| Notes |
- JOHN S. COMBS, Hazard, Ky. 4/26/1898. (Excerpts from the Dickey Diary - Dec. 30, 1895 to July 1, 1898, Microfiche No. 0157071, J.J. Dickey Diary, Reel #3, pp. 2262-5)
I was born in Perry County 7/25/1819. My father was JEREMIAH COMBS. He was born in N.C. or Va. My grandfather was NICHOLAS COMBS. He was born in Va or New River, N.C. He lived and died near where L.D. COMBS now lives in Perry County. He came to Kentucky early in the settlement of Kentucky. There was a large company came together: MASON, GEORGE, NICHOLAS, W, JEREMIAH, BYRON, ELIJAH COMBS. There was one other who made it. Yes, HENRY was his name. MASON was the oldest. I have seen none of these Uncles. BYRON moved to Indiana; WM moved to Bluegrass. I do not know whether or not General LESLIE COMBS was kin to us but I suppose he was a son of my Uncle WM. COMBS as they both lived in that section of the state. Uncle WM moved to the Bluegrass before I was born. My father died Jan 1853, 73 years old. This would place his birth in 1780. He was not grown when he came here. I often heard my father & mother say that the COMBSES came from Jamestown, Va to North Carolina. My father had two brothers: SAMUEL who lives or lived at Booneville, the father of WILEY COMBS & NICHOLAS, the father of LORENZO, one sister who married John WILLIAMS who died on Troublesome.
My mother was SYNTHIA SUMNER. Her father was SAMUEL SUMNER who was killed by the Sheriff for resisting arrest either in N.C. or Ky. My mother came with the company to Ky. Her brother, JOHN, came also. He moved to Indiana but some of his children returned and live in Letcher and Perry. My grandmother SUMNER married a HICKS and went to Indiana and raised a family.
Two of my uncles HICKS lived on the Ozark Mts in the edge of Arkansas, when I was there. NICHOLAS COMBS, my grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Several of his brothers were in the same war. I can't tell which ones were in the war, they may all have been in it.
Old WM CORNETT came with my uncles to Ky; also RICHARD SMITH, great grandfather of "Bad" TOM SMITH. He settled on Troublesome.
I have heard my mother tell often of the killing of BENGE, the renegade. She saw the Indians and told of one fellow hiding in the loft and falling through while the Indians were cooking below and scaring them away.
MASON COMBS, my uncle, had children as follows: MARTIN, lived on Carr's Fork; PRESTON, lived in Breathitt on the Middle Fork, CYRY is son; WASHINGTON lived below mouth of Carr on North Fork; TALTON COMBS at the mouth of Carr; CLINTON still lived at the mouth of Carr, very old; BONEPARTE lived at Booneville.
GEORGE COMBS had children as follows: CLAIBORNE lived in Owsley, BYRON dead.
ELIJAH lived in Perry. He was General of the Militia. He had sons: JESSE, ELIJAH, and JACKSON. JOSIAH COMBS was killed by JOE ADKINS was the son of JESSE. JESSE was Clerk of Perry first and as long as he lived and his grandson, IRA DAVIDSON, succeeded him. I have seen him (Gen. ELIJAH) in his regimentals commanding at the muster. He (JESSE) was killed by the explosion of a keg of powder in SHADE DUFF'S store in Hazard. Someone snuffed a candle and accidentally threw the snuff in the keg of powder under the counter. DUFF was son-in-law of COMBS. Both DUFF and COMBS were killed. DUFF was killed instantly. COMBS lay a good while.
HENRY (HARRY) COMBS had children as follows: HENRY, lived in Big Creek; MATTHEW lived on Troublesome in Breathitt, father of WM. M. COMBS of Breathitt and ISAAC of Wolfe; also GEORGE on Troublesome in Perry. HENRY moved to Indiana. Old GEORGE married a HERALD.
I do not know when the COMBSES came to Kentucky, but I know it was in the 1700's.
My grandfather NICHOLAS COMBS lived to be 101 or 2 or 3 years old. He is buried near L. D. COMBS. I was grown when he died. I was married, just married, had no children (He looked at his Bible. J.J.D.) was Feb.28,1838. I bought his dog irons at his sale to go housekeeping.
The old SIZEMORES used to come to my father's to get liquor. They would drink and fight.
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1819 - Aft 1900 (> 82 years)
