John Holcomb

     John was born in 1680 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut. John married Anne Pettibone on 19 March 1706 in Granby. Simbury, Hartford County, Connecticut.¹ John and Anne had children: Anne [2/01/1707-1742] [m. 8/26/1729 George Granger], Dinah [1708-12/27/1788] [m. 1729 John Granger], John [1711-4/22/1797] [m. 1741 Mary Kent], Esther [1/25/1713-6/28/1774] [m. 3/13/1734 Brewster Higley Jr]. , Moses 5/24/1714-8/13/1752] [m. 1745 Elizabeth Phelps] & Asashel [7/15/1720-2/22/1815] [m. 1/27/1741/42 Thankful Kent & 2nd. Dinah Kent].² John made his will on 20 May 1743.

I John Holcomb of Simsbury in the County of Hartford, do make and ordain this my last will and testament: I give to my wife Ann the 1/3 part of all my real estate [the use thereof] during her life, and the 1/3 part of my personal estate that I leave undisposed of at the time of my decease to be hers forever. I hereby give to my son John the south side of my homelott, from Windsor bounds to the west end of the same [5 and 20 rods, called the old lot], of which piece I have already given him a deed. I also give him my lott at the place called Barn Door Hill which my honored father Nathaniel Holcomb decd. Gave me in his last will. I give my son Asahell and his heirs forever my lott of land at Turkey Hill, bounded east and south on a highway, extending west to Griffen’s upper marsh lot, and northward to the upper side of Sergant Gillett’s lot; and also all my right to the lott my father gave me in his last will with my brethren in common and undivided. I give and bequeath to my son Moses and his heirs forever all my homelot with the buildings thereon standing, orcharding, etc., excepting the 25 rods on the south side already given to my son John by deed and my lot at the east end of my homelot, lying in Windsor bounds. I also give to my two sons Asahell and Moses all the rest of my lands, wheresoever lying and being , to be equally divided between them and theirs; and also all the moveable estate, namely, oxen, cows and horses, sheep, swine etc. with all the team tackling etc.., as also cooper’s tools, with the gunns, axes, howes, etc., to be theirs. I give to my four daughters now living, viz. Dinah, Esther, Martha and Sarah, as is hereafter expressed, and I had in the lifetime of my daughter Ann decd. given her her portion: I give the aforesd. four daughters now surviving £60 to each of them, to be paid them or their heirs out of my estate at inventory price according to the old tenor bills of credit, accounting what they have as part of the £60. I give to my son Moses my Bible, and the Lord be with him. My will is and I hereby give to my son Moses full liberty to use the ½ of my part or the sawmill standing on the lot given to Asahell, with full liberty to pass to and from the same; and also I give him ½ of my part of the irons of sd. Mill and saws, the other part to be Asahell with the land aforesd. I appoint my two sons, Asashell and Moses, executors. – John Holcomb LS. – Witness: Samuel Forward, Joseph Phelps III, Peletiah Mills.³

John departed this life on Saturday, 11 July 1744 in Simsbury at age 64 years.⁴ He was buried at East Granby in East Granby Cemetery. The inscription on his tombstone reads: Ensign John Holcomb Died July 11, 1744.⁵ His will was probated on 7 August 1744. Asahell and Moses Holcomb, executors of the will, presented the will to the Court; it was aceepted and proven.³ The inventory of John's estate was taken on Thursday, 27 August 1744 by Isaac Gillett, Josiah Holcomeb and Abell Ward. The appraised the value of the estate to be £362 1s. 9d.