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General Holbrook was born July 23, 1860 at Arkansas. He entered the Military Academy at West Point in 1881 and four years later was graduated as second lieutenant in the First United States Cavalry. He saw frontier service at Western and Mexican border posts of the Army. In 1891, he became aide de camp to General David S. Stanley, U.S.A. Mrs. Holbrook, whom General Holbrook married in 1902 was a daughter of General Stanley.
When the Spanish-American war began, he was sent to Cuba. Later as a Major in the Thirty-eighth United States infantry, he took part in quelling the Philippine insurrection. During 1901 and 1902, he was Civil Governor of the province of Antique Panay in the Philippines.
After the United States entered the World War, General Holbrook, then a Colonel of Cavalry, was promoted to Brigadier General and first command the 165th Infantry Brigade at Camp Sherman, Ohio. He was promoted to Major General April 16, 1918 and placed in command of the Army's Southern department and in charge of the Mexican border. Assigned to command the the Ninth Division on Sept. 26, 1918, he was preparing his command for over seas duty when the armistice was signed. When the division was demobilized in February, 1919, General Holbrook was placed in command of the Camp Grant demobilization center in Illinois.
General Holbrook received the Distinguished Service Medal for his firmness and tact in handling a threatening situation on the Mexican border while he was in command of the Southern Department during the World War, thereby materially improving relations between the United States and Mexico.
He was survived by his son Lieutenant W.A. Holbrook Jr., stationed at Fort Mammouth, New Jersey, three brothers, General Lucius R. Holbrook, U.S.A.,; Dr. J.S. Holbrook, Mankato, Minnesota and B.F. Holbrook, Conrath; and four sisters, Mrs. C.K. Averill and Mrs. J.W. Barber, Menomonie; Mrs. William Van Alst, Williston, North Dakota, and Mrs. George M. Galloway, Hood River, Oregon His first wife, the former, Miss Josephine Stanley, who died some years ago.
Funeral services were held at the chapel of Walter Reed hospital July 20 at 2 p.m., Colonel Julian E. Yates Chief of Chaplains officiating. Internment was at Arlington cemetery with full military honors.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/waholbrook.htm
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