OurNorthernRoots
Josiah Whitcomb
1638 - 1718 (80 years)-
Name Josiah Whitcomb Birth 1638 Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts 
Gender Male Death 21 Mar 1718 Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts Burial Old Common Burial Ground, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts 
Josiah Whitcomb (1638-1718), Lancaster,MA
Headstone(left), Footstone(right)
Plot: WhitcombNotes - Josiah Whitcomb, was born in Dorchester, Mass., in 1638, according to Dorchester town records, and is believed to have been the youngest son of John. He accompanied his father's family from Scituate to Lancaster, Mass., in 1654, and his name appears variously in the early records of life in the new town. In 1688 he was granted a bounty for killing a wolf, and again he was named with his brother Job in an action for damages for accidentally or otherwise injuring or killing swine. (See page 32, this Book.) ["Josiah Whitcomb is allowed 20 shillings to be paid by the County for killing one growne wolfe in ye Towne of Lancaster." - (Nourse's Early Records of Lancaster: p. 124.)]. During Queen Ann's war (1702-17) he was allowed a garrison for protection against the Indians. This garrison was situated in what is now called Bolton, originally a part of Lancaster, but set off in 1738, and he lived in the southeastern part of this Bolton. He was commander of the garrison and with him were associated his sons, Josiah, David, and Hezekiah, his son-in-law, Jacob Houghton, also Henry Houghton and John Wilder, Jr. In 1705 he was selectman; in 1708 he and twenty-nine others signed the church covenant and, as he was financially in good circumstances, he contributed liberally towards the support of the church; in 1710 he was elected to represent Lancaster in the General Court. In his will drawn March 20, 1718, he gave to each of his children one-eighth part of his right to land in the plantation of Littleton. His widow, who survived him eight years, died in 1726. Though Jonathan's recorded posterity is, numerically, the largest of the sons of John, there is reason to believe Josiah's posterity is at least as numerous. The tabulated records of Josiah's descendants nearly equal those of Jonathan, while those which are known to exist, but which are not yet obtained, outnumber the corresponding class in any other line.
(ADD'L SOURCE INFO: Book...THE WHITCOMB FAMILY IN AMERICA, A Biographical Genealogy, by Charlotte Whitcomb, (1904). Pages #396, 397)
Person ID I479 OurNorthernRoots | Andrew's Ancestor Last Modified 23 May 2025
Father John Whitcomb, b. Abt 1600, England d. 06 Apr 1683, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age ~ 83 years) Mother Frances Cogan, b. Abt 1605, Taunton, Somerset, England d. 17 Nov 1671, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age ~ 66 years) Marriage 26 Nov 1623 Taunton, Somerset, England Family ID F566 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Rebecca Waters, b. Abt 1644, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts d. 1726, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age ~ 82 years) Marriage 04 Jan 1664 Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts Children 1. Josiah Whitcomb, b. 12 Nov 1665, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts d. 12 Nov 1665, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age 0 years)2. Josiah Whitcomb, b. 07 Jan 1667, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts + 3. David Whitcomb, b. 20 Feb 1668, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts d. 11 Apr 1730, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age 62 years)+ 4. Rebekah Whitcomb, b. 12 Sep 1671, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts d. 22 Oct 1752, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age 81 years)5. Johannah Whitcomb, b. 08 Mar 1674, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts d. 24 Sep 1717, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age 43 years)6. Hezekiah Whitcomb, b. 14 Sep 1681, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts d. 06 May 1732, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age 50 years)7. Deborah Whitcomb, b. 26 Dec 1683, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts 8. Mary Whitcomb, b. Abt 1685, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts + 9. Damaris Whitcomb, b. 27 May 1686, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts d. 03 Dec 1772, Petersham, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age 86 years)+ 10. Abigail Whitcomb, b. 13 Mar 1687, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts d. 24 Sep 1771, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts (Age 84 years)11. Eunice Whitcomb, b. Abt 1690, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts Family ID F250 Group Sheet | Family Chart
- Josiah Whitcomb, was born in Dorchester, Mass., in 1638, according to Dorchester town records, and is believed to have been the youngest son of John. He accompanied his father's family from Scituate to Lancaster, Mass., in 1654, and his name appears variously in the early records of life in the new town. In 1688 he was granted a bounty for killing a wolf, and again he was named with his brother Job in an action for damages for accidentally or otherwise injuring or killing swine. (See page 32, this Book.) ["Josiah Whitcomb is allowed 20 shillings to be paid by the County for killing one growne wolfe in ye Towne of Lancaster." - (Nourse's Early Records of Lancaster: p. 124.)]. During Queen Ann's war (1702-17) he was allowed a garrison for protection against the Indians. This garrison was situated in what is now called Bolton, originally a part of Lancaster, but set off in 1738, and he lived in the southeastern part of this Bolton. He was commander of the garrison and with him were associated his sons, Josiah, David, and Hezekiah, his son-in-law, Jacob Houghton, also Henry Houghton and John Wilder, Jr. In 1705 he was selectman; in 1708 he and twenty-nine others signed the church covenant and, as he was financially in good circumstances, he contributed liberally towards the support of the church; in 1710 he was elected to represent Lancaster in the General Court. In his will drawn March 20, 1718, he gave to each of his children one-eighth part of his right to land in the plantation of Littleton. His widow, who survived him eight years, died in 1726. Though Jonathan's recorded posterity is, numerically, the largest of the sons of John, there is reason to believe Josiah's posterity is at least as numerous. The tabulated records of Josiah's descendants nearly equal those of Jonathan, while those which are known to exist, but which are not yet obtained, outnumber the corresponding class in any other line.
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Event Map 
Birth - 1638 - Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts 
Marriage - 04 Jan 1664 - Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts Death - 21 Mar 1718 - Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts 
Burial - - Old Common Burial Ground, Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts = Link to Google Earth Pin Legend 
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