The great, great, great, great, grandson of Francis Newcomb, John Rightmyre Newcomb remained hidden from our family until recently. Fortunately, I met John during my quest to meet the pioneers of my heritage. As a result of this encounter with my Great, Great Grandfather and Grandmother, I would like to share my discovery of our early family members.

Finding the marriage certificate of John and Fannie Payne Newcomb of Bunker Hill, Illinois was the major find that turned my quest to meet the Newcomb ancestors of America a reality. When I found their marriage certificate on line through the State of Illinois historical website their was no turning back. John Rightmyer and Frances Payne were married in Bunker Hill, Illinois on November 5, 1850. I quickly ordered a copy of their marriage certificate and to my great surprise and thrill their signatures were on the back of the document. John’s land purchase in Fannin County, Texas brings our branch of the family to life. Hopefully, you will find something of their journey and the journey of their offspring as interesting as I did during my research.

We trace our Newcomb line to Francis and Rachel of Sudbury, Suffolk, England in the early 1600s. They sailed on the Planter in 1635 from Sudbury to Boston. The family settled in Boston for about three years and then moved to a community outside of Boston, called Mt. Wollaston, later the name was changed to Braintree, Massachusetts.

The Newcombs of Braintree in the mid 1700 were participants in the Revolutionary War. John Adams and Abigail Adams speak of the Newcombs in their correspondence. Would you believe the Newcombs had dinner with the President-to-be?

Francis to Peter to John to Benjamin to William to Arnold to John Rightmyre saw members of the family settle in Massachusetts and remain until John’s father, Arnold, moved his family to Schoharie County, New York in the early 1800s. John Rightmyre appears in the 1850 census of Bunker Hill, Macoupin County, Illinois. Our journey begins there.