[1] He was a descendant of John Holmes, gentleman of Colchester, Essex, Messenger of the General Court of Plymouth Colony and the executioner of Thomas Granger.

[1] In 1956, Richard I. Furbush did not run for re-election and Holmes sought to succeed him as Senate President.

[3] However, Holmes chose not to abide by the caucus decision and ran against Graham and Democratic leader John E. Powers for the Senate Presidency.

[5] Holmes' thirty-six year tenure in the Massachusetts Senate is the longest in that body's history.

He became a 33° Scottish Rite mason in 1920 serving as the Thrice Potent Master of the Boston Lafayette Lodge of Perfection from 1938 to 1942.