John Whitcomb, I

John Whitcomb, immigrant WHITCOMB ancestor, was born in England and the name was originally Whetcombe.

He was long supposed to be the son of Symon Whetcombe, who was one of the original patentees of the old Massachusetts Bay Colony, but the publication of the will of John Whetcombe, of Sherbourne, Dorsetshire, England, proved in 1598, shows that Symon was then a minor, and that he could not have been the father of the American progenitor, who was born about 1588. Some authorities believe that the American John was brother of Symon, and the John Whetcombe mentioned in the will of Symon's father.

John Whitcomb settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and was a church member there in 1635; this and the birth of his youngest son Josiah in 1638, are the only events of his family life recorded during the years he spent in Dorchester. Later evidence shows him to have been well-to-do for the times, a man of intelligence and enterprise, much given to buying and selling land. In 1640 he removed to Scituate, where he owned land, one piece being a farm of one hundred and eight acres near the mouth of the North river, on the Marshfield side, and after 1646, when he became one of the Conihasset partners, he owned the lands which through that transaction became his share.

While in Scituate he was constable. He was admitted a freeman, June 3, 1652. In T644 he sold his farm on North river to Thomas Hicks; in 1654 he sold half his share in Conihasset lands to John Williams Jr., giving the other half to his son Robert. In the same year he removed to Lancaster, where he had bought a share two years before, when the town was laid out.

Not all his children accompanied him thither. Catherine remained and settled in Scituate; Robert remained in Scituate and settled in Boston. John Whitcomb and his son John are counted among the pioneer settlers of the town of Lancaster, originally the Nashaway Plantation. The homestead of John Sr. was on lot No. 33; John Jr. had lot No. 34. The present postoffice and bank building in Lancaster is on the original house lot. He died September 24, 1662. aged about seventy-four years. He married, in England, Frances , who made a will May 12, 1671, and died at Lancaster, May 17, 1671. The agreement of division of John Whitcomb's estate has the name spelled by his own children three different ways—Wetcomb, Whetcomb and Whitcomb, October 7, 1662.

Children:

1. Catherine, married, 1644, Rodolphus Ellmes, of Scituate.

2. James, born in England, settled in Boston; owned five acres of land opposite Boston Common, died in Boston, November 23, 1686; married (first) Rebecca ;(second) Elizabeth .

3. John, may have been the eldest son; was most closely associated in later life with his father: married, May 19, 1669, or 1671, died April 7, 1683, leaving wife Mary and two daughters.

4. Robert, mentioned below.

5. Jonathan, born about 1630 in England, settled in Lancaster and Wethersfield. 

6. Abigail.

7. Job. land surveyor at Lancaster, married, May 19, 1669, Mary ;settled at Wethersfield, Connecticut.

8. Josiah, born in Dorchester. 1638, married, January 4, 1664; Rebecca Waters.

(II) Robert, son of John Whitcomb, was born about 1623-25, doubtless in England. He removed to Scituate at the time his father went to Lancaster and perhaps lived in the family of his eldest sister, Catherine Ellmes.

In 1654 Robert received from his father a half interest in his Conihasset lands, and as he was not mentioned in his mother's will, nor in the division of his father's estate, he probably received his full share by deed. He was in sympathy with the Quakers, and his father and brothers were Puritans. There may have been some estrangement over religion. He settled at Beechwood in the "Beeches" at Scituate. The only record of the names of his children is found in the will of General James Cudworth, his father-in-law, who bequeathed to his four Whitcomb grandchildren.

Whitcomb married Mary Cudworth, born July 23, 1637, daughter of General James Cudworth. The Cud worths had become Friends and Whitcomb was married by the Quaker form, not then accepted as legal by the Puritan authorities and he was obliged to have a civil ceremony performed March 9. 1660.

Children: 1. Israel, born 1661-62. 2. Robert. 3. James, 1668, mentioned below. 4. Elizabeth, married, 1710, Daniel Lincoln, of Hingham.

(III) James, son of Robert Whitcomb, was born in 1668, died June 26, 1728. He removed from Scituate to Rochester, Massachusetts. He was a set-work cooper by trade. His will was dated September 22, 1727. He married, November 22, 1694, Mary Parker, born 1667-68, died November 30, 1729.

Children: 1. James, born May 31, 1695, died young. 2. Nathaniel (twin), August 19, 1697, mentioned below. 3. James (probably twin of Nathaniel). 4. Mary (twin), March 22, 1699-1700. 5. Joanna (twin). 6. Robert, mentioned in father's will. (IV) Nathaniel, son of James Whitcomb, was born in Rochester, August 19, 1697, died March 18, 1771, according to his gravestone at Hardwick, Massachusetts. He removed to Hardwick from Rochester about 1742 and cleared a farm. He became a prominent citizen and was selectman there in 1745-5253-58-59; assessor 1745-58-59. He married (first), January 21, 1722-23, Rosilla Coombs, who was said to be "half-French," who died March 8, 1737. He married (second), July 27, 1738, Phebe Blackman. Children of first wife: 1. Joanna, born June 6, 1725. 2. Mary, October 9, 1727. 3. Dorcas, March 8, 1729, died December 10, 1803. 4. Nathaniel, May 26, 1732. 5. Rosilla, February 9, 1733-34, married, September 2, 1752, Austin W. Brown, of Abington. 6. Asa, February 29, I735"3f>- 7- John, February 14, 1737, died young. 8. Lot, May 2, 1739, mentioned below. 9. Content, October 27, 1740, married, November 27,'1767, Solomon Bush, of Ware, Massachusetts.

(V) Lot, son of Nathaniel Whitcomb, was born in Rochester, Vermont, May 2, 1739. He was an early settler at Barnard, Vermont. On account of Indian attacks he and the other settlers had to leave their homes and he found refuge for a time at Harwick, Vermont, but later returned to his clearing and settled there. His wife used to say that for a time she was the handsomest woman in Barnard, because she was the only one there. He

(V) Lot, son of Nathaniel Whitcomb, was born in Rochester, Vermont, May 2, 1739. He was an early settler at Barnard, Vermont. On account of Indian attacks he and the other settlers had to leave their homes and he found refuge for a time at Harwick, Vermont, but later returned to his clearing and settled there. His wife used to say that for a time she was the handsomest woman in Barnard, because she was the only one there. He was a soldier in the revolution in 1776 in Captain Benjamin Wait's company, Major Huntington's Vermont Rangers. In 1778 he was on the committee of safety and correspondence. He married, December 9, 1762, Lydia Nye, of North Bridgewater, Massachusetts. She died February 22. 1831, at Stockbridge, Vermont. He died April 7, 1797. His epitaph: "Remember me as you pass by For once I was like you; For as I am so must you be And so prepare to follow me."

Children: 1. Betty, born September 28, 1763. 2. Mehitable, April 2, 1765, died April !3- l7&5- 3- Branch, November 17, 1768. 4. Paul, 1770, mentioned below. 5. Nathaniel, 1773. 6. Lot, baptized March 5, 1775. 7. Justus (twin), born March 5, 1779. 8. Lydia (twin), March 5, 1779, married Amos Huntington. 9. James, November 29, 1791. 10. Asa. (VI) Paul, son of Lot Whitcomb, was born in Barnard, Vermont, 1770, died January 25, 1813, at Stockbridge, Vermont. He was a farmer. He married Eunice Lamberton, who died March 22, 1843, aged sixty-nine years. Her second husband was Daniel Gay for whom the town of Gaysville. Vermont, was named. Children, born at Stockbridge: 1. Miriam, married Ira Fay and lived at Bakersfield, Vermont. 2. Paul, born July 19, 1800, died March 4, 1877. 3- James. 4. Reuben, mentioned below. 5. Sally, married Merrick Gay. 6. Benoni. 7. Eliza, April 1, 1836. (VII) Reuben, son of Paul Whitcomb, was born in Stockbridge, August 31, 1806, died at Gaysville, Vermont, September 12, 1891. He was a farmer at Gaysville, town of Stockbridge. He was a leading citizen of the town, was lister (assessor) and selectman and for twenty-six years an overseer of the poor. He married, April 28, 1828, Amanda < Abbott, born July 9, 1809, died July 10, 1900, daughter of Daniel and Eleanor (Blodgett) Abbott. In 1878 they celebrated their, golden wedding, a hundred or more friends and relatives taking part in the affair. Children, born at Stockbridge: 1. Amanda, born April 26, 1830, died April 12, 1832. 2. Mary, May 31, 1832, died July 3, 1849 3- Elbridge W., mentioned below. (VIII) Elbridge W., son of Reuben Whitcomb, was born in Stockbridge, Vermont, March 11, 1836. He settled on a farm near his father's, but afterward removed to Stockbridge. He was a Universalist in religion. He married (first) Sarah Post, of Rutland, who died in 1862, aged twenty-six years. He married (second), June 6. 1866, Julia Leonard, born at Stockbridge, February 17, 1841, daughter of Caleb and Mary (Farrington) Leonard. He is now living at Gaysville, and is superintendent of a large estate in that town. Child of first wife: 1. Kate S., born at Stockbridge, August 11, 1861, married Dr. Elihu Leroy Sawyer. (See Sawyer sketch). Children of second wife: 2. Mary Abbie, June 14. 1867. 3. Annie Amanda, July 4, 1869. 4. Caleb Leonard, November 30, 1873, died 1898. 5. Reuben James, April 15, 1877.

Source: Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the ..., Volume 3

edited by William Richard Cutter, William Frederick Adams