Ezekiel Holmes was born on August 24, 1801 in Kingston, Massachussets, United States. He was the son of Nathaniel and Asenath (Chandler) Holmes at Kingston, Massachussets He was descended in the sixth generation from William Holmes who was born in England about 1592 and migrated to America prior to 1641, with his son, John Holmes, the latter ultimately becoming the second minister of Duxbury, Massachussets.
Holmes prepared for college under Reverend Samuel Parris of Kingston, graduating from Brown University in the class of 1821. In college he manifested a particular interest in botany and mineralogy, both at the time quite undeveloped sciences. He studied medicine with his uncle, Doctor Benjamin Chandler, in Paris, Maine, teaching at the same time in the local high school. At Paris he continued to develop as a naturalist and on one of his expeditions discovered the great tourmaline deposit on Mount Mica. Entering the medical school at Bowdoin, he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1824.
Holmes' main interests were those of a naturalist and an agriculturist. In 1825 he was appointed instructor in agriculture at the Gardiner Lyceum, founded four years before by Robert Hallowell Gardiner. Here he continued his scientific studies and made an excellent collection of minerals. In 1829 he was elected principal after the resignation of Doctor Benjamin Hale, and served until the failure of the Lyceum from lack of adequate support in 1832. During 1828 he edited the New England Farmer's and Mechanics' Journal, a publication which lasted about a year. For two years, beginning in 1831, he edited an anti-slavery paper known as the American Standard. In 1832 he established his permanent home in Winthrop, Maine.
From 1833 to 1837 he held the post of lecturer on chemistry, mineralogy, geology, and botany in Waterville (now Colby) College. On January 21, 1833, as editor, he issued the first number of the Kennebec Farmer and Journal of the Useful Arts, soon renamed the Maine Farmer and Journal of the Useful Arts. When he began this enterprise there was no other agricultural paper in Maine and there were only a few in the nation. He succeeded in overcoming to a large extent the conservatism of the Maine farmers, whose prejudices against "book farming" were exceedingly strong, and accomplished "the banishment of superstitious notions in agriculture [setting] forth in their stead rational and even scientific truths which could be comprehended by the readers of his paper. " He was a frequent lecturer before agricultural societies, many of his addresses being published in the Farmer and others in the Agricultural Reports of the state. He also contributed articles to the United States Patent Office Reports.
He was influential in bringing about the establishment of a state Board of Agriculture in 1852 and was its secretary, 1852-1855. From 1835 to 1839 inclusive and again in 1850 he served as a member of the state legislature, and in 1840-1841 he was a state senator. In 1839 he published at Augusta the Report of an Exploration and Survey of the Territory on the Aroostook River during the Spring and Autumn of 1838. This survey which he conducted for the state attracted considerable attention and was an important factor in stimulating American immigration into a region the possession of which was at the time in dispute between Great Britain and the United States.
In 1861 and 1862, in association with Charles Henry Hitchcock, a geologist, Holmes conducted under state authority a more extended survey of the natural characteristics of Maine. As a result of this work he made an important report on the ichthyology and zoology of the state, published in the Seventh Annual Report of the Secretary of the Maine Board of Agriculture (1862).
The last two years of his life were devoted to leading the struggle to persuade the state legislature to use the funds which would accrue from the Morrill Act of 1862 for the creation of a separate college devoted to "agriculture and the mechanic arts" rather than turn the money over to any of the existing institutions. He died just as his efforts were being crowned with success. He was, therefore, one of the founders of the University of Maine.
Holmes helped found the Maine State Agricultural Society (1855), of which he was secretary until his death.
Wise counselor and generous friend, Holmes always remained poor, being often financially embarrassed. He served his fellow men more successfully than himself.
Quotes from others about the person
"To him must be rightfully accorded the honor of being the founder of systematic and intelligent farming in Maine. "
On August 14, 1825, Holmes married Sarah E. Benson. They had two children.
