William NEWCOMB

Notes:

Name:
William Newcomb graduated at Harvard university in 1722, the first Newcomb in America graduating from college. He inherited from his father a large estate and kept the same inn which his father had occupied before him. The inscription upon his tome reads. "Here lies ye body of Mr. William Newcomb, who died April ye 8th A.D. 1736 in ye 34th year of his age. Who left 7 desierable children & the only daughter of ye honorable Melatiah Bourn Esq his widow." Mrs. Newcomb m. second, 18 Sept. 1736, Gen. timothy Ruggles, b. 20 Oct. 1718, d. 4 Aug 1795, at Wilmot, N.S., he the son of Rev. Timothy and Mary (White). Gen. Ruggles was president of the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, and a graduate of Harvard College in 1732. Mrs. (Newcomb) Rugles had seven children by. Gen. Ruggles.

On 15 May 1736, Samuel Jennings, Ebenezer Wing and nathan Nye took an inventory of the estate of "Mr. William nucomb late of Sandwich now Deceas'd" the total amount of which was L2759, 1s. Mr. Newcomb owned two stores and had over L1,000 due him on bonds and accounts at the time of his death.

On 20 May 1736, "Bathshua Nucomb administratrx" and the three appraisers made oath to the inventory, at Sandwich, before Melatiah Bourn, Judge of Probate. The same day, "Bathsua Nucomb of Sandwich" was appointed administratrix on the estate of "William Nucomb Late of Sandwich Gen't deceased." On 1 July 1748, "Timothy Ruggles and Bethshua his wife Exhibitted the foregoing and Made Oath that it Contain'd a True Acc' of their Admin'n on the Estate of mr William Newcomb Late of Sandwich.... deceased, which Acc'o is Accordingly Accepted and Allowed."

Family/Spouse: Bathsheba BOURNE. Bathsheba (daughter of Melatiah BOURNE and Desire CHIPMAN) was born on 11 Nov 1703; died in Mar 1787 in Hardwick, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mercy NEWCOMB was born on 04 Feb 1723/24.
2. Desire NEWCOMB was born on 21 Jul 1725 in Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts; died on 25 Jan 1778 in Acushnet, Bristol County, Massachusetts.
3. Peter NEWCOMB was born on 04 Sep 1726; died in young.
4. Mary NEWCOMB was born on 03 Sep 1728; died on 12 Dec 1808.
5. Sarah NEWCOMB was born on 21 Oct 1729 in Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts; died on 20 May 1794.
6. William NEWCOMB was born on 27 Jan 1731.
7. Hannah NEWCOMB was born on 04 Jun 1732.
8. Thomas NEWCOMB was born on 17 Jun 1734.

Notes:

Name:
In the record of his marriage to Mary Smith, Mr. Newcomb is said to be "late of Edgartown." he established the family home at Sandwich, Mass., where he kept an inn or public-house until his death. The inn passed into the hands of his son, William, and his grandson, William Newcomb and for many years remained in the possession of the family. The name of Peter Newcomb appears as a witness to a deed, dated 22 Jan. 1701/2, given by his father, Andrew, to his brother, Simon. By his will, proved 16 April 1723, he gave all his estate to his wife, mercy, she to divide it between their two children "as she shall see cause." In Mrs. Newcomb's will, proved 17 Jan 1723/4, she gave to her daughter, Mercy, silver tankard, big brass kettle, and L150; the real, and the remainder of the personal estate, was given to her son, William. It is recorded that on 5 Oct. 1718, Mercy Newcomb joined the church in Sandwich, whether mother or daughter is not fully, established.

Rev. William Holmes, minister at Chilmark, Mass., 1715-1746, wrote the following in his diary under date of 31 Mar. 1723; "I had an account that Mr. Newcomb died lately; he was taken suddenly while (he) was in the cellar drawing molasses, either with an apoplectic fit or a lethargy which carried him off.:

Peter married Mercy SMITH on 11 Mar 1699/00 in Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of Shubael and Annie Smith of Chilmark.

Notes:

Name:
Andrew Newcomb was residing at the Isles of Shoals as early as July 1666, as at this date he attended a meeting at the Isles of Shoals, near Portsmouth, N.H., of several merchants and men engaged in the fisheries, for the purpose of fixing the price of fish......

The name of his first wife, Sarah (?), whom he m. about 1661, has been found but once upon record. From deeds at Exeter, N.H., Vol. 3, p. 80, it appears that "Andrew Newcombe, of HOgg Island (so called from its rude resemblance to a hog's ack) on ye Ile of Sholes," fisherman, for L52 in merchantable fish, sold Henry Platts, of same place, with consent of his wife, Sarah, house on Hog Island (not described) 19 July 1673, in the 25th year of Charles the Second, deed recorded 21 July 1673. From the foregoing it would seem that Mr. Newcomb had previously lived upon Hog Island and after the purchase of his house in Kittery he removed his family to the mainland.

Mr. Newcomb removed from Kittery and Isles of Shoals in the year 1674 or early in 1675. From the foregoing it will be seen that after the decision of the Court at Wells (7 July 1674), he turned over to John Cutt his house and land in Kittery and, his wife having died previously, he took his seven young and motherless children to a more favorable locality, for it is possible that the Indians had become troublesome in that locality, as King Philip's war broke out in June 1675, and this may have influenced him in his removal. He settled at Edgartown, on the island of Martha's Vineyard, the same year, where he became a proprietor and at various times received shares in the divisions of lands in that town and where he and his wife both died.

That Mr. Newcomb was one of the prominent citizens of Martha's Vineyard is shown by the fact that he was juror at quarter court at Eastham 25 Sept. 1677 and 28 Dec 1680; foreman of grand jury Sept. 1681, June 1700 and 1703, and 7 Mar. 1704; constable in 1681; was chosen 25 Nov 1685, with two others, "to make ye governors rate of three half penny upon ye pound"; tithing-man 10 May 1693; select-man 1693-4; and overseer 16 Mar. 1693-4. His name appears many times upon record as witness to deeds, etc. Upon the records of martha's Vineyard, Mass., he is in nearly every case called "Mr." a title then conferring more honor and distinction and doubtless commanding higher respect than that of "Hon." at the present day. There are reasons for believing that he was a merchant several and perhaps many years. On the 18th Feb. 1683 he paid Nathaniel Fryer L3: 11s. in feathers....


Mr. Newcomb appears to have died without making a will, and no inventory or settlement of his estate has been found upon record.

By his first wife he had seven children, all of whom appear to have been born in the vicinity of Kittery, Me. By his second wife there were eight children, all of whom were married and had families, and although no record of their births has been preserved yet their relationship as brother and sisters, also that they were children of Andrew and Anna Newcomb, has been authenticated by a plea for partition of land brought 1 oct. 1731, in which all, or nearly all of the children and heirs are named.

Andrew married Sarah UNKNOWN about 1661. Sarah died about 1674 in Kittery, Maine. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]