John Holloway, one of the
outstanding governmental officials in Colonial America was born in London,
probably the grandson of Charles Holloway of Oxford County, which would make him
a great nephew of George Holloway of York County.
Unfortunately, the only account
which gives much information about the youth of John Holloway was written by his
political foe and legal rival, Sir John Randolph. From this we obtain information
that he studied law and was admitted to practice in Marshalsea Court, the Court
which decided cases involving the domestic arrangements of the palace and of the
King's holdings. He also was a soldier with King William's Army in Ireland.
Besides his practice of law,
Holloway engaged in a business project which was a failure. The failure left him
in a state of financial ruin and to recoup his fortune he sailed for America,
where he was to become not only a wealthy man but a famous statesman.
He is supposed to have gone
first into Maryland, and then to have settled in York County. It is entirely
possible that his inducement to settle in York was the presence there of near
kinsman. He seems to have settled in the upper part of York County in Bruton
Parish. His ability was recognized and he soon became one of the Gentlemen
Justices of the County.
He established a large legal
practice in the Courts of York, James City and neighboring Counties. Sir John
Randolph said of him in his Breviate Book (See I VHR, 119-123): "He had practiced
in this court upwards of thirty years, with great Reputation for Diligence and
Learning; and was so much in the good opinion of the Court, that I have upon many
occasions known him prevail for his Clients against Reasons and Arguments much
stronger and better than his. His Opinions were by most people looked upon as
decisive, and were very frequently acquiesced in by both Parties, those against
whom he pronounced being discouraged from disputing against so Authority. He
practiced with much Artifice and Cunning, being thoroughly skilled in Attorneyship;
But when his Causes came to a hearing, he reasoned little, was tedious in reading
long Reports of some Cases, and little Abridgements of others, out of which he
would collect short Aphorisms, and obiter sayings of Judges, and would rely upon
them, without regarding the main Point in Question, and arbitrarily affirm or
deny a matter of law, which had often too much weight against the Reason and
Difference of things. By this method he gained many Causes which always gave him
great Joy, but was impatient if he lost one as if it tended to a Diminution of
his Credit. He was Blamable for one singular Practice, in Drawing notes for special
verdicts; he would state naked Circumstances of Facts only, and leave to the
Court to collect the Matter of Fact out of them; so that upon such Verdicts we
have had many tedious Debates about what the fact was. Whereas if that had been
found positively as it should be, there would have been no Need of a Special
Verdict. But against this I could never prevail. His greatest Excellence was his
Diligence and Industry."
When it is remembered that
this is the testimony of his greatest rival, the caustic statements become more
easily understood. Randolph went on to say "His reputation was such, that he was
universally courted, and most People thot themselves obliged to him, if he would
engage on their Side upon any Terms; that he really thought so himself. This gave
him great Opportunities of exacting excessive Fees, which I have heard he always
did, where the Value of the thing in Question would allow it."
In 1710, King and Queen County
elected him a member of the House of Burgesses, it not being required that a
member live in the County from which elected. He served until 1714. In 1720 York
County elected him to membership in the House, and office he was destined to hold
until ill health forced his resignation some four months before his death. He
represented Williamsburg from 1723-4. In 1727 he was elected from both York and
Williamsburg, but could represent only one, which he chose to be York.
On November 2, 1720, he was
elected Speaker of the House of Burgesses, which post he held for successive
sessions, with little or no opposition, until his resignation. What would not
the Holloways of York County give for his Speaker's gown and chair, which were
authorized to be bought by a special act in 1722?
He was also active in many
other civic and church activities. He was a Judge of Vice-Admiralty under Governor
Spottswood. He resigned in 1718 because of opposition to his sitting in the case
of one of the many pirates for whom he had served as counsel. In 1722 he was
named the first Mayor of Williamsburg. He was much interested in the development
of the town as is shown by numerous records of the occasions when he was one of
those appointed to supervise the Construction of Public Buildings.
He was a Vestryman of Bruton
Parish and gave one of the wings of the Church. His pew is still pointed out.
He was Treasurer of Virginia
from 1723-1734. His salary in this office was 4% of all money received.
In his later years he
developed a serious disability which seems not only to have affected his body,
but also his mind. This became more intense about ten months before his death,
which forced the House of Burgesses to accept his resignation because "through
the infirmity and weakness of his body and memory (he) is become incapable of
executing the said office". Naturally, in his condition he had been unable to
keep his books properly, or to see to the collection of moneys due the state.
It was found that his accounts were short 850 pounds, which he immediately made
good. The following month, that his disorder was due to the fatigue of settling
the tobacco inspectors accounts, the Council voted a gift of 100 ponds to be made
to him.
He was one of the large land
owners of the of early Virginia, owning land in nearly every County. Among his
holdings, besides his plantation in York, were his Williamsburg property in
James City County, 3000 acres in Nansemond (granted, 1726), and 1240 acres in
King William County.
Sometime after 1720, he
married Elizabeth Catesby Cocke, Widow of Dr. William Cocke and sister of Mark
Catesby, the naturalist. She is buried in Old St. Paul's Churchyard, Norfolk, Va.
John Holloway, who had been
the outstanding statesman of Virginia in the first quarter of the Eighteenth
Century despite the active opposition of some of the highest English officials,
died December 14, 1734, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. Despite the many who
have claimed descent from him, he died without issue.