A Holman Legacy: The Story of Handy Holman, Jr.
The Holman name carries sig- nificant history in Fayette Coun - ty, Texas, most notably through Holman Valley, located in the southeastern part of the county. The area is etched into the ear - ly story of Texas itself: in 1836, during the Texas Revolution, General Sam Houston and his army passed through the area, crossing the Colorado River at the nearby homestead of Jesse Burnam. In the years that followed, the land gave rise to a small but vi - brant rural community named after one of its early settlers, John Holman, a plantation own -
er whose legacy, like so many of that era, was rooted in both op - portunity and enslavement.
In the decades after the Texas Revolution, the Holman com - munity became home to a vari - ety of ethnic groups-including German, Czech, and African American families-who lived, worked, and worshipped in the same countryside. Among these families was a Black family who, whether by lineage, custom, or circumstance, carried the same surname as the man whose plantation once dom - inated the area: Holman.
It was into this complex legacy that Handy Holman, Jr. was born. Handy Holman, Jr., entered the world in Holman, Texas, on Oc - tober 15, 1893. He was the son of Handy Holman, Sr., and Queen Holman. Although an official birth cer -
tificate was not located, federal census records and military doc - uments provide substantial evi -
dence of his life and legacy.
By 1900, the Holman family was enumerated in the unincor - porated Fayette County commu - nity of Holman. Handy's father was working in agriculture as a farmer. His parents, though un - able to read or write, supported a household where education was clearly valued. Handy's old - er sisters-Saddie, Carrie, and Bessie-could read and write, and they were attending school. His brother David was enrolled alongside them. Handy, at age six, was not yet in school, likely due to his age.
The 1910 census showed the Holmans still living in the Holman area. Sixteen-year-old Handy was working on the fam -
ily farm as a wage earner for his father, who was listed as the em - ployer. Their residence was de - scribed as near La Grange–Wei - mar Valley Road (present-day FM 155).
On November 25, 1914, Handy Holman married Martha Hill in Fayette County. The couple like - ly remained in the Holman area, continuing the family tradition of farming and rural community life.
When the United States en - tered World War I, Handy an - swered the call. He registered for the draft on June 5, 1917, listing himself as a self-employed farm - er in Holman, Texas. His regis - tration card described him as a man of medium height and stout build, with dark eyes, black hair, a stiff arm, and noted that he was married. Handy signed his regis - tration card, which confirmed his literacy.
On July 19, 1918, Handy Hol -
man formally enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was active and assigned to the 15th Company, 165th Depot Brigade-a unit re - sponsible for processing, equip - ping, and training recruits before deployment. He most likely served with the brigade at Camp Travis in San Antonio, a common staging loca - tion during the war. Following the Armistice on November 11, 1918, he was hon -
orably discharged on November 29, 1918-a reflection of the rap - id demobilization after the war's end.
After returning home, Handy resumed life in Fayette County. He continued farming and stayed connected to his local communi -
ty.
On June 27, 1950, Handy Hol - man passed away from liver and stomach cancer after a 40-day hospitalization at the Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center in Tem - ple, Texas. He was 56 years old.
In 1953, a government-issued headstone was ordered to mark Handy's grave. His nephew, Na -
poleon Wilson, applied for the stone, and his sister, Bessie Hol -
man Sanders, signed to ensure its placement in the Holman Cem - etery. The application was pro - cessed on July 16, 1953, and the stone was shipped on October 1, 1953.
Today, that stone lies over -
turned but still visible in the Holman Cemetery-a quiet, en - during testament to a man whose life, labor, and service were rooted in the land of his birth. Though he lived humbly, Handy Holman, Jr.'s story is part of Fay -
ette County's legacy-a reminder that ordinary lives often carry ex -
traordinary weight.
Sources: Holman Cemetery Tombstone, Holman, Fayette County, Texas.
United States, Census, 1900 and 1910 Holman Steakhouse History of restaurant County Clerk Marriage filed United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 19171918, Headstone Application for Military Veterans Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 Handy Holman Death Certificate
