From History of Walworth County Wisconsin, Vol. II, by Albert Clayton 
Beckwith, Publ. 1912 - Page 1083-1084
 
WILLIS P. HOLCOMB.  No more progressive agriculturist could be found within 
the limits of the territory embraced by the present volume than Willis P. 
HOLCOMB, who was born at Concord, Jefferson county, this state, September 22, 
1855, the son of Webster and Julia (BROWN) HOLCOMB.  The father was a native 
of Watertown, Jefferson county, New York.  The HOLCOMBs came originally from 
Holland, several generations ago.  The mother was from Erie county, 
Pennsylvania, and she came with her parents, Rufus and Syrena (PECK) BROWN, to 
Medina county, Ohio, and she came on to Wisconsin about 1854.  Webster HOLCOMB 
came to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in 1845, and settled in section 17, 
Concord township, in pioneer times, and entered land from the government.  
When he was but sixteen years old he aided in the defense of Sackett's Harbor 
against the British in the war of 1812.  His father, John HOLCOMB, was also a 
soldier in that war.  Webster HOLCOMB was married in New York to Abigail 
PERKINS, and they became the parents of ten children.  After the death in 1854 
of his first wife, he was married to Julia BROWN, of which union only one 
child was born, Willis P. HOLCOMB, subject of this sketch.
 
The subject was reared on the home farm in Jefferson county, and in 1878 he 
was united in marriage with Edith KNAPP, daughter of Bartholomew and Eliza 
(SHEPHERD) KNAPP.  The mother came to Walworth county, in pioneer times, as a 
bride with her first husband, John WHITTAKER, about 1840.  She walked from 
Milwaukee, and she and the party of several people of which she was a member 
pitched their camp where the Methodist church at Concord is now located.  She 
was the second white woman to locate in that vicinity.  She was born near 
London, England, and when seven years old came to northern New York and lived 
in the Catskill mountains, also for a time at Quebec.  Here in Wisconsin Mr. 
WHITTAKER died, leaving her with two children.  Her parents had been people of 
wealth, and when her mother came to America she had been so little used to 
doing her own work that she was almost as helpless as a child, trying to do 
housework in the new country.  She was twice married, her second husband being 
Bartholomew KNAPP, who was born at Schenectady, New York, and later came to 
Medina county, Ohio, and from there to Wisconsin about 1846, and located at 
Concord.  There Mrs. HOLCOMB's parents followed farming and spent most of 
their lives, the father dying in 1865, when Mrs. HOLCOMB was four years old.  
The mother, a woman of strong characteristics, remained on the home place and 
raised her six children in comfort and respectability.  Two other children had 
died in childhood.  The mother's last years were spent in Clark county with a 
daughter.  There Mrs. HOLCOMB grew up and was married.
 
After his marriage Willis P. HOLCOMB and wife lived on the home place for 
about five years.  In 1884 he sold the farm at Concord and moved to Walworth 
county and bought a farm in sections 10 and 11, Geneva township, known as the 
old CHASE farm, and there he has lived ever since, keeping the place well 
improved and well cultivated.
 
Three sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. HOLCOMB, named as follows: Willis 
Roy, born on September 10, 1879, married Annie VOLRATH and they have two 
children, Verna Geneva and Edith Louise; Mr. HOLCOMB lives at Excelsior, 
Minnesota, engaged in the dairy business, but owns a fine farm in Wyandotte 
county; Newell Webster, the second son of the subject, was born on July 11, 
1882.  He married Opal ARNSMELER and they are engaged in farming, about eight 
miles east of Judy, Illinois, across the state line in Wisconsin; they have 
one daughter, Myrleh Leone; Ellery Channing, third son of the subject, was 
born on August 14, 1890, and he is at home with his parents.  Willis P. 
HOLCOMB is a member of the Modern Woodmen, and his wife belongs to the Mystic 
Workers.
 
Submitted by Carol