Revolutionary War Soldier William Combs of Wilkes Co, NC; Charlotte & Chesterfield Cos, VA and Sullivan, TN and Husband of (Hannah TOWNSEND?) & Michael TRAYLOR (a.k.a. TAYLOR (Staire/Starr)

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William Combs, Revolutionary Soldier of Wilkes Co, North Carolina, was probably born bef 1760, died Jun 1816, Sullivan Co, TN; may have married (1) Hannah TOUSSON (a.k.a. TOMSSON) on 8 Dec 1780 in Wilkes Co, NC; and did marry (2) Michal TRAYLOR (a.k.a. TAYLOR) on 22 Jun 1800 in Chesterfield/Charlotte Co VA.

However, due to a surfeit of William Combs during and after the Revolutionary War; this particular William Combs' ancestry and descendants remain in a state of disarray. What is known about him is primarily from the Revolutionary War Pension Application of his widow, Michale TRAYLOR (a.k.a. TAYLOR) Combs Staire who declared on 23 Jun 1853, in Washington County, Tennessee, that:

William COOMBS or Combs served in the North Carolina Line while residing in Wilkes Co, North Carolina. He later removed to Chesterfield (or Charlotte) Co, VA, an overseer for James CALLICOT, and they married in Chesterfield on 22 Jun 1800. They removed afterward to Sullivan Co, TN where he died in June of 1816. She married next abt 1823 to Michael STAIRE who died 30 Dec 1835 in Jefferson Co, TN. She stated she was born about the start of the Rev War. (Revolutionary War Pension File W8757 & BLW #14968-160-55, including information from Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Abstract Files, Virgil D. White.

One William Combs, according to Wilkes Co, NC military records, served in a unit which included both William Combs and a Joshua TOUSON (See Wilkes NC for roster dated 19 Jan 1779).

One William Combs, possibly the RW Soldier, married on 8 Dec 1780 in Wilkes Co NC, Hannah TOMSSON or TOUSSON. John Combs, Bondsman.

Note: This name has been transcribed variously as noted above. Since both THOMPSONS and TOUSSONS were recorded in Wilkes Co, NC, it is not certain which she may have been; however, based on other records, it is believed to probably have been a variant of TOWNSEND..

Given his age at the time of his marriage to Michal TRAYLOR-TAYLOR (old enough to have served in RW), it would seem likely that William Combs had an earlier marriage. His marriage to Michal TAYLOR-TRAYLOR is of record in both Charlotte and Chesterfield Counties, Virginia:

William Combs & Michal TRAYLOR, marriage bond, 18 Jun 1800, Charlotte Co, VA (M004).
William Combs & Michal TAYLOR, marriage return, 22 Jun 1800, Chesterfield Co, VA (RW Pension File)
Note: This name has been transcribed variously as noted above. Since both TAYLORS and TRAYLORS were recorded in Chesterfield Co, VA, it is not certain which she may have been, although TRAYLOR appears to be a common surname in Chesterfield Co based on tax lists.

The first William Combs recorded in what is now Wilkes Co, NC, but was earlier Rowan and then Surry, was on the 1768 Tax List of Gideon Wright, whereby William COMES was listed near, but not adjacent to, Mason Combs, Sr. In 1771 and 1772, following the formation of Surry County, tax lists included the following Combs' entries:

1771 Surry Co, NC Tax List - Clerk's Copy
COMES, Mason Senr 3
COMES William 1
1772 Surry NC Tax List Clerk's Copy
COMES Mason Senr 2
COMES Mason Junr 1
COMES William 2
(Surry and Wilkes Co, NC Taxables, 1771-1800, Vol. 1, 1771-1777, William Perry Johnson)

The above Combs are believed to have been Mason (and Sarah _____ ) Combs, Sr., and their sons, William, born 28 Nov 1740, and Mason, Jr., born 21 Feb 1746/7, both in Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co, Virginia (The Register of Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co, VA, 1723-1758 and Sundry Historical and Genealogical Notes, George Harrison Sanford King, Southern Historical Press, Easley, SC, 1961, hereinafter OPR), who came to Surry/Rowan from Frederick Co, VA. It is not yet known if William Combs of Wilkes NC was kin to the Mason Combs, Sr. Family of Surry County.

Other than his marriage to Michal TAYLOR-TRAYLOR, the only record located for William Combs in either Charlotte or Chesterfield Co, VA thus far is the following:

1800 Charlotte Co., Va 1800 Tax List
William Combs 1-1-0-1
1st -white males
2nd- horses
3rd slaves over 16
4th slaves 12-16
("Virginia Genealogist" Vol 15, page 111)

Note: No Combs found in 1800 Charlotte Co VA census per index, but no check made yet re whether same was even extant. The Callicot Family has been found in both Charlotte Co VA and Randolph Co NC.

The only published wills or deeds including even a mention of Combs in Charlotte is the following:

(Charlotte Co DB 2:326) Aug. 6, 1770. Richard BLANKS of Buckingham Co. to Abraham CHARLTON (also spelled CARLTON) of Cumberland Co. for 50 pds., 215 acs. in Charlotte on both sides of a branch of the Meherrin River (known as Pledgars Creek). Beginning at COMB'S corner, along old patent line, and bounded by the line of BROWN.
Wits: None /s/ Richard (X) BLANKS
Recorded Aug. 6, 1770
Relinquished by Uriah, wife of Richard BLANKS.

No records have been discovered yet in reference the above land; however, one other Combs record in Charlotte Co, VA, placed side by side with a Wilkes Co, NC record, may be a 'clue' toward identifying 'which' William Combs of Wilkes Co, NC this is:

29 Apr 1783 (Wilkes NC WB1:94) Bastardy Bond. Frankie NANCE has brought forth a girl child which is a bastard; George Combs & William Combs, bondsmen. (Wilkes Co, NC, Will Abstracts, Books One & Two, 1778-1811, Mrs. W. O. Absher, SHP, Easley, SC, 1989)

12-Nov-1785 Combs, George m. NANCE, Frances , Charlotte, VA (VA Marriage CD)

It is quite possible that both of the above George Combs were one and the same, and that the William Combs above is William of Wilkes and Charlotte. It is also quite possible that the John Combs who married Biddy NANCE in Wilkes County on 31 May 1779 (Joseph PORTER, Bondsman) was close kin to William and George -- possibly even brothers, and probably the same John Combs who was bondsman for the marriage of William Combs to Hannah THOMPSON/TOUSSON in 1780.

No determination has been made yet as to whether these were the same George Combs and Frances NANCE, but it certainly seems probable, particularly given the ties of William Combs to both Wilkes Co, NC and Charlotte Co, VA, and the close ties of the Mason Combs family to the COOK Family of Surry and Wilkes Co, NC and Charlotte Co, VA as follows:

24 Feb 1783 (Surry DB B:261,262) Henry HAND & wf Sarah, Wilkes County, NC to John COOK, yeoman 100 pds Specie 320 ac N side Yadkin River beg at an Iland adj dividing line bet COOK & David DOUGLAS; agreed line with John Combs. s/Henry HAND s/Sarah HAND; wits: Benjamin BURCH; William Nicholas COOK. (Surry Co, NC, Deed Books A, B and C (1770-1788), Abstracted by Mrs. W. O. Absher, SHP, 1981)

10 Jul 1782 (Surry NC WB 2:8) John COOK of Charlotte Co., Va., to father Wm. COOK of Surry, power of attorney for 464 a. on S side Yadkin R entered by me to be sold to John BREWIS. 10 July 1782. Wit: Benj. BURCH, Wm. W. COOK, John Combs. (SURRY CO., N. C. WILL ABSTRACTS, VOLS 1-3, 1771-1827. Jo White Linn)

See Also the William RIDGE Estate File and the Winnifred Combs Ridge-Nathan ALLIN marriage record dated 22 Dec 1784, Surry Co, NC.)

No research has been conducted yet in reference either the TRAYLOR or TOUSSON/TOWNSEND surname. However, the following TRAYLOR record may be significant in reference his mentions of South Carolina (where TRAYLORS are found in Spartanburg in the 1790s) and of Bath and Fayette Cos, KY where another William Combs is also found.

Cary TRAILOR or TRAYLOR, VA Line, was born Mecklenburg Co, VA & lived there at enlistment and stated he was age 98 but also stated he was born abt 1762; abt 1803 he moved to Bath Co, KY where he applied 15 Oct 1850. After the Rev he left VA & lived in NC and SC; was married in SC (wife not named) then moved to Fleming Co KY then to Bath Co KY, and an Andrew TRAYLOR stated he had known Cary TRAYLOR all his life but no relationship given (R10670, Abstracts of Rev. War Pension Files, Virgil White)

As to the TOUSSON family, a record that may be significant is the following - due to the presence of William and Mason Combs in Montgomery Co, VA -- and John MILLION in Madison Co, KY:

Joshua TOWNSEND or TOWSON, VA Line, was born 5 Mar 1762 in Lunenburg Co, VA & & moved from there to Henry Co, the part that later became Franklin Co, VA & in 1778 he moved to Montgomery Co, VA where he lived at enlistment & afterwards moved to Madison Co, KY & in 1811 to Franklin TN where he applied 27 Nov 1832… by 1841 he had moved to Northern AL (county not stated). (S1730, Abstracts of Rev. War Pension Files, Virgil White)

William Combs may have been kin to the two Nicholas Combs and/or the Jonathan Combs who were in Sullivan Co, TN by 1796… however, an 1812 tax list that includes both the latter men does not include William. The 1820 Census of Sullivan Co, TN is not extant, nor are any tax lists other than the 1796, 1797 and 1812, and no early deeds have been located thus far. Michal TRAYLOR Combs Stare/Staire has not been found in the 1830, 40 or 50 Washington or Sullivan Co, TN census records; however, we believe it possible that children of William Combs can be found in those counties.

To Be Continued