Person Page - 305

     Dexter D. Holcombe was born on 9 April 1862. He was the son of Norman Chandler Holcombe and Sarah Horton. Dexter D. Holcombe married Leafy Comfort, daughter of Dr. (?) Comfort, on 24 May 1883.

     David W. Horton was born on 8 December 1827. He was the son of Zaphaniah Horton and Abigail Thomas. David W. Horton married Susan Keturah Holcombe, daughter of Drayton Holcombe and Keturah Skinner. David W. Horton died in 1895.

     Paul P. Horton was the son of Zaphaniah Horton and Abigail Thomas. Paul P. Horton married Dorothy E. Holcombe, daughter of Drayton Holcombe and Keturah Skinner.

     Ruth Horton was born in 1843. She was the daughter of Zaphaniah Horton and Abigail Thomas. Ruth Horton married James C. Holcombe, son of Drayton Holcombe and Keturah Skinner. Ruth Horton died in 1920.

     Arthur Laws was born in August 1882. He was the son of Daniel Laws and Azile A. Holcombe.

     Leafy Comfort was born on 12 November 1863. She was the daughter of Dr. (?) Comfort. Leafy Comfort married Dexter D. Holcombe, son of Norman Chandler Holcombe and Sarah Horton, on 24 May 1883. Leafy Comfort died on 29 November 1935 at age 72.

     Estella Holcombe was born in 1885. She was the daughter of Dexter D. Holcombe and Leafy Comfort.

     Harry Holcombe was the son of Dexter D. Holcombe and Leafy Comfort. Harry Holcombe married Alice Telford.

     Pearl Holcombe was the daughter of Dexter D. Holcombe and Leafy Comfort.

     Gladys Brown was the daughter of George Brown and Estella Holcombe.

     Harry Brown was the son of George Brown and Estella Holcombe.

     Marjory Brown was the daughter of George Brown and Estella Holcombe.

     Dorothy Brown was the daughter of George Brown and Estella Holcombe.

     Alice Telford married Harry Holcombe, son of Dexter D. Holcombe and Leafy Comfort.

     Dorothy Holcombe was the daughter of Harry Holcombe and Alice Telford.

     Frank Smith was the son of C. Frank Smith.

     Velma A. Horton was the daughter of David W. Horton and Susan Keturah Holcombe.

     William Lavern Horton was born on 23 March 1856. He was the son of David W. Horton and Susan Keturah Holcombe.

     Elvira A. Horton was born on 19 May 1855 at Ontario, Canada. She was the daughter of Paul P. Horton and Dorothy E. Holcombe.

     Drayton G. Horton was born on 5 February 1858 at Pelham Twp., Welland Co., Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Paul P. Horton and Dorothy E. Holcombe. Drayton G. Horton died on 14 May 1886 at age 28.

     Frank G. Horton was born on 6 August 1861 at Pelham Twp., Welland Co., Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Paul P. Horton and Dorothy E. Holcombe.

     Dexter D. Horton was born on 24 May 1863 at Pelham Twp., Welland Co., Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Paul P. Horton and Dorothy E. Holcombe.

     Calvin D. Horton was born on 7 September 1872 at Pelham Twp., Welland Co., Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Paul P. Horton and Dorothy E. Holcombe.

     Dorothy E. Horton was born at Pelham Twp., Welland Co., Ontario, Canada. She was the daughter of Paul P. Horton and Dorothy E. Holcombe. Dorothy E. Horton died on 28 June 1873.

     William LeVerne Holcombe was born on 31 May 1868 at Ontario, Canada. He was the son of James C. Holcombe and Ruth Horton. William LeVerne Holcombe married Mary Barry in 1894.

     Abbey Holcombe was born in May 1870. She was the daughter of James C. Holcombe and Ruth Horton. Abbey Holcombe died in 1871.

     Norman Chandler Holcombe II was born on 24 April 1872 at Ontario, Canada. He was the son of James C. Holcombe and Ruth Horton. Norman Chandler Holcombe II married Clara Louise Maneer, daughter of Stephen Roberts Maneer and Elizabeth Sneath, on 4 October 1898.

     Mary Barry married William LeVerne Holcombe, son of James C. Holcombe and Ruth Horton, in 1894. Mary Barry died in 1914.

     McPherson indicates that John married and had one child. John C. Holcombe was born on 2 August 1896. He was the son of William LeVerne Holcombe and Mary Barry.

     Dr. William LeVerne Holcombe was born on 17 August 1900 at Buffalo, Erie Co., NY.^2,3 He was the son of William LeVerne Holcombe and Mary Barry. Dr. William LeVerne Holcombe married Josephine Banchetti on 2 December 1933. Dr. William LeVerne Holcombe lived in 1947 at 353 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, Erie Co., NY. He died in December 1967 at Buffalo, Erie Co., NY, at age 67.²

There may be some confusion; McPherson refers the reader to A-8-1-10-5-2-11-2-1, page 189, to a LaVern Hollister Holcombe.


When William completed his application for a social security number on 7 March 1957, he was self-employed and living at 86 Hodge Ave., Buffalo, NY.

     Josephine Banchetti was born on 6 August 1905 at Buffalo, Erie Co., NY. She married Dr. William LeVerne Holcombe, son of William LeVerne Holcombe and Mary Barry, on 2 December 1933.

     William LeVerne Holcombe was born on 16 September 1934 at Buffalo, Erie Co., NY. He was the son of Dr. William LeVerne Holcombe and Josephine Banchetti. William LeVerne Holcombe married Susan P. Formhals on 3 October 1959. William LeVerne Holcombe died on 13 March 2020 at Kenmore, NY, at age 85.

From The Buffalo News, 13 March 2020:

William L. Holcomb was well-known as a labor negotiator who worked with many local governments throughout the region.

But he also did extensive volunteer work, for the most part behind the scenes.

"He traveled in big circles, but he did a lot of low-key things, under the radar, that really had an impact on the community," said his son, Joseph Holcomb.

Mr. Holcomb, 85, of Kenmore, died March 6, 2020, at home with assistance from Hospice Buffalo. He had suffered a stroke three weeks earlier.

When Mr. Holcomb became involved with the local chapter of the American Red Cross, his son said, its headquarters was badly in need of repair. "He raised a lot of the money to save that building on Delaware Avenue," his son said.

The local Red Cross gave Mr. Holcomb its highest award, the Clara Barton Award.

Born in Buffalo on Sept. 16, 1934, he was the first child of William L. and Josephine Holcomb.

Mr. Holcomb was a member of the Class of 1952 at Canisius High School, where he was a class officer for two years and played football, basketball and baseball. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1956 from Canisius College, where he majored in English literature.

After participating in ROTC during his college years, Mr. Holcomb entered the Army Reserve in 1956 and rose to the rank of colonel. He graduated from U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and received the Meritorious Service Medal, before retiring in 1994.

On Oct. 3, 1959, he and Susan Formhals married in Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Snyder.

To his family and friends, Mr. Holcomb was a warm and devoted person, said his daughter, Mary Kathleen Hale. "He loved his friends – it was visible in all the lifelong friendships he fostered (some spanning 75 years) and his beloved supper club," she said. "He loved people – Bill Holcomb was one social guy. His smile, firm handshake and friendly demeanor always drew people to him. He loved to talk. He loved his family dearly."

From 1970 to 1974, Mr. Holcomb was director of labor relations for the City of Buffalo under Mayor Sedita.

In 1974, he formed William L. Holcomb Associates, which he operated in Snyder until 2012. "He was well-known for fairness, his knowledge of the law, and helped to grow companies and streamline governments throughout New York," Joseph Holcomb said.

Mr. Holcomb worked as director of operations at Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation from 1974 to 1977; coordinator of labor management programs for the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University from 1977 to 1982; vice president of human resources at Greater Buffalo Press from 1983 to 1988; and director of human resources for the Erie County Water Authority from 1990 to 1996.

He was an instructor in labor relations/human resources management at Canisius College from 1971 to 1975 and 1990 to 1996; at Niagara University from 1975 to 1977; and at the State University of New York at Buffalo from 1988 to 1991.

Mr. Holcomb was past president of the state Public Employer Labor Relations Association and the Buffalo Executives Association. He was a charter member, former board member and vice president of the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association and a charter member of the Organization of Public Employer Negotiators.

He was a former board member of the Printing Industry of Western New York and belonged to the U.S. Army Reserve Officers Association, the U.S. Army Armor Association and the Labor Employer Relations Association.

Mr. Holcomb served as chair of the Northeast Region of the American Red Cross and of the board of directors of the American Red Cross' Greater Buffalo Chapter. He served on the board of the Kenmore-Tonawanda Chamber of Commerce and the St. Vincent de Paul Society and was president of the Professional Businessmen's Association.

Mr. Holcomb was general chairman of the 1982 Catholic Charities Appeal, on the board of Our Lady of Victory Infant Home, past president of the Canisius College Alumni Association and a member emeritus of the Canisius College Board of Regents and the Kenmore Mercy Hospital Foundation Board of Directors.

Mr. Holcomb received the LaSalle Medal from Canisius College, was named to the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor at Canisius High School and to the Class of 1952 Leadership Hall of Fame. He was named the 2010 Citizen of the Year of the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association and received the group's Labor Employer Relations Association Presidents Award.

Since 2003, the William L. Holcomb Award for Public Service in Labor Relations is awarded annually to a member of the association.

Mr. Holcomb's wife died on Feb. 4, 2018.

He is survived by his sons, William L. Holcomb III and Joseph M. Holcomb; a daughter, Mary Kathleen Hale; brother Peter Holcomb; and three grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 9 in St. John the Baptist Church in Kenmore.