar- town, Dukes county, on the island of Martha's Vineyard, January 30, 1829. His early education was limited, being such as was obtainable by attendance upon the common schools until the age of thir- teen, when he shipped for a whaling voyage and "completed his education" — as appears from the biographical sketches of members of the General Court of 1875 — "in the North and South Pacific." Hav- ing decided to make whaling his vocation in life, Mr. Holley entered upon the pros- ecution of the work with characteristic energy and perseverance. Two voyages of twenty-two and thirty-two months re- spectively made him a boat-steerer, in which capacity he displayed such pro- ficiency in general seamanship, as well as skill and pluck in the taking of whales, that on the succeeding voyage he was pro- moted at once over the intervening grades to the first officer, and at the early age of twenty-three was given the command of the ship " Washington," of New Bedford, Jonathan Bourne, agent — being, with one exception, the youngest shipmaster from the Vineyard. He then commanded in the order named, ship "Thomas Nye," Thomas Nye, Jr., agent; bark " Waverley," D. B. Kempton, agent — which was taken from him and burned by the " Shenan- doah " in Behring Strait in 1865 — and the bark "Islander," all of New Bedford, and the last two under the same agency. In all of these voyages he was uniformly suc- cessful, enjoying the unbounded confidence of agents and owners. Retiring from the whaling service with a competency in 1869, he continued to reside in his native town, enjoying the fruits of his enterprise and industry, and without active employment until 1S77, when he became interested in the grocery business, and continues so engaged at the present time. He married, in Edgartown, 1S52, So- phronia S., daughter of S. YV. Lewis of that town. Though never a seeker for local offices, Captain Holley has always taken an active and intelligent interest in home affairs, generally contributing to the discussion of matters coming before the town for its action, and rendering acceptable service on its committees. Notable among these were the committees appointed to oppose the division of the town in 1879 and '80, of both of which he was a member, resist- ing division in the former year, but favor- ing a settlement when the question again came before the Legislature in 1880. He has also taken a deep interest in the fish- ing industries incident to his island home, always and actively espousing the cause of the resident fishermen against outside aggressive or local monopolies, which he believes prejudicial to the general weal. He was twice returned to the General Court (in 1875 and '76), where he rendered
