Prayer in apple orchard led to minister’s calling
The preaching Holland twins and their parents are pictured above. From left, Rev. Paul Holland, pastor at Willard and Pleasant Hope, Mo.; Mrs. John Holland Sr., the Rev. John Holland Sr., and the Rev. John Holland Jr., pastor at Cave Spring, Mo. Springfield News-Leader, Nov. 13, 1933. newspapers.com
MARY LOU MONTGOMERY
Bent on his knees in his father’s orchard, John Holland, born in 1857, felt a calling to serve the Lord. At the age of 15, he was led by his mother to confess his sins during a series of meetings at Hannibal’s Park Church, located on the northwest corner of Fifth and Center, conducted by the Rev. J.H. Pritchett, D.D., church pastor in 1870 and 1871.
A biography of John Holland, published in the Centennial Volume of Missouri Methodism, 1907, tells his story. “He was brought under powerful conviction for sin, and through the suggestion of his mother was induced to go to the altar and seek pardon. After a hard struggle the light came, and sweet peace filled his soul.”
John Holland was licensed to preach by the Quarterly Conference of Arch Street Church, Hannibal, in August 1875. He was recommended to the Missouri Annual Conference for admission on trial basis in August, 1876. The following September, the Conference admitted him.
In 1878, he was ordained Deacon. In 1881, he was ordained Elder by Bishop George F. Pierce.
His education consisted only of high school and college classes in Hannibal, in addition to private tutoring.
His work would take him to serve Methodist congregations in Kirksville, Cahokia, Troy, Frankford, Jonesburg, New Florence, Ashley, Prairieville, Clarksville, Clarence, Sturgeon, Fayette, Armstrong, Keytesville, Clifton Hill, Clark, Cooper, and Agency, which is located in Buchanan County, near St. Joseph.
When he died, in 1941, he had been minister for the ME Church South for 52 years.
Childhood influence
Rev. John Holland spent his early years on his parents’ 64-acre Marion County, Mo., farm, located in the southeast quarter of Section 13, Township 57, Range 5. Today, that property consists in part of the land surrounding Luther Manor Nursing Home.
The son of William Holland, (born 1808) and Margaret Dix Holland, (born 1814), John’s parents were among the early settlers in Marion County, Mo., coming to Missouri from Worcester County, Md. According to the Missouri Compiled Marriages, Ancestry, they were married June 21, 1832, in Marion County, Mo.
In addition to his years on the farm, John also spent a formidable part of his youth in a small frame double house on the south side of Palmyra Avenue. Sometime in the late 1870s, his parents purchased a house just one door west of the Garth Tobacco factory building, which was located at Fourth Street and Palmyra Avenue.
According to the Hannibal city directories, his family was likely living in the house on Palmyra Avenue as early as 1879. Records indicate that extended family members continued to live in this house for the next 18 years, until at least 1897.
William Holland was about 49 when his youngest son was born. He died in 1889, and his wife, Margaret, died in 1886.
According to the 1913 Marion County Atlas, the Holland heirs still owned the 64-acre farm at the time of publication.
Highway work
In 1956-58, a row of residential and business houses on the south side of Mark Twain Avenue was removed in order to make room for widening the avenue.
In the process, buildings, some dating as early as the 1850s, were moved or leveled to facilitate the road construction project.
In addition, the large hill on the south side of the avenue was graded down in order to allow for the highway work.
In all, about 60 homes on Mark Twain Avenue were removed. The Missouri Division of Highways was in charge of the project.
Among those houses was the two-story frame double house, formerly owned and occupied by the Holland extended family, with balcony, photographed by Otis Howell of the Hannibal Courier-Post on March 7, 1956. Onlookers can be seen watching as an auction gets under way. Purchasers were to either move or tear down the associated houses. At the time the house number was 407 Mark Twain Avenue. In earlier days, the address was 343 Palmyra Avenue. Prior to that, addresses specified only which side of the street, or how many doors east or west of a familiar landmark.
Holland siblings
The children of William and Margaret Dix Holland included:
Mary J. Holland, born in 1835. Mary Jane Holland was married to Stephen C. Dennis, a carpenter, on March 26, 1861. In 1886-1920 they lived at 705 Pleasant. By 1912, the address had changed to 805 Pleasant. Their daughter, Emma, continued to live in the house until about 1920. Before Emma married Ira L. Spriggs in 1921, she worked as a clerk at first Sonnenberg’s, then Hockett dry goods and notions, 222 Broadway.
William Holland, born in 1839. In 1895, William was making his home with his sister’s family, Stephen and Mary J. Holland, at 705 Pleasant. He worked as a laborer.
Peter Holland, born in 1843
Ellen Holland, born in 1845. In 1897 she was making her home with her sister’s family, Stephen and Mary J. Holland, at 705 Pleasant. In 1900-1920, she made her home with Martha Carroll, widow of Thomas W. Carroll. She worked as a seamstress.
Martha A. Holland, born in 1848. She was married to Thomas W. Carroll, a Civil War veteran, who served with the K 3 Missouri Calvary. He died in December 1900, and is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Martha died in 1918.
Margaret Holland was married to Hezekiah Bloom, who worked as a conductor for the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. They had two children, Harry and Sidney Bloom. Hezekiah died July 1, 1896, from cancer of the stomach. He is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery. In 1892, the Bloom family was living in the Holland homestead at 343 Palmyra Ave.
Mary Jane Holland was married to Stephen C. Dennis, a carpenter, on March 26, 1861. In 1886-1920 they lived at 705 Pleasant. By 1912, the address had changed to 805 Pleasant. Their daughter, Emma, continued to live in the house until about 1920. Before Emma married Ira L. Spriggs in 1921, she worked as a clerk at first Sonnenberg’s, then Hockett dry goods and notions, 222 Broadway.
The Rev. John Holland was married to Harriet Emma Fowler in 1878. Among other children, they were parents to twin sons, John H. and Paul, born Jan. 14, 1899. They both became Methodist ministers.
In 1913, Rev. Paul K. Holland was preaching at Memphis, Mo.; Rev. John Hart Holland Jr., was in charge of a Methodist church at Vandalia; and Rev. John Holland Sr., was minister at LaGrange.
Rev. Paul K. Holland died Sept. 4, 1990, in Hemingway, S.C. He was a graduate of Central Methodist College of Fayette, and was a member of the Carolinas-Virginia Annual Conference of South Methodist Church, and was an ordained elder. He was 91.
Rev. John Hart Holland Jr., died May 5, 1991, at Latta, Dillion County, S.C. He was a graduate of Central Methodist College of Fayette, and was a Southern Methodist Conference minister for 50 years. He was 92.
Rev. John Holland Sr., died Feb. 7, 1941, followed in death by his wife Aug. 12, 1941. They are buried at Magnolia Cemetery, Latta, Dillon County, S.C.
The white house with the balcony was home to the William Holland family from the late 1870s until at least 1897. This house was located at 407 Mark Twain Avenue, on the south side of the street. Photographed by Otis Howell of the Hannibal Courier-Post on March 7, 1956. Onlookers can be seen watching as an auction gets under way. Purchasers were to either move or tear down the associated houses. At the time the house number was 407 Mark Twain Avenue. In earlier days, the address was 343 Palmyra Avenue. Prior to that, addresses specified only which side of the street, or how many doors east or west of a familiar landmark. Photo by Otis Howell, Steve Chou collection.
This map represents the northeast quarter of Township 57, Range 5, Marion County, Mo., 1875. In the lower right hand corner you will see the plat marking for William Holland's 64-acre farm. This is the approximate location of Luther Manor nursing home in 2024.
This is a partial listing of the pioneer property owners in Marion County, Mo., circa 1875, as named in the atlas of that year. These individuals owned property in Township 57, Range 5, Marion County, Mo. Note that William Holland is listed among those property owners.
Mary Lou Montgomery retired as editor of the Hannibal (Mo.) Courier-Post in 2014. She researches and writes narrative-style stories about the people who served as building blocks for this region’s foundation. Books available on Amazon.com by this author include but are not limited to: "The Notorious Madam Shaw," "Pioneers in Medicine from Northeast Missouri," "The Historic Murphy House, Hannibal, Mo., Circa 1870,” “Hannibal’s ‘West End,’ and the newest book, “Oakwood: West of Hannibal.” Montgomery can be reached at Montgomery.editor@yahoo.com Her collective works can be found at www.maryloumontgomery.com
