Thomas HOLCOMBE

Abt 1609 - 1657  (~ 48 years)

• Name	Thomas HOLCOMBE
  Birth	Abt 1609  [1]
  	Origin unknown
  Gender	Male
  Immigration	1633	Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts   [1]
  Death	7 Sep 1657	Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut   [2]
  Notes	For a definitive account of Thomas Holcombe and the first few generations of his descent, see especially McCracken G.E. [TAG 26:109-110; 44:58-60; 57:65-76, 160-169, 225-229]. "The same author has written two brief articles on the fraudulent claim of ancestry for Thomas Holcombe and on the inaccurate tombstone erected in his memory [TAG 26:109-10, 44:58-60]. From The Great Migration Begins, Vol. 2, pp. 964-967: "THOMAS HOLCOMBE ORIGIN: Unknown MIGRATION: 1633 FIRST RESIDENCE: Dorchester REMOVES: Windsor 1635 CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Admission to Dorchester church prior to 14 May 1634 implied by freemanship. FREEMAN: 14 May 1634 [ MBCR 1:369]. EDUCATION: His inventory included "books, tables, dishes and other things" valued at £2 6s. OFFICES: Connecticut jury, September 1654 (as "Tho: Hoakam") [ RPCC 130]. ESTATE: Granted an eight acre Great Lot at Dorchester, 1 December 1634 [ DTR 9]; granted Lot #65, three acres, in the meadow beyond Naponset [ DTR 321]; on 12 August 1635 Thomas Holcombe of Dorchester sold to Richard Joanes of Dorchester four parcels of land: four acres "with my houses and all things thereto pertaining"; eight acres in Great Lots; six acres meadow on this side Naponset; and three acres meadow on the other side Naponset [ DTR 12]. The Windsor land inventory on 25 December 1640 states that "Thomas Holcom his former grants sold to Josyas Hull, William [illegible] and George Phelps." He had then granted "by virtue of purchase at Paquannick for an homelot with meadow adjoining twenty acres," also adjoining "four acres and half more or less," also on the west side of the brook before his house "twenty-five acres more or less," also by purchase from Henry Clarke "twenty-five acres with upland adjoining sixty-eight acres more or less" [ WiLR 1:30]. On 7 February 1655[/6] Thomas Holcombe had twelve acres of woodland bounded out to him [ WiLR 1:30]. On 4 March 1655[/6] he had ten acres of woodland bounded out [ WiLR 1:30]. The inventory of the estate of "Thomas Holcom of Windsor" was taken 1 October 1657 and totalled £294 10s., of which £95 10s. was real estate: "eleven acres in home lot with housing and orchard," £50; "four acres and a half adjoining to the home lot," £6; "ten acres and a half of meadow," £10 10s.; "in the fourth meadow twelve acres," £15; "twenty-five acres of woodland over the brook against the house," £3; "forty-eight acres of woodland," £7 10s.; "ten acres of woodland," 10s.; and "his part in that called Tinker's Farm, eighty acres and a barn," £3 [ Hartford PD Case #2774]. He also owned two swords. To the inventory was appended the following list: The related that survive the abovesaid deceased are The relict Elissabeth his widow Sons 1 Josuay the eldest of age 17 years 2 Benaiah the second of age 13 years 3 months 3 Nathanell the third of age 9 years Daughters 4 Abigayle the eldest unmarried of age 18 years 3 quarters 5 Debora the youngest of age 6 years 7 months Elizabeth, the relict and administratrix, was appointed 3 December 1657 and dealt with the cautions issued by George Griswold and his father Edward Griswold regarding division of the estate [ Hartford PD Case #2774]. BIRTH: By about 1609 based on estimated age of marriage. DEATH: Windsor 7 September 1657 [ CTVR 43; TAG 57:66]. MARRIAGE: By about 1634 Elizabeth _____ (assuming she was the mother of all his children), born about 1617 (John Winthrop attended her in 1669 and called her 52 years old [ TAG 23:124, citing WMJ 906]). She m. (2) Windsor 5 August 1658 as his third wife James Eno [ WiLR 1:56]. She died Windsor or Simsbury 7 October 1679 [ Grant 35]. (Several sources claim that Thomas Holcombe married at Dorchester on 14 May 1634 Elizabeth Ferguson. Such a marriage is not on record, and the date is that on which Holcombe was admitted to freemanship. In 1964 Jacobus noted that "[h]er maiden name has been stated as Ferguson, without proof or probability" [ McArthur-Barnes 169].) CHILDREN: i ELIZABETH, b. say 1634; m. Windsor 16 November 1654 Josiah Ellsworth [ CTVR 42; Grant 35]. ii MARY, b. say 1636; m. Windsor 3 October 1655 George Griswold [ CTVR 35]. iii ABIGAIL, b. (or bp.) Windsor 6 January 1638/9 [ CTVR 35; Grant 44]; m. Windsor 11 June 1658 Samuel Bissell [ Grant 24]. iv JOSHUA, bp. Windsor 27 September 1640 [ CTVR 35; Grant 44]; m. Windsor 4 June 1663 Ruth Sherwood [ Grant 44]. v SARAH, b. (or bp.) Windsor 14 August 1642 [ CTVR 35; Grant 44 (annotated "dead")]; d. 1654 [ Grant 82]. vi BENAJAH, b. Windsor 23 June 1644 [ CTVR 35; Grant 44]; m. Windsor 11 April 1667 Sarah Eno (his stepsister) [ Grant 44]. vii DEBORAH, b. Windsor 15 October 1646 [ Grant 44 (annotated "dead")]; d. 1648 [ Grant 81]. viii NATHANIEL, b. Windsor 4 November 1648 [ CTVR 35; Grant 44]; m. (1) Springfield 27 February 1670[/1] Mary Bliss [ Pynchon VR 58]; m. (2) Simsbury 17 January 1722/3 Sarah (_____) Owen, widow of Josias Owen [ SimsVR Barbour 83]. ix DEBORAH, b. Windsor 15 February 1650/1 [ CTVR 35; Grant 44]; m. Hartford (but recorded Windsor) 5 November 1668 Daniel Birge [ Grant 26; CTVR 11]. x JONATHAN, b. Windsor 23 March 1652/3 [ CTVR 35; Grant 44 (annotated "dead")]; d. there 13 September 1656 [ Grant 81 (giving only the year); CTVR 43]. COMMENTS: In his list of "what children has been born in Windsor from our beginning hither" Matthew Grant credits "Thomas Holcom" with eight children [ Grant 91], which is consistent with the above list of children and implies that the first two were born in Dorchester. BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE: In 1981 George E. McCracken published "Thomas Holcombe's Earlier Posterity," a definitive account of the immigrant and the first few generations of descent from him [ TAG 57:65-76, 160-69, 225-29]. In his usual style, he opened the article with an exhaustive discussion of previous writings on this family. The same author has also written two brief articles on the fraudulent claim of ancestry for Thomas Holcombe and on the inaccurate tombstone erected in his memory [ TAG 26:109-10, 44:58-60]." From Find a Grave: Birth: 1609, England Death: Sep. 7, 1657 Windsor Hartford County Connecticut, USA Born by about 1609, based on estimated age of marriage. Came to Massachusetts Bay in 1633. First settled in Dorchester; moved to Windsor CT in 1635. Died in Windsor CT 7 September 1657. Thomas married by about 1634, an Elizabeth (assuming she was the mother of all his children), born about 1617. John Winthrop, Jr. attended her at Windsor in 1669, as the wife of second husband James Eno, and called her 52 years old. Previous authors have claimed that Thomas Holcomb married an Elizabeth Ferguson at Dorchester, Mass. on May 14, 1634. Such marriage is not on record and the date is synonymous with the date Thomas Holcomb was admitted a freeman of the Mass. Bay Colony. In 1964 Donald Lines Jacobus noted that "[h]er maiden name has been stated as Ferguson, without proof or probability." In 1981 George E. McCracken published "Thomas Holcombe's Earlier Posterity," a definitive account of the immigrant and the first few generations of descent from him. In his usual style, he opened the article with an exhaustive discussion of previous writings on this family. The same author has also written two brief articles on the fraudulent claim of royal ancestry for Thomas Holcombe and on the inaccurate tombstone erected in his memory. Thomas Holcomb(e), of unknown parentage, was b. likely in England about 1609. He arrived at the Massachusetts Bay in 1633 and first settled at Dorchester, Mass. He later moved to Windsor, Conn. in 1635 where he died on Sept. 7, 1657. Thomas Holcomb died intestate, his estate abstracted by Manwaring from the Hartford Probate District records, Vol. I, Page 130-131, citing probate vol. II, pages 105-6: …Thomas Holcomb of Windsor. Invt. £294-09-08 taken Oct. 1, 1657 by Benjamin Newbery and Daniel Clark. Children: Joshua age 17 years, Benajah 13, Nathaniel 9, Abigail 19, and Deborah 6-7/12 years of age. Signed, Matthew Grant. Adms. granted to the Widow Elizabeth Holcomb with order of distribution to: To the Widow,………….£42-18-00 To Joshua,………………..42-18-00 To Benajah,………………33-07-00 To Nathaniel,……………..28-12-00 To Abigail,………………..28-12-00 To Deborah,………………28-12-00 …George and Edward Griswold entered a claim to part of the estate, but remitted the Claim. …James Enno and Elizabeth Holcomb, widow, were married Aug. 5, 1658. (Windsor Rec.) …On this 15th day of December, 1660, I doe acknowledge to have received of my Father Enno of my wive's portion the whole sum. Samuel Bissell. …On this 17th day of December, 1660, I doe acknowledge to have received of my Father Enno ye full sum of my portion. Witness my Hand: Joshua Holcomb. …Court Record, Page 109--Dec. 3, 1657: Invt. exhibited. Family links: Spouse: Elizabeth Holcomb Eno (1617 - 1679)* Children: Elizabeth Holcombe Ellsworth (1634 - ____)* Mary Holcombe Griswold (1636 - 1708)* Abigail Holcomb Bissell (1639 - 1688)* Joshua Holcombe (1640 - 1690)* Sarah Holcombe (1642 - 1654)* Benajah Holcombe (1644 - 1735)* Deborah Holcombe (1646 - 1648)* Nathaniel Holcombe (1648 - 1740)* Deborah Holcomb Birge (1649 - 1686)* Jonathan Holcombe (1652 - 1656)* *Calculated relationship Burial: Palisado Cemetery Windsor Hartford County Connecticut, USA Plot: Founders Monument Created by: Linda Mac Record added: Feb 25, 2009 Find A Grave Memorial# 34188711 [3]
  Person ID	I5792	Ellingboe
  Last Modified	14 Sep 2012

  
  

• Documents

  Thomas Holcombe Genealogy

  
  

• Sources

  [S54] Anderson, Robert Charles, Great Migration Begins, (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 1995), Vol. 2, p. 964 (Reliability: 3). [S54] Anderson, Robert Charles, Great Migration Begins, (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 1995), Vol. 2, p. 966 (Reliability: 3). [S54] Anderson, Robert Charles, Great Migration Begins, (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 1995), Vol. 2, p. 967 (Reliability: 3).