Family talk:Ebenezer Newcomb and Thankful Freeman (2)

Ebenezer Newcomb's children [7 October 2010]

Hello Jrich,

I notice you have made this person and family page. Do you by chance know the names of Ebenezer Newcomb's children? I am trying to research a Thankful Newcomb. Other people say she was born 1740, married 17 Oct 1760 to a Jonathan Rich, she died 1793 in Truro. She then remarried to a Chileab Hale. Does that sound familiar? Thanks for all your hard work, Debbie Freeman --DFree 22:26, 29 September 2010 (EDT)

My interest was the Freeman side of things, so not too familiar with the Newcomb side. The marriage is in Mayflower Descendant's VR Eastham, but no births of any children are there. The marriage of a Thankful Newcomb to Jonathan Rich is found in VR Truro, but her birth isn't. The family seems to be covered by Stephen Hopkins (Volume 6) of the Mayflower Family Through Five Generations but only snippet view on books.google.com, so while it does seem to mention the two marriages and put her in this family, b. abt. 1743 (see here, there is more that I can't see. It may be in a library near you. --Jrich 01:23, 30 September 2010 (EDT)

The 5 Generations book is probably a more useful source since it usually identifies the sources with footnotes, but there is a Newcomb Genealogy by Bethuel Newcomb publ. 1923. None of the children have precise birth dates, indicating birth records have not been found. The children are listed as David, b. 1739, m. Elizabeth Gross; Nehemiah b. abt. 1741; Thankful b. abt. 1743 m. (1) Jonathan Rich, m. (2) --- Smith, m. (3) Timothy Hale of CT; Abigail b. abt. 1845; Elizabeth, b. abt. 1747, m. Joseph Collins; Rachel m. Jeremiah Newcomb; Ebenezer. Another child Sarah was born to Ebenezer's second wife Experience Brown. The proof they belong in this family seems to lie in oldest child David being named guardian for all the others when they inherited from their grandfather Ebenezer Freeman's estate in 1760 (their mother having died by then, they may be listed in birth order, and David's birth in 1739 apparently based on the requirement that he was of legal age to qualify as guardian, but that all is my guess. 5 Generations may have more details). --Jrich 09:44, 30 September 2010 (EDT)

Hello Jrich, Thank you for your reply. If it is OK with you I will watch the pages regarding this family & ancestors. It looks like it is time to order books, etc. If all is confirmed in time than I have Person:Miles Parish (1) ancestors. There is still a lot of work to go though. Debbie Freeman --DFree 12:16, 30 September 2010 (EDT)

The Mayflower Families Through 5 Generations, vol. 6 (Stephen Hopkins), p. 447 says "David Newcomb was appointed 26 Sept. 1760 as guardian of Nehemiah, Thankful, Abigail, Elizabeth, Rachel and Ebenezer Newcomb, grandchildren and Heirs of Ebenezer Freeman, deceased. Four receipts were filed to David Newcomb as guardian: Jonathan and Thankful Rich on 20 Dec 1773, Elizabeth Newcomb on 19 Dec 1764, Abigail Newcomb on 24 Oct 1771, Ebenezer Newcomb for Nehemiah Newcomb (deceased) on 19 Dec. 176-."

David is the oldest sibling and in 1760 probably the only one that was of legal age. The mother was dead, and so probably didn't feel right to have the father who was remarried hold their assets until they reached majority and chose David. But the receipt certainly seems to prove Jonathan Rich's wife was the child of this family.

VR Truro, p. 89, says "octo^br 17 : 1760 Jonathan Rich married to thankful Newcombe". A duplicate appears on p. 91: "october 17^th 1760 Jonathan Rich & Thankfull Newcomb Both of Truroe married".

The text for this family says the father Ebenezer and his second wife moved to Oxford in 1773, and to Greenwich in 1782.

One of the references listed at the end of this family is "Hale House", p. 111-113. My library happens to have this. "Hale, House and Related Families" is by Donald Jacobus and Edgar Francis Waterman, publ. 1952, reprinted 1978. I find Jacobus to be very good. The pages mentioned are on Chiliab Hale, s/o Samuel Hale and Sarah Smith of Glastonbury, CT, but moved to Bernardston, MA, after 1765. Chiliab, b. Glastonbury 20 Jan 1740/1, d. Bernardston 16 Nov 1820, m. (1)Middletown, CT 22 Apr 1762 Mary Young, m. (2) Lydia, m. (3) Gill,MA, 29 Jan 1778 Mercy Mayhew, m. (4) (int. dated 20 Sep 1786) Thankful Rich of Greenfield, m. (5) Glastonbury 28 Aug 1808 Dolly (---) (Lucas) Randall.

Apparently Chiliab and Thankful had one child, Polly b. 16 Jun 1788, m. (int dated 7 Feb 1808) Levi Parker. She is named "Polly Parker" in the abstract of the will of Chiliab Hale of Bernardston that is given, dated 10 Oct 1817 [Franklin Co Probate File 2076, recorded on p. 6:364].

Unfortunately, I think the records for these towns in western Mass. are probably not readily available. You may have to order films through FHL if you want to track down more. --Jrich 21:27, 7 October 2010 (EDT)