The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-08-18


was Holcombe. Oliver Case adjons lands OF +
>. Holcombe; he adjoins lands OF Capt. Elisha f
Hoicom6e and he adjoins lands of Augustus $.
Hoieombe, including in the whole almost 5000
acres Included in this district there are but two
or three farms not occupied by desc endants of the
Holcombe's.
Col Holcombe said that the Holcombes
in Delaware township were SO numerous
that it was hardly worth while to name
them.
"a Biography of John and Jacob Hol-
combe and their descendants" was read
by DR.. Geo. Holcombe Larson, con-
densed report of which we give below:
Towards the close of the 18th century,
John and Jacob Holcombe, the subjects
of this sketch, were born at Triverton, in
England, about twenty miles south of
Bristol Channel, in Devonshire. The ex-
act time of their births has not yet been
learned, but we have sufficient data to fix
the time from 1876 to 1850.
Their father died while they were quite
young, and their good mother brought
them up to useful learning, for which
they had great capacity.
Their bone influences were such that
early in life they took decided stand on
the side of morality and religion and
were known to all acquaintance TO be
worthy of the name of Friends, of which
sect they were consistent and life long
members which may account for their
migratory movements to this country, as
early as, if not before, the year 100, with
those of that faith, who continued to fur
Their the settlement founded by William
Penn.
Near 100, We find John Holcombe a
resident of Arlington township, Philadel-
phia county, Pa, and on the 10th of No
vember, 1905, be purchased $50 acres of
land of Richard Wilson, of Bucks county,
Pa. THIS land was in New Jersey and
was that tract south of Alexhauken creek,
bordering the Delaware river on the west,
and Coats line on the south, running
through the city of Lambertville, between
Delevan and Jefferson streets, and extend
ing easterly TO about one mile,of our present
whereabouts. This purchase was on this
wise: He paid 100 pounds 5 shillings for
this property. His title was lease F."
and "release." He paid s shilliugs for
the g lease and 100 pounds for the ere
lease" or in our own currency about 81 40
per acre.
As the township of Amwell had only
been purchased of the Indians two years
before, his purchase as resident owner
ranks him among the earliest settlers of
all this region.
His brother Jacob took up his residence
on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware,
where on March Goth, 1909, he bought of
James Logan $50 acres of land, located
near the Great Spring." looking to the
north. This property to-day is divided
into several farms aud is owned by Chas.
Atkinson, John II. Ely, Jeremiah Ely,
Hugh Paxson, Joseph Mathews, Wilson
Pearson, Levi Black, John Krout, Geo.
Gaddis and James p. Belts He after
wards purchased other large tracts in that
vicinity.
John Holcombe was married to Eliza
beth Woolrish, of Arlington, Pa, accord
ing to the order of Friends, as the min
utes of the Arlington meeting will show,
on 4th mo. 2Sth, 1907, to whom was
born six children, John, Samuel, Richard,
Grace, Mary and Julia Ann. John died
young man, unmarried. Samuel married
Elana" pa rhar. sDhn had sapan- sons and
two daughters. Richard married Mary
Harvey and had one daughter. His wife
died and he afterwards married Ann
Emley, and had son and daughter. This
sons name was John, who lived near
Lambertville and died in 1851, at an ad-
vanced age. Grace married Philip Calvin.
Julia Ann married Daniel Howell and
Mary married Samuel Furman, Of Morris
county, N. ].
Jacob Holcombe married Mary -,
in ITO and had eight children-a sou
Thomas and seven daughters. Thomas
married Hannah Pownall, of Chester
county, Pa, and had a son Jacob, who
married Catharine Livzey in 1772, and
they had two children, Thomas and Cath
arine. The latter married VIM. Dilts, of
N. j., and was the mother of John Dits,
ST., now living in his 91st year, and who
is on these grounds with us to-day.
Jacob Holcombe was an able and enter
prising man in his day. The court records
of Bucks county show that in locating the
main thoroughfares from the Delaware
river, bordering all this region to Phila-
delphia, he was either Commissioner
to locate or an urgent petitioner for the
same. He held many positions of trust in
the gift of the people, and the records of
his work bear testimony to his worth. He
was consistent and active member of
the Society of Friends at Buckingham
and a faithful minister of that order.
We find on the records of the meeting
that Thomas Ross aud Jacob Holcombe,
in TAG, were granted certificate to
travel as ministers to Long Island and
other places. They made their journey,
visiting many places, giving a good ac-
count of their mission with the people on
this tour. The last act recorded of Jacob
Holcombe in the minutes of Buckingham
meetings was his appointment to attend
the Quarterly Meeting at Falls, Sd mo-,
Cd da., 1748. He died 9th no., Both, 174S
John Holcombe, of old Amwell town
ship, in Hunterdon county, N. j., was
possessed of large landed estate at the
time of his death. The $50 acre tract be
fore mentioned, was added to, by pur.
chase of 280 acres in 1709, and in 1889 he
bought 80 acres more. In 1888 he bought
of John Way 300 acres, and the following
year 200 acres more. Still later 10 acres,
making in all l 1850 acres by original sur
veys. He left by will his real estate to
his two sons and two young grand. sons,
as follows: To his grand son John, the
200 acre purchase, lately owned by John
G. and his brother Allen, and to his other
grandson Jacob, the 110 acre tract now
occupied by Lemuel Phillips. These were
tho two oldest sons of his son Samuel.
To his son Samuel, he left the 260 and
the 80 acre tracts. The former was owned
by the late Capt. George and Ralph Hol-
combe. The latter is located in the city
of Lambertville, with the school house
now on the hill in its center The re-
mainder of his lands adjoining the Della
ware river on the west he left to his son
Richard, part of which is now in the
city of Lambertville, making nearly the
whole of the Third Ward. His personal
property he left to his wife and three
daughters.
John Holcombe, of Amwell, like his
brother Jacob, of Buckingham, was a
leading man in his day. In the first court
held in Hunterdon county, John Hol-
combe was one of the Judges. He was
magistrate in the township of Amwell for
a number Of years, and did much public
business. He was strict and consistent
member of the Society of Friends. He
died in 1913, and was buried in the
Friends burying ground at Buck ngham,
Bucks county, Pa. He left in his will a
legacy for the support of the poor of