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Luzerne County was formed in 1786 from Northumberland County. The county seat is Wilkes Barre. It sits in the Wyoming Valley in northeastern Pennsylvania, a region that was contained in both of the charters granted to William Penn and to Governor John Winthrop Jr. of Connecticut therein setting up the long conflict between the Connecticut Yankees and the Pennamites. Connecticut adventurers explored the area as they pushed west and in 1753 the Susquehanna Company was formed to bring Connecticut settlers to the area. By 1769, large numbers of settlers from Pennsylvania moved into the Valley. In 1775, the separate county of Westmoreland was formed by the Yankees. In 1782, the new United States government declared Pennsylvania to be the owner of the Wyoming Valley. On September 23, 1786, the Pennsylvania General Assembly created Luzerne County, naming it in honor of Chevalier de la Luzerne, the French minister to the United States during the latter stages of the war. This newly created county encompassed a large area; Lackawanna, Wyoming, Susquehanna, and part of Bradford County would all eventually be separated out as independent counties. The valley’s population increased substantially between 1790 and 1800 where settlement occurred throughout the Wyoming Valley. Connecticut Yankees settled in their favorite townships, while Pennsylvania Germans, coming up from other parts of Pennsylvania, rapidly settled the southern parts of the county. (Source: History of Luzerne County)

In 1792, Jonathan Co(o)mb(s) and several associates from Bucks Co obtained warrants for land in Luzerne Co. Surveys were conducted for these properties that were later patented in 1794 by Thomas WRIGHT, also of Bucks. Digital images of these surveys are available through the PA State Archives/Digital Documents/Land Records.

4 April 1792 Warrant No. 51 Combs Jonathan, Survey, 400a, Date of Warrant: 4 April 1792, Date of Return: 3 Sept 1794, 424.34, Name of Patentee: Thomas WRIGHT, Patent Book: P-22:276, Survey Book: C-18:277

Survey shows the land was surrounded by Joseph RICH, Thoms POULTON, Jonathan GOOD, Thos GOOD, Robt KIRKBRIDE, and described as “…on a branch of Bowmans Creek called Leonards Creek and another branch of Bowmans Creek called Beaver Creek in Luzerne County.”
(Source: PA State Archives, Digital Documents, Land Records, Warrant Registers 1733-1957 {series #17.88}, Lucerne Co. Warrant index for C, image (p.19). Survey from Copied Surveys, 1681-1912. {series #17.114}, Survey Book C-18, image 277; abstracted by Sue Elfving for Combs &c)

Notes: All the adjoining parcels were patented in the name of Thomas WRIGHT. Thomas POULTON'S survey (20 Sept. 1792) shows his land adjoined that of Jonathan Coomb, Jonathan and Jessie GOOD, Joseph and John RICH (Survey Book A-89:180). Robert KIRKBRIDE'S survey (22 Sept. 1792) shows his land adjoined that of Jonathan and Thos Good and Nat'l DAVENPORT (Survey Book C-104:202). The survey for Joseph RICH'S land shows it adjoins that of Jonathan Coomb, Thomas GOOD and John RICH (Survey Book C-188:179). See also Thos GOOD'S survey (Survey Book A-43:282), Jessie GOOD'S survey (Survey Boook C-54:147), and Jonathan GOOD'S survey (Survey Book C-54:146)

See Bucks Co where Jonathan Combs and Thomas POULTON are found in records together and where Jonathan Combs and the GOODS are in records together. In the 1790 Bucks census Jonathan Combs and Thomas WRIGHT (perhaps the patentee) are listed next to each other. The KIRKBRIDES and RICH families are also in Bucks.

8 March 1794 Four (4) patents issued to Thomas WRIGHT for land in Luzerne Co that had been warranted on 4 April 1792) to: (1) Robert Kirkbridge, tract named Springfield; (2) Joseph Rich, tract named Richborough; (3) John Rich, tract named Wrightsborough, and (4) Thomas Poulton, tract named Saint Thomas. (Source: PA State Archives, Digital Documents, Land Records, Patent Indexes, 1684-[ca. 1957] {series #17.147, 154 & 155}, Patent Book P-21, image 334).

8 Sept 1794 Three (3) patents issued to Thomas WRIGHT for land in Luzerne Co that had been warranted on 4 April 1792 to: (1) Jonathan Comb, tract named Fairfield; (2) Jonathan Good, tract named Plainfield; (3) Thomas Good, tract named Belmont; and (4) Jesse Good, tract named Richland. (Source: PA State Archives, Land Records, Patent Indexes, 1684-[ca. 1957] {series #17.147, 154 & 155}, Patent Book P-22, image 337).

ALSO: Page 18 of the Warrant Registry for Luzerne Co. lists several Cornes that could possibly be Comes.

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