Generation 1

JOHN WHITCOMB (d. 1662) of Scituate and Lancaster

Parents: Unknown

John Whitcomb, Sr. died on 24 (7) 1662 in Lancaster. [Ref] He married Frances Cogan on 26 Nov 1623 in St. Mary's Parish, Taunton, co. Somerset. [Ref]. Frances Whitcomb died in Lancaster on 17 (3) 1671. [Ref][Ref]

John was in Dorchester in 1635. [Ref] He is in the Scituate section of the 1643 list of those between 16 and 60 able to bear arms in Plymouth Colony. [Ref] He was one of the Conihassett Partners of Scituate.

John and his son John were early inhabitants of Lancaster, they signed the town covenant on 20 (9) 1652. [Ref] After the original division of land in Lancaster, further divisions were contingent on estate size. In 1654 estates were valued and John's - at about £241 - was the nineth largest of the 30 eligible inhabitants; his son John's - at about £29 - was the third smallest. [Ref] He was given about nine acres of meadow in 1654; his son John was given about an acre. [Ref] At a town meeting on 1 (9) 1654 it was agreed to limit the town to 35 families and 25 men were listed as townsman, two of whom were John and his son John. [Ref]

John had a dispute with Stephen Gates. Three of John's sons killed Stephen Gates' three swine. On 2 Apr 1658 John agreed to pay 45 s. in damages. Stephen, however, accused John and his sons of theft. Angry at this charge, John complained that it was only "through age and weakness" that had agreed to the compensation and asked the court to reconsider the matter. The court refused. [Ref] On Mar 1675/6, John, his son John and Job Whitcomb were some of the inhabitants of Lancaster who petitioned the government for assistance. [Ref]

He received the 26th lot in the second division of meadow on 5 Feb 1659; his son John received the 15th lot. [Ref]

John died intestate; his homelot in Lancaster was divided equally between John, Jr. and Jonathan. [Ref]

Children of John Whitcomb and Frances Cogan:

1. John Whitcomb died on 6 Apr 1683 in Lancaster. [Ref] He married Mary Unknown on 19 May 1669 in Lancaster. [Ref] A John Whitcomb also married Mary Unknown on 16 (1) 1670/1. [Ref][Ref] He died on 6 Apr 1683 in Lancaster. [Ref] Mary may be the Mary Whitcomb who married John Moor of Lancaster on 23 Aug 1683.[Ref] John was one of 11 Lancaster men who petitioned the General Court in (probably) 1654 for Lancaster to have a similar governance to other towns and requested that the Court appoint a man or men to lay out town boundaries. [Ref] The inquest into John's death found that he drowned in the while he and his brother Jonathan were attempting to bring hay across the river. [Ref][Ref says that he drowned in the Nashua River.]
2. Jonathan Whitcomb died before 25 Feb 1691, when inventory was taken on his estate. [Ref] He married Hannah Unknown on 25 Nov 1667 in Lancaster. [Ref] His widow Hannah was killed on 18 Jul 1692 in an Indian attack on Lancaster. [Ref] She appears to have been staying with Peter Joslin's family; Peter's wife Sarah and son Peter were killed as well. [Ref]
3. Job Whitcomb did not return after the resettlement of Lancaster, but followed Rev. Joseph Rowlandson to Wethersfield. [Ref]
4. Josiah Whicomb died on 12 Apr 1718. He married Rebecca Waters
5. Robert Whitcomb married Mary Cudworth.
6. Catherine ("Catern") Whitcomb married Rodolphus Elmes on 25 Nov 1644 in Scituate, MA. [Ref]
7. Abigail Whitcomb [Ref]
8. Mary Whitcomb. [Ref]

Generation 2

JOSIAH WHITCOMB (d. 1718) of Lancaster

Parents: John Whitcomb and Frances Cogan

Josiah Whitcomb died on 12 Apr 1718. [Ref] He married Rebecca Waters on 4 (11) 1664 in Lancaster. [Ref] In 1688 he was paid 20 shillings for killing a wolf in Lancaster. [Ref] On 20 Apr 1704 he commanded a garrison in Lancaster; also included in the garrison were his sons Josiah, David and Hezekiah. [Ref]

Josiah lived in southeast Lancaster in what is now Bolton. [Ref]

Children of Josiah Whitcomb:

1. Josiah Whitcomb was born and died on 12 (9) 1665 in Lancaster. [Ref]
2. Josiah Whitcomb was born on 7 (11) 1666 in Lancaster. [Ref][Ref]
3. David Whitcomb was born on 20 Feb 1668 in Lancaster. [Ref] He died on 11 Apr 1730. His tombstone in Lancaster says, 'Here Lyes Buried / ye Body of Mr / DAVID WHITCOMB / who Died April / 11th 1730 in ye 62d / Year of His Age'. [Ref] He married Mary Unknown. According to her tombstone in Lancaster, she died on 5 Jan 1733/4 at age 67. [Ref]
4. Rebecca Whitcomb was born on 12 (9) 1671 in Lancaster. [Ref]
5. Johanna Whitcomb was born on 8 (1) 1673/4 in Lancaster. [Ref]
6. Mary Whitcomb [Ref]
7. Damaris Whitcomb [Ref]
8. Abigail Whitcomb [Ref]
9. Hezekiah Whitcomb was born on 14 Sep 1681 in Lancaster. He married Hannah Unknown.
10. Deborah Whitcomb was born on 26 Dec 1683 in Lancaster. [Ref]

ROBERT WHITCOMB of Scituate

Parents: John Whitcomb and Frances Cogan

Robert Whitcomb married Mary Cudworth. Robert and Mary were fined in Scituate for marrying as Quakers.

Robert settled in Scituate. [Ref]

Children of Robert Whitcomb and Mary Cudworth:

1. James Whitcomb was born in 1668 in Scituate. He died on 26 Jun 1728 in Rochester. He married Mary Parker.

Generation 3

HEZEKIAH WHITCOMB (1681 - by 1732) of Bolton

Parent: Josiah Whitcomb and Rebecca Waters

Hezekiah Whitcomb was born on 14 Sep 1681 in Lancaster. [Ref][Ref says son of Joseph and Rebecca.] He died before 20 Jun 1732 when administration of estate was granted to Hannah and his eldest son Hezekiah. [Ref] He married Hannah Unknown.

Hezekiah sold land in Littleton (then Groton) on 17 Jun 1708. [Ref] He lived in that part of Lancaster that became Bolton. [Ref]

Children of Hezekiah Whitcomb:

1. Hezekiah Whitcomb was born on 22 Dec 1707 in Groton. [Ref] He died, probably of illness, at the reduction of Montreal on 8 Sep 1755. [Ref] He married Rachel Priest on 3 Apr 1729 in Lancaster. [Ref]
   Hezekiah was a quartermaster in Capt. Wilder's company in 1748. [Ref]
   
2. William Whitcomb was baptised on 24 Sep 1710. [Ref] He married Hepsibah Sawyer on 25 Feb 1729 or 1730. [Ref]
3. Hannah Whitcomb was baptised on 30 May 1713. [Ref] She married William Sawyer on 25 Aug 1732. [Ref]
4. Israel Whitcomb was baptised on 22 Apr 1716. He married Azubah Houghton.
5. Betty Whitcomb was baptised on 1 Jun 1718. [Ref]
6. Sarah Whitcomb was baptised on 26 Mar 1720 or 1721. [Ref]
7. Eleazer Whitcomb was baptised on 18 Oct 1724. [Ref]
8. Dinah Whitcomb was baptised on 9 Jan 1727 or 1728. [Ref]

JAMES WHITCOMB (1668-1728) of Scituate and Rochester

Parents: Robert Whitcomb and Mary Cudworth

James Whitcomb was born in 1668 in Scituate.[Ref][Ref] He died on 26 Jun 1728, age 60, in Rochester. [Ref][Ref] He married Mary Parker on 22 Nov 1694 in Scituate. [Ref][Ref][Ref] Mary Parker was born about 1667. She died on 30 Nov 1729, aged 62. [Ref][Ref]

James was a set-work cooper. [Ref][Ref] He moved from Scituate from Rochester. [Ref]

Children of James Whitcomb:

1. James Whitcomb was born on 31 Aug 1695 [Ref][Ref] in Scituate. [Ref] He died on 22 Oct 1696 in Scituate. [Ref]
2. Nathaniel Whitcomb (twin) was born on 19 Aug 1697. He died on 18 Mar 1779 in Hardwick. He married first Rosella Coombs. He married second Phebe Blackman.
3. James Whitcomb (twin) was born on 21 Aug 1697 [Ref][Ref] in Scituate. [Ref] Nathaniel and James were twins, but the records show them born two days apart. [Ref] He died between 30 Aug and 16 Dec 1763. [Ref] James married first Mercy, the daughter of Dea. Samuel Winslow of Rochester, on 15 Aug 1721. [Ref] She died on 20 Sep 1726, age 21. [Ref] He married second Joanna, daughter of William Spooner of Dartmouth, on 12 Jul 1727. [Ref] He married third Mercy, the daughter of Capt. Josiah Winslow of Freetown, after 15 Nov 1728, when they published their intention. [Ref] She died on 20 Apr 1729, age 28. [Ref] He married fourth Sarah, the daughter of Maj. Edward Winslow of Rochester and widow of Thomas Lincoln, on 31 May 1731. [Ref] She was living on 28 Feb 1771. [Ref] James and Sarah had nine children. [Ref]
   James owned land in Hardwick and appears to have lived there a short time. [Ref] He moved to Western (now Warren) about 1743. [Ref]
4. Mary Whitcomb (twin) was born on 22 Mar 1699/1700 [Ref] in Scituate. [Ref] She married Unknown Davis. [Ref][Ref]
5. Joanna Whitcomb (twin) was born on 22 Mar 1699/1700 [Ref] in Scituate. [Ref] She married Robert Chapman. [Ref][Ref]
6. Robert Whitcomb married Joanna Lawrence on 13 Jan 1731/2. [Ref]

Generation 4

ISRAEL WHITCOMB of Bolton (bp. 1716 - by 1795)

Parents: Hezekiah Whitcomb and Hannah Unknown

Israel Whitcomb was baptised on 22 Apr 1716. [Ref] He died before 26 May 1795, when his will was probated. [Ref] He married Azubah Houghton of Bolton on 8 May 1738 [Ref] in Lancaster. [Ref]

Israel Whitcomb of Bolton was one of the men in Capt. Ephraim Wilder's company who pursued the Indians after an attack on Lancaster on 5 Jul 1748. [Ref]

Children of Israel Whitcomb:

1. William Whitcomb was born on 7 Sept 1738. [!] [Ref]
2. William Whitcomb was born on 6 Sep 1741 [Ref] in Bolton. [Ref] He married first Lucy Merriam on 13 Dec 1769 [Ref says 1768] in Bolton. [Ref] She died on 12 Sep 1773, age 24 or 25, in Bolton. [Ref] William married second Sarah Sawyer on 19 Jun 1777. [Ref] He lived in Harvard. [Ref]
3. Betty Whitcomb was born on 23 Apr 1744 in Bolton. [Ref] She may be the Betty Whitcomb who married Abel Moore on 11 Jan 1764 in Bolton or the Betty Whitcomb who married Jeams Flood on 15 May 1764 in Bolton. [Ref]
4. Capt. Israel Whitcomb was born on 16 Jul 1746 in Bolton. [Ref] He died on 4 Nov 1804 in Fitzwilliam, NH; he death was the result of being kicked by a horse. [Ref] He married Eunice Wilson on 28 Nov 1775. [Ref] She died in 1812. [Ref] Israel moved to Templeton and then to Winchenden, MA, where he was a prominent citizen. [Ref]
5. Jonathan Whitcomb was born on 27 Apr 1749 in Bolton. He died in 1822. He married Relief Fyfe.
6. Ephraim Whitcomb was born on 22 Jul 1751 in Bolton. [Ref] He married Sarah Longley on 14 Jan 1777. [Ref] He was a Revolutionary War pensioner. He enlisted in 1781 to serve three years but was discharged early because of the end of the war. His honorable discharge in signed by George Washington. [Ref]
7. Rufus Whitcomb was born on 26 Feb 1754 in Bolton. [Ref]
8. Abigail Whitcomb was born on 13 Jun 1756 in Bolton. [Ref] She married Gardner Moore on 23 Jul 1778 in Bolton. [Ref]
9. Azubah Whitcomb was born on 20 Jan 1760 in Bolton. [Ref] She married John Whitcomb, Jr. on 31 May 1780 in Bolton. [Ref]
10. Sarah Whitcomb [Ref]

NATHANIEL WHITCOMB (1697 - 1772) of Hardwick and Rochester

Parents: James Whitcomb and Mary Parker

Nathaniel Whitcomb was born on 19 Aug 1697 in Scituate. [Ref] He died on 18 Mar 1772, age 74 in Hardwick. [Ref] He married first Rosella Coombs on 21 Jan 1722/3. [Ref][Ref] He married second Phebe Blackman on 27 Jul 1738. [Ref][Ref]

Nathaniel was a cooper. [Ref] He moved from Rochester to Hardwick in about 1742. [Ref] He was a selectman for about five years between 1745 and 1759. [Ref] He was an assessor for three years. [Ref]

Children of Nathaniel Whitcomb and Rosella Coombs:

1. Joanna Whitcomb was born on 6 Jun 1725. [Ref][Ref] She married Silas Deane on 13 Sep 1744 in Hardwick. [Ref][Ref]
2. Mary Whitcomb was born on 9 Oct 1727. [Ref][Ref] She died on 9 May 1822. [Ref][Ref] She married first Paul Dean on 4 Dec 1745 in Hardwick. [Ref][Ref] She married second Dea. Daniel Spooner on 16 Oct 1780. [Ref]
3. Dorcas Whitcomb was born on 8 Mar 1729/30 in Rochester. She died on 10 Dec 1803, age 73. She married Solomon Aikens.
4. Nathaniel Whitcomb was born on 26 May 1732. [Ref] He married first Margaret, the sister of Solomon Aikens, on 19 Jun 1755. [Ref] He married second the widow Mary Freeman on 17 Oct 1779. [Ref] Nathaniel, his brother Asa, his brother in law Solomon Aikens and his wife's brother-in-law James Bacon went on the Crown Point Expedition 20 Sep - 5 Dec 1756 from Hardwick. [Ref]
5. Rosella Whitcomb was born on 19 Feb 1733/4. [Ref] She died on 29 Oct 1807. [Ref] She married first George Paige on 4 Jun 1752. [Ref] She married second Capt. William Breckinridge of Ware on 17 Mar 1790. [Ref]
6. Asa Whitcomb was born on 29 Feb 1735/6. [Ref] He died on 31 Mar 1812, age 76. [Ref] He married Joanna, the daughter of Benjamin Raymond of Rochester, on 15 Mar 1759. [Ref] (int. 18 Feb 1759 [Ref]) They had three sons and two daughters born between 22 Jul 1760 and 11 Jul 1773 in Hardwick. [Ref]
   Asa was the principal leader in the settlement of Barnard, Vermont. [Ref] He was the agent of the proprietors for the sale of the land and convinced many of his relatives and neighbours to move there. [Ref] He was Selectman in 1778 and the first Justice of the Peace in 1778. [Ref] He was the Representative in 1779. [Ref] His headstone says, "he was one of the framers of the Constitution of this State, one of the first settlers of this town, and a main pillar of its infant settlement; and during the struggle for independence was a firm supporter of the cause of his country." [Ref]
7. John Whitcomb was born on 14 Feb 1737/8 and probably died young. [Ref]
8. Lot Whitcomb was born on 2 May 1739. [Ref] He married first Lydia Nye of New Braintree on 9 Dec 1762 in New Braintree. He married second Elizabeth Unknown. [Ref] Lot moved to Barnard with his brother Asa in the spring of 1775. [Ref]
9. Content Whitcomb was born on 27 Oct 1740. [Ref] She married Solomon Bush of Ware on 27 Nov 1766 in Hardwick. [Ref]
10. Moses Whitcomb married Sarah Powers on 4 Nov 1762 in Hardwick. [Ref] They had five sons and one daughter in Hardwick. [Ref] (possible son?)

Children of Nathaniel Whitcomb and Phebe Blackman:

1. John Whitcomb was born on 26 Jun 1743 in Hardwick. [Ref]

Generation 5

JONATHAN WHITCOMB (1749 - 1822) of Bolton, Templeton and Florida

Parents: Israel Whitcomb and Azubah Houghton

Jonathan Whitcomb was born on 27 Apr 1749 in Bolton. [Ref] He died in 1822. [Ref] He married Relief Fyfe [Ref] on 1 Jun 1773 [Ref] in Bolton. [Ref] They had ten children. [Ref]

Jonathan was a carpenter and a miller; he was lame. [Ref]

Jonathan moved to Templeton and then to Florida. [Ref] He was one of the first selectman of Florida. [Ref]

Children of Jonathan Whitcomb and Relief Fyfe:

1. Releaf Whitcomb was born on 4 Jan 1774 in Bolton. [Ref]
2. Jonathan Whitcomb [Ref] married a daughter of Samuel Whitcomb. [Ref] He lived in Canada and Leon, NY. [Ref]
3. Sarah Whitcomb was born on 15 Mar 1783 in Templeton. She was baptised on 3 Sep 1786 in Templeton. She married Jeremy Slocum.
4. Patience Whitcomb was baptised on 3 Jun 1787 in Templeton. [Ref] She married Silas Osgood. [Ref]
5. Polly Whitcomb was baptised on 21 Jun 1789 in Templeton. [Ref] She married Stephen Townsend. [Ref]

DORCAS WHITCOMB (1730-1803)

Parents: Nathaniel Whitcomb and Rosella Coombs

Dorcas Whitcomb was born on 8 Mar 1729/30 in Rochester. [Ref][Ref][Ref][Ref says 8 Feb and provides the location] She died on 10 Dec 1803, age 73. [Ref][Ref] She married Solomon Aikens on 8 Feb 1749/50 in Hardwick. [Ref][Ref]

Generation 6

SARAH ("SALLY") WHITCOMB (b. 1783)

Parents: Jonathan Whitcomb and Relief Fyfe.

Sarah Whitcomb was born on 15 Mar 1783 in Templeton. [Ref] She was baptised on 3 Sep 1786 in Templeton. [Ref] She married Jeremy Slocum [Ref] on 20 Feb 1809 in Templeton. [Ref]

References

Family Genealogies

Whitcomb, Charlotte, The Whitcomb Family in America: A biographical genealogy with a chapter on our English forbears "by the name of Whetcombe", Minneapolis, C. Whitcomb?, c1904.

Local Histories

Nourse, Henry S., The Military Annals of Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1740-1865: including lists of soldiers serving in the colonial and revolutionary wars for the Lancastrian towns, Berlin, Bolton, Harvard, Leominster, and Sterling, Lancaster, unknown, 1889.

Paige, Lucius R., History of Hardwick, Massachusetts: with a genealogical register, Boston, Houghton-Mifflen, 1990. Online: Ancestry.com.

Military Records

Editors, "Men of Lancaster Lost at the Reduction of Montreal," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 22, 1868, 282.

Massachusetts Soldiers in the Colonial Wars. Online database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2002.

Personal Records

Letter from Erasmus Darwin Barnes, son of Asahel Richardson Barnes and Mary Whitcomb Slocum, to his niece Stella Cramer Aikens.

Vital Records

Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850. Online Database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2007.

Nourse, Henry S., The Birth, Marriage, and Death Register, Church Records and Epitaphs of Lancaster, Massachusetts: 1643-1850, Clinton, MA., W. J. Coulter, 1890.

Vital Records of Hardwick, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850, Boston, unknown, 1917. Online: Ancestry.com.

Ward, Andrew, "Lancaster Records," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 16, 1862, 352-359; 17, 1863, 70-.

W. H. W., "Early Marriages and Births in Scituate, Mass. Prior to 1700," New England Historical and Genealogical Society 18, 1864, 285-287.; 19, 1865, 219-221.