An American Family History

Rebecca Waters Whitcomb was born in February, 1643/44 in Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Her parents were Lawrence Waters and Ann Linton.

She married Josiah Whitcomb on November 4, 1664 in Lancaster. Josiah was the son of John Whitcomb and Frances Coggan. He was born in 1638 in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Rebecca and Josiah's children included:
Josiah Whitcomb (1665),
Josiah Whitcomb (1666),
David Whitcomb (1668, married Mary Hayward),
Rebecca Whitcomb Houghton (1671, married Jacob Houghton),
Johanna Whitcomb Joslin (1674, married Peter Joslin),
Hezekiah Whitcomb (1681, married Rachael Priest and Hannah),
Deborah Whitcomb (1683),
Damaris Whitcomb Wilder (1786, married Nathaniel Wilder),
Mary Whitcomb, and
Abigail Whitcomb White (1687/88, married Josiah White).

In 1692, their daughter, Johanna Joslin, was killed by indigenous warriors.

During Queen Anne’s War they had a garrison in southeast Bolton.

Josiah died in 1718. Rebecca died in 1726.

Queen Anne ruled England and Great Britain from March 8, 1702 to August 1, 1714.

Children of Lawrence Waters and Anna Linton Lawrence Waters Sarah Waters Skeath Mary Waters Davis Rebecca Waters Daniel Waters Stephen Waters Rebecca Waters Whitcomb Adam Waters Joseph Waters Jacob Waters Rachel Waters Samuel Waters Joanna Waters Ephraim Waters

Old Style Calendar Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.

Queen Ann’s War was between 1702 and 1713. It was part of the War of Spanish Succession. England, Austria, the Netherlands, and Portugal joined forces to prevent France from becoming too powerful. The war waged on the New England frontier was called Queen Ann’s War.

On the July 18, 1692, a party of the Indians attacked the house near Lancaster, Mass., of Peter Joslin and murdered his wife [Sarah Howe Joslin], three children, and a widow by the name of Whitcomb, who resided in the family. Joslin himself, at the time, was at work in the field, and knew nothing of the terrible calamity that had befallen him, till his return home. Elizabeth Howe, his wife's sister, was taken captive, but was afterwards returned. Another child, Peter, was savagely put to death by the Indians in the wilderness.

One of the little boys in the morning requested leave to go into the field with his father, assigning as a reason that he had seen some red men in the hemp; but the father heeded him not. It was baking day with Mrs. Joslin, and she defended herself against the Indians with the bread-shovel, till she received a death blow from a tomahawk. Joslin returned home to find his wife and children barbarously murdered with tomahawks and weltering in their blood.

Elizabeth Howe was spinning on the little wheel; and probably was spared on account of the sweet melody she was making with her voice. The Indians used to make her sing to them in her captivity.

Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts,by Ellery Bicknell Crane published by Lewis Pub., 1907

Josiah Whitcomb, son of John Whitcomb was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1638, and is believed to be the youngest son. He accompanied his father's family from Scituate to Lancaster in 1654, and his name appears variously in the records of Lancaster. In 1688 he received a bounty for killing a wolf. He was named in an action for damages for killing swine belonging to Stephen Gates.

He married January 4, 1664, in Lancaster. Rebecca Waters, daughter of Lawrence and Ann (Linton) Waters, of Watertown, Lancaster and Charlestown. She was born February, 1640.

During Queen Anne's war (1702-17) he was allowed a garrison for protection against the Indians. This garrison was situated in what is now called Bolton, set off from Lancaster in 1738. He lived in the southeastern part of Bolton. He was commander of the garrison.

In 1705 he was selectman and in 1708 he and twenty-nine others signed the church covenant. In 1710 he was elected deputy to the general court. He died in 1718. In his will made March 20, 1718. he gave to each of his children one-eighth part of his right to land in Littleton. His widow died in 1726. His posterity is very numerous, thought to be the most numerous of the sons of John Whitcomb. There is a gravestone in the Bolton graveyard marking his burial place.

His children were:
1. Josiah. born November 12, 1665; died same day.
2. Josiah. born January 7, 1667; married (first) 1690. Mary -; second Elizabeth; he died April 12, 7718; widow married (second), March 25, 1719, Jabez Fairbanks, of Lancaster, Massachusetts.
3. David
4. Rebecca, born November 12. 7671; married Jacob Houghton, 1704.
5. Johannah. born March 8, 1674: married, December 26, 1708, Peter Joslin; died September 24,. 1717.
6. Hezekiah. born September 14, 1681; married Hannah ; lived in Bolton, where he was prominent in the church, died previous to June 20, 1732; had eight children.
7. Deborah, born December 26. 1683; probably died young.
8. Damaris; married, in Marlboro, Nathaniel Wilder.
9. Mary, named in father's will.
10. Abigail, born March 13, 1687-8; married Josiah White, June 26, 1706. rt. Eunice.