The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1891-08-12


ashes rest in the burial grounds of the
Buckingham Meeting.
John Holcombe on his arrival in Ameri
ca, stayed for time near Philadelphia,
and married Elizabeth Woolrich at Alb
ington Meeting, after which he purchased
in 1905 large tract of land near that of
his brother Jacob, on the opposite side of
the Delaware river, in New Jersey, on a
part of which now is built the city of
Lambertville, principally the Third Ward.
He too was man of more than ordinary
natural and acquired ability. He was
made magistrate; did much public bust
ness among the people and was one Of
the first Judges of the Court Of his
county. His family consisted of three
sons and two daughters. One son died
without issue; another has to-day no
male descendant in the name, while the
other son Samuel raised seven sons, who
raised many more sons and daughters as
we'll, and all their posterity are noted for
the same trait. These seven sons were
born from Feb. 16, 1899, up to October
IA, 1858, and two daughters, Phebe and
Elizabeth. The names of these sons were
John, Jacob, Samuel, George, Elijah,
Richard and Thomas. These all lived to
good old age and died in the earlier
years of this century.
well remember in my childhood OF
seeing my great grandfather Richard Hol-
combe, the grandson of John Holcombe,
of Devonshire, England, and 1t has only
left out of my vision the first two genera
tons of early settlers Of this region.
These seven sons all lived in the sur
rounding neighborhood of their father
Samuel and their grandfather John and
their uncle Jacob.
John, the eldest, lived on his farm on
the Delaware river, where John 9. Hol-
combe, his grandson, recently died at
the advanced age of 90 years. Many of
bis descendants are in Pennsylvania, in the
Makefelds, Solebury and Newtown.
Jacob lived and died on his lands, a
mile south of here, now owned by the heirs
of the late Joseph Phillips.
Samuel lived at the foot of this gentle
slope, had large landed possessions, was
MARI led three times, and raised a large
family, of which our worthy President is q
grandson.
/ George lived on his land In the vicinity
| of Harbortown, and was elected Sheriff
of Hunterdon county in 1900. He favor
ed education, sent his son George to
Princeton College, where he graduated,
and to the Medical Department of the
University of Pennsylvania. He was a
physician in Monmouth county, where he
was elected TO the Congress of United
States and died while in office.
Elijah lived just south of here for a
time, went west TO Ohio with his children,
returned here on visit and died sudden
| ly. His descendants are mainly now in
Ohio.
Richard lived on his tract of land, so
long owned by his son Capt. George Hol-
combe, after that by his son Andrew,
reaching from the recent fair ground pro-
perty near Lambertville, to the Alexsau-
ken creek.
Thomas lived on his large tract to the
west of this property. His family was
large and industrious, like all the rest
and the descendants are all well-fxet
about us and our worthy Treasurer is {
sample of the kin.
OF jacobs descent, from the other side
Of the river, they are not quite so numer
Gus. The generations ran more to girls
than boys, which gives that part of the
Holcombe descent in other names, many
of which are now on the Jersey side o.
the river.
or these seven brothers, our State o
New Jersey credits George, Elijah, Rich
ard and Jacob as soldiers in the war O
the Revolution. George and Jacob wer,
commissioned officers, Richard and Elijal
were privatcs and Elijah was soldier o
the line and served long term In tn
Continental army.
How many of Jacobs descendants len
aid to the Continental forces of 1776, W
cannot as yet give an account, but as the.
lived there on the other bank OF the Della
ware, where Washington's army la.
about the time of the capture of the Hes
: SLAMS at Trenton, we have no reason Il
doubt but what they did their full shar
as well as their neighbors.
AS a matter of course, all the femal
portion OF the descendants of Jacob ant
John Holcombe, like other folks the worlt
over, were disposed to consider matrimo
| NAL relations and most OF them in tim
laid down their old Holcombe name to be
come Mrs. Someone, and their descend
ants were Mr.. and Mrs. Someone else
and In this legitimate and accustome
way for all these many years agone, W
find the direct descendants of these goo
old Holcombe fathers bearing the name
of the bridegroom OF the fair Holcomb
{ maiden, as she gave up her name to be
come some one else.
ii So we are here to-day as the direct d.
scendants of Jacob and John Holcombt
who are among the first settlers in all th
goodly region of country. We are a
= cousins, SO to term 1t, by the laws of col
sangunity. And then, too, we have oth'
cousins here with us, as directly related
for their ancestry came from the san
families Of Holcombes in Devonshire, EN-
, land, only few generations earlier; but
y their landing with tho Pilgrim Father
and settling in Massachusetts and Coz
q necticut, and OF others of our ancestI
who came over with VIM. Penn and
fojlowers To Pennsylvania and New Je