70 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



By his wife, who was a Tyler, he had first, James, M.D., of the New 

 York University, the father of Hosea, M. D., of Somers; Elias, Jabez, 

 Husted, C. Horton and Ezra James. The second son was Hosea, and 

 thirdly the late Tyler Fountain of Peekskill. 



Mr. Fountain was succeeded in the pastoral charge by Elder Charles 

 H. Underhill, who continued for two years. Their successors have 

 been Samuel Covel, and Elder Nathan Reed. 



Union Academy of Bedford occupies a prominent situation South- 

 east of the Baptist church. Its principal is Alexander G. Reynolds. 



Near the Hamlet are situated the residences of William P. Wood- 

 cock, and Milton Robertson, Esq. To the North-east lies the Hook 

 farm, the property of Francis A. Palmer, Esq., (formerly belonging to 

 Col. James Holmes). Upon the 5th of April, 1774, James Smith and 

 Mary, his wife, sold to James Holmes, "all that messuage lying in Bed- 

 ford called the Hook, containing seventy-three acres. 



Col. James Holmes was the son of John and Jemima Holmes ; his 

 father John Holmes was a respectable farmer, a man of extensive real 

 and personal property, a large proportion of which descended to him 

 from his father John Holmes, who emigrated to this country from 

 Beverly, Yorkshire, in England, about the year 1660, and was one of 

 the original proprietors and settlers of this town. John Holmes, 

 father of the said Col. James Holmes, held many civil and military 

 appointments. He was for many years a town clerk, Justice of the 

 Peace, and Captain of the Militia, which appointments he held till the 

 time of his death. 



During the French war between France and Great Britian, in 1757-8, 

 Col. James Holmes volunteered in the service of his country, and 

 was in the great and destructive battle under the command of Gen- 

 eral Abercrombie, in which were nineteen hundred men killed and 

 wounded. After the conquest of Canada he returned to Bedford. 



Upon the commencement of hostilities between America and Great 

 Britain, he was appointed by the New York Convention one of a com- 

 mittee of three, viz. : Col. James Van Courtland, Capt. Montgomery, 

 (afterwards Gen. Montgomery,) and himself, to proceed to examine the 

 heights about Kingsbridge, and report where it would be advisable to 

 fortify. They performed this duty and reported satisfactorily. The same 

 convention ordered four regiments to be raised. The first was given to 

 Alexander M'Dougal, the second to G. Van Schaick, the third to James 

 Clinton, and the fourth to James Holmes. These regiments were im- 

 mediately advanced to the northward. In 1777, he retired from the 

 service of his country, owing to certain circumstances which had tended 



