He and William H. Gale were jointly appointed by President Andrew Johnson.
After graduation, he studied law privately with Henry Stanbery and Thomas Ewing, Sr. in Ohio.
[3] During the American Civil War, Holly served in the Union Army as part of the 2nd Colorado Cavalry Regiment.
A grand jury indicted him for adultery in 1866, but the charges were eventually withdrawn.
[5][6] Holly died on September 7, 1901, three days after his 82nd birthday, in Beulah, Colorado.