Thomas Holcomb and Elizabeth    Thomas Sherwood and Mary

        Joshua Holcomb and Ruth Sherwood

        Thomas Holcomb and Elizabeth Terry

        Thomas Holcomb and Mary Hanning

        Josiah Holcomb and Abigail Higley

        Josiah Holcomb and Dorcas Smith

        Jonah Holcomb and Sabra

        Harriet Holcomb and Henry L. Andrews

        Melvina E. Andrews and William Clemeth Morey

        Minnie Elsie Morey and Aretus Erastus Freeman

        Iva Melvina Freeman and Donald VanHoosier Lawson

        Stephen Martin Lawson

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Thomas HOLCOMB - b. about 1610, England; d. Sep. 7, 1657, Windsor, CT. He was buried at Windsor, but it is believed his remains were removed to Simsbury, CT, where a memorial marker was placed in 1934. No proven connection has been established to his ancestry in England, but he may have been of the HOLCOMB family of Symondsbury, Dorset. The bulk of the material here is from, or confirmed by George E. McCracken, editor of The American Genealogist, and author of 'Thomas Holcombe's Earlier Posterity' (beginning Apr. 1981), supplemented by material from other published sources, notably The 'Mary and John', by Maude Pinney Kuhns. He and his wife to be arrived at Dorchester, MA on the 'Mary and John' in 1630. Thomas was recorded as a resident of Dorchester and a freeman on May 4, 1634, moving by 1636 to Windsor, CT. Thomas' estate was inventoried Oct. 1, 1657 at £294/9/8. His widow and unmarried minor children are listed in the distribution. Thomas married about 1634 at Dorchester, MA, with one source given May 14, 1634 as the marriage date.

Elizabeth - b. about 1617, England; d. Oct. 7, 1679, Simsbury, CT. Elizabeth was recorded as age 52 in 1669 in medical journal of John Winthrop the Younger. After the death of Thomas, she married Aug. 5, 1658 James ENO, as the third of his four wives. The second wife of James ENO, and mother of his three children, was Anna BIDWELL. Though undocumented, Elizabeth's surname often appears as FERGUSON, and a baptism in 1634 (no month or day) is recorded in Devon, England for Elizabeth, daughter of "Thomas Holcomb & Elizabeth Ferguson." Perhaps Thomas had the birth of his first child in New England recorded back in England.

1. Elizabeth - b. 1635, Dorchester, MA; d. Sep. 18, 1712, Windsor, CT. Married Nov. 16, 1654, Windsor, CT Josiah ELLSWORTH (b. 1629; d. Aug. 20, 1689). Josiah has been called the son of John ELLSWORTH and Lucia BOWER, but with no source citation. Josiah purchased property in Windsor in 1655, later known as Ellsworth Estate after Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth. Josiah was Freeman in 1657 and a juror in 1664. Children: Josias married Martha GAYLORD; Elizabeth married Nathaniel LOOMIS, Jr.; Mary married Sgt. Daniel LOOMIS; Martha married first Samuel STILES, and second George NORTON, Jr.; Thomas married Sarah MILLS; Jonathan married Sarah GRANT (grandparents of Oliver, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court); John married Esther WHITE; Capt. Job married first Mary TRUMBULL, and second Mrs. Sarah CLARK; and Benjamin died young.
2. Mary - b. about 1636, Dorchester, MA; d. Apr. 4, 1708, Windsor, CT. Married Oct. 3, 1655, Windsor, CT George GRISWOLD (b. 1633; d. 1704), son of Edward GRISWOLD and Margaret DIAMOND.
3. Abigail - b. Jan. 6, 1638/9, Poquenock, CT; d. Aug. 17, 1688, Windsor, CT. She is also reported to have been baptized Oct. 6, 1638. Married Jun. 11, 1658, Windsor, CT Samuel BISSELL (b. 1636; d. Dec. 3, 1700), son of John. Children: John married Abigail FILLEY; Abigail married James ENO, Jr.; Jacob married Mary GILLETT; Mary married John PETTIBONE, Jr.; Samuel married Mary; Benajah; Elizabeth married first Samuel SACKETT, and second John ROOT; Deborah married Stephen PETTIBONE; Hannah married Capt. Nathaniel PHELPS; and perhaps Joshua.
4. Joshua - b. Apr. 7, 1640, Windsor, CT; d. Dec. 1, 1690, Simsbury, CT.
5. Sarah - bap. Aug. 14, 1642, Windsor, CT; d. 1654. Died young.
6. Benajah - b. Jun. 23, 1644, Windsor, CT; d. Jan. 25, 1736, Windsor, CT. Married Apr. 11, 1667, Windsor, CT Sarah ENO (b. Jun. 1649, Windsor, CT; d. Apr. 1732), daughter of James ENO and Anna BIDWELL. Children: Benajah married Martha WINCHELL, daughter of David; James died young; Sarah married Isaac OWEN, son of John; Anna married Samuel HAYDEN; possibly Abigail; Samuel married Martha PHELPS; Joseph married Mary WINCHELL, daughter of David; Benjamin married Eunice; and Deborah married Samuel GRISWOLD.
7. Deborah - b. Oct. 16, 1646, Windsor, CT; d. there 1649.
8. Nathaniel - b. Nov. 4, 1648, Windsor, CT; d. Mar. 5, 1740/1, Simsbury, CT. He was a representative of Simsbury (1705-6) and of Windsor (1720-2). Married first Feb. 27, 1670/1, Springfield, MA Mary BLISS (b. Sep. 23, 1651; d. 1722), daughter of Nathaniel BLISS and Catharine CHAPIN. Married second Jan. 17, 1722/3, Simsbury, CT Sarah, widow of Josiah OWEN, son of John. Children of Nathaniel and Mary: Nathaniel married Martha BUELL (ancestors of President Rutherford B. HAYES); Mary did not marry; Jonathan married first Mary BUELL, and second Mary (SAXTON) GILLET; John married Anna PETTIBONE (their daughter Esther married her first cousin, Brewster HIGLEY II, son of Brewster HIGLEY and Esther HOLCOMB); Martha married Daniel HAYES; Esther married Brewster HIGLEY (ancestors of abolitionist John BROWN, and of Dr. Brewster HIGLEY VI, author of "Home on the Range"); Elizabeth; Sarah married Samuel BARBER; Catharine married Joseph MESSENGER; Margaret married Mr. NORTH; and Benjamin married Hannah CASE.
9. Deborah - b. Feb. 15, 1650/1, Windsor, CT; d. May 26, 1686. Married Nov. 5, 1668, Hartford, CT Daniel BIRGE (b. Nov. 24, 1644; d. Jan. 26, 1697/8), son of Richard BIRGE and Elizabeth GAYLORD. Daniel married second in 1687 Abigail GILLET, who married second Joseph LOOMIS. Children: Elizabeth died in infancy; Deborah; Elizabeth married Joseph LEWIS; Mary married Israel STOUGHTON; Daniel; and two others.
10. Jonathan - b. Mar. 23, 1652/3, Windsor, CT; d. Sep. 13, 1656, Windsor, CT.

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Thomas SHERWOOD -  b. about 1586, England; d. 1655, Fairfield, CT. Thomas and Alice (age 47) arrived in Boston aboard the 'Francis' in 1634 with four of their children, the other four arriving sometime later. They settled in 1635 at Wethersfield, CT, removing to Stamford, CT in 1640, and to Fairfield in 1648. Thomas was Deputy to the General Court at Hartford, Committeeman on Military Affairs, and served in the Pequot War. His will was dated Jul. 21, 1655 and proved Oct. 25, 1655. Thomas married first in England by 1612 Alice TILER (bap. Nov. 16, 1585, Hitcham, Suffolk; d. by 1639, Fairfield, Fairfield Co., CT), daughter of John TILER and Joan SMITH. Thomas married second at Fairfield, CT, probably in 1639.

Mary - Mary, widow of Thomas SHERWOOD, married second John BANKS (d. Dec. 12, 1684), and her will Mary was the mother of the youngest six children. For detailed and documented articles by Donald Lines Jacobus refuting the conjectured identifications of the two wives of Thomas SHERWOOD, see NEHGR 92:303 (July 1938), and TAG 27, #3 (1951). Mr. Jacobus was Editor of The American Genealogist for many years, and author of Families of Old Fairfield (1930).

1. Jane -  b. about 1611,  England. Listed first of seven daughters of his first wife in the will of her father, which names the seven daughters in the order of birth. Possibly married Thomas MERRITT.
2. Mary - bap. 1613, Kettle Baston, Suffolk, England. Probably married by 1655, but marriage record has not been located.
   
3. Thomasine - bap Apr. 10, 1615, Kettle Baston, Suffolk, England. Married about 1646 William BELDEN (bap. Apr. 23, 1609, Heptonstall, York, England; d. 1655, Hartford Co., CT), son of Lawrence BELDEN. His will was dated Mar 27, 1655 and inventory of his estate made Jun. 1, 1655 in Hartford Co., CT. Children: Samuel did not marry; Daniel married first Elizabeth FOOTE, second Hepzibah (BUELL) WELLS, and third Sarah (HAWKES) MATTOON; John; Susanna; Mary; and Nathaniel.
4. Sarah - bap. Jan. 26, 1616/7, Kettle Baston, Suffolk, England. Married Caleb TUTTLE.
5. Anna - bap. Jun. 13, 1619, Kettle, Suffolk, England. Perhaps married Mr. LOOMIS.
6. Rose - bap. Dec. 10, 1620, Kettle Baston, Suffolk, England. Married first Thomas RUMBLE, second Thomas BARLOW, and third Edward NASH of Norwalk, CT.
7. Rebecca - b Oct. 13, 1622, Kettle Baston, Suffolk, England.
   
8. b. 1624, England; d. 1690, Fairfield, CT. Married first by 1654 Sarah WHEELER (daughter of Thomas WHEELER); second by 1659 Anna TURNEY (daughter of Benjamin TURNEY and Mary ODELL); third after 1673 Elizabeth CABLE (widow of John CABLE); and fourth in 1695 Sarah (HIDE) COLEY (daughter of Humphrey HIDE and widow of Peter COLEY). Son of Thomas and his first wife: John married Sarah HURD. Son of Thomas and Anna: Samuel (ancestor of 'Gen. Tom Thumb' STRATTON).

1. Stephen - b. about 1638. Married first about 1660 Rebecca TURNEY (b. 1641; daughter of Benjamin TURNEY and Mary ODELL); second about 1687 Hannah (JACKSON) GALPIN (daughter of Henry JACKSON, and widow of Philip GALPIN); and third Mary (ADAMS) GUISE MERWIN (b. 1647; d. 1712, daughter of Edward ADMS, and widow of Luke GUISE and Mr. MERWIN). Children of Stephen SHERWOOD: Stephen; Joseph married Elizabeth OGDEN; Daniel married Tabitha BENNET; Mary married Daniel BURR; Nathaniel; Jabez; Jonathan; Samuel; Andrew; John; and Ruth.
2. Mary - b. about 1640. Married Jun. 28, 1659 at Windsor, Hartford Co., CT to Joseph LOOMIS as his second wife. Joseph LOOMIS (b. 1616, Messing, Essex, England; d. Jun. 26, 1687) was son of Joseph LOOMIS and Mary WHITE. Refer to the LOOMIS Narrative for the family of Mary SHERWOOD and Joseph LOOMIS.
   
3. Ruth - b. 1644; d. Sep. 10, 1699, Simsbury, Hartford Co., CT. Married Joshua HOLCOMB.
4. Matthew - b. about 1643, Stamford, Fairfield Co., CT; d. Oct. 26, 1715, Bridgeport, Fairfield Co., CT. Married first at Concord Sarah TURNEY (b. Dec. 11, 1641), daughter of Benjamin TURNEY and Mary ODELL; and second Mary FITCH (b. about 1644; d. Dec. 25, 1730), daughter of Thomas FITCH and Anna STACIE of Norwalk, CT. Child of Matthew and Sarah SHERWOOD: Matthew married. Children of Matthew and Mary SHERWOOD: Samuel died young; Lemuel died young; Mary married first Capt. David FITCH, and second Joseph BRADFORD ('Mayflower' descendant No. 4412); Sarah married first Ephraim WHEELER, second Benjamin FAIRWEATHER, and third Anthony NOUGIER; Lemuel; Samuel married Rebecca BURR; and Ann.
5. Abigail - b. about 1648. Married Daniel LOCKWOOD, son of Robert LOCKWOOD and Susannah NORMAN.
   
6. Isaac - b. about 1650; d. 1739. Married before Sep. 2, 1676 Elizabeth JACKSON of Westport, CT, daughter of John JACKSON and Elizabeth SMITH. Children: Daniel married Ruth BRADLEY; Isaac married Rebecca; John; David married Sarah MEEKER (ancestors of P. T. BARNUM); Capt. Thomas married Eleanor CHURCHILL; Abigail; and Elizabeth.

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Joshua HOLCOMB - b. Apr. 7, 1640, Windsor, CT; bap. there Sep. 27, 1640; d. Dec. 1, 1690, Simsbury, CT. Son of Thomas HOLCOMB and Elizabeth. Inventory of estate Dec. 25, 1690 showing value of £474/8/0. Married Jun. 4, 1663, Windsor, CT.

Ruth SHERWOOD - b. 1644; d. Sep. 10, 1699, Simsbury, CT. Daughter of Thomas SHERWOOD and Mary.

1. Ruth - b. May 26, 1664, Windsor, CT; d. Jan. 9, 1709, Simsbury, Hartford Co., CT. Married John PORTER (b. Mar. 21, 1658; d. about 1740), son of Dr. Richard PORTER. Children of Ruth and John PORTER: Daniel; Joshua; Mary; Ruth Elizabeth married Rene COSSITTE; Samuel; Hezekiah died young; John; Timothy; Dr. Hezekiah; Richard; and Lydia.
2. Thomas - b. Mar. 30, 1666, Windsor, CT; d. Mar. 5, 1730/1, Simsbury, CT.
3. Sarah - b. Jun. 23, 1668, Windsor, CT; d. Jun. 22, 1763. Married 1693 John CASE (1662-1733), son of John CASE and Sarah SPENCER, and widower of Mary OLCOTT. Children: John married Abigail HUMPHREY; Sgt. Daniel married Penelope BUTTOLPH; Mary married Joseph ADAMS; Jonathan married Mary BEMAN; and Sarah married John ALDERMAN.
4. Elizabeth - b. Apr. 4, 1670, Windsor, CT; d. Feb. 26, 1762. Married first 1688 William CASE (1665-1700), son of John CASE and Sarah SPENCER. Elizabeth married second Feb. 10, 1703 Deacon John SLATER (1669-1717), and third Deacon Samuel MARSHALL. Children of Elizabeth and William CASE: Elizabeth married William MOORE; William married Elizabeth ROBE; Capt. James married Esther FITHIN; Rachel married Benjamin ADAMS; Mary married Joseph ADAMS; Joshua married Amie; and Mindwell married Joseph ALDERMAN. Children of Elizabeth and John SLATER: Reuben; Mariah; John; and Rebecca.
5. Joshua - b. Sep. 18, 1672, Windsor, CT; d. Feb. 10, 1727/8, Simsbury, CT. Married first 1694 Hannah CARRINGTON (1675-1707), daughter of John CARRINGTON, Jr. (whose father was executed for witchcraft); and second 1708 Mary HOSKINS (1689-after 1740). Joshua's birth date is also given as Mar. 21, 1672. Children of Joshua and Hannah: Caleb married Elizabeth (GRIFFEN) ADAMS; Joshua married Mary GRIFFIN; Thankful married Joseph BARNES; Experience married Nathaniel ALVORD; Hannah; and Eleanor married John GRIFFIN. Children of Joshua and Mary: Matthew (perhaps son of Hannah) married Lydia DRAKE; David married first Sarah SLATER, and second Philura HOLLENBECK; Mercy married Richard CASE, Jr.; Miriam; Robert died in infancy; Sarah; Joab died young; Joel married Sarah BULL; Joab; Phineas married Sarah TULLER; and possibly Mary married Noah CASE, and Bathsheba.
6. Deborah - b. Feb. 10, 1675/6, Simsbury, CT. Deborah was baptized as an adult on Dec. 5, 1697 by Rev. Dudley WOODBRIDGE. Possibly married Daniel PORTER or CARTER of Waterbury.
7. Mary - b. 1676. Married first Feb. 26, 1701/2, Simsbury, CT John BARBER (b. 1662; d. Mar. 1, 1711/2), son of Thomas BARBER and Mary PHELPS; and second Oct. 16, 1713, Simsbury, CT Ephraim BUELL (1683-1718), son of Peter BUELL and Martha COZZENS. Children of Mary and John BARBER: Mercy; John died young; William died young; Mary died in infancy; Mary married Peter BUELL; Isaac married Martha ADAMS. Children of Mary and Ephraim BUELL: Mindwell; and Ephraim married Mercy BARBER.
8. Mindwell - b. 1678. Married Sep. 26, 1721 at Windsor, CT Theophilus COOK, son of John COOK and Sarah FISK. Children: Margaret married John SIRLES; Mindwell; Samuel married Dorothea GILLETT; Theophilus married Hannah GRAHAM; David; Jonathan; Noah married Lydia WESTLAND; Elijah; and Josiah married Hannah COOK.
9. Hannah - b. 1680; d. Mar. 11, 1740/1, Simsbury, CT. Married Nov. 29, 1711, Simsbury, CT Samuel BUELL, son of Peter. Children: Peter married Mary BARBER; Samuel married Irene CASE; Joseph; Hannah married first Nicholas NETTLES, and second Thomas GLEASON; Hepzibah married Sgt. Thomas ORTON; and David did not marry.
10. Moses - b. Jul. 4, 1686, Simsbury, CT; bap. there Oct. 20, 1699; d. Feb. 16, 1699/1700, Simsbury, CT. Died young.

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Thomas HOLCOMB - b. Mar. 30, 1666, Windsor, CT; d. Mar. 5, 1730/1, Simsbury, CT. Son of Joshua HOLCOMB and Ruth SHERWOOD. His will dated May 13, 1729 names wife Rebecca, six sons and two daughters. Inventory of £869/3/7 taken Apr. 7, 1731. The list of his children may be incomplete and/or in incorrect order. Married first Jan. 1, 1690, and second Dec. 5, 1700, Simsbury, CT Rebecca PETTIBONE (b. Mar. 19. 1675; d. Oct. 1731), daughter of John PETTIBONE and Sarah EGGLESTON. Rebecca was the mother of all but the oldest four children of Thomas. Her will of Apr. 14, 1731 names daughter Rebeckah as executrix.

Elizabeth TERRY - b. Dec. 16, 1663, Windsor, CT; d. Dec. 9, 1699, Simsbury, CT. Daughter of Lt. John TERRY and Elizabeth WADSWORTH.

1. Thomas - b. Dec. 13, 1690, Simsbury, CT.
2. Daniel - b. Sep. 30, 1692, Simsbury, CT; d. 1760. Married Jan. 1, 1735/6, Simsbury, CT Hester BUELL (d. 1765), daughter of Peter BUELL and Mary GILLETT. Children: Esther; and Daniel perhaps married his 1c1r Sarah HOLCOMB.
3. Isaac - b. Apr. 7, 1696, Simsbury, CT; d. 1728. Married Phoebe CORNISH.
4. Elizabeth - b. Apr. 23, 1699, Simsbury, CT; bap. there Apr. 30, 1699. Married Dec. 3, 1724, Simsbury, CT Gershom GOFF (b. 1691), son of Aaron GOFF and Hannah COLE. Children: Ashel married Hannah; and Isaac married Rebecca DICKINSON.

1. Moses - d. Oct. 23, 1722, Simsbury, CT.
2. Rebecca - Unmarried in 1733. Appears in wills of both parents.
3. Stephen - d. Dec. 22, 1722, Simsbury, CT.
4. Ruth - bap. Apr. 28, 1706, Simsbury, CT. Married Apr. 1, 1737 Joseph HIGLEY.
5. Ebenezer - b. Apr. 28, 1707, Simsbury, CT; bap. there Aug. 3, 1707; d. Apr. 10, 1708, Simsbury, CT. Died in infancy.
6. A daughter - bap. Oct. 23, 1709, Simsbury, CT.
7. Consider - b. 1710, Simsbury, CT; d. Jan. 17, 1765. Married Mar. 21, 1734 Ruth GRIFFIN (b. Mar. 14, 1717), daughter of John and Mary. Children: John did not marry; Consider married first Eunice GILLETT, and second Hannah LOOMIS; Moses; James; Elishma married; Elida, a son; and Ruth.
8. Return - bap. May 31, 1713, Simsbury, CT; d. Spencertown, NY. Named in father's will. Married Jan. 10, 1733/4 Jerusha ADAMS (b. Mar. 13, 1718), daughter of Gillett ADAMS and Abigail BACON. Children: Return married Hannah NILES, and possibly Thankful; Jerusha; Stephen; and Zephaniah married Tryphena NILES, and second Mehitable WETMORE.
9. James - b. Oct. 10, 1715, Simsbury, CT.
10. Enoch - b. Sep. 4, 1717, Simsbury, CT; d. Mar. 11, 1808, Westfield, MA. Married Aug. 24, 1749 Anna FOWLER (b. 1725), daughter of Jonathan FOWLER and Catharine MARSHALL. Children: Enoch married Abigail MOSELY; Tirzah died in infancy; Tirzah married Samuel TAYLOR; Elizabeth married John BANCROFT; Anna did not marry; Joanna died in infancy; Joanna married Timothy CADWELL; and Shubel.

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Thomas HOLCOMB - b. Dec. 13, 1690, Simsbury, CT. Son of Thomas HOLCOMB and Elizabeth TERRY. Married first Oct. 1, 1714, Simsbury CT, and married second Sarah CHRISTIAN (b. about 1693; d. Mar. 28, 1764), daughter of Thomas CHRISTIAN.

Mary HANNING - b. about 1695; d. possibly about 1730. Only the first three children below are listed with confidence. The others are noted in various sources inconsistently.

1. Thomas - b. Nov. 2, 1715, Simsbury, CT; d. after 1764, perhaps as late as 1776. Married Oct. 15, 1740, Simsbury, CT Sarah LOOMIS (b. Aug. 12, 1722; d. Jul. 24, 1783), daughter of Philip and Hannah. Children: Isaac Terry; Hanning; Sarah perhaps married her 1c1r Daniel HOLCOMB; Esther; Thomas married Clarinda PETTIBONE; Mary possibly married Daniel HAYES; Noah married Trifene YOUNGS; and Tirza.
2. Josiah - b. about 1717, Simsbury, CT; d. Jul. 25, 1805.
3. Sarah - b. Sep. 5, 1719, Simsbury, CT. Married Ichabod MILLER in 1741.
4. Elizabeth - Married Simeon WARD.
5. Stephen -
6. Moses - A soldier in 1775. Married Elizabeth PHELPS. Children: Ann; Elizabeth; Ruth; and possibly Allen.

1. Damaris - b. 1724. Married Aug. 25, 1756, Simsbury, CT William GAINES (b. 1732), son of Daniel GAINES III. Children: Daniel; Samuel; Damaris married Mr. WARNER; Eunice; Lyman; and Lucretia.
2. Isaac Terry - b. 1736; d. 1762. He has also been reported as a son of Thomas HOLCOMB and Sarah LOOMIS.
3. Mary - d. by 1761. Married William (b. Apr. 5, 1725). William married second 1761 Rachel LEWIS.
4. Sybil - Married Isaac MOORE, and had children.
5. Tirza - b. 1759. Possible child.

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