Person:Joseph Collins (25)

Source:The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, p. 151:13 says that Joseph m. (1) Tamzin Newcomb, m. (2) Elizabeth (Newcomb) Harding. The second wife is identified as the widow of Paul Harding, whom she married in Chatham on 21 Aug 1760 per Source:Mayflower Descendant, p. 17:91.

That a second marriage for Joseph Collins seems to have taken place is supported by Source:Vital records of the town of Truro, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, p. 100, "December 5th 1765 Joseph collings and Elisabeth Newcomb Both of Truro married by B : paine Justice : peace".

However, it would be very unusual that widow Harding would be listed with her maiden name in a subsequent marriage record, making me question whether the identification of Joseph's second wife as the widow of Mr. Harding is correct.

Source:Genealogy - D. Pane-Joyce which identifies Elizabeth as the widow of Paul Harding, and identifies her parents as Joshua and Elizabeth (Collins) Newcomb. Genealogical Memoir of the Newcomb Family By John Bearse Newcomb, p. 59, agrees in identifying her parents as Joshua Newcomb by his 2nd wife Elizabeth Collins, but this source does not show any marriage to Paul Harding, just Joseph Collings. One website, Steve Condarcure's New England Genealogy shows Elizabeth's parents as Ebenezer and Thankful (Freeman) Newcomb, and no marriage to Paul Harding, just Joseph Collins. This last source provides no evidence, but among the named children of Joseph and Elizabeth (Newcomb) Collins are children named Thankful and Freeman, which suggests it may have some basis in truth. (See Source:Mayflower Descendant, Truro, Mass. Church Records, p. 27:113, 28:54 for baptisms of these children of Joseph Collins of Truro.) The Newcomb Genealogy cited above, p. 53, says this Elizabeth m. --- Collins.

I have not found a death record for Paul Harding. [1] indicates a deed involving Paul Harding, mariner, selling land in Chatham in 1778. Now Paul and Elizabeth did have a son Paul who married 1792 Rebecca Smith (Source:The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, p. 127:122), but as he would have been born after their marriage in 1760, he would not, in 1778, be old enough to own land. There could be another Paul Harding, but Paul was not a common name at this point in time. This leads to the conclusion that Paul Harding was still alive, and therefore it would not be his widow that married Joseph Collins.

It is most likely that Elizabeth, the daughter of Joshua Newcomb, married Paul Harding while Elizabeth, the daughter of Ebenezer Newcomb, married as his second wife, Joseph Collins. But more investigation is needed.

--Jrich 13:19, 1 November 2008 (EDT)

1. ↑ Bowman, George Ernest, and Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants. Vital Records of the Town of Truro, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Boston, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1933)
   57.

   Joseph collings the son of Jonathan and Susanna collings was born at Truro July 21st : 1728

2. ↑ Joseph Collins of Eastham, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
   151:12.

   Names as co-executor with brother Andrew by father's will of 12 Dec 1753.

3. ↑ Records From the Old North Cemetery, Truro, Mass, in Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants. Mayflower Descendant: An Illustrated Quarterly Magazine of Pilgrim Genealogy, History and Biography
   12:186.

   Collins, Joseph, died 3 June 1788, in his 59th year.