Combs &c. Families of Middlesex Co, NJ (after 1776)

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Middlesex County was created in 1683, one of the four original provinces in East Jersey. In 1702, the West and East Jersey provinces were merged. In 1842, Mercer Co, NJ was formed from Somerset, Middlesex, Hunterdon and Burlington.

Middlesex records previous to 1776

25 Nov 1776 - 07 Apr 1778 (N.J.A. Wills V:136) Will of Gysbert DeHART of New Brunswick [Middlesex Co NJ], mentions wife Jean and children Cornelius, Jacobus, William, John, Wynant and Anne. Wits: Jacobs VANDEVENTER, Cornelius DeHART, Jonathan COMBS.

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Genealogies of New Jersey Families, The DeHart Family, Vol. I, © Broderbund Software, Inc., Banner Blue Division, page 207)

BT Notes: According to this source, Gysbert DeHART had m Jannetje REED, and was the s/o Gysbert and Antje WYNANTS DeHart. Witness Jacobus VANDEVENTER was his half-brother, and Cornelius DeHART his brother. It is stated that he resided earlier in the Redington area [Hunterdon Co NJ?] See also 1790 below.<

1776-1783 Revolutionary War Activity

May 7, 1777 The Pennsylvania Gazette. Extract of a letter from Morristown [present-day Morris or Middlesex Cos, NJ?], dated April 28 makes reference to Capt. COMBS who was wounded in battle, possibly a reference to Capt. John COMBS (of Monmouth Co, NJ?).

"Loyalist (Tory) Dennis COMBES of Middlesex Co., N. J. Fled into British lines in N. Y. in 1776 and has given services. Memorial 22 Mar 1786 St. John's. Claim: House; land; cattle; coachmaker's tools, etc. Rejected." (American Loyalist Claims, NGS) An adjutant, and "apparently a coachmaker in Middlesex county, NJ and was born in America. His service in the War included that of Adjutant of the 3rd New Jersey Volunteers [Loyalist]. He was married in New Brunswick, Canada on February 22, 1784, to Martha VAIL, by Rev John BEARDSLEY, the Connecticute divine and Loyalist refugee. His claim for compensation was rejected. He died on Apr 10, 1827."

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Jean Smallwood from The Loyalists of New Jersey, Their Memorials, Petitions, Claims, Etc. From English Records by E. Alfred Jones, M. A. F. R. Hist. Soc -Published 1927 by the New Jersey Historical Society)

Loyalist Ensign Nathaniel COMBS (Ensign) -“He was born in America about 1757 and appears to have served as a private before the grant of a commission as Ensign in the 3rd Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers [Loyalist], on July 29, 1778; later 1780 was transferred to the Second Battalion. He was married on Aug 25, 1806 to Alice OLIVER of Woodbridge [Middlesex Co], New Jersey, who is described in the official document as the mother of Charles OLIVER of the same place and therefore, probably a widow. He died on half-pay of the 2nd New Jersey Volunteers, on March 22, 1813 at Allentown [Monmouth Co], New Jersey, and was buried in the graveyard of the Episcopal Church.”

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Jean Smallwood from The Loyalists of New Jersey, Their Memorials, Petitions, Claims, Etc., from English Records by E. Alfred Jones, M. A. F. R. Hist. Soc - Published 1927 by the New Jersey Historical Society)

Capt. Thomas COMBS, Rangers, Middlesex, died Jan 1785, was buried Old Tennent Church Cem., Monmouth Co, NJ.

[Heirs of?] Capt. Thomas COMBS, RW Service, New Jersey, d 07 Jan 1785, received RW Pension for 3 years, commencing 04 Mar 1789 in the amount of $96.00 for a total of $864 [9 years]

(United States Senate. Report from the Secretary of War, in Obedience to Resolutions of the Senate of the 5th and 30th of June, 1834, and the 3d of March, 1835, In Relation to the Pension Establishment of the United States. [New Jersey Section], Washington, D.C.: Duff Green, 1835)

See Also an as yet unidentified Loyalist John COMBS who was also in Britain's 3rd NJ Volunteers.

Note: A list of prisoners of 1777-1778 who were held in the Provost Jail in NY included Nathaniel FitzRANDOLPH of Woodbridge and Stephen COMBS (see below - the same?).

1777 “John RUE and Anne COMBS (1751-89), his first wife, m. 1777… John RUE, (1754-1844), served several short enlistments as a private. He was placed on the pension roll of Middlesex county, 1831, for service in the New Jersey militia. He is buried in Cranbury [Middlesex Co], N.J.”

(DAR Application of Mrs. Sara B. JOHNSON Cowles, Vol. 25)

"… John RUE, (1754-1844), served several short enlistments as a private. He was placed on the pension roll of Middlesex Co., 1831, for service in the New Jersey militia. He is buried in Cranbury, N. J.

(DAR App of Mrs. Charlotte J. SINK Cumings, Vol. 30) (DAR Vols. 25-50)

Notes: According to The Rue Family, John RUE (s/o Matthew & Margaret MOUNT Rue), b 20 Mar 1754, d 4 Oct 1844, Cranbury, Middlesex Co, NJ, m (1) 1 Jan 1777, Ann COMBS (d/o Jonathan COOMBS) m (2) 3 Sep 1789, Rebecca PERRINE; and his brother, Matthias RUE, b 27 Apr 1752, Monmouth Co, NJ, d 22 Jun 1820, m Phoebe COOMES (d/o Joseph COOMBS [sic]), buried Old Tennent Cemetery, Monmouth Co, NJ. (Excerpted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Vol II, by Joseph R. Klett, Genealogies of New Jersey Families, Genealogical Pub. Co., Inc., with added material © 1996 Baltimore, MD, page 721.) No record of either marriage has been located as yet.

1779 Middlesex Co NJ Tax List

Woodbridge

Stephen COMBES

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Colonial Census Index 1607-1789, Family Tree Maker, c Broderbund Software, Inc. Banner Blue Divison)

19 Jul 1780 Robert COMBES of Woodbridge, Middlesex Co, NJ, died intestate, William COMBES his administrator, Reuben POTTER, his surety, both of Woodbridge.

(GDAC, 1925. Ref: NJ Wills, 4:102)

1781 Mar. 8 Marriage License. COMBS, Hetty, and Abraham SCHUREMAN, Middlesex

(Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey: Vol. XXII, Marriage Records 1665-1800, William Nelson, Patterson, NJ: Press Printing and Publishing, 1900, p. 92) SW: SCHEURMAN, Henrietta

1782-1789 S. Amboy, Middlesex Co, NJ

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Colonial Census Index 1607-1789, Family Tree Maker, c Broderbund Software, Inc. Banner Blue Divison)

SW: Aaron

1785-1786 Middlesex Co NJ Tax List

No Twp

James COMBES

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Colonial Census Index 1607-1789, Family Tree Maker, c Broderbund Software, Inc. Banner Blue Divison)

1786 July 3 Marriage License. COMBS, Jane, and Garlon OCKARMAN, Middlesex

(Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey: Vol. XXII, Marriage Records 1665-1800, William Nelson, Patterson, NJ: Press Printing and Publishing, 1900, p. 92) Author's Query: Goline ACKERMAN?

Notes: See Nov 1748 Record of Dennis COMES of Piscataway and Gerlyn ACKERMAN

April 29, 1789 The Pennsylvania Gazette. Center House, Market street, Philadelphia, April 27. WAS detained at the subscriber's stable, the 30th day of March last, a large BAY MARE, branded with the letters I.R. Supposed to be stolen by a person who said he came from near Shrewsbury, in [Monmouth Co] East Jersey, his name Benijah HARVEY. The owner is desired to come, prove his property, pay charges and take her away. WILLIAM READ.

N.B. The said Benijah HARVEY produced a certificate to a Justice of the Peace in Philadelphia, signed John TOAN, importing that he sold said Mare to said Harvey, and the certificate was witnessed with the name of John COMBS, a Justice of Middlesex, the truth of which being doubted, HARVEY disappeared.

(Combs Researcher Annie Duckenfield)

1789 ??? Co, NJ? Married: “George I. BERGEN, b June 16th, 1764, bap. Oct. 4, 1767, by the Rev. Mr. VAN HARLINGEN; d. Feb, 1825; m. 1789 Rebecca, dau. of Judge Jonathan COMBS, of Middlesex County, NJ. His widow two years after his decease m. the Rev. Mr. KENNER, a Baptist preacher from Virginia, and d. in 1846.”

(Teunis Bergen's The Bergen Family, 1876)

7 Jul 1789 [No location] Died: Ann BURNETT, born 25 Jan 1754.

(GDAC, 1925)

GDAC Notes (paraphrased): Ann COMBES, d/o John & Keziah BEDELL Combs of Jamaica, Queens Co, NY; m about 1778, the Rev. Mathias BURNETT, D.?. (Princeton 1769), b. 24 Jan 1749, d. 30 Jun 1806, aged 57; he m. (2) 30 Jun 1793, Woodbridge [Middlesex Co], NJ, Fanny ROE, a dau. of the Rev. Azel and Rebecca (FOOTE) Roe. Dr. BURNETT was pastor, 1774-1785, of the Congregational-Presbyterian Church of Jamaica. (Weis' 1938, Col. Clergy of the Middle Cols., p. 5) “He remained loyal to the King and his church was not damaged.” Children by Ann:

1. James, b 8 Jan 1779, Jamaica, Yale 1798, d. 4 Dec 1806;
2. John, b. 10 Dec 1781;
3. Anne, b 24 Dec 1784, d young;
4. Anne, b. 11 Apr 1786, Norwalk, Fairfield Co, CT

Note: GDAC does not give a death location for Ann COMBS Burnett, but they had apparently left Jamaica in 1785, were in Norwalk, CT by 1786, and he was in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co, NJ by 1793, thus she was probably buried in either Norwalk or Woodbridge?

06 Apr 1790 - 16 Jun 1818 (Middlesex County NJ Deed Book 13, p. 184) Deed. Wm. DeHART and Cornelius DeHART, executors of the estate of Guisbert DeHART of New Brunswick, deceased, to James DeHART, two lots or tracts of land along Lawrence Brook

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Genealogies of New Jersey Families, The DeHart Family, Vol. I, © Broderbund Software, Inc., Banner Blue Division, page 207)

Notes: See 1776 above

1791 Windsor Twp., New Jersey, Middlesex county, We the Overseers of the poor of the Township of Windsor in the said County of Middlesex do hereby certifie own & acknowledge that Levi JONES Yeoman is an Inhabitant Legally Settled in our Township of Windsor aforesaid in witness whereof we the hereunto set our hands and Seals the Twelfth day of July Seventeen Hundred and ninety one (1791), attested by Samuel STOUT seal, Peter BERGEN, Joseph STOUT, George P. BERGEN, Overseers of the Poor - We Jonathan COMBS and Robert WILSONN Esquires two of the Justices of the peace in and for the said County of Middlesex Do allow of the above written certifient, and we do also certify that George P. BERGEN one of the Witnesses who attested the same hath this day made oath before us the said Justices that he said George P. BERGEN did see the Overseers of the poor of the said Township whose names and seals are hereunto subscribed and set severally sign and seal the same and that the names of Peter BERGEN and George P. BERGEN -who are sitnesses attesting the said certificat are Respectively of their own proper hand writing. Given under our hands the fifteenth day of July Seventeen Hundred ninety one -

Jonathan COMBS, Robert WILLSON Justices

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Jean Smallwood from The Town Records of Hopewell, New Jersey compiled by Lida Cokefair Gedney, Registrar, published 1931)

1791 Orphans Court, held at New Brunswick, NJ Application was made “of Nathaniel LOOFBORROW, father of Joseph LOOFBORROW, an infant under the age of 14.” Guardians appointed: Nathan COMBES, Richard HARTSHORNE, Aaron BLOODGOOD. [Date?] Petition of Elizabeth LOOFBORROW and Thomas V. LOOFBOURROW, children of Nataniel LOOFBORROW, late of Woodbridge, requesting that Nathan COMBS and Richard HARTSHORNE be appointed their guardians until they attain their full age.

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Genealogies of New Jersey Families, Volume I, John LOOFBOURROW of Woodbridge: Founder of the LOOFBOURROW Family in America, © Broderbund Software, Inc., Banner Blue Division 1997)

BM Notes: Nathaniel LOOFBORROW was the brother of Margaret LOOFBORROW Combs (w/o Robert COMBS and d/o Nathan and Catherine VAN GALEN Loofbourrow. According to the above source, Nathaniel LOOFBOURROW, b 1745, Woodbridge, NJ, m Oct 18, 1767 (First Presb. Church, Elizabeth, NJ), Isabel Fitz Randolph HADDEN, b 9 Apr 1748, dau. of Thomas and Margaret (FITS RANDOLPH) Hadden. Margaret, of all of Thomas HADDEN's children, d 4 Jun 1749, and her husband married as his 2nd wife, Margaret (VAN GALEN-FOSTER) Bloomfield. This Margaret was Catherine [VAN GALEN] Loofbourrow's sister, widow of Ezekiel BLOOMFIELD. After her death in 1767, Thomas HADDEN m 3rd, Catherine STILLWELL, who was appointed as one of the executors of his will when he died in 1781. (HADDEN Bible in possession of Mrs. A. CASSELL of Forth Worth, Texas).

1793 Middlesex Co, NJ (Tax Lists?)

North Brunswick

COMBS, Nathan

South Amboy

COMBS, Aaron
COMBS, Jonathan
COMBS, Thomas

Winsor [Windsor]

COMBS, Isaac
COMBS, Thomas

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Automated Archives, Inc., copyright 1993. on CD 151 1791-1809 U.S. Census Indexes & Tax lists: Mid-Atl, S., Mid-W.)

1796 Middlesex Co, NJ (Census? Tax List?)

No Twp. or Page No.

COMBS, Mary

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Automated Archives, Inc., copyright 1993. on CD 151 1791-1809 U.S. Census Indexes & Tax lists: Mid-Atl, S., Mid-W.)

10 Oct 1796 (Middlesex County Clerk's Marriage Records, 1795-1800) Mary COMBS and Samuel RAY

(Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey: Vol. XXII, Marriage Records 1665-1800, William Nelson, Patterson, NJ: Press Printing and Publishing, 1900, p. 659)

23 Oct 1796 (Middlesex County Clerk's Marriage Records, 1795-1800) COMBS, Elizabeth, and Benjamin RIGGS

1797 Middlesex Co, NJ

East Winsor Twp

p. 002
COMBS, Jonathan
COMBS, Thomas

p. 003
COMBS, James

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Birdie McNutt from Automated Archives, Inc., copyright 1993. on CD 151 1791-1809 U.S. Census Indexes & Tax lists: Mid-Atl, S., Mid-W.)

3 Apr 1799 (Middlesex County Clerk's Marriage Records, 1795-1800) COMBS, Sarah, and Israel BROWN

(Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey: Vol. XXII, Marriage Records 1665-1800, William Nelson, Patterson, NJ: Press Printing and Publishing, 1900, p. 659)

24 Aug 1811 Estate Inventory of William HUTCHINSON of West Windsor, Middlesex Co, NJ taken by Thomas COMBS.

(GDAC, 1925. Ref: NJ Wills, 12:201)

Notes: See 30 May 1771 marriage of Benjamin HUTCHINSON & Dinah COMBS, both of Monmouth Co, NJ.

abt 1816 Hightstown (Mercer Co in 1838) Middlesex Co, NJ. Born: James COMBS, s/o Abner & Mary COMBS

(Extracted from 1886 Burlington Co, NJ death cert of James COMBS, s/o Abner COMBS, b 1780, Monmouth Co, NJ, d 1848, Burlington Co, NJ).

Mar. 9, 1818 Aaron COMBS, heir of John COMBS. Priv. Symmes 1st; SE 33, 8n 2w Del. to A. COMBS New Brunswick [Middlesex Co], NJ Apr. 27, 1818. W # 9004.

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Thom Mont from War of 1812 BOUNTY LANDS IN ILLINOIS; Indexed by Lowell M. Volkel (1840); Reprint by Heritage House; Thomson Ill. 1977, p. 169)

Important: All Records collected for this county may not have been added here as yet. See also the Combs Research List Archives