Richard, later known as Ricardo, was born on the Island of Gibraltar around 1872, most likely the son of a military family from England. According to family tradition, Richard became a US citizen sometime in the 1890s and, during the Spanish American War, went to the Philippines as part of Admiral George Dewey's Naval Forces. That he became a US citizen is corroborated by the fact that he gave his nationality as American when he registered with the military in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the passenger manifest of the voyage of US Army Transport US Grant from the Philippines to California in 1934, he listed himself as a subject of England. He also listed his occupation as a farmer.

Sources:

• "California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1957 Record for Richard Holan". Ancestry.com. http://ancstry.me/Kcirts. Date accessed: 06 May 2012.
• Nolan, Antonio. "Richard Fay Nolan & Dolores Alunan Lizares". http://bit.ly/JV9EKd. Date accessed: 06 May 2012.