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Pendleton Co/Dist SC was organized in 1789 from Indian Lands, and lies in the westernmost part of South Carolina, in what was first the "Old 96th District, then Abbeville District, and in 1791, Washington District. The only Combs located in Pendleton District thus far is the family of Capt.(?) Bennett & Dorothy "Dolly" UNKNOWN Combs.

Important Announcement! See Bennett Combs of Pendleton SC - Temporary Appendix, includes land records and Estate File (to be integrated into this file shortly, plus a new Bennett Combs web report planned, but in the meantime… (Jan 1999)

Notes: Bennett Combs is first recorded in South Carolina on a 1787 Abbeville District SC Tax List, Abbeville having been adjacent to Pendleton, and both part of the "Old 96th District, Bennett may well have never lived in pre-1789 Abbeville Dist, but been on Indian Lands all along. He may have been born in St. Mary's Co MD, and he may have come to South Carolina from Wilkes Co NC (See More Below); however, his ancestry remains a mystery, as do his movements prior to 1787. In 1790 he is listed on the Pendleton District SC Census, and in 1791 is first recorded with property:

1790 Pendleton Dist SC Census, p. 83
BENNETT, Combs [sic] 01-01-06-00-00
(Heads of Families, 1790 Census, Pendleton Dist SC, GPC)

18 Mar 1791 (Pendleton SC DB A:278-282) Mar. 18, 1791. Geo. SHULER and Mary his wife to Jos. CHAPMAN wit. by Bennett Combs, Isaac MILLER and John PENDERGRASS. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie)

05 Apr 1791 (Pendleton SC DB 194-195) Apr. 5, 1791. Thos. SHIRLEY & Mary his wife of Abbeville Co., planter, to Bennet Combs, of Pendleton Co., planter, 80 pds. stg. for 640 acs. in 96 Dist. on 18 Mile Crk. on the old trading road to Keowee, granted to SHIRLEY Jan. 21, 1785. /s/ Thomas SHIRLEY, Mary (X) SHIRLEY. Abbeville Co.: Richard SHIRLEY made oath to Adam Crain JONES, July 23, 1791. Rec. Sep. 25, 1793. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie)

Notes: Bennett Combs apparently sold half of his above 640 acres in 1793:

22 Aug - 25 Sep 1793 (Pendleton SC DB A:195-197) Aug. 22, 1793. Bennet Combs and Doratha his wife to Thos. GARVIN, for 60 pds. stg., 320 acs. on branches of 18 Mile Crk. on old trading road to Keowee, surveyed by PURVIS for Thos. SHIRLEY June 3, 1785. /s/ Bennet Combs and Doratha (mark) Combs. Wits: Benja. BARTON, John HOLLAND, Thos. ANDERSON. Benja. BARTON made oath to Bayley ANDERSON, J. P., Aug. 22, 1793. Rec. Sep. 25, 1793. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie)

Notes: See Also Winnie Combs who m John PURVIS in 1781 in Northampton Co NC; and Bailey ANDERSON below.

05 Feb 1787(?) - 07 Oct 1797 (Pendleton Dist SC Book? Page?) Martin HEWLET for L60 stg. sold to Bennett Combs 112 acres on 12 mile River, granted to Samuel EARLE by Wm. MOULTRIE, 5 Feb 1787. Date: 7 Oct, 1797. Wit: Daniel SHIP, John EASLEY, Abram DUFF. Abraham DUFF made oath to W. W. REID, J.P., 7 Oct 1797. Rec. 7 Oct 1797." (ibid.)

Notes: Abraham DUFF above married Verlinda Combs, d/o Bennett and Dorothy Combs (Early Settlers of Sangamon County, by John Caroll Power, 1876 p. 270). Also Note that in 1791, Pendleton became part of the new Washington District organized from Abbeville:

21 Aug 1797 - 04 Oct 1800 (Pendleton Dist SC Deeds, 1790-1806, Pages 85-86) 21 Aug. 1797, Nicholas PERKINS of Pittsylvania Co., VA to Jesse BYNEHAM of Pendleton Co. for 200 (pounds sterling) for 640 acres on Rice's Creek. Wit: Abraham PERKINS, Peter PERKINS, Bennet Combs. Capt. Bennet Combs made oath to Wm. REED, 21 Aug. 1797. Rec: 4 Oct. 1800." (PENDLETON DISTRICT, S.C. DEEDS 1790-1806, Compiled by Betty Willie, pp. 235 & 236)

Notes: The above is the only record located thus far which lists Bennett Combs as a "Captain." It is apparently this record that is one basis for believing that Bennett Combs came from St. Mary's Co MD where he or another Capt. Bennett Combs was a Capt. in the RW. See 1767 Pittsylvania Co VA Tax List of John WILSON which includes a Mason Combs and a Peter PERKINS.

20 Dec 1797 (Pendleton SC DB B:363) Dec. 20, 1797. Bennett Combs of Washington Dist., for 3 pds. sold to Eilliby BROTTON [a.k.a. Willoughby BROUGHTON] 107 acs. on NW side of 15 Mile Branch of Savannah River, part of tract granted Thos. SHIRELY (sic mg) by Benj. GUERARD, Jan. 25, 1785. Wits: Wm. HUNTER, Fredrick (F) JOHNSTON. Doctor Wm. HUNTER made oath to Geo. W. EARLE, D.C.C. Dec. 20, 1797. Rec. Dec. 20, 1797. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie)

Notes: See Also Willoughby BROUGHTON in Surry Co NC, and also see Missouri BROUGHTON, daughter of John of Caswell Co NC, who married Orison Combs. If the above consideration is correct, then there may have been a kinship between Bennett Combs and Willoughby BROUGHTON, particularly given that on the same date as above, Bennett Combs sold additional land for what appears to be a more reasonable (market value) amount:

20 Dec 1797 (Pendleton SC DB C-D:363) Washington Dist. Dec. 20, 1797. I, Bennet Combs, for 70 pds., sold to Fredrick JOHNSTON 213 acs. on 15 Mile Branch of Savannah River, part of tract granted Thos. SHIRELY Jan. 25, 1785, b/b Willoby BROTTON. Wits: Wm. HUNTER, Willoby (+) BROTTON. Dr. Wm. HUNTER made oat to G. W. EARLEY, D.C.C. Dec. 20, 1797. Rec. Dec. 20, 1797. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie)

29 Dec 1797 (Pendleton SC DB C-D:373) Dec. 29, 1797. I, Bennett Combs, for $341, sold to John GIPSON, 250 acs. on b/s of 15 Mile Br. of the Savannah R., granted by Chas. PINCKNEY Mar. 5, 1792, b/b Mary GIBSON. Wit: Moses HUNT, Saml. CHERRY. Moses HUNT made oath to G. W. EARLE, D.C.C. Dec. 29, 1797. Rec. Jan. 1, 1798. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie) SW: GIBSON

Notes: The appearance of Bennett Combs in the same record with Moses HUNT above may be very significant in that in 1788, a Moses HUNT, believed by HUNT researchers to have been the same, appears on a Sullivan Co TN Militia List with a John Combs who remains unidentified. See Also Warren Co KY re Daniel PUTMAN & (another? the same?) Moses HUNT. Also see Esli HUNT (Moses' brother) in Greenville Co in 1790, and note Bennett Combs below recorded as "of Greenville District…."

23 Jun 1799 (Pendleton SC DB E:14-15) June 24, 1799. I, Bennett Combs of Greenville Dist., S. C., for $600, sold to Jacob LIGHT of Pendleton Co., 170 acs. on 12 Mile River, b/b Wm. MURPHREE, Caleb BOYD, Geo. THOMPSON, Saml. EARLE. Wit; Jas. JETT, Abin (X) LIGHT. Dolley (+) Combs, wife of Bennett Combs, released dower to John WILSON, J. P., Mar. 31, 1799 (marked through) 1800. Abin LIGHT made oath to Henry BURCH, J. P., June 24, 1799. Rec. June 24, 1799. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie)

Notes: A John & Vachel LIGHT are also on the 1788 Sullivan Co TN militia list, but it is not known if a relationship existed between them and Jacob above. Note also that the above record identifies Bennett Combs as "of Greenville Dist SC," and see the 1789 Washington Co TN record of John Combs in reference to Greenville Dist SC. See also the 1802 Smith Co TN poa to Wm. MURPHRY below.

23 Apr 1800 (Pendleton Dist SC DB G:428) Apr. 23, 1800. Washington Dist. Bennett Combs for $80 to John MORRIS, 30 acs. on SS of 12 Mile River b/b Balay ANDERSON'S old line. Wits: Moses MURPHREE, Jas. WARDLAW. Jas. WARDLAW made oath to David MURPHREE, Mar. 20, 1802. Rec. Mar. 23, 1804. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie) [Note: The Editor had underlined 1804 to show that that was the way the recording date read]

Notes: The above deeds, and the following records need to be viewed on microfilm to determine if we have only one Bennett Combs, given that this deed was proven three years after Bennett's death (See Below). The presence of Bailey ANDERSON above may be of import (despite undocumented statements re Bennett having come from MD) in that one Bailey ANDERSON (s/o John & Sarah CARNEY Anderson) was b 13 Nov 1753(or 4) in Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co VA (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), and whose RW Pension File shows he later lived in 96 District, SC; GA; Holston River VA/TN; KY; IN and AR. A Bailey ANDERSON is later found in both Warren Co KY and Knox Co IN, both also counties of record for Dorothy, widow of Bennett Combs.

1800 US Census, Pendleton District

SC, p. 12 (entire page)

No. Name Legend

  1. Larkin RAGAN 00010-21010-01
  2. John DUFF 00100-20211-00
  3. William MURPHRE 23101-10111-00
  4. Isaac HUTTSON 20010-22010-00
  5. Moses MURPHRE 21110-30110-00
  6. Robert GLOVER 12001-01101-00
  7. James WARDLOW 00010-30010-01
  8. James MURPHRE 01111-01201-00
  9. Nathl EFITS* 20001-01001-00
  10. Bennett Combs 11001-52001-02
  11. Joseph DUFF 10100-00100-00
  12. William BROWN 21111-20110-01
  13. John HUNT 00010-20111-00
  14. James BARNETT 00010-21100-00
  15. John PENCE 12301-10101-00
  16. John CHANDLER 22101-11001-00
  17. Reubin COPELAND 12001-11010-03
  18. Moses HUNT 30101-00100-01
  19. Mary GIBSON 12000-00110-05
  20. William OWENS 22101-22101-00
  21. Joseph STEPHENS 30010-10010-00
  22. Hamilton READ 30010-00010-00
  23. William READ 10100-10100-00
  24. John BROWLOW 21010-01010-00

(1800 Census of the United States, Pendleton District, South Carolina, FHL Microfilm 181425 (original handwritten census) transcribed by Combs-Shirley Researcher Connie Sheets who adds in reference to HH #594: This surname is difficult to determine. My "best guess" was EFITS and when I subsequently checked the index, that is how the indexers also transcribed it. However, it could also be ESSITS, or less likely EPPS or ELLIS) Search Words: HUDSON

Notes: Researchers utilizing the 1800 Census of Pendleton Dist, SC, Compiled and with an introduction by William C. Stewart. forward by Carleton E. Fisher, Pub. by National Genealogical Society Washington 36, D. C. 1963, will find that the HH (Household) Numbering system in that book is "off" by at least one (on p. 12) and may be "off" on other pages as well. According to Stewart, the above households fell into that part of Pendleton District which was in Col. Brown's Regiment, and became Pickens Co in 1826. Stewart's annotations in regard to Bennett Combs include: "Combs was granted land on Fifteen Mile Creek 5 March 1792 and also bought a tract nearby granted Thomas SHIRELY 21 Jan. 1785 [sic]. He sold 20 Dec. 1797 part of the latter tract to Willoughby BROUGHTON of a Surry County, NC, family, and nine days later sold an additional 640 acres to John and Mary GIPSON (GIBSON) both of whom lived on Fifteen-Mile Creek. [See HH 604 above] Bennett Combs and Abraham and Peter PERKINS were witnesses 21 Aug. 1797 when Nicholas PERKINS of Pittsylvania County VA sold land on Reeves Creek to Jesse BINUM. Some of the PERKINS family moved from Pittsylvania to Stokes County, NC in this period; Combs may have been from that area."

Additional Notes: See also on p. 13 of this same census, both EDINS/EDWINS/EDDINS & WILBANKS/WOOLBANKS of earlier Wilkes Co NC, and see WILBANKS & William MURPHREE in later Smith Co TN with unidentified Combs & associated families. (Wilbanks and Combs also in Warren Co KY)

4 Apr 1803 (Pendleton SC DB G:294-295) Apr. 4, 1803. David McCALEB, Sheriff of Pendleton Dist., whereas Dolly Combs and others were seized of 150 acs. on 12 Mile River, Saml. EARLE obtained judgment agst. Dolly Combs. and others for $580, whereas, all goods, chatels, houses and lands were sold at public auction Mar. 7, 1803 for $51 to Dolly Combs she being highest bidder. Wit: M. HAMMOND, Geo. EDMONDSON. Michael HAMMOND made oath to J. B. EARLE, Clk., June 7, 1803. Rec. June 18, 1803. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie)

Notes: Estate records need to be checked as do court minutes, which could offer even more information; likewise guardian records if those are extant. Also note Combs-Edmondson of Surry Co NC and see other Hammond Connections

4 Apr 1803 (Pendleton SC DB G:473-474) Apr. 4, 1803. David McCALEB, Sheriff of Pendleton Dist. to Dolly Combs. Dolly Combs and others were seized of 572 acs. on 12 Mile Crk. and Crow Crk. Saml. EARLE obtained judgment agst. Dolly Combs and others for $586. John Baylis EARLE, Clerk of Dist., ordered Sheriff to sell all goods, chattels and lands at public auction on Mar. 7, 1803. Dolly Combs was highest bidder for $50. Wit: Wm. HAMILTON, Moses HENDRIX. Wm. HAMILTON made oath to David MURPHREE, J. P., Oct. 11, 1803. Rec. Dec. 5, 1803. (Pendleton District, South Carolina, Deeds, 1790-1806. Betty Willie)

In Settlement of Pendleton District, 1777-1800 by Frederick Van Clayton (So. Historical Press reprint, 1982), Bennet Combs is mentioned twice (but no other CombsES). The first mention is on pg. 23, where he includes Bennett as one of fifteen settlers from Maryland. He says Bennett hailed from St. Mary's Co. (His source is George Howe, History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, pg. 643.) On pg. 80 of his book, Clayton identifies 15-Mile-Creek as Bennett Combs' land site…some 640 acres. Year of registration was 1792. The other Marylanders named were:

Benjamin BROWN, Baltimore
William BUSH, Queen Ann
Micajah CLARK, Frederick
Charles CLEMENTS, Charles
John CORRIE, Talbot
Alexander DAVIS, Worcester
Ezekiel EVANS, Frederick
William GLENN, Kent
Abednigo GREEN, Baltimore
Elijah HERRIN, Frederick
Joseph HUTTON, Frederick
James KILGORE, Cecil
Thomas LAMAR, Frederick
George NAYLOR, Prince George.

Notes: The Howe source is currently being re-checked, and additional data will be added shortly regarding some of the above individuals.

Notes: Dorothy Combs, widow of Bennett, is next found on the 1810 census of Warren Co KY, in 1820 in Butler Co KY; and later yet in Gibson Co, Il and finally in Sangamon Co, IL, where she died in 1838.

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