E. Burton Holmes, who is well known to the American public through his
lectures on foreign countries, was born in Chicago, January 8, 1870.
He is the son of Ira and Virginia (Burton) Holmes. Educated at first
in the Allen academy, and subsequently in the Harvard school, Chicago,
he, not long after his graduation, began to evince that uncontrollable
desire to see the world which is innate in the breast of the born
explorer. Notwithstanding that he is still a comparatively young man,
Mr. Holmes has managed, since he attained his majority, to visit Japan,
Algeria, Corsica, Greece and Thessaly. He has also taken part in an
expedition sent under the auspices of a scientific organization to
Fez, Morocco. All of the continental countries of Europe are known to
him, as are the Hawaiian Islands, the Philippine Islands and China. He
has visited the Yellowstone Park and the Grand Canyon of the Colorado
river. His first appearance on the lecture platform was in 1890, and
since then he has appeared in nearly all of the American cities. Mr.
Holmes has graphic powers of description, which explains the popularity
of his addresses. His lectures have been published in book form.