Mason & Dorothy Combs, Jr. of Hawkins Co, Tennessee (1746/7-1802/7) s/o Mason & Sarah Combs, Sr. *only partially documented

Updated Feb 28 1999
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Mason Combs, Jr. (Mason, Sr., John, Archdale), b 21 Feb 1746/7, Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co, VA; d 1801-1808, probably in Hawkins Co, TN; m bef 1785, Dorothy UNKNOWN, b bef 1772, d aft 1828, probably in Warren Co, TN.

Important! Although Mason of Hawkins gives every indication of being the same individual who was Mason, Jr., b 1746/7, he is still not fully documented, and the collection of records continues...

21 Feb 1746/7. Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co, VA. Born: Mason Combs, Jr. to Mason & Sarah Combs, Sr.

1751-1762 Frederick Co, VA. Mason probably residing with his parents.

1767 Pittsylvania Co, VA. A Mason Combs was tithed by Henry STONE. Not known if Jr. or Sr. (or, heaven forbid, a third Mason Combs).

1768 Rowan Co, NC. Mason Combs, Sr. tithes 2, the second probably Mason Combs, Sr. just turning 21 years of age.

1771 Surry Co, NC (est. from Rowan this year). Mason Combs, Sr. tithes 3, one presumably Mason Combs, Jr., the identity of the other not known.

Note: A third son of Mason Combs, Sr. could have been born no earlier than 1752 (based on Overwharton Parish records), thus would still be under 20 years of age this year.

1772 Surry Co, NC. Mason Combs, Sr. tithes only two this year and Mason Combs, Jr. appears on tax lists by name for the first time, tithing one. His name is listed immediately between those of his father and his brother, William.

1774 Surry Co, NC. Only William Combs is listed this year, but all tax lists may not be extant. No further extant tax lists include the name of any Mason Combs other than Sr. (until his death in 1784/5).

1777-1780 Surry Co, NC. The children of Mason & Sarah Combs, Sr. and long-time associates, Simon & Judith TOLSON Stacy, Sr. (also formerly of Stafford and Frederick Cos, VA), along with the CODY and RIDGE Families, and others, align themselves with the Tory Cause.

They include: Mason Combs, Jr.; William Combs (m Seth STACY) and his son, John; Biram Combs and Nicholas Combs, Sr. (both sons of John Combs, Sr.); Benjamin STACY, Sr. (m Ann Combs); William RIDGE (m Winnifred Combs); William CODY (m Sinai STACY); John STACY; and an unidentified Jeremiah Combs.

Aug 1780 Battle of Hanging Rock, Lancaster, SC. The Tories are defeated and William RIDGE (h/o Winnifred Combs) is killed, setting off a years-long legal battle having to do with slaves, minor children, confiscated estates and tangled relationships - with much of it recorded in the William RIDGE Estate File.

14 Oct 1780 Battle of Shallowford, Old Surry (now Yadkin) Co, NC. The Tories are defeated again, this time in the Combs' back yard, possibly resulting in the death of at least one Combs (unidentified).

17 Oct 1780 Surry Co, NC (WB 2:34a) Three days later, Mason Combs, probably Jr.,* sold "for 100 pds. gold & silver to John PIPES all my lands, livestock, personalty. Wit: John ENGLISH, Betse MOSBE [MOSBY] John PIPES signs the bill of sale to William. F. [sic] Lewis 21 Jan 1783. Rec. Aug. Ct. 1784

*Probably Mason, Jr. in an effort to avoid confiscation. Presumably, since Mason Sr. was by this time almost 70 years of age, he was immune to legal action.

Moreover, the sale probably also presaged the departure of, not only Mason Combs, Jr., but most of his siblings and in-laws as well, including the families of William & Seth STACY Combs, Sr., Benjamin and Ann Combs Stacy; and their in-laws, William and Sinai STACY Cody; and others, all having left Surry together (apparently) within the year.

Mar 1781 Capt. Daniel Trigg's Montgomery Co, VA Militia List. Mason Combs, Jr. and most of the above males appear on this list - more likely fighting Indians than Tories.

1782 Montgomery Co, VA. Mason Combs, Jr. and all of the above except (inexplicably) William CODY, appear on this county's tax lists.

by 1785 (possibly in North Carolina). Mason Combs, Jr. marries Dorothy (Mason's son, Simon was born ca 1785, North Carolina, according to descendant researchers, but source unknown, and 1880 census records are still needed to confirm where Simon's still-living children stated their parents were born).

10 Oct 1786 Salisbury District, NC. Mason Combs was allowed a claim for 239 pounds (Rev. Accts. of NC Vil II. (Combs &c. Revolutionary War Pay Vouchers)

Note: It is not known where in North Carolina this payment was issued, nor for what (other than retroactively), nor where Mason was residing at this time, although the Surry-Wilkes NC area is likely (and/or that part of North Carolina which became Tennessee).

1788 (possibly Russell Co) Virginia. Born: Jeremiah Combs, s/o Mason & Dorothy (1850-1860 Madison Co, AR Census). he was in Virginia, probably Russell County, when his youngest known son, Jeremiah Combs, was born; and that by 1795 at the latest, he was a resident of Hawkins Co, Tennessee:

Tuesday, 11 November, 1788. [probably Surry Co, NC] Received from the Senate the Memorial of William T. LEWIS and others praying an allowance for taking up deserters, and the Petition of Thomas Donoho & William Sanders and the Memorial of William T. LEWIS & others praying an allowance for attending as Witnesses against John & Mason Combs. Endorsed, read and referred as by the House of Commons. (State Records of NC, Vo.. XXI., 1788-1890, Nash, Goldsboro, NC, 1903, p. 30)

Note: Although this could be Mason “8”, s/o John & Nancy Combs, Sr., it would appear more likely to have been Mason Combs, Jr. since Mason “8” was recorded in Montgomery Co, VA around this same time period - except that presumably William T. LEWIS didn't go to the state immediately, so not known yet what actual time period was material.

1789 Russell Co, VA. Mason Combs (Jr.); William & Seth STACY Combs, Sr; a second William Combs who was probably their son, William, Jr. (s/o Wm. Sr.); William & Sinai STACY Cody, Benjamin and Ann STACY Cody, half a dozen more STACYS, and Henry SKAGGS (from early Montgomery Co, VA, with a Combs son-in-law) are all listed on the Upper District Personal Property Tax List.

1790 Russell Co, VA Mason Combs (listed as Meshack), is again listed on the Upper District Personal Property tax lists, along with all of the above. The 1791 Upper district lists include no Combs, CODYS or STACYS, and Henry SKAGGS is gone as well. Mason Combs is not found in records (searched so far) of Russell County again after 1790.

1795* (Hawkins Co, TN DB2:213) Robert KING to Mason Combs, land on Beach Creek. (Hawkins Deed Book 972798)

Signed 14 Mar 1795. Rec. 17 Aug 1795. (Hawkins DB2:243) Peter STACY of Hawkins Co, TN to Mason Combs of same £12 50 acres in Hawkins County "on Fowless (?) Creek; on Bays Mountain; to a markt line; along said line." S/Peter STACY. Wit: Thos JACKSON; Poydextor [sic] PAYNE.

*Mason was probably in Hawkins earlier than 1795, possibly shortly after disappearing from Russell Co, VA tax lists (still checking). William Combs (Mason's brother? Nephew? Son?) had already been in Hawkins as early as 1792. Peter STACY was s/o John STACY, Sr. (the Tory of Surry NC?). Poyndextor PAYNE was the brother of Daniel PAINE who married Sylvy Combs (ca 1780-1857), who may have been an elder grown daughter of Mason Combs of Hawkins County. (Ann PAINE Sanford Journal)

Several other deeds have been found that include the Combs and/or STACYS that are presented here in brief now, but will be transcribed and entered later:

25 Feb 1796. (Hawkins Co, TN DB??) Mason Combs to Daniel JONES conditional upon JONES building a mill on Beach Creek. (Hawkins Deeds 972799) See also Daniel JONES earlier in Montgomery Co, VA with Jacob MANUS (below) and in same neighborhood as Samuel and Winnifred Combs Sumner (Hicks), the latter d/o William and Seth STACY Combs, Sr.

Add'l deeds are extant in re Mason Combs of Hawkins Co, TN, but the following is the most informative genealogically:

(Hawkins Co, TN DB3:69) Dtd. 2/22/1802 Reg. 11/1/1802
Trust Mason Combs to his Wife & Children
Registered 1 November 1802 Trans from Leber E, page 385
Know all men by these presents that I Mason Combs of the county of Hawkins and State of Tennessee for devers Good Causes & reasons well known, I do give & bequeath unto my wife Dorothy Combs Two Choice Cows all the Hogs & Sheep,two Sorrel mares all the beds & Furniture that now belongs to me to dispose of at her will after my decease the Tract of Land that I now live on I give and bequeath to my two Sons Simeon & Jeremiah to be Equally Divided between them Simeon to have the Lower end and Jeremiah Combs to have the upper End only Reserving to the use of their mother Dorothy Combs Ten acres out of each half when divided as She thinks proper to choose also the use of what Timber She may want for her use during her the two boys to have all the profits arising from Said Lands and their Mother to have the privilege of Renting and Seeing to the Said Land untill the boys comes of age [---] for all my Goods & chattles of every kinds whatsoever that now belongs to me I leive to my wife Dorothy Combs during her life or widowhood for the use and benefit of my children in Trust at the end of which it is to be Equally Divided among my surviving children only Simeon is to have the first Colt that the Big Sorrel mare brings and Jerry is to have as his own the yearlin colt now belonging to the Roan Mare Ther mother to have the charge & care of them untill the boys become of age and the Increase of sd colts young to Dispose of as She thinks fit. All these things I do Give and Grant as before mentioned and do hereby confirm.
In Witness of which I here unto set my hand & seal this 22nd day of February in the year of our Lord 1802.
Mason [M] Combs (Seal)
[his mark]
Signed sealed and Delivered in presence
of Wm Paine Jacob Manus
Martin Johnson.
State of Tennessee )
Hawkins County ) August Session 1802

Although presumably Mason Combs signed the above document much as if it were a will, it is a land trust and does not document his death. As a result of earlier, possibly nefarious, activities of the Revolutionary Loyalist Combs, STACY, CODY and RIDGE Families in Surry Co, North Carolina - including allegations of murder and theft, it is possible that Mason Combs was still on the run… or on his way to jail - although no evidence has been found of either. Another possibility is that he was off to explore new lands further west and that the above deed was to ensure the future security of his wife and minor childen. It does, however, document his relationship to wife, Dorothy, and sons, Simeon (aka Simon) and Jeremiah Combs. Unfortunately, it neither proves nor disproves that he had other children… Of the three witnesses to his Land Trust:

(1) William PAINE is believed to have been another brother to Daniel PAINE, husband of Sylvia Combs.

(2) Martin JOHNSON was the husband of Sarah Combs. (Goodspeeds History of NW AR, Biography of Thomas Murrell JOHNSON)

(3) Jacob MANUS owned property on Dodson Creek of the Holston River adjacent to that of William PAINE and Martin JOHNSON, and can be found on the tax lists of Montgomery Co, Virginia, during the same period that this Mason Combs was also believed to be in that area.

By 1808, however, Mason was definitely deceased when his widow and sons executed the following deed (they appear to have remained in Hawkins Co, TN until ca 1807, by which time younger son, Jeremiah Combs, would have been approximately 19 years of age), and at which time the following deed was signed:

(Hawkins Co, TN DB6:51) 1808. Dorothy Combs S Combs Jeremiah Combs to Henry BURAM reg. April 30, ----

This Indenture made this ninth day of September one thousand and --- eight hundred and seven Between Dorothy Combs Simon Combs and Jeremiah Combs of the County of Hawkins of the one part & Henry BURAM of the other part and same County and state. Witnesseth that we the said Doroty simon and Jeremiah Combs for and in consideration of the sum of six hundred Dollars to us in hand paid by the said BURAM the Recipt whereof is hereby Acknowledged hath granted Bargained & sold ----- and sold and confirmed unto the said BURAM his heirs or assigns forever one certain parcel or tract of Land containing two hundred acres the same --- more or less lying and being in the County of Hawkins afforesaid on the south side ---- of Holston river and on the North side of Bays Mountain on both sides of ----- Branch - adjoining land surveyed for said --elling Beginning at a white ash lying arond --- line and turning then paralel with Bays Mountain North forty ----- East two Hundred and - fifty two poles to a chestnut Thence south forty seven west two Hundred and fifty two poles to a station [?] thence north forty five ---- along a conditional line and hundred and six poles to a poplar then said courses twenty poles to the Beginning and the said Doroty Simon & Jeremiah Combs Doth by these presents ------ to warrant and oblige themselves the-heirs, Executors or administrators to warrant and forever defend the right and title of the said lands. and ----ements with the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging unto the said Henry BURAM his heirs or Assigns In fee simple against the lawful Claims & demand of all and every person or ----- whatsoever. In Witness whereof we the said Doroty Simon And Jeremiah Combs hath hereunto Set Our hands and seals the day and date above mentioned

Dorothy [x] Combs (Seal)
Simon Combs (Seal)
Jeremiah [?] Combs (Seal)

Signed sealed & delivered
in the presence of us
William ROWAN (Jurat)
John WEBSTER
William ROWAN Senr.
Peter BURAM (Jurat)

State of Tennessee)
Hawkins County ) Feby Session 1808
Then the within was proven in open court by the oaths of William ROWAN --- and Peter BURAM and ordered to be ------
(Transcribed by Carole Hammett, 1995, from a partly illegible microfilm copy)

Dorothy Combs has never been found in later records and several years pass before Simon and Jeremiah Combs are found - still in the company of Martin and Sarah Combs Johnson and Daniel and Sylvy Combs Paine - but now in Warren Co, Tennessee where in 1812, Simon (Martha MURRELL) Combs, Jeremiah (Charity Rhodes) Combs, Daniel (Sylvy Combs) PAINE, Martin (Sarah Combs) JOHNSON, and John (Nancy Combs) Fleming, are all listed on Benj. LOCKHART'S returns of the 1812 Warren Co, TN Tax List. A number of deeds have been located in Warren Co, TN, but only abstracts of those showing the proximity of these families to each other are included here:

11 Oct 1816, Indent, "Between Simeon Combs and Jeremiah Combs both of Warren County, TN. Witnesseth: For [?] dollars a tract of land in Warren County on the east side of Rocky River, being part of a 240 acre tract granted by Tennessee to CATRON grant #480?, beginning at a black oak on the south boundry line of said surety being a conditional corner made between Jeremiah Combs and Daniel Paine?, running easterly to include ? the spring to a large poplar on the side of the hill northward of the spring thence to a sassafras in the field and to a line made between Simon Combs and Daniel PAINE, thence westwardly to the west boundary line of a 150 acre tract granted by Tennessee to John CATRON grant #431? to southwest corner of said survey to north boundry line of the 240 acre tract, then to the above named line between Jeremiah Combs and Daniel PAINE, thence southwest to the beginning, Signed-Simon Combs Witness: William LOGUE and Martin JOHNSON (Madison County Musings)

15 Jan 1818 TN, Warren Co, Deed Book A, p 477, abstracted:
Martin JOHNSTON to John DOUGLASS, both of Warren County, for $500, 60 acres on the Collins River.. Jacob HAWK'S occupant claim.. John A. WILSON'S corner.. the conditional line between Daniel PANE and Jeremiah Combs. Reg. 15 Jan 1818.'

In 1820, for reasons undetermined, neither Simon nor Jeremiah Combs are listed on the Warren Co, TN Census - even though both appear in the records of that county as residents in 1818 and 1821, and even though Martin (Sarah Combs) Johnson, John (Nancy Combs) Fleming, and Daniel (Sylvy Combs) PAYNE are listed.

In 1828, all of the above families except Daniel and Sylvy Combs Paine, who have already moved on to Alabama, then Illinois, are listed on the 1828 Rocky River Church List of Warren County, as well as an unidentified Tempie Combs. By 1829, Sarah Combs Johnson had died. Simon and Jeremiah Combs, Sarah's husband, Martin JOHNSON, John and Nancy Combs Flemming, and an unidentifed John Combs are listed on the 1830 Warren Co, TN census:

By 1833, Simon Combs, had died, and Jeremiah Combs and Martin JOHNSON had moved on to Madison Co, AR, with yet another unidentifed, although younger, John Combs. Martha MURRILL, widow of Simon Combs, died in 1839 and by 1840, the only Combs by surname remaining on the 1840 Warren Co, TN census were:

The above Martha doesn't appear to have been the wife of the unidentified John Combs on the 1830 census; and is too young to be Martha MURRELL Combs who besides, is said by her son to have died in 1839. Barnet OWENS, born 1805, according to a family bible (source unknown), is said to have married Mahala Combs, daughter of Simon and Martha MURRILL Combs (By 1850, Barnet and Mahala Combs Owens are also in Madison Co, AR. See Records: Madison Co AR 1850 Census)

By the early 1830s, however, Jeremiah and Charity RHODES Combs and their children have departed for what would become Kings River Twp of Madison Co, AR, which is where he appears on the 1840 census, as do other Combs:

The descendants of Simon Combs have not been traced with the exception of Mahala Combs Owen who removed to Madison Co, AR, as did all of Jeremiah and Charity RHODES Combs' children initially…

According to the biography of Albert Combs, son of Simon and Martha MURRELL Combs:

The first marriage of Albert Combs actually took place in Greene Co, MO:

27 Mar 1851 (Greene Co MO Marriage Records) Albert Combs & Margaret E. KELLEY ("MISSOURI PIONEERS", Volumes 1 thru 30 and Volume 1 of "MARRIAGE RECORDS OF MISSOURI" (basically a companion sett to "Missouri Pioneers")

Four years later, a second Combs marriage took place in Greene Co MO:

01 Feb 1855 (Greene Co MO Marriage Records) Albert Combs & Margaret E. KELLEY ("MISSOURI PIONEERS", Volumes 1 thru 30 and Volume 1 of "MARRIAGE RECORDS OF MISSOURI" (basically a companion sett to "Missouri Pioneers")

It is not yet known if the above Gideon was the brother, or perhaps a nephew, of Albert.

From the biography of John David Combs, son of Jeremiah and Charity RHODES Combs, we learn:

(Goodspeeds' NW AR, p. 1087-88) (See Also Madison Co AR Goodspeeds' Biographies)