James B. Holohan

Holohan was born in Watsonville, California to Richard and Catherine Lynch Holohah, both immigrants from Ireland. When he was a teenager, both of his parents died, and he raised his three brothers and his sister while taking care of the family's ranch. In 1892, he started work as an unpaid clerk of a district school board.

Holohan during his first term in 1909.

In 1904, Holohan ran for California State Assembly for the 54th district, but lost to George C. Cleveland.[1] Four years later, in 1908, he ran for California State Senate for the 29th district, defeating fellow Democrat Hall C. Ross with a plurality of the vote.[2] During his first term, he introduced Act 291, which adopted the Flag of California.[3] In 1912, he ran for U.S. House of Representatives, challenging incumbent Everis A. Hayes but losing in the election.[4][5] He retired after his first term to be appointed as United States Marshal of the Northern District of California on January 13, 1914, by President Woodrow Wilson.[6][7]

In 1936, after leaving his post as warden of San Quentin State Prison, he was drafted by supporters to run for State Senate again.[8] That year, he defeated incumbent Bert B. Snyder and served for a second term.[9] After serving the term, he retired once more in 1941.

In 1918, Holohan killed Ram Singh, who had entered a courtroom and began shooting a man named Ram Chandra.[10] In 1924, he retired as marshal and was appointed as Sheriff of Santa Cruz County a year later, winning a full term in 1926. On September 1, 1927, Governor C. C. Young appointed Holohan as the warden of the San Quentin State Prison, later being re-appointed by James Rolph. As warden, he oversaw 50 executions during his tenure and later led California to adopt the gas chamber as a method of execution, replacing the gallows, while a State Senator.[11]

In 1936, four convicts broke into Holohan's home where a meeting was taking place, beating up Holohan and taking four of the board members hostage.[12] That same year, he resigned due to ill health and the injuries sustained in the incident.[13] He was gifted a scroll signed by more than 5,000 prisoners wishing him well.[14]

Holohan married Adeline V. Fraiser in 1902, with the two having a daughter, Josephine Frasier Holohan, on August 17, 1903.[15] He died at his home in Watsonville on January 31, 1947.[16]

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• "Remembering "Big Jim" Holohan" by Betty Lewis