"My Great grandfather went by the name James or
Jim, using his middle name. He was born 1853 in Indiana and came to
Minnesota as a young boy in 1857 with his father Samuel Holes. They
originally lived in what is now Kandiyohi County. During the 1862 Sioux
Indian Uprising they moved to St. Cloud where Samuel Holes helped design and
build what was known as Fort Holes. Fortunately it was never needed as the
Sioux never made it to St. Cloud.
"After the
Sioux uprising they stayed in St. Cloud. William James Holes and his brother
George Otis Holes owned and operated a granite quarry (actually several) and
the name of their company was Holes Bros. Granite. They were very
successful.
"Some time
in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s (I do not know for sure) William James
Holes built his cabin at Ten Mile Lake spending his summers there. I have
spoken to several first and second cousins to my Dad, William Holes, who
remember spending time at the cabin in their youth. They are all in their
late 70’s and early 80’s.
"My Dad’s first cousin, Patricia Mooney, who I
have spoken to also remembers going to the Ten Mile Lake cabin as a little
girl.
"My dad’s brother James Holes, who died in
2002, was rescued by the family dog Buddy when he was a toddler. He
apparently wandered off the dock and fell into the lake and Buddy the dog
ran down the dock and jumped into the lake dragging him to shore. He was
born in 1931 so this would have occurred in the early to mid 1930’s. This is
per my Aunt Virginia (Dadie) who saw it happen.
"I’ve also attached a
very small family tree (3 generations) showing the descendents of my
Great Grandfather to help keep the names straight.
"The only thing I
know about the location of the old cabin is the following: The property was
on Bush's Point on Long Bay of Ten Mile Lake. The tract was in Lot 2 of
Section 31, Twp 141 N., of Range 30W. I got this information from a
researcher in your county.
"I myself grew up in St. Cloud and probably
even drove right by the property off of Hwy 371 20 or 30 years ago never
knowing of its existence. Unfortunately I live in the Chicago area now and
care for my Dad who has Alzheimer’s so it is unlikely I’ll be visiting your
area soon.
"Thanks for any help you can supply, though I
am not holding my breath as this was so long ago and the cabin is probably
gone or in disrepair."
