Mason & Matilda WATTS Combs

Background: According to The Combes Genealogy…, Mason Combs was the s/o John Combs, "one of the eight" sons of John and Nancy HARDING Combs, Sr. This source, however, conflicts itself as to whether John Combs "of the eight" was the same as RW John Combs, in some instances referring to John “8” as a separate individual from RW John Combs, and in other instances, hypothesizing two marriages. No record has been located to substantiate the author's position(s), nor was Mason ever referred to as a son of John by any of the old folks interviewed by the Rev. John J. DICKEY. As a reputed son of John Combs by his "first marriage," he was the brother of Jeremiah L. "Long Jerry" Combs, Sr., Shadrach Combs Sr., and Millie Combs Smith, three more reputed children of John Combs by his first wife, but no records have been uncovered to document them as children of John either.

Recent research has documented that RW John Combs and John Combs of the “8” were one individual, but no evidence has been found that he married more than once. Instead, both The Combes Genealogy and census and tax records suggest that there was a second John Combs of Floyd Co, KY who may have been the father of the four children of the "first marriage" (Research in progress).

Primary Sources: Family Bible; 1919 Clay Co, KY Death Certificate of Enoch Combs; Perry Co, Breathitt Co, and Letcher Co, KY tax lists (original on microfilm transcribed by Sue Elfving) and Floyd, Perry, Breathitt, and Letcher Co., Ky. Census records; and Oral Family History as noted below.

Very little is known about this Mason Combs and his wife Matilda WATTS; however, their descendants are more fortunate than most because the family bible that belonged to Mason and Matilda has survived. No marriage bond or license has been located; however, their marriage is documented by the 1919 Clay Co, KY Death Certificate of their son, Enoch (whose birth and death dates match those in the Family Bible); and (b) Oral Family History collected by Combs Researcher Huba Hodge Price:

"My great-grandfather, Granville Combs (s/o Mason & Matilda WATTS Combs), to my mother, daughter of Robert H., Granville's youngest son. My mother grew up with Old Grandpa (Granville) telling her stories and family history. He talked lots about his mom (Matilda WATTS) and his mom's mom whom he said was his Grannie WATTS. Mom said that she asked him why he never talked about his dad, and he replied, "I was small enough when my dad died that I don't remember much about him." In 1890 Granville Combs and wife Margaret (AMBURGEY) Combs moved from Letcher Co., KY to Taney Co., MO. With them was a BLAIR family. Margaret's grandparents Jess "Boss" and Margaret (MAGGARD) Adams had moved to Taney Co, ca 1850. Granville brought the family Bible."

The Family Bible Record contains the names and dates of birth for Matilda, all of hers and Mason's children plus Millie and Ambrose WATTS, both born to Matilda before she married Mason (transcribed by Combs Researcher Huba Hodge Price):

Matilda (WATTS) Combs born 13 June 1805 died 25 Feb 1870
Millie Watts born 30 March 1823
Ambrose Watts born 4 Jan 1825
Sally Combs born 19 Jan 1829
Patty Combs born 9 Dec 1831
Margaret Combs born 30 March 1833
John Combs born 6 Oct 1835
Enoch Combs born 30 March 1839 (married Nancy Stacy)
Belinda Combs born 30 Nov 1841
Granville Combs born 2 Dec 1843 died 5 March 1940 married 23 March 1864 Letcher Co., KY
Melvina Combs born 1 March 1845
George Combs born 9 July 1848 (killed during the Civil War)
John Combs born 9 April 1851

Granville Combs married Margaret Amburgey 23 March 1864 Letcher Co KY
Children of Granville and Margaret:
Matilda Combs born 14 Feb 1866 died 12 Aug 1889 married Thomas ?H Amburgey 19 June 1884
Wiley Combs born 15 Jan 1868 died 26 Aug 1872 Letcher Co.KY
Enoch Combs born 25 Feb 1871 married 3 July 1893 Juda Stamper (Enoch died 3 Jan 1951 Idaho)
John Riley Combs born 18 June 1873 died 7 Dec 1842 Taney Co., MO married Martha Ida Clark 14 April 1895 Taney Co., MO
Ambrose Combs born 8 Feb 1876 died 14 Jan 1916 Arkansas married #1 4 Nov 1901 Rosie Hunt #2 Allie Farr
Shadrick Combs born 4 March 1878 died 24 Feb 1891 Taney Col, MO
Diannah Combs born 23 March 1881 died 18 Dec 1960 Taney Co., MO m #1 29 Jan 1898 Thomas O'Neal #2 Clearence Hayse
Melvina Combs born 28 Oct 1883 died 9 Feb 1909 married Samual P Day
Elizabeth Combs born 24 Feb 1887 died 27 Feb 1887
Nancy Combs born 13 March 1888 died 25 April 1888
Robert H. "Bob" Combs born 21 Feb 1891 Taney Co died 10 June 1950 Taney Co., married 25 Sept 1910 Taney Co., Ettie Jane Pierce.

Mason Combs was born 1795 per his 1850 Breathitt Co, Ky census record where he is listed as age 55. In his 1840 Perry Co, Ky census record he was age 40 to 50 (b. btwn 1790-1800). In 1830 (Perry) he was age 40 to 50 (b. btwn 1780-90). In the 1820 Floyd Co, Ky census, Mason might be the young male (age 16-25, b. btwn 1795-1804) in the household of Sally Combs (over 45 years of age). He is the only other person in her household, and Floyd Co. marriage records document a Nelly Combs (a.k.a. Milly), daughter of Sarey Combs, marrying a William SMITH. Since there is some confusion about his age, a circa date of 1795 is used as it is the only specific date we have, and it is consistent with the 1820 record which might have been given to the census taker by his mother.

This Mason Combs is listed in the 1821 Perry Co., Ky. tax list (first year for Perry) where he is shown with no land and one horse. He may have been living on Carrs Fork. The tax lists don't always list the area where the tithed lived unless this person had land; however, Mason's name does follow that of Jeremiah Combs of Carrs Fork, then William Combs who also had no land. Sometimes ditto marks are used to indicate the person lives in the same area as the last person to have land and sometimes not. It is inconclusive if Mason lived on Carrs Fork as of 1821. In general, Mason's name usually appears near other Combs who lived on Carrs Fork. The tax lists are alphabetical by surname but not given name within surname; therefore, one can sometimes get a sense of the Combs neighbors.

Since no record has been located of Mason Combs ever owning any land, the tax records become crucial in tracking his whereabouts. Tax records tell us he lived in Perry Co., then was in Letcher Co, KY 1845 and 1847, disappears between 1848-49 and reappears next in Breathitt Co. in time for the 1850 census. He may have been the Mason with children in the 1853 Perry Co. tax list, but in 1854, he is in the Letcher tax list with no tithable males suggesting he had died. Until another record has been located, it is assumed he died 1853-1854.

Matilda, after Mason died, seems to have moved back and forth between Letcher and Perry Cos, KY. She and her children are in both the 1860 Perry and Letcher Co census records. Matilda WATTS Combs is difficult to track in the tax lists after 1861. In 1861, both she and her son Enoch Combs are enumerated in the Letcher Co tax list. There were no tax lists for Letcher for 1862-1866. In 1866, son Enoch Combs (b. 1839) is on the Perry Co. tax list, and in 1867, son Granville Combs (b. 1843) is on the Letcher tax list but no Matilda Combs is on either. She may have been in one of her children's households since we know she did not die until 1870. Matilda died 25 Feb 1870 (bible record), probably in Perry or Letcher Co.

SE Note: Matilda is not on the 1870 Perry Co, KY Mortality Schedule, but Letcher Co still needs to be checked.

That Matilda is a WATTS is documented by the 1919 Clay Co. death certificate of her son Enoch Combs wherein his parents are listed as Mason Combs and Matilda WATTS. Matilda was born 13 June 1805 per her family bible. Census records state she was born in Kentucky.

WATTS researchers place her as the daughter of George WATTS Senior and his wife Emilia NOBLE who were living next door to Matilda and Mason in 1850 per the Breathitt census. George WATTS Sr. is the only WATTS who was old enough to be her father. Census and tax records strongly suggest he was the single male progenitor of the WATTS in Perry, Breathitt, and Letcher Cos. It is quite possible that Mason and Matilda followed her parents George WATTS Senior and his wife Emilia NOBLE and their family to Breathitt. In 1850, George (age 75) and Emilia (age 75) were living next door.

SE Note: My information on the WATTS family has primarily come from researcher Margaret M. HAYES and others, plus what is available in the traditional census, tax, vital statistics, and marriage records. Although I am not aware of a record that documents Emilia's name as NOBLE, one may have been located, as my WATTS and NOBEL information has not been updated for several years.

No probate has been found as yet for Mason, but it is believed he may have died in 1853 or 1854. There was a Mason Combs in Perry Co. in 1853; however, in Letcher in 1854 we find an entry for Mason Combs with no male tithables, and four children age 6 to 18.

1820 Floyd Co., Ky. Census. Mason may be the male age 16-25 in the household of Sally Combs.

SE Note: 1826 is the first year for Moses Combs whose name is sometimes confused with Mason.

1830 Perry Co., Ky. Census.
Mason Combs….1male <5 2 females <5 1male 40-49 1 female 20-29

1837 Perry Co, KY Tax List. 2 Mason Combs:
Mason Combs, 0a, 1wm>21, 2 horses ($75), 8 cattle [subject]
Mason Combs, 0a, 1wm>21, 1 horse [younger Mason]

Note: The only Mason found which would seem likely to have been Mason Combs, Jr. is Mason, b 1812-1813, KY, h/o Malinda WHITELEY (1858 Breathitt Vital Stats), who appears on the 1850 Morgan and 1860 Breathitt Co, KY Census enumerations (missing in 1870). He has not yet been located on the 1840 census, no marriage record has been located for him, and his ancestry is unknown.

1840 Perry Co., Ky. Census
Mason Combs
2 males <5
2 females <5
1 male 5-9
1 female 5-9
1 male 40-49
1 female 15-19
1 female 30-39
1 female 80-89 [b. btwn 1751-60]

Note: The old female above could be Mason's mother. Matilda's parents were enumerated separately in their own household. If she was the same Sarah Combs of the 1820 Floyd Co, KY Census, and if she was the same who was mother of Millie Combs Smith, then she was possibly also the elderly female in the 1830 Perry Co, KY Census household of her son-in-law William SMITH.

1847 Letcher Co. KY Tax List. Mason Combs, 0a, 1wm>21, Carrs Fk, 4 ch (5-16), 3 ctl

1849 Breathitt Co, KY Txl George WATTS [first year]
No Mason Combs located in Perry, Letcher, or Breathitt Txl

1850 Breathitt Co., Ky. Census
Mason Combs….55
Matilda………….43
Patsy…………….17 [Patty per Bible rec]
Margaret……… 16
John……………..14
Enoch……………11
Malinda…………. 8 [Belinda per Bible rec]
Granville…………6
Levina……………3 [Melvina per Bible rec]
George………… 1

1853 Perry Co, KY Tax List. . There is a Mason Combs with 5 children between 6-18 in the Perry txl which may or may not be our Mason and Matilda (Note: Mason and Matilda had 5 children born between 1835 and 1847, whereas Mason and Malinda had only 3)

1854 Letcher Co, Ky Txl. Mason Combs, 0wm>21, 0a, 4 ctl, 4 ch (6-18), Troublesome, 8 hogs

SE Note: Mason Combs appears to have died since his tax entry shows no tithable males.

1855 Letcher Co, KY Tax List. Mason Combs, 0wm>21, 0a, 4 ch (6-18), Troublesome, 4 ctl, 2 hogs

1859 Letcher Co, KY Tax List. Matilda Combs, 0wm>21, 0a, Carr, 4 ch (6-16), 14 bu/corn

1860 Perry Co., Ky. Census
Matilda Combs……..55 farmer, b. Ky $300/300 no r/w
Peggy Combs………25 spinner b. Ky
Patty Combs……….23 weaver b. Ky
Enock Combs………20 laborer b. Ky
Brinda F……………..17 spinner b. Ky
Matilda………………13 at school b. Ky
Granville…………….11 at school b. Ky
William……………….5 [grandchild?]
Wesley……………….3 [grandchild?]
Nancy………………..4 [grandchild?]
Jack…………………..2 [grandchild?]
Jackson……………..25 [??] laborer b. Ky

SE Note: In Perry above, Matilda was living eight doors from Shadrach STACY, Enoch's future father-in-law and next door to John STACY, his future brother-in-law.

#541 Matilda Combs….….51
Enoch Combs….……21
Malinda Combs…….18
Melvina Combs…….12
George Combs..…….10

In the 1860 Letcher, Matilda (hh#541) is living 5 houses from her brother Enoch WATTS (hh#536) and next door to Mason's reputed sister Milly Combs Smith and her husband William (hh#542). Next to Milly and William are son Jeremiah "Jake" SMITH and his wife Elizabeth STACY (hh#543) who became Enoch Combs' sister-in-law. Perhaps this proximity allowed Enoch and Nancy STACY to become acquainted.

1862-1864 Enoch Combs did serve from Feb. 1863 to March 1864 (one year) in Co. L of the 14th Ky. Volunteer Cavalry. See below under Children of Mason/Enoch for details and documentation. He also served in the Co. D of the Three Forks Battalion.

1866 Perry Co, KY Tax List. Enoch Combs 1m>21, 100a Carrs Fk+$250, 1 horse, 6 ctl, 12 hogs, 150 bu/corn, 0 ch(6-20), Tot V=$315

SE Note: No record for Matilda has been located after the 1861 tax record. By 1866, son Enoch Combs has begun his accumulation of property very quickly after the end of the Civil War. Perhaps his father-in-law Shadrach STACY helped him get started since he and Nancy STACY were married by this time. Their daughter Elizabeth was born 15 Jan. 1865. Enoch Combs continued to do very well.

Enoch is a WATTS name. He was probably named after his maternal uncle Enoch WATTS.

Enoch is found with his parents in their 1850 Breathitt household and with his mother in both the 1860 Perry and Letcher households. He appears for the first time on a tax list in 1861 in Letcher Co. where he is listed as being in the militia.

Enoch did serve as a private for one year during the Civil War in Co. L. of the 14th Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry . He enrolled 15 Dec. 1862, mustered in at Irvine for 1 year on 13 Feb. 1863 and mustered out at Camp Nelson on 24 Mar. 1864. (Source: Report Of The Adjutant General Of The State Of Kentucky, v. I, p. 389). Enoch also served (1864-65 for six? months) in the Three Forks Battalion, Co. D under Capt. Shadrack Combs, and First Lieut. Shadrack STACY. (Source: same, v.II, p. 784-5). Enoch Combs is not found in the 1890 Special Census of Civil War Veterans, nor did he ever draw a pension for his service.

Enoch is still in Letcher per the 1866 tax list. He and Nancy were married by 1865 as their daughter Elizabeth was born 15 Jan 1865. No record has been found for his marriage to Nancy STACY. They likely married after he returned from serving in the Civil War. The date of birth for their daughter Elizabeth is taken from her cemetery marker in the CODY family cemetery in Garrard, Clay Co., Ky.

In 1870, Enoch and Nancy are living in Perry Co. next to Shade STACY and his sons Simon and James. They have two children, Elizabeth age 5, and Matilda, age 2.

In 1880, Enoch and Nancy are still in Perry (p. 47, #389). Matilda is not in the household so she must have died. Elizabeth is age 16. Enoch's sister Viney, age 32 is living with them as is Jordan SMITH, age 8 (no relationship given). There is also a Susan GIRT [sp?], age 100 in the household b. VA NC NC, no relationship given. vSE Note: In this 1880 entry, all show b. KY KY KY except for the Susan which is interesting.

In 1900 Knott Co, KY, Enoch Combs, his wife Nancy, and sister Viney (age 64) are living on Red Oak Creek, styled by the census taker as Lower Carr. This entry states Nancy has had three children with one living who was Elizabeth Combs. This is the only record found that suggests Nancy had one more child in addition to Elizabeth and Matilda. This third child obviously was never alive for any census.

Their daughter Elizabeth was the second wife of William Penn CODY (a.k.a. "P" CODY). She and her husband were living next door with their children Enoch, Matilda, Milly, Elsie, Ira, and Stanton.

"P" CODY was the son of Jehu CODY and his wife Matilda SMITH (d/o William SMITH and Milly Combs). P CODY is documented as a son of Jehu CODY by his 9 April 1855 Perry Co., Ky. KVS Birth Record. P CODY was a brother to Clementine CODY, w/o John Wesley Combs and mother of Dr. Josiah H. Combs, author of The Combes Genealogy.

Enoch Combs died shortly after he and Nancy moved to Clay Co. Per his death certificate, he died from pneumonia , complications of the flu.

In 1920, Nancy STACY Combs is found living with her daughter Elizabeth and her husband William Penn CODY in Garrad on Horse Creek Road (Clay Co, KY Census). She stated her father was born in KY, her mother's birthplace unknown. Also in the house were her grandchildren Ira CODY and Elsie HOOKER.

It is not known when Nancy STACY Combs died. She is buried with her husband on top of the hill in Garrard. They share a large impressive stone. While her date of birth is on the stone, they did not inscribe her date of death after she was buried.

Enoch, Nancy, their only child Elizabeth and her husband William Penn "P" CODY, and all the children they had together, and their grandchildren, four generations in all moved to Clay Co., Kentucky in 1918-19. Per family tradition, P CODY tired of farming on the hillside along Red Oak Creek and talked his father-in-law Enoch into moving to Clay where Enoch traded his 1160 acres, mineral rights and all, to Colonel GARRARD of Clay Co. for good bottom farming land located in Garrard. P CODY'S children from his first marriage to Matilda BREEDING remained behind in Knott Co. but remained very close to the Clay Co. CODYS. As the story goes, all possessions were loaded into wagons, the cows tied to the wagons, and everyone walked to Clay. I am sure some rode on horses since my grandfather Enoch CODY was never without a horse.

Some of the younger ones must have come first. Bertie CODY, the daughter of John K. CODY, (son of P CODY from his first marriage), told me the following story. She said she remembered her mother [Allie MADDEN Cody] telling her to go down and find Enoch Combs to tell him lunch was ready. Bertie said she found him down on his knees in the pasture. He was praying to God to take care of his loved ones in Clay who were sick from the flu. Bertie described him as an old man with a long white beard who looked like Father Time. Photographs do confirm Bertie's description. Enoch was still living on Red Oak when this incident occurred.

1918-1919 were tragic years for the Enoch Combs family. Enoch's granddaughter Mary CODY Smith died 13 Dec. 1918 in Clay Co. from the flu leaving three young children, and Enoch's youngest grandchild, Stanton CODY also died from the flu. Then Enoch died himself in Feb. 1919.

Later, Enoch's land on Red Oak was found to have vast mineral deposits, and his descendants would have been rewarded financially, in time, had they remained in Knott Co.

On 22 December 1917, W. T. GARRARD, wife Nellie McDowell GARRARD, and E. G. GARRARD and wife Margaret P. GARRARD conveyed for $1 several tracts in Clay Co. on the waters of Goose Creek to Enoch Combs of Knott Co. (Knott Co, KY DB40:486,494). Then on 4 Jan. 1918, Enoch and Nancy Combs conveyed to W.J. GARRARD and Nellie M. GARRARD, his wife, E.G. GARRARD and Margaret O. GARRARD his wife of Garrard, Clay County, land described as 1160 acres of land on Red Oak Creek of Carr's Fork of North Fork of the Kentucky River. (Knott Co, KY DB:216).

The Knott Co. marriage bond of William Penn CODY and Elizabeth Combs was dated 2 Jun 1886. After William died on 1 Sep. 1921, Elizabeth remarried to John P. BACK. William and Elizabeth are buried in the CODY family cemetery on Paces Creek Road in Garrard on property owned by Ira CODY Jr. Elizabeth's date of death is not inscribed on the marker she shares with her first husband.

Mary CODY (4/3/1889-12/3/1918) md. Knott Co. 8/16/1906 Thomas SMITH (documented by cemetery marker and marriage record)

Enoch Hobert CODY (5/10/1891-11/4/1914) md. 12/10/1914 Mary HYLTON (documented by cemetery marker and marriage record)

Matilda CODY md. George Combs (documented by descendants, and personal acquaintance)

Millie CODY (b. 2/1897) md. Andrew BRUMLEY (documented by descendants)

Elsie CODY (b. 10/1898) md. Charlie Mack HOOKER (documented by descendants)

Ira CODY (1904-1959) md. Dess EVERSOLE (documented by cemetery marker and personal acquaintance)

Stanton CODY (c1907-c1919) (documented by family tradition, census records, and photograph)

William Penn CODY had six children by his first wife Matilda BREEDING. Five lived to adulthood.