JAMES W. Combs, druggist and apothecary, Rising [BUTLER CO, NE], was born in Clay County, Ind., January 14, 1848. He made his first visit to Nebraska in 1867, looked the country over, and returned to Iowa a happier and wiser man. His parents had moved to that State when he was but a small boy. In 1874, he returned to Nebraska, locating in Seward County, and started to farm. This did not prove a very prosperous enterprise, as it was the critical year of the grasshopper pest. He returned to Iowa a still wiser man, but with less capital. In May 1880, he returned to Nebraska for the third time with full determination to make it his future home, settled at Rising, starting in his present business. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M.; is charter member of Composite Lodge, No. 81, was married to Miss Allie V. Redden of Greeley, Iowa, November 27, 1881.

The first Methodist Episcopal class organized near Ulysses was at Salem, about the year 1872, Rev. Mr. Burlingame in charge, and Rev. H. T. Davis, Presiding Elder. In the spring of 1873, Abraham Towner, a local preacher, settled at Ulysses and organized the Ulysses class, with J. H. Sherwood, Elizabeth Sherwood, Joshua Worley, Eliza Jane Worley and Hannah Smith as full members, and Dora Smith, Alice Sherwood, Catharine Strowman as probationers. Rev. J. R. Ried, the preacher in charge of the Ulysses mission, took up the work at this point and at Haynes, where a class had been formed during the previous year, as also at Carmel. Rev. Mr. Ried was in charge of this mission for two years and a half, and during this period, the time of meeting of the annual conference was changed from spring to fall.

Rev. A. J. Coombs succeeded Rev. Mr. Ried in the fall of 1874, but, early in his second year, was transferred to David City [BUTLER CO, NE], and Rev. Joshua Worley, a local preacher, filled the appointments for the balance of the year.…

The first church organization effected in David City [BUTLER CO, NE] was by the Methodist Episcopal. Rev. Mr. Markett, a missionary preacher, came here in 1871, holding service at the house of Capt. A. F. COON, at which time he organized a class of communicants. Up to 1874, services were held regularly at Capt. COON'S house, when, mainly through the efforts of Capt. COON, the present church was erected, at a cost of $1,500, and, later in 1874, a parsonage was built, costing $600. At this date, the church is quite strong and prosperous. The list of officiating clergymen includes Rev. Mr. KING, who assumed charge in the fall of 1871, remaining one year. He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. LATHROP, who served for the same period. His successor was Rev. Mr. Combs, who had charge of the church for the next two years, and was succeeded by Rev. D. S. DAVIS, who was also its pastor for two years. Rev. William Peck was his successor, officiating for one year, and was then succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. E. S. Roberts, now fulfilling the duties of his second year.