• In 1860, recorded as residing in Galesburg, Knox, IL.

• Middle name has been recorded as "E." as well

• For his first nine year of age, he knew no other teacher but his mother.  He then spent three years in the public school of Galesburg, this completing his preparation for admission to Knox College, Galesburg.

• He graduated with honors, A. B., class of 1871 (some records say 1881), delivering the philosophical oration. 

• He then took courses in the theology at Hamilton Seminary, a department of Colgate University, and was ordained a clergyman of the Baptist church, in September, 1884. 

• In the latter year he received the degree of Master of Arts from Knox College, and the same year he accepted a call from the Baptist church of Pittsfield, Mass., this being his first pastorate, although while at Hamilton as a theological student, he had filled the pulpit at Bainbridge, N. Y. 

• He remained at Pittsfield for three years, then, accepting a call from Friendship Street Baptist Church, of Providence, R. I., he came there in May, 1887.  This church is now Calvary Baptist Church, but there has been no change in the pastoral head, Dr. Holyoke still remaining with the congregation to which he came thirty-one years ago, a young, enthusiastic pastor. 

• Post-graduate work Brown U., 1890-1893, Doctor of Divinity, 1918.

• Enthusiasm has given way to earnest, settled purpose and mature judgement, which render him valuable in counsel and leadership.  He is an eloquent, pleasing orator, greatly in demand, and in addition to safely guiding his own church to great heights of Christian usefulness, has labored abundantly in behalf of the church at large.  A new chapel was dedicated at Calvary, in 1897, the new temple in 1907, and at no time has the spiritual or material welfare of the church faltered.

• Outside of Calvary Church, Dr. Holyoke has actively aided in those State movements which are a part of the history of the Baptist church.  He is a past president of the Rhode Island Society of Christian Endeavor; past president of the Rhode Island Baptist Educational Society; member of the board of administration of both the foregoing societies for many years; president of the Rhode Island Sunday School Association; and for two terms, member of the educational committee; past vice-president and secretary of the Rhode Island Federation of Churches, also chairman of the committee on Comity for several years; and chairman of the committee on Union of Baptist and Free Baptist demominations in Rhode Island, a committee which saw its labors crowned with success, when in 1916, the two branches of practically the same faith united.  He is a member of the Baptist Theological Club, has been visitor to Brown University in the philosophical department for fifteen years; and bore a still heavier share of official responsibility than the foregoing indicates.  In 1904, Colgate conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1918, Brown University conferred the same degree.

• Official records lists his birth in 1858 ... but family records indicate it was 1848.

• Listed as living in Providence, RI in 1927.

• In 1931 received an Honary Degree from Knox College … for his 44 years as lecturer at Colgate and Newton Theological Seminaries. Knox College awarded its first honorary doctorate to Abraham Lincoln in 1860.

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• Some records list her as “Martha Douglas“, Martha Douglass” or as “Martha Sage Douglas” … apparently she was later adopted by Rev. J. S. Douglas … unsure if her mother had remarried.