Pehr G. Holmes

Pehr Gustaf Holmes
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 4th district
In office March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1947
Preceded by	George R. Stobbs
Succeeded by	Harold Donohue
Member of the Massachusetts Executive Council 7th Councilor District
In office 1925–1928
Preceded by	John Addison White
Succeeded by	Walter E. Schuster
38th Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts
In office January 1, 1917 – January 5, 1920
Preceded by	George Merrill Wright
Succeeded by	Peter F. Sullivan
Member of the Worcester, Massachusetts Board of Aldermen
Member of the Worcester, Massachusetts Common Council Ward 6
Personal details
Born	April 9, 1881 Forshaga Municipality, Värmland, Sweden.
Died	December 19, 1952 (aged 71) Venice, Florida United States
Political party	Republican
Children	G. Everett Holmes[1]
Residence	27 Holden Street, Worcester, Massachusetts[2]
Occupation	Manufacturer[2]
Religion	Congregationalist

Pehr Gustaf Holmes (April 9, 1881 – December 19, 1952) was a United States Representative from Massachusetts.

Early life

Holmes was born in Mölnbacka in Forshaga Municipality in Värmland, Sweden. In 1886, when he was 4 years old,^[1] Holmes immigrated to the United States with his parents, who settled in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Education

Holmes attended the Millbury Street School public school until he was 14.^[1]

Business career

When he turned 14 Holmes left school and went to work for the Reed and Prince Manufacturing Co. of Worcester where he “tended machines”.^[1] Holmes also worked at the Brunell Electroplating plant, where he learned the business of Electroplating. In 1909 Holmes established his own Electroplating firm, the Holmes Electrotype Foundry.^[1]

1916 ad showing Holmes Electrotype Foundry in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Holmes also engaged in the banking and insurance business.

Public service

Worcester Common Council and Board of Aldermen

Holmes was elected member of the Worcester Common Council from Ward 6.^[1] In 1913 Holmes became a member of the Worcester Board of Aldermen, serving as its president.^[1]

Mayor of Worcester

Holmes was inaugurated mayor of Worcester on January 1, 1917,^[3] he served as mayor until January 5, 1920.^[4]

Massachusetts Governor's Council

Holmes served as a member of the Massachusetts Executive Council, Seventh Councilor district from 1925^[2] to 1928.

Caricature of Holmes from 1917, when he was the Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts.

United States House of Representatives

Holmes was elected as a Republican to the 72nd United States Congress and to the seven succeeding Congresses from (March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1947). Holmes was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1946 to the 80th United States Congress.

Holmes returned to Worcester and his electrotype business. Holmes died in Venice, Florida, his interment was in the Old Swedish Cemetery in Worcester.

Sources

• Pehr G. Holmes at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Members of the House who were born in foreign countries

Related reading

• Swedes of Greater Worcester Revisited (by Eric J. Salomonsson, William O. Hultgren, and Philip C. Becker. Arcadia Publishing. 2005)

Notes

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts 1st district F Ames Dexter Goodhue Holten Sedgwick Skinner Sedgwick J Bacon Eustis Quincy Ward, Jr. Mason Gorham Webster Gorham Appleton Gorham Lawrence Fletcher Lawrence Winthrop Appleton Winthrop S Eliot Appleton Scudder T Eliot Hall T Eliot Buffinton Crapo Davis Randall Wright Lawrence Treadway Heselton Conte Olver Neal 2nd district Goodhue Foster W Lyman Sedgwick Ward Sr. W Lyman Shepard J Crowninshield Story Pickman Reed Pickering Silsbee Barstow B Crowninshield Choate Phillips Saltonstall D King Rantoul Fay Crocker Buffinton O Ames Harris Long E Morse Gillett Churchill Bowles Kaynor Granfield Clason Furcolo Boland Neal McGovern 3rd district Gerry Bourne Coffin Lyman Mattoon Cutler Nelson Livermore White Pickering Nelson Varnum Nelson Osgood Cushing Abbott Duncan Edmands Damrell C Adams Thomas Rice Twichell Whiting I Pierce Field B Dean Field Ranney L Morse J Andrew Walker JR Thayer R Hoar C Washburn JA Thayer Wilder Paige F Foss Casey Philbin Drinan Donohue Early Blute McGovern N Tsongas 4th district Sedgwick Dearborn Thatcher Wadsworth Foster Lincoln Hastings Varnum Richardson Dana Stearns Fuller E Everett Sa Hoar Parmenter Thompson Palfrey Thompson Sabine Walley Comins Rice Hooper Frost Abbott L Morse Collins J O'Neil Apsley Weymouth Tirrell Mitchell Wilder Winslow Stobbs P Holmes Donohue Drinan Frank Kennedy III 5th district Partridge Bourne Freeman L Williams T Dwight Ely Mills Lathrop Sibley Davis Lincoln Hudson C Allen Appleton Burlingame Appleton Hooper Alley Butler Gooch Banks Bowman L Morse Hayden Banks Sh Hoar Stevens Knox B Ames J Rogers E Rogers B Morse Cronin P Tsongas Shannon Atkins Meehan N Tsongas Markey Clark 6th district Thatcher Leonard Reed Sr. J Smith Taggart S Allen Locke Kendall Grennell Alvord Baker Ashmun G Davis Upham T Davis Alley Gooch Banks Butler Thompson Loring Stone Lovering Lodge Cogswell Moody Gardner Lufkin A Andrew G Bates W Bates Harrington Mavroules Torkildsen Tierney Moulton 7th district Leonard Ward Sr. Leonard Bullock Bishop Mitchell Barker Baylies Turner Baylies Hulbert Shaw H Dwight S Allen Grennell Briggs J Rockwell Goodrich Banks Gooch Boutwell Brooks Esty E Hoar Tarbox Butler Russell Stone Cogswell W Everett Barrett Roberts Phelan Maloney W Connery L Connery Lane Macdonald Markey Capuano 8th district Grout Thatcher F Ames Otis Eustis L Williams Green Gardner Green Reed Baylies Sampson Hobart Lathrop Bates Calhoun J Adams Mann Wentworth Knapp Train Baldwin G Hoar JMS Williams Warren Claflin Candler Russell CH Allen Greenhalge Stevens McCall Deitrick Dallinger H Thayer Dallinger Healey Goodwin Macdonald O'Neill Kennedy II Capuano Lynch 9th district Varnum Bishop J Dean Wheaton Reed Folger Reed H Dwight Briggs Jackson Hastings H Williams Hale Fowler Little Dewitt E Thayer Bailey A Walker W Washburn Crocker G Hoar Rice T Lyman Ely Burnett Candler G Williams O'Neil Fitzgerald Conry Keliher Murray Roberts Fuller Underhill Luce Russell Luce Eliot Gifford Nicholson Keith McCormack Hicks Moakley Lynch Keating 10th district Goodhue Sewall Read Hastings Upham J Allen Brigham Wheaton Morton F Baylies Bailey HAS Dearborn W Baylies Borden H Williams Borden Burnell Grinnell Scudder Dickinson Chaffee Delano Dawes Crocker Stevens Seelye Norcross Rice Russell J Walker McEttrick Atwood Barrows Naphen McNary O'Connell Curley Murray Tague Fitzgerald Tague Douglass Tinkham Herter Curtis Martin Heckler Studds Delahunt Keating 11th district Bradbury Bartlett Cutler Stedman A Bigelow Brigham B Adams Russell Hobart Richardson J Adams Reed Burnell Goodrich Trafton Dawes Chapin Robinson Whiting II Wallace Coolidge Draper Sprague Powers Sullivan Peters Tinkham Douglass Higgins Flaherty Curley Kennedy O'Neill Burke Donnelly 12th district Dearborn Parker Lee S Thatcher Skinner Larned Bidwell Bacon Dewey Hulbert Strong Kendall L Bigelow Baylies Hodges J Adams Robinson F Rockwell Crosby E Morse Lovering Powers Weeks Curley Gallivan McCormack Keith Studds 13th district Wadsworth Seaver Ruggles Dowse Eustis Reed Randall Simpkins Greene Weeks Mitchell Carter Luce Wigglesworth Burke 14th district G Thatcher Cutts C King J Holmes Lovering E Foss Harris Gilmore Olney Frothingham Wigglesworth Martin 15th district Wadsworth Ilsley Whitman Widgery Bradbury Whitman Greene Leach Martin Gifford 16th district S Thatcher Cook Tallman Davis Brown Orr Hill T Thacher Walsh Gifford 17th district Bruce Chandler Gannett F Carr Wood J Carr Wilson Kinsley 18th district Wilson Rice Parker 19th district Parker Conner Gage Cushman 20th district Hubbard Parris Lincoln At-large Cobb