Daniel Henry Holmes
Encyclopedia
Daniel Henry Holmes was born in the Point Pleasant area of Clermont County
, Ohio
. Orphaned at age 2, he lacked any formal education. But at the time of his death in 1898, he was fluent in French, German and Spanish, and his New Orleans department store was the largest in the South, with over 700 employees.
Holmes often said he owed his success as a store operator to his belief in selling only the best merchandise. He traveled extensively across the country, and to Europe, searching out the products he sold. It was in part his travel between New York
and New Orleans in the early 1850s that led Holmes to decide that Covington
, Kentucky
would make a good rest stop. Holmes bought land in the Kenton County area known as Buena Vista and in 1866 began to build the home of his dreams, a three-story, English-gothic castle which he named Holmesdale. Holmesdale was a 32-room mansion built on about 17 acres (68,796.6 m²). In 1919 after Holmes' death, it was sold by the Holmes family to the Covington Board of Education for $50,000. The site is now part of the Holmes Junior/Senior High School campus. Holmes divided his time between Holmesdale, a home in France
and an apartment he had in New Orleans. Holmes died on July 3, 1898, while on a business trip to New York. His personal estate was valued at more than $1.2 million. Holmes' obituary ran on the front page of The Kentucky Post on July 4, 1898. The article called Holmes "The King of New Orleans retailers" and the “richest man in Covington”.
Clermont County, Ohio
Clermont County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States, just east of Cincinnati. As of 2010, the population was 197,363. Its county seat is Batavia...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Orphaned at age 2, he lacked any formal education. But at the time of his death in 1898, he was fluent in French, German and Spanish, and his New Orleans department store was the largest in the South, with over 700 employees.
Holmes often said he owed his success as a store operator to his belief in selling only the best merchandise. He traveled extensively across the country, and to Europe, searching out the products he sold. It was in part his travel between New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and New Orleans in the early 1850s that led Holmes to decide that Covington
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
would make a good rest stop. Holmes bought land in the Kenton County area known as Buena Vista and in 1866 began to build the home of his dreams, a three-story, English-gothic castle which he named Holmesdale. Holmesdale was a 32-room mansion built on about 17 acres (68,796.6 m²). In 1919 after Holmes' death, it was sold by the Holmes family to the Covington Board of Education for $50,000. The site is now part of the Holmes Junior/Senior High School campus. Holmes divided his time between Holmesdale, a home in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and an apartment he had in New Orleans. Holmes died on July 3, 1898, while on a business trip to New York. His personal estate was valued at more than $1.2 million. Holmes' obituary ran on the front page of The Kentucky Post on July 4, 1898. The article called Holmes "The King of New Orleans retailers" and the “richest man in Covington”.