05/12/2026
The Brief Fairport Residency of a Wealthy European
By Bill Poray, Perinton Town Historian
There was excitement in the air in the spring of 1910, as word spread that a fabulously wealthy industrialist from Denmark had purchased the DeLand mansion at the prestigious corner of South Main and Church Streets. Fairport residents had learned that a handsome, well-dressed gentleman and his family from Denmark’s capital city of Copenhagen would soon live among them.
The enormous house had cost Henry and Sarah Parce DeLand a fortune to build in 1874 and 1875, and incorporated the finest materials imported from Europe. However, after 35 years and several owners, the house was in a sad state of disrepair. Victor Holmes had the paint stripped from the exterior brick, added new plumbing and heating systems, and redecorated most of the thirty or so rooms.
Holmes Was not Always Rich
Victor Holmes lived in Denmark from birth until about 23 years of age, at which time he, like so many others, sought a new life in America. He arrived in Jamestown, New York, in April of 1873, and was employed in a dry goods store for a few months, soon after joining a traveling firm of auctioneers. By 1875 Holmes moved to Union City, Erie County, Pennsylvania, where he met and soon married Francellia Crumb, although she commonly went by the name F***y. The couple, now with young children settled back in Jamestown, where Victor eked out a meager living as a sign painter. His annual income was the equivalent of about $21,000 today.
Paint Store Likely Leads to Zinc Business Connection
Over time the sign making business of Victor Holmes grew more successful, as customers began to recognize his artistic ability. His work included artfully rendered political election banners, signs, and other display pieces used in parades and other public venues. As recognition grew, so did his stature in the Jamestown community. Soon Holmes capitalized on a business opportunity, and in 1888 opened a successful paint store. In those years, zinc was a common ingredient in paints. This likely led to a business relationship with the New Jersey Zinc Company, and ultimately, his employment in Copenhagen as an importer of their products to Europe from 1896 to 1910. The result of this evolution in Holmes’ career was evidenced by the fortune he made over the next decade while living in Copenhagen. The Jamestown Evening Journal described this period of Holmes’ life:
“With his headquarters in the Danish capital, he became the representative of the New Jersey Zinc Company for a large section of Europe, the business assuming such proportions under his management that he soon became wealthy… as one of the leading business men of Copenhagen, his field embracing not only Denmark, but Sweden, Norway, Germany, Russia and other European countries.”
Victor and Francellia Holmes traveled extensively during these years, and as their fortune grew, the family’s Copenhagen villa became a storehouse of precious art treasures obtained from a number of countries. Late in 1909, Victor made the decision to retire from his business pursuits, and had plans to purchase a comfortable estate in Jamestown. When the deal fell through, his real estate agent suggested the former DeLand property in Fairport. From Rochester, they traveled by trolley to Fairport to inspect the large home, returned to the city, and quickly completed a deal.
A Grand Welcome for Holmes Family in Fairport
Excitement among local residents grew as the Holmes family arrived in the village of Fairport in August of 1910, and immediately began implementing substantial improvements to the former home of Henry and Sarah Parce DeLand. The exterior of the brick and stone mansion had been previously painted. Workers stripped the structure to its original brick and stone colors. Modern lighting, heating and plumbing systems were installed, and the multitude of rooms were redecorated. Much of the work was completed by Fairport men, Levi Warner and Clinton DeWitt. Both lived near the DeLand mansion on East Church Street. After the work was completed, Victor and Francellia brought a vast accumulation of their art and fine furnishings from Copenhagen to their new home. The mansion quickly became the site of parties and celebrations for those in Fairport’s elite social circle. They named their showplace Villa Rosenborg. The name was a tribute to Rosenborg Castle, a 15th century landmark in Victor’s native home, Copenhagen, Denmark. The castle remains one of Denmark’s greatest cultural attractions.
In the spring of 1911, workers began clearing the area behind the mansion for the installation of ornate gardens and a greenhouse. The Holmes gardens were considered to be among the finest in western New York, with a wide variety of roses, carnations, geraniums, and exotic orchids from around the world. To make room, an old barn on the property was dismantled and sold to a man who reused the lumber for a house he was building at 73 West Church Street.
In the fall of 1911 and again in the summer of 1912, the Holmes family set sail for Mediterranean ports. Throughout their travels, postcards received by the Fairport newspapers gave updates on exotic locales visited by the family, including the Madeira Islands, Gibraltar, Algiers, Naples, and several stops in Italy and France. One such postcard stated, “We are now at the French Riviera enjoying the beautiful climate in charming surroundings, and send you and other Fairport friends our kindest remembrances.” By autumn of 1912, they returned to their Fairport mansion but by November 62-year-old Victor Holmes was deathly ill. A team of physicians failed to revive the wealthy industrialist, and Fairport bid farewell to Victor Holmes after his short but memorable residency in the village.
The Final Years
Victor’s widow Francellia, and daughter Victoria continued to live in the home after his death. In December of 1913 a small wedding ceremony was celebrated, uniting Victoria Holmes, age 37, and Rochester architect John W. Vickery, age 42. The home was put on the market in 1920, with interested parties directed to contact Miss Lena L. Crumb, sister of Francellia. The price was $25,000, but there were no takers. On October 31, 1922, one year after the passing of Francellia Holmes, a large crowd gathered at Villa Rosenborg to attend an auction, in which the mansion and its furnishing were sold to the highest bidders. The home and grounds sold for $18,000, and was said to be worth several times the price. As a result of the auction, the fine furniture, paintings and possessions of the Holmes family were distributed to new owners across Monroe County and beyond.
By 1924 the property had sold again. The new owner had a vision, to create a hospitable establishment for guests, diners, and organizations in need of meeting space. On December 31, 1924, the Green Lantern opened for business in the former Villa Rosenborg, and before that, the home of Henry and Sarah Parce DeLand.
