Chapter 3: The Baldridge and Holmes Families

In his genealogy, RIGGS, BALDRIDGE, AND AGNEW FAMILIES {1915), Henry Earle Riggs, a descendant of Alexander Baldridge, gives the following information extracted from letters from members of the Baldridge family to a relative, the Reverend William Baldridge: William Baldridge, son of Richard Baldridge of County Tyrone, Ireland, was born in Ireland in 1689. He married, 16 June 1714, Janet Holmes, who was born in Ireland in 1694. Their children, all born in Ireland, were: •John, born 1715, married Rebecca Clark •Alexander, born 1717, married Jane Ramsey •Margaret, born 1719, married John Poston {"left issue") •Janette, born 1721, married Matthew Atchison •Elizabeth, born 1723, married John Brownlee •Michael, born 1725, married Mabel Wilson William, Janet, and their children came to America in the ship Queen Margaret and settled in Little Britain Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1726. William

8 Eric Chalmers Poston, Esq.

died 25 November 1772. Janet died 28 July 1768, and both are buried in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In his will, drawn 9 January 1767, probated 14 January 1773, William "ordain and allow my son, John Poston, five poundsH {Lancaster County Wills, Book C, Vol. 1, page 124). Since Margaret was not named in the will, we conclude that Margaret Baldridge Poston had died before her father made his will and her share of the estate was left to John Poston and Margaret's children.

THE HOLMES FAMILY Sir James Holmes, a well-known merchant and trader of Belfast, Ireland, married Jane Jennings, also of Belfast. Their children were Thomas, Charles, Robert, William, and a daughter, Janet. Sir James died 1 June 1727. His will was probated in Ireland 14 June 1727. In almost every family, there springs the legend of a fabulous fortune left, and still waiting for the heirs, in the "old country.H And so it was with the Baldridge family. It seems that Jane Jennings had inherited a fortune from her father and Janet Holmes Baldridge had been willed her share of her mother's inheritance, plus her share of her father's fortune in Sir James Holmes' will. Tradition in the Baldridge family was that when William and Janet Holmes Baldridge came to America in 1726, Sir James persuaded them to leave their oldest son, John, with him in Ireland. John grew to manhood in Ireland, married Rebecca Clark, and brought her to Lancaster County,

Pennsylvania, to be near his family. He brought with him a will which was supposedly his grandfather's will. Many

attempts were made by the Baldridge family to claim the fortune before lawyers in England proved the will to be a forgery. And so the fabulous Holmes fortune turned out to be a myth.