The name Whitcomb means "white valley" and originated in the southwestern part of England where cliffs and valleys of white chalk were plentiful. It has been spelled a number of ways including, Whitcombe, Whetcombe, Whiticomb and Whitcom.
This particular branch of Whitcomb's goes back to Thomas Whitcomb who was born in the year 1444 in England. William Whitcomb, who was born in 1528, was given a "share in Virginia" by his father-in-law, John Harper. William in turn gave this shar e to his second son, John. This gift was made due to the fact that as a younger brother John would not have inherited his fathers land due to the law of primogeniture in effect in England.
John Whitcomb was born about 1588. He married Frances Coggin or Cogan on November 26, 1623 at Saint Mary Magdalene Church in Tauton, Somerset, England. She was the daughter of Henry Coggin, who was a weaver. He and his wife, Joan Borridge, ha d 8 daughters, all of whom were christened and married at St. Mary Magdaline Church. Henry himself was buried there on December 1, 1612.
The above information is not accepted by all concerned, the book "Search for the Passengers of the Mary and John" acknowledges the possibility of this line back to Thomas but does not believe there is proof of it. They claim that John Whitcomb ma y be related to two brothers; Robert and Symon Whitcombe, who were among the financial supporters of Rev. John White of Dorchester who recruited many settlers from Dorset and Somerset families to settle in New England. Both were
merchants who also had dealings with Sir Walter Raleigh. Their father was John Whitcombe of Sherborne who died in 1598.
John and his wife Frances and six children sailed to New England on the "Hopewell" in 1635. They first settled in Dorchester, Ma., and later moved to Scituate, Ma. in 1640 and were among the first settlers in lancaster in 1654. they had ten childr en; Catherine Ellms (1624-1688), John (1626-1683), Jonathan (1628-1690), Robert (1628/9-1696), James (1631-1686) , Joanne (16332-) , Job (1636-1683) , Josiah (1636-1683) , Abigail (1642-) and Mary Moore (1647-1695). John died a rich man on Septemb er 24,1662. His wife, Frances, died on May 17, 1671. Both died in Lancaster, Mass.
John's third child was named Jonathan Whitcomb. He was about 7 when he came to America. He lived in Lancaster on his fathers farm which he inherited after the death of his older brother, John. On Nov. 25, 1667 he married Hannah (last name UK ) in Lancaster. Together they had 8 children.
"Jonathan Whitcomb was the 3rd child of John Whitcomb and Frances Coggin. He was a young boy of about 7 when he came to America with his parents. The family first settled in Dorchester, Mass. and in 1640 resettled in Scituate,Mass. It is though t that Jonathan did not go to Lancaster,Ma. when his parents moved there in 1654. On Feb.16, 1655, he and his brother-in-law, Rhodolpus Ellms, and others, served on a jury of inquest regarding the death of a Richard Mann, in Scituate. Jonathan nei ther signed the incorporation papers for Lancaster, nor was he granted any land there at that time. However, it was clearly his intent to follow his parents to Lancaster. Perhaps he stayed behind to serve on the jury, for Jonathan was not give n an interest in the Conihasset partnership, as was his younger brother Robert who remained in Scituate. He acquired the family homestead after the deaths of his father and his brother John. Jonathan was active in the affairs of Littleton and sign ed a petition asking for aid after the Indian raid of 1675-76.
The inventory of his estate showed he owned a fair amount of land beside the 20 acres in Lancaster. The inventory was taken Feb. 1690, a year after Jonathan's death, and it was signed by Samuel Sumner, Cyprian Stevens, and his brother-in-law, Joh n Moor. The total value was 88 pounds, 5 shillings, as shown;
House Barn, and 20 acres of land 32 pounds 00, Brush land, 15 acres 2 pounds, Bare hill meadow, 1 1/2 acres 1 pound 10, Hassocky meadow, 2 acres 2 pounds 10, Plum-tree meadow lot 0 pounds 5, Pine-hill, 1/2 acre 0 pounds 5, Hog swamp, 1 1/2 acr e 0 pounds 5, Intervale at Cambridge, 14 acres 3 pounds 0, Outlands at Cambridge, 67 acres 5 pounds 14, Personal estate, horse, sheep, cows, etc. 39 pounds 16.(pages10 "John Whitcomb and Frances Coggin 350 Years Later " Volume 1,by Mary Anne R. Sh epherd, Del Mar, California 1981 published by Hypercom Electronics, PO Box 768, Del Mar, CA 92014).
Hannah survived him by only 2 years. On July 17, 1692 she was staying at a friends, Peter Joslin's house in Lancaster. While there, Indians attacked and killed her along with Peter's wife Sarah Howe and children. It is unknown as to what the relat ion was between Peter Joslin and Hannah, but 6 years later Hannah's niece, Johanna, became Peter's second wife. According to an article in the January, 1850 issue of the New England Historic Genealogical Register, the widow of Jonathan Whitcomb
was living with the Joslin family. It states that "On the 18th July, 1692, the Indians assaulted the house of Peter Joslin, who was at his labor in the field, and knew nothing thereof until entering the house. He found his wife with three children , with a widow WHITCOMB, who lived in his family, barbarously murdered with their hatchets, and weltering in their blood. His wife's sister, ELIZABETH HOW , daughter of John How of Marlborough, with another of his children, were carried into capti vity. She returned, but the child was murdered in the wilderness.
Sources; "The Howe Family" NEHG Vol. 4, Jan. 1850, and "John Whitcomb and Frances Coggin 350 Years Later" , Vol. 1, by Mary Shepherd (Del Mar,Ca. 1981). "Search for the Passengerrs of the Mary and John 1630" vol. 18 (The Mary and John Clearing Hou se, Toledo, Ohio 1992).