The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-08-11
THE HOLCOMBE REUNION
AND THE
HUNTERDON COUNTY HIS
TORICAL SOCIETY.


TORICAL SOCIETY.
To-day the quarterly meeting of the
Hunterdon County Historical Society was
held in VIM. F. Holcombe's Grove, near
Mount Airy, and in connection with it a
Reunion of the Holcombe Family.
The principal interest on this occasion
conferred in the Holcombe Reunion. The
Holcombe family in this section isa large
one, and descended from John aud Jacob
Holcombe, who were among the earliest
settlers in this neighborhood. The Hol-
combes have been not only numerically
strong in this county, but they have been
remarkable for their good business ability,
thrift, intelligence and honorable charac-
ter. The family has not only become
large here, but it has colonized in other
sections, and the same characteristics ap-
pear to have followed this family wherever
settled. The Quaker antecedents seem to
have left their impress in many respects on
their descendants.
The reunion had been talked of for
some years, but it was not until few
months ago that the project took practi-
cal shape. DR.. George Holcombe Larson
and Reuben P. Ely, of this city, and Col,
F. s. Holcombe, of Mount Airy, have
been very active 10 working up not only
the reunion, but in gathering facts for a
history of the family.
This reunion was great success. Not
less than three thousand people were
present in the afternoon. Members of
the Bucks county branch of the family
were present in large numbers, besides
many representatives from distant sec.
tions. The exercises and the audience
showed that the Holcombes need neither
be ashamed of the family talent, be afraid
of the name dying out, nor distrust their
ability to make creditable display of
fine looking men and handsome women.
The exercises of the Historical Society
were held in the morning and were neces-
sarily brief, owing to the reunion exer-
cises in the afternoon.
After music by the band, prayer was
offered by Rev. Harrison Clark, of Mount
Airy. DR.. Geo. II. Larson, President,
presided.
Mr.. Jacob Servis, of this city, then read
paper on "Early Marriages in Am we'll, :"
which, though of much historical value,
was necessarily statistical in character, and
time not allowing the completion of its
reading, it was deposited with the Society
for future reference.
This was followed by paper on "Pro.
curing Boats for Washington's Crossing
of the Delaware in 1776 by Gen. Daniel
Bray, of Kingwood, N. j." This was
written and read by Mr.. Stacy B. Bray,
of this city, and was much more than its
subject indicated. 1t was well written
and very interesting.
At this point the Society closed its ex-
ercises, adjourning to meet at Fleming
ton next month.
After adjournment a collation. was serv-
cd and the supply was ample to feed the
hundreds that had assembled.
At about O'Clock the exercises of the
Holcombe Reunion began and closed at
about o'clock. Col. F. s. Holcombe
presided.
After music, the first item on tho pro.
gramme was "a statement of lands now
occupied by Holcombe DESCENDANTS in
Amwell," by Col. F. S. Holcombe. lie
began by giving an account of the organ
ization of the Holcombe Association, in
which his brothers Edward B. and Will.
liam F. and others of the Holcombes took
prominent part, spoke of the prelimina-
ry meetings held, &C., resulting in this
reunion, to which he, on behalf of the
HoIcombe Family, said "Welcome." He
then gave the following statement, show
ing that for four lies on each side of our
principal road, Holcombes and their
descendants occupy almost the entire soil:
There are 200 or 800 residents of Lambertv lille
who are Holeombes. Starting at l.. on the York
road on lands of John Holcombe-he adjoins lands
of James Wilson, who married a Holcombe he
adioins lands of John ii. Wilson, who married two
Holcombes; he ad joins Chas johnson, whose wife's
mother was Holcombe no adjons lands of VIM.
+. Mathews, whose wifes mother was Holcombe
he adjoins lands o. Henry Mathews, whose mother
was HOlcombe he adjons lands of Edward b.
HocOmbe, and Edw. b. ii. adjoins lands of Alex.
p. Hocombe and Daniel H0lcombe the latter ad-
~ 10 all II
connie he adjoins lands Of Henry c. Holcombe.
This is on the South side Of the old York road
from L., distance of four miles.
Starting from l.. ON the North sid of the York
road on lands OF John Holcombe-he adjoins
lands Of Andrew Holcombe; he adjoins lands OF
Geo. N. Holcombe; he adjons lands formerly Of
Ralph Holeombe he ad joins lands of Bloomfield
Blackwell, who married Holcombe; he adjoins
lands Of Frank X. Titus. who married q Holcombe,
also lands Of Alex p. Holcombe he adjoins lands Of
Elisha II. H0lcombe and Edward Il. Hoicombe, and
lands of Henrietta Hall, whose mother was Hol-
combe; she adjoins lands of Edw. b. Holeombe he
adjoins lands of VIM N Holcombc; he adj Joins lands
of Horatio Runkle; he adjoins lands of JOS l..
Quick who Is Holcombe descendant; then comes
David W Larisons farm-not a descendant; he
adjoins lands Of Howard Hoagand, who is Hol-
combe desce ndant he adjons lands of John Q.
Holcombe, also Thos. s. Holcombe; he adjoins
lands Of Oliver Case, whose mother was Hol-
eombe he adjoins lands of A. W. Mulrheid, who
married Holcombe he adjoihs Jos. g. BOVINE
occupied by Nelson Lambert, whose grandmother
Holcombe. Oliver Case adjoins lands Of f.
y. Holc0mbe; he adjOins lands of Capt Elisha Il.
Holeombe, and he adjoins lands of Augustus s.
Hoeombe, including In the whole almost 5000
acres Included in this district, there are but two
or three farms not occupied by descendants Of the
Holcombe's.
Col. Hocombe 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 DIR. Geo. Holcombe Larson, q 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
Briston Channel, in Devonshre. The ex-
act time of their births has not yet been
learned, but we have sufficient data to fix
tho time from 1875 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 home influences were such that
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