James Combs was born April 5, 1799, in Vermont, not only noted on his gravestone, but in the 1850 Bullitt County Kentucky Census. James was the son of William Combs, born April 10, 1758, in New Hampshire, and Thankful B. Fletcher, born July 18, 1766, also in New Hampshire. My husband has the Fletcher family from this area in his lines – would be interesting to know if they cross paths! I found a birth record for Thankful Fletcher, July 18, 1766, in Hollis, New Hampshire, giving her parents’ names, Oliver and Tabitha Fletcher.
James Combs married Rebecca Weller in Nelson County, Kentucky, November 20, 1823. The bondsman was Daniel Weller, possibly Rebecca’s father. In the 1840 census for Bullitt County we find James, 40-50, 2 sons 10-15, one daughter 5-10, and wife Rebecca, 20-30. According to the 1850 census sons Oliver and Myron were 24 and 22 respectively. There is no daughter listed in the census, but I believe it to be Julia M. Combs, born about 1830, who married George W. Magruder, before the 1850 census. Rebecca Combs died June 16, 1845.
James married Susan Welch about 1848. There is a marriage with the date September 19, 1848, recorded in Hardin County for a James Combs and Susan A. Bennett – with the notation ‘both married before.’ Could this be our Susan Welch who first married Mr. Bennett? My question was answered through the 1908 obituary of Susan Combs, which listed her first husband as George W. Bennett. Together Susan and George had three children.
These three Bennett children were listed in the household of James and Susan Combs in the 1850 Bullitt County Census – Mary E., 15; George W., 11; and John, 8. James Combs two sons from his first wife, Rebecca, are also in this census – Oliver, 24; and Myron, 22, students. There is also a one year old, Ann Mariah, daughter of James and Susan. Teacher Francis M. Lutes, 24, is also part of the household; as well as David Marchant, laborer, and Rachel Wells, 15. The value of James Combs real estate was $4,500. George Magruder, 22, and Julia Combs Magruder, 18, lived with his mother, Verlinda Magruder, a few houses down from James Combs.
In 1860 James Combs has real estate valued at $5,800 and $7,000 personal estate. He and wife Susan were listed at 61 and 40, respectively, as well as sons Oliver, 34, and Myron, 32, from his first marriage. Stepson James Bennett was 18. Daughter Mariah was 11 – she is listed as Mariah Bennett, but I believe that to be a mistake of the census taker. This meant she was born in 1849, after the marriage of James Combs to Susan Bennett. James Fletcher Combs, son, is 8.
James Combs did not leave a will when he died four months later on January 22, 1861. However, in Will Book F, pages 495-502, is an inventory of James’ estate, on motion of sons Oliver and Myron, administrators of James Combs, deceased. On February 18, 1861, Charles Lee, James Y. Pope and Robert Simmons were appointed appraisers to appraise the slaves and personal estate of the said James Cook, deceased. The appraisal was returned April 4, 1861.
James Combs owned ten slaves at the time of his death – Ben, Charles, George, Duncan, William, Cretia, Ann and infant child, Louisa and Edna. The slaves were valued at $5,925.
Money on hand at the time of his death was $57 in bank notes, $7.50 in gold, $1.00 in silver. School money, it being the amount advanced to teacher last year by James Combs, and received since that time of W. A. Rouse by James Combs administrators, $40.00
James held several notes for money lent to different individuals, a total of 19, in the total amount of $105.50.
