"Capt. Joseph Newcomb (Andrew, Andrew) was b. at Edgartown, Marthas Vineyard, Mass. In a deposition on file in supreme court at Boston, dated April 17, 1703, he calls his age 'about 20 years,' therefore born 1683. He m. Nov. 20, 1705, Joyce, dau. of Capt. John and Joyce Butler of Edgartown; her grandf. was Nicholas Butler. Mr. N. lived in E. till 1732; was chosen selectman and sealer of weights and measures in 1712, sealer 1713, and in 1718 to consider the matter about building the meeting house; was also chosen moderator of town meetings and town treasurer.
"In 1721 he was representative from E. to the General Court [Legislature] of Mass, at Boston; upon the records at E., prior to 1722, he is called 'Capt.,' afterwards 'Gent.' Doubtless he was a commander or captain of ships, — he may have been captain of a military organization. Besides the lands which he received from his own and his wife's parents, he made several purchases between 1713-1722; he made seven sales of lands, the first in 1717, the last Sept, 22, 1731. Feb. 17, 1726-7 he sold for £70, to John Worth, two tracts of land 'which 1 bought of my brother Simon Newcomh late of Edgartown.' Sept. 21, 1731, for £490, he sold Jacob Norton 10 acres adjoining harbor at E.; also all right to land in front of house joining to westward part facing the harbor, also half a gallery pew.
"In 1732 he removed, with his wife, three sons, and perhaps other ch., to Salem (now Cumberland) Co., N. J., and settled in the town of Fairfield, where he d. just before Jan. 17, 1733, at which date his widow Joyce, as per records at Trenton, vol. 3, p. 304, was appointed administratrix of estate of her 'husband Joseph Newcomb late of Salem County.' Administration was also granted to his son Bayes, at Edgartown, February 20, 1739-40 to settle affairs at E. Capt. N. and wife were interred in old cemetery near where they first landed, at what was called New England Cross Roads. A clergyman in N. J. writes: 'They have transmitted to their descendants of the present time a character for morality and religion unsurpassed by any other community.'"
