"Dorothy (Carter) Whitcomb was born March 9, 1746 in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts to Jonathan Carter (1711-1799) and his wife, Damaris (Joslin) Carter (1714-1801). She was a great granddaughter of Reverend Samuel Carter of Lancaster, Massachusetts and great great granddaughter of the Rev. Thomas Carter, early Puritan leader of Woburn, Massachusetts. She married Jonathan Priest Whitcomb on September 5th, 1764 in Leominster, Massachusetts. They were early settlers at Swanzey, New Hampshire. Together they ran a tavern and inn. She passed on October 22nd, 1827 in Swanzey at her son Nathan's home.
The following extract was taken from; Whitcomb Memorial Ancestry and Descendants of Col. Jonathan Priest Whitcomb, by Jonadab Baker Whitcomb, Published privately, San Francisco, 1893.
"EXTRACTS. Extract from a letter written by a granddaughter of Dorothy Carter Whitcomb.
Mansfield, June 30, 1884.
Dear Sir:
My grandfather, Jonathan Whitcomb, died many years before my birth. My father, Nathan Whitcomb, took care of his mother for some years after his father's death. I can remember her quite well. Her name before her marriage was Dorothy Carter, from Leominster, Mass.: grandfather, I think, was from the same place; I have been told that he kept the first "Tavern" ever opened in the town of Swanzey; also, the first store. Grandmother often told me of the "terrible dark day!" when they had travelers staying over night, who wished to be called at daybreak; but no daybreak came. They were all alarmed greatly until the next day, when the sun rose clearly and all was cheer again. Grandfather had five children who grew up and settled in life: Jonathan, Ephraim, Nathan, Dorothy, Salome. My grandfather was colonel in the army of the old Revolutionary War. At the time of his burial, his regiment of soldiers came to his funeral. There was a procession of one mile and a half in length. Drums were muffled and the death march played in very solemn strains. Grandfather's horse was saddled and bridled, as it was in the army; his boots were hanging beside the saddle, and the horse was led behind the bearers to his master's grave. The military fired their guns over his open grave. My grandmother wore a long black silk cloak with a hood to it, and along fall of crape in front. I can't give you correct dates; I wish I could. I heard my grandma tell all about the funeral so often in my earliest days, that it has always seemed to me that I was at the funeral myself, although it occurred long before I had an existence. Grandmother had told me many things in regard to her early married life. They had no wagons, but rode on horseback altogether; ladies often rode on the same horse behind a gentleman, on what they called a pillion. She and my grandfather often rode to Boston, to buy goods, on separate horses. They brought to N.H. the first bunch of lilacs they had ever seen, in their saddlebags; they were set on our old place, near the old house where my father's family were all born-the place now owned by Mrs. Phineas Stone. Our old house is all taken away, and the new one, which my father built, Mrs. Stone now lives in.
My parents had ten children; three died in infancy; six brothers and myself lived to grow up. I was the youngest of the seven. I will give the names of my brothers: Leonard Whitcomb lived to be 74 years, and died at West Swanzey; Carter Whitcomb lived to be 85 years old, and died at Swanzey Center; Alva Whitcomb moved to Pa., and died there; Nathan Whitcomb moved to Fitchburg, Mass., and died there. Otis Whitcomb lived 86 years, and died in Swanzey (the father of eighteen children by one wife); Lyman Whitcomb lived and died in New Worcester, Mass.
As to my great-grandparents, I cannot give you any information at all; I wish I could. I did not live in Swanzey any after I was 16 years old. My father and mother moved back to Swanzey, and both died there. My mother's maiden name was Penelope white, from Milford, Mass.
Yours truly,
Eliza Bailey"
The following extract was taken from; Whitcomb Memorial Ancestry and Descendants of Col. Jonathan Priest Whitcomb, by Jonadab Baker Whitcomb, Published privately, San Francisco, 1893.
"EXTRACTS. Extract from a letter written by a granddaughter of Dorothy Carter Whitcomb.
Mansfield, June 30, 1884.
Dear Sir:
My grandfather, Jonathan Whitcomb, died many years before my birth. My father, Nathan Whitcomb, took care of his mother for some years after his father's death. I can remember her quite well. Her name before her marriage was Dorothy Carter, from Leominster, Mass.: grandfather, I think, was from the same place; I have been told that he kept the first "Tavern" ever opened in the town of Swanzey; also, the first store. Grandmother often told me of the "terrible dark day!" when they had travelers staying over night, who wished to be called at daybreak; but no daybreak came. They were all alarmed greatly until the next day, when the sun rose clearly and all was cheer again. Grandfather had five children who grew up and settled in life: Jonathan, Ephraim, Nathan, Dorothy, Salome. My grandfather was colonel in the army of the old Revolutionary War. At the time of his burial, his regiment of soldiers came to his funeral. There was a procession of one mile and a half in length. Drums were muffled and the death march played in very solemn strains. Grandfather's horse was saddled and bridled, as it was in the army; his boots were hanging beside the saddle, and the horse was led behind the bearers to his master's grave. The military fired their guns over his open grave. My grandmother wore a long black silk cloak with a hood to it, and along fall of crape in front. I can't give you correct dates; I wish I could. I heard my grandma tell all about the funeral so often in my earliest days, that it has always seemed to me that I was at the funeral myself, although it occurred long before I had an existence. Grandmother had told me many things in regard to her early married life. They had no wagons, but rode on horseback altogether; ladies often rode on the same horse behind a gentleman, on what they called a pillion. She and my grandfather often rode to Boston, to buy goods, on separate horses. They brought to N.H. the first bunch of lilacs they had ever seen, in their saddlebags; they were set on our old place, near the old house where my father's family were all born-the place now owned by Mrs. Phineas Stone. Our old house is all taken away, and the new one, which my father built, Mrs. Stone now lives in.
My parents had ten children; three died in infancy; six brothers and myself lived to grow up. I was the youngest of the seven. I will give the names of my brothers: Leonard Whitcomb lived to be 74 years, and died at West Swanzey; Carter Whitcomb lived to be 85 years old, and died at Swanzey Center; Alva Whitcomb moved to Pa., and died there; Nathan Whitcomb moved to Fitchburg, Mass., and died there. Otis Whitcomb lived 86 years, and died in Swanzey (the father of eighteen children by one wife); Lyman Whitcomb lived and died in New Worcester, Mass.
As to my great-grandparents, I cannot give you any information at all; I wish I could. I did not live in Swanzey any after I was 16 years old. My father and mother moved back to Swanzey, and both died there. My mother's maiden name was Penelope white, from Milford, Mass.
Yours truly,
Eliza Bailey"
"Dorothy (Carter) Whitcomb was born March 9, 1746 in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts to Jonathan Carter (1711-1799) and his wife, Damaris (Joslin) Carter (1714-1801). She was a great granddaughter of Reverend Samuel Carter of Lancaster, Massachusetts and great great granddaughter of the Rev. Thomas Carter, early Puritan leader of Woburn, Massachusetts. She married Jonathan Priest Whitcomb on September 5th, 1764 in Leominster, Massachusetts. They were early settlers at Swanzey, New Hampshire. Together they ran a tavern and inn. She passed on October 22nd, 1827 in Swanzey at her son Nathan's home.
The following extract was taken from; Whitcomb Memorial Ancestry and Descendants of Col. Jonathan Priest Whitcomb, by Jonadab Baker Whitcomb, Published privately, San Francisco, 1893.
"EXTRACTS. Extract from a letter written by a granddaughter of Dorothy Carter Whitcomb.
Mansfield, June 30, 1884.
Dear Sir:
My grandfather, Jonathan Whitcomb, died many years before my birth. My father, Nathan Whitcomb, took care of his mother for some years after his father's death. I can remember her quite well. Her name before her marriage was Dorothy Carter, from Leominster, Mass.: grandfather, I think, was from the same place; I have been told that he kept the first "Tavern" ever opened in the town of Swanzey; also, the first store. Grandmother often told me of the "terrible dark day!" when they had travelers staying over night, who wished to be called at daybreak; but no daybreak came. They were all alarmed greatly until the next day, when the sun rose clearly and all was cheer again. Grandfather had five children who grew up and settled in life: Jonathan, Ephraim, Nathan, Dorothy, Salome. My grandfather was colonel in the army of the old Revolutionary War. At the time of his burial, his regiment of soldiers came to his funeral. There was a procession of one mile and a half in length. Drums were muffled and the death march played in very solemn strains. Grandfather's horse was saddled and bridled, as it was in the army; his boots were hanging beside the saddle, and the horse was led behind the bearers to his master's grave. The military fired their guns over his open grave. My grandmother wore a long black silk cloak with a hood to it, and along fall of crape in front. I can't give you correct dates; I wish I could. I heard my grandma tell all about the funeral so often in my earliest days, that it has always seemed to me that I was at the funeral myself, although it occurred long before I had an existence. Grandmother had told me many things in regard to her early married life. They had no wagons, but rode on horseback altogether; ladies often rode on the same horse behind a gentleman, on what they called a pillion. She and my grandfather often rode to Boston, to buy goods, on separate horses. They brought to N.H. the first bunch of lilacs they had ever seen, in their saddlebags; they were set on our old place, near the old house where my father's family were all born-the place now owned by Mrs. Phineas Stone. Our old house is all taken away, and the new one, which my father built, Mrs. Stone now lives in.
My parents had ten children; three died in infancy; six brothers and myself lived to grow up. I was the youngest of the seven. I will give the names of my brothers: Leonard Whitcomb lived to be 74 years, and died at West Swanzey; Carter Whitcomb lived to be 85 years old, and died at Swanzey Center; Alva Whitcomb moved to Pa., and died there; Nathan Whitcomb moved to Fitchburg, Mass., and died there. Otis Whitcomb lived 86 years, and died in Swanzey (the father of eighteen children by one wife); Lyman Whitcomb lived and died in New Worcester, Mass.
As to my great-grandparents, I cannot give you any information at all; I wish I could. I did not live in Swanzey any after I was 16 years old. My father and mother moved back to Swanzey, and both died there. My mother's maiden name was Penelope white, from Milford, Mass.
Yours truly,
Eliza Bailey"
The following extract was taken from; Whitcomb Memorial Ancestry and Descendants of Col. Jonathan Priest Whitcomb, by Jonadab Baker Whitcomb, Published privately, San Francisco, 1893.
"EXTRACTS. Extract from a letter written by a granddaughter of Dorothy Carter Whitcomb.
Mansfield, June 30, 1884.
Dear Sir:
My grandfather, Jonathan Whitcomb, died many years before my birth. My father, Nathan Whitcomb, took care of his mother for some years after his father's death. I can remember her quite well. Her name before her marriage was Dorothy Carter, from Leominster, Mass.: grandfather, I think, was from the same place; I have been told that he kept the first "Tavern" ever opened in the town of Swanzey; also, the first store. Grandmother often told me of the "terrible dark day!" when they had travelers staying over night, who wished to be called at daybreak; but no daybreak came. They were all alarmed greatly until the next day, when the sun rose clearly and all was cheer again. Grandfather had five children who grew up and settled in life: Jonathan, Ephraim, Nathan, Dorothy, Salome. My grandfather was colonel in the army of the old Revolutionary War. At the time of his burial, his regiment of soldiers came to his funeral. There was a procession of one mile and a half in length. Drums were muffled and the death march played in very solemn strains. Grandfather's horse was saddled and bridled, as it was in the army; his boots were hanging beside the saddle, and the horse was led behind the bearers to his master's grave. The military fired their guns over his open grave. My grandmother wore a long black silk cloak with a hood to it, and along fall of crape in front. I can't give you correct dates; I wish I could. I heard my grandma tell all about the funeral so often in my earliest days, that it has always seemed to me that I was at the funeral myself, although it occurred long before I had an existence. Grandmother had told me many things in regard to her early married life. They had no wagons, but rode on horseback altogether; ladies often rode on the same horse behind a gentleman, on what they called a pillion. She and my grandfather often rode to Boston, to buy goods, on separate horses. They brought to N.H. the first bunch of lilacs they had ever seen, in their saddlebags; they were set on our old place, near the old house where my father's family were all born-the place now owned by Mrs. Phineas Stone. Our old house is all taken away, and the new one, which my father built, Mrs. Stone now lives in.
My parents had ten children; three died in infancy; six brothers and myself lived to grow up. I was the youngest of the seven. I will give the names of my brothers: Leonard Whitcomb lived to be 74 years, and died at West Swanzey; Carter Whitcomb lived to be 85 years old, and died at Swanzey Center; Alva Whitcomb moved to Pa., and died there; Nathan Whitcomb moved to Fitchburg, Mass., and died there. Otis Whitcomb lived 86 years, and died in Swanzey (the father of eighteen children by one wife); Lyman Whitcomb lived and died in New Worcester, Mass.
As to my great-grandparents, I cannot give you any information at all; I wish I could. I did not live in Swanzey any after I was 16 years old. My father and mother moved back to Swanzey, and both died there. My mother's maiden name was Penelope white, from Milford, Mass.
Yours truly,
Eliza Bailey"
Inscription
Mrs Dorothy
wife of
Col Jonathan
Whitcomb, died
Oct 22, 1827
in the 82 year
of her age
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