Last updated
You are Our Visitor.
Please Email Additions/Corrections to Webmaster

See also our Tennessee Combs Counties of Record

Background: Notes: John C. COMBS was the s/o George Mabry & Agnes ORE Combs of Grainger County, Tennessee, and gs/o John & Sarah MABRY Combs of Guilford Co, North Carolina, Washington Co, Virginia & Jefferson Co, Tennessee. He m Dorcas COX 26 Sep 1826 in Grainger County, Tennessee. Dorcas was the d/o Dudley & Leanne NEAL Cox of Jefferson County, Tennessee. Leanne was the d/o Benjamin & (Elizabeth?) Neal of Jefferson County, Tennessee (m 05 May 1797 in Jefferson County, Tennessee). According to Carlton Combs: "John C. married Dorcas COX. They had a large family of children, but only two sons, William Alexander and John Tilford. "

By the time of the 1830 Jefferson County, Tennessee Census, they had two daughters. William Alexander & John Tilford Combs were apparently b aft 1830. Dorcas' father, Dudley COX, had d in 1812 in Jefferson Co, Tennessee, leaving three daughters: Eley who m Henry H. PECK 10 Oct 1818 in Jefferson County, Tennessee, Mary "Polly who m Lanty BRAZELTON 15 Feb 1824 in Jefferson County, Tennessee, and Dorcas herself. A suit filed in the Greene Co, Tennessee Chancery Court documents this family:

From "CHANCERY COURT MINUTES GREENE COUNTY, TENNESSEE November 1825-January 1831 (sic)" abstracted by Goldene Fillers Burgner, published by Southern Historical Press, Inc. 1987, extracted by Connie. L. Sheets who adds: The title is a misprint; the book actually covers the period 1825-1876) pp. 22-23:

Jacob PECK Complainant Adam PECK Sec. vs. Henry H. PECK, Lanty BRAZELTON, William COX & John Combs Respondants

Henry H. PECK, Lanty BRAZELTON & John Combs against William COX & Jacob PECK. Jacob PECK of Jefferson County. In the year 1812 Dudley COX of Jefferson Co. died leaving infant daughters and considerable estate. His will stated that his land on Mossy Creek be divided equally between them. William COX was Adm. and sold the personal estate for about $4000. There were many debts due by the estate and were not paid - then sued for William COX Adm. and were seldom contested. He pleaded fully administered except in a few cases. Writs were against the infant girls by their grandfather and guardian Benjamin NEAL. Your Orator was appointed counsel for the infant girls. He contested the Adm. and won in most instances charging fraud etc. Finally trying to destroy the estate he proposed to Adm. to surrender Dudley COX'S Mill Place (boat loaded with flour) which were valuable improvements and made by said DUDLEY, to guardian to be by him sold for the debts. The guardian agreed and it was worded "Land was conveyed and put into hands of said NEAL guardian of the infant daughters of Dudley COX dec'd to be by him sold to pay debts of the estate." NEAL gave a bond to COX and Your Orator Security for guardian. COX Adm. stayed on land did not surrender deed and bought the land and mills at a lower price than it should have brought, $1800 - he paid $400 down - then referred creditors to NEAL. NEAL finally call (sic) it fraud and they became involved in a lawsuit. NEAL spent all his and the orphans money defending suits and had to come to terms with COX. George M. Combs friend of William COX handed him a large bill as creditor of Dudley COX - who turned it over to NEAL. NEAL resigned and Henry H. PECK, who had married the oldest girl became guardian for the other two. NEAL is now dead. The girls are now married - Betsey to Henry H. PECK, Polly to Lanty BRAZELTON and Dorcas to John Combs, all live in Jefferson Co. Orator is at law over being NEAL'S Security. Wants relief. William COX answers he accounted for all property amounting to $3634.70 - business was in Tennessee and Alabama - NEAL was old, illitterate (sic) and not able to be guardian. Jacob PECK took advantage - Henry H. PECK is brother of Jacob - land on HORNBECK'S Mill Creek. The girl's husbands say William COX just pretended to have a deed for land - deed was never made. There was unhappy feelings between DUDLEY dec'd & his wife. DUDLEY pretended to sell another tract at BROWN'S Ferry. William had started a sawmill above the DUDLEY Mill to divert water it was a long drawn out affair (sic). William COX says he was moved to Jefferson Co. by his brother and worked in Mills. He made 6000 gallons of whiskey before DUDLEY'S death - selling at 50 cents per gallon. Jacob PECK was fomenting discord between DUDLEY and his wife. DUDLEY sold some land in 1808. DUDLEY attended to business down river and he William was in charge of mill and still at home.

May Term 1830 - Set for hearing. Settled for COX without costs. Jacob PECK prays appeal to Supreme Court at Jonesboro - Granted. 16 Nov 1830 - Stated that William COX wanted NEAL as guardian to pay debts. He William COX was going to Alabama with his family and Dudley's 3 girls. Depositions (sic): Elliot PECK - not used because of objection. Robert MASSENGILL, Archelaus ELMER age 60 years, Modecai MONDENELL age 55, Jeremiah NEAL age 51 Dudley COX brother-in-law. Jeremiah NEAL says Adam PECK told his father he just wanted to use his name. The heirs did not have to pay him. Hopkins M. COX age 34, Reed COX age 45, James BRICE age 66, William BALLENGER age 52, Mack BREADEN age 46, John M. BRICE 33, John HILL 62, Hopkins M. COX 34, William BRAZELTON age 38. Transcript Ready 29 Jan. 1831. It seems to be over.

p. 41

13 May 1830
Nathan GREENE, Chancellor.
Jacob PECK vs. William COX, Henry H. PECK, Lanty BRAZELTON & John Combs. Bill and Cross Bill and Henry H. PECK, Lanty BRAZELTON & John Combs vs. William COX & Jacob PECK. Amendment to Original Bill to be made - Complts in Cross Bill pay all costs. Jefferson County.

p. 44

16 Nov 1830 Jacob PECK Complt vs. William COX, Henry H. PECK, Lanty BRAZELTON and John Combs. Jacob PECK has not established any matter of equity against Williams (sic) COX. PECK, BRAZELTON & Combs to pay Jacob PECK $647.31 with interest from 28 July 1829 - the time of rendering judgment in Supreme Court, Knoxville amounting to $50.61. PECK appeals to Supreme Court, Jonesborough - He had a deal with Benjamin NEAL, Guardian.

p. 45

16 Nov 1830
Lanty BRAZELTON & wife, Henry H. PECK & wife, John Combs and wife vs. William COX & Jacob PECK. 20 January 1812 Dudley COX in his lifetime procured William COX to wirte (sic) him two deeds (Mill Tract & Moore Ferry Tract) to William COX later Dudley had deeds witnessed who inscribed their names - afterwards he handed deeds to William who retained the deeds until after the death of Dudley COX. This deed deal was to try to induce William not to move to Alabama and engage himself in the business of DUDLEY - to keep his house and supervise his children - and as compensation for the services of his (Williams) wife, negroes, oxen and wagons. On 19 Aug 1816 - Benjamin NEAL guardian of minor heirs of Dudley COX dec'd charge that William COX used personal estate for his own use. NEAL claims Mill Tract was to have been sold to pay debts. COX deeded Mill Tract to NEAL with NEAL's security, Jacob PECK - in order that all allegations against him (COX) be dropped. NEAL instituted suit - Mill Tract was sold at auction, bought by William COX for $500. Then in 1817 NEAL sued COX for balance - NEAL resigned and Henry H. PECK became guardian - to wives of BRAZELTON & Combs - they being infants. COX gave land to Henry H. PECK. Case goes to Supreme Court.

Notes: One William COX m Mary NEILE on 05 Aug 1795 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Might she have been a daughter of Benjamin NEAL also? Jacob PECK m Sophia TALBOTT on 07 Apr 1810 in Jefferson County, possibly a relative of Sarah TALBOT who m Nelson T. Combs in 1823 in Grainger Co, Tennessee? (Nelson T. was the brother of John C. Combs).

05 May 1797 COX, Dudley married NEAL, Leanne on 05 May 1797 in Jefferson County, Tennessee ("Early American Marriages: Tennessee to 1825, Jordan R. Dodd, et al, Precision Indexing Publishers, Bountiful, UT)

10 Oct 1818 (Jefferson Co, Tennessee Marriage Records) COX, Eley married PECK, Henry H. on 10 Oct 1818 in Jefferson County, Tennessee

15 Feb 1824 BRAZELTON, Santa [Lanty] married COX, Mary on 15 Feb 1824 in Jefferson County, Tennessee

Return To Jefferson County, Tennessee