Biography
Thomas Holman, born in Middlesex County, NJ in the mid- to early 1750s, married the daughter of John Enoch Yetman and Margaret Gordon around the time of the Revolutionary War. The daughter was one of six female children born to John and Margaret; Isabella (Yetman) McDermott, in a Revolutionary War Pension application, stated that Thomas Holman married her sister.
Thomas, his wife, and at least one of his children (Catherine) moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania about two years after the Revolutionary War, and eventually settled in Franklin Township (now Franklin Park Borough) in the early 1800s. Additional children followed.
Thomas Holman did not know his exact birth date. The affidavit on page 4 of his pension application from 1836 states that he was eighty-one at the time, which would put his birth date in 1755. However, he also states on page 5 that his birthdate was recorded in the family bible, which was lost. The best estimate, based on the birth of his daughter Catherine in 1776, would be between 1750 and 1755, which would put him between age 20 and 26 when he became a father.
English or German? The Ancestry Question
There is no known documentation of Thomas' family or heritage, although some have speculated that he was of German ancestry. The book "History of Allegheny County" stated that a "German by the name of Holeman" settled in Franklin Township (which was then Ohio Township) around 1800.
Our Thomas Holman was of English descent, based on information given in his pension application stating that he was born in Middlesex County, New Jersey in the mid-1750s, and remained there until he left for Western PA. At the conclusion of the 18th century, roughly 70% of the New Jersey population traced their heritage back to the British Isles, with the rest split between Dutch and Germans.
Immigrants from Germany were much more likely to settle around existing German settlements that shared the same language and culture; these early settlements were located in Sussex, Morris, and Hunterdon counties. The counties of Middlesex and Monmouth were settled mainly by the English and Dutch. Middlesex County, New Jersey was named after Middlesex County in England, following the common colonial tradition of naming places after locations in the home country. Nobody is 100% sure of the origin of Monmouth County's name, but the prominent theories are that it was either named after Monmouthshire in Wales, Great Britain or after James Scott, the 1st Duke of Monmouth (the illegitimate son of King Charles II). In any case, the Holmans lived in towns with strictly ENGLISH names, not German. However, the conclusive proof is the fact that I easily traced Thomas's line back to Robert Holman in the 1600's, and the first German settlement in Germany wasn't until 1713. Hence, our Holman line is ENGLISH.
New Jersey Tax Records — Holman Landowners
While the early New Jersey official census records were lost, the tax records show the following people with the surname Holman owned land in New Jersey. There were no listings for similar spellings (e.g. Holeman). This means that in the late 1700's, there were NO HOLMANS living in the German settlements located in Sussex, Morris, and Hunterdon counties listed in the tax records.
| Name | County / Township | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Holman ** | Gloucester County, Deptford Twp | 1777 |
| Holman Aaron | Middlesex County, E Windsor Twp | 1797, 1802 |
| Holman Hannah | Middlesex County, E Windsor Twp | 1808 |
| Holman Jacob | Middlesex County, E Windsor Twp | 1797, 1802 |
| Holman Joseph | Middlesex County, E Windsor Twp | 1797 |
| Holman Margaret | Middlesex County, E Windsor Twp | 1819 |
| Holman William | Monmouth County, Dover Twp | 1779 |
| Holman William | Monmouth County, Freehold Twp | 1781 |
The Aaron Holman Connection
Thomas Holman is the son of Aaron Holman Sr (1714–1782) and Anne Story (1720–1813). This would put Aaron in his 40s and his wife in her early 30s when Thomas was born. The evidence of this fact is below:
First, that shows he had a son named Thomas.
Second, there was a Middlesex County deed transferred FROM Thomas Holman to Alexander Smith in March of 1787 - this was the land given to him in his father's will. The deed corresponds with the approximate time Thomas Holman left New Jersey to move to western Pennsylvania. Thomas would have been about 30–35 years old at the time.
Third, Aaron Holman, the presumed father of Thomas Holman, had a son named Aaron Jr. Aaron Jr.'s 1812 will mentions his brother Thomas and Thomas's sons, Thomas Jr. and Joseph, aligning with the children of Thomas Holman who arrived in Allegheny County, PA.
I give and bequeath unto my beloved brother Thomas Holman all my wearing apparel. Thirdly I give and bequeath unto my brother Thomas Holman's son Joseph Holman my Gun with its accoutrements... the residue to be divided into two equal parts one of which I give and bequeath unto Thomas Holman, son of my brother Thomas Holman, and, lastly I give and bequeath the other one half as aforesaid unto Joseph Holman, son of my aforesaid brother Thomas Holman...
Family Matters & Drama
Apparently Thomas and his sister Margaret were not close-knit siblings. After older brother Aaron Jr. passed away in 1812, Thomas managed to unleash premium family drama before the estate wrapped up in 1814. Working remotely through a local attorney or the postal service, Thomas filed a lawsuit accusing co-executrix and sister Margaret of trying to rustle Aaron's horse out of the inheritance pool. I do not know the outcome of this or where the horse ended up.
Thomas challenges Margaret in probate court.
Children of Thomas Holman
Thomas Holman had six children with Miss Yetman — the only two sons match with his brother Aaron's 1812 will:
- Catherine Holman (1776–1852) - Chuck's 2nd great-grandmotherMarried William Jones (1761–1836), a farmer. Born in New Jersey, listed in 1790 PA census.
- Thomas Holman Jr. (1787–1873)Born in New Jersey, per 1790 Federal Census. Raised and settled in Allegheny County, PA with wife Susan (Wilson) and children Elizabeth, William, Margaret, Mary, Susannah, Thomas III, and Esther.
- Joseph Holman Sr. (1801–1848)Born in Pennsylvania, husband to Mary and father to Henry, Joseph, Anne, Margaret, and Rebekah. Unfortunately, he did not live past age 49.
- Mary HolmanBorn in Pennsylvania, named in father's 1836 will.
- Lucy HolmanBorn in Pennsylvania, named in father's 1836 will.
- Esther HolmanBorn in Pennsylvania, named in father's 1836 will.
- Elizabeth HolmanDied prior to 1836. Her surviving children are mentioned in Thomas Holman's will.
Thomas Holman's Will (1836)
Pennsylvania, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1683–1993 — Allegheny Will Books, Vol 004–005, 1832–1845, pp. 367–368
The last will and testament of Thomas Holman of Franklin Township Allegheny in the name of God Amen. I Thomas Holman considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and memory do make this my last will and testament in the manner and form following – I direct that my executor sell or cause to be sold all of my personal property as soon as they can conveniently after my decease And from all my just debts and funeral expenses second i order and direct my executors to pay off 1 acre of land at the southwest corner of my farm for the use of the neighborhood for a school. 2nd, I give and bequeath to my grandson William, son of Thomas Holman, all the residue of my real estate out of which he is to pay to his sisters viz. Elizabeth Margaret and Mary $60.00 each... To my son Joseph beside what has already been given to him $1.00. To my son Thomas beside what I have already given him $1.00. To my daughter Catherine $1.00. To my daughter Lucy, Mary, each $1.00 and to the surviving children of my daughter Elizabeth each $1.00 and also to my daughter Esther $1.00.
Footnotes
- Holman, Thomas. Page 4. US, Revolutionary War Pensions, 1800–1900. Fold3. Accessed July 28, 2025.
- Durant, Samuel W., et al. History of Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: L. H. Everts, 1876. P. 166. University of Pittsburgh Digital Library.
- "Who Are We, Where We Came From?" Edge Magazine. EdgeMagOnline.com. Accessed July 28, 2025.
- Ronald Vern Jackson, ed., New Jersey Tax Lists, 1772–1822. Salt Lake City, UT: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1981.
- Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Vol. 35. FamilySearch International. Page 200. Accessed July 28, 2025.
- Deed of Thomas Holman to Alexander Smith for land in Middlesex Co., NJ; Stockton Family Papers, C0490, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
