Deaf Smith County was established in 1876 from Bexar County. The county seat is Hereford.

pre-1875 (Deaf Smith County: The Land and Its People: 1876-1981. by Deaf Smith County Historical Society, Inc., 1982. extracted by S. C. Hefner, p. 73)
"Early Settlers moving to this area before Deaf Smith County was organized [1875] were the ISAAK brothers, George and John DAY, Albert COMBS, and WORLEY…"

1894 <(cite>Deaf Smith County: The Land and Its People: 1876-1981. by Deaf Smith County Historical Society, Inc., 1982. extracted by S. C. Hefner, p. 11 and p. 73)
"George COMBS worked as [a] cowboy with The Syndicate on the Escarbada Division, coming from Kentucky in 1894…COMBS and WORLEY were also early breeders of registered Herefords."
"Settlers arriving in the early 1890's and 1900's were: J.C. WOMBLE, J.G. HAMILTON, Sam MILLER and the SANDERS. Also the George COMBS…"

1898 (Deaf Smith County…, p. 109)
George COMBS married Sheba Ann WOMBLE at Old La Plata.

1900 U.S. Census

from the Texas GenWeb Archives, extracted by S. C. Hefner

Precinct 49 B

161 165 COMBS George B. Head W M Aug 1870 29 M 2 KY KY KY Stock Raiser 0 yes yes yes O F F 87
COMBS Sheba Wife W F Dec 1879 20 M 2 1 1 NC NC NC yes yes yes
COMBS Irene Daughter W F Mch 1900 3/12 S TX KY NC
CAGE, John Hired W M Aug 1880 19 S TN TN TN Farm laborer yes yes yes

164/168 WOMBLE, J. C. Head W M May 1850 50 M 29 NC NC NC Stock Raiser 0 yes yes yes O F F 90
WOMBLE, Jenette Wife W F Oct 1852 47 M 29 11 10 NC NC NC yes yes yes
WOMBLE, Clarence Son W M Jan 1885 15 S TN NC NC At school 3 yes yes yes
WOMBLE, McDowell Son W M Aug 1887 12 S TN NC NC At school 3 yes yes yes

SC Hefner Note: (Deaf Smith County…, p. 204)
John Charles Chambers WOMBLE was born in Chatham County, NC, 26 May 1850. He married Jeannette ELKINS in NC. "Children born to the J.C. WOMBLES in Tennessee were: Sheba Ann Minerva (Mrs. G.B.) COMBS and William Thomas WOMBLE, twins…"

163/167 WORLEY, Phoebe A. Head W F Oct 1857 42 W 3 3 IL IN KY Stock Raiser 0 yes yes yes O F F 89
WORLEY, S. Inez Daughter W F Aug 1887 12 S TX MO IL 6 yes yes yes
WORLEY, Amanda Daughter W F Feb 1890 10 S TX MO IL 6 yes yes yes
COMBS, Albert Hired W M Mch 1859 41 S KY KY KY Stock Raiser 0 yes yes yes
LINDSEY, Jas. E. Hired W M Nov 1872 27 S TX AL AL Farm laborer 0 yes yes yes
BOLING, Dora Boarder W F Feb 1879 21 S TX KY KY Teacher 6 yes yes yes

Marilyn Hansen Notes: Albert and George were brothers. Albert was born in 1857 in Owsley County KY. George was born in 1869 in Laurel Co, KY. They had other siblings. Robert was born in Owsley in 1854, James was born in Owsley in 1860, and Mary was born [unknown]. They were the children of Nicholas COMBS and Polly BOWLING. Nicholas was born in 1829, and all evidence points to his father as being Samuel COMBS who was the son of Nicholas "Danger Nick" COMBS and Nancy GRIGSBY. Polly's parents were the REV. George BOWLING and Phoebe LEWIS. George BOWLING was the son of the Rev Jesse BOWLING. By 1869 Polly had died, leaving Nicholas with all of the children. About 1872-73, Old George [BOWLING] set out for Texas taking his grandson Albert COMBS with him. Most of George's children and their families went with him also. George COMBS followed them in 1892. Both brothers bought much land in Deaf Smith and Gray counties, ranching and raising cattle until oil was found on their property. Albert is listed as a Foreman, but he was actually a business partner with the WORLEYS also originally from Kentucky. These two Kentucky brothers became very wealthy, and, when Albert died in 1947, his estate, according to his will, was worth several million. There is still a large business building in Pampa (Gray County) he built called the Combs-Worley Building. Albert never married. George COMBS died in Amarillo in 1961.

1900 (Deaf Smith County…, p. 86)
1900--the Constable of Precinct IV-- A. COMBS

25 Oct 1901 (Deaf Smith County…, p. 530)
The Palo Duro Missionary Baptist Church was organized. "B.T. and Dora JOHNSON, J.C. and Janette WOMBLE, Mrs. Seba A. COMBS, Mrs. Ella L. PHILLIPS, C.H. HITCHCOCK, and J.B. ALLRED by letter; George B. COMBS J. Clyde ALLRED, Ralph M. ALLRED, and Walter C. JOHNSON by baptism…Baptismal Services were held in Palo Duro Creek at the Worley Ranch in a mudhole that was about 5 feet deep."

circa 1902 (Deaf Smith County: The Land and Its People: 1876-1981. by Deaf Smith County Historical Society, Inc. 1982. extracted by S. C. Hefner, p. 109)
T.P. & Hettie COMBS COCHELL, along with their five children, settled near Umbarger in 1902, buying a section of Deaf Smith County shortly afterward.

Notes: (same source) Hettie COMBS was born 19 Dec 1853 in Richland County, Illinois. She married T.P. COCHELL in Olney (Richland Co., IL) 8 Jun 1875. Richland County license 99, book 2 - Cynthia Combs to Theadore Cotchell 7 Jun 1875 (from look-up by GenWeb volunteer).

1923 (Deaf Smith County…, p. 75 and p. 202)
The Simms Community built a new school in 1923. "Teachers in the first building included Minnie B. PEACE, Gladys FLYNN, Eula KNOX, Mrs. C.C. WIMBERLEY, Verda HARLOW and Janet COMBS."
Ethel WOMBLE--"I taught…in a two-teacher rural school with my cousin, Jeannette COMBS in the Kimball Community ten miles northwest of Spearman, Texas."

11 Feb 1962 George B. Combs, born 11 Aug 1869 Laurel Co, KY, died 11 Feb 1962 in TX.
Buried West Park Cemetery in Hereford, Deaf Smith Co., Texas.
Trade: Ranch & Agriculture.
Father: Nicholas Combs, and mother listed as: Polly BOLING
Married, and name of wife is listed as "G.B. Combs"

Source: Death records of Texas from FamilySearch - Record Search - Pilot Site Contributed by Barbara Stacy Mathews

SE Note: George B Combs's brother Albert Combs, previously of Deaf Smith Co, died in 1947 in Gray Co, Texas. George and his sister Mary are first found in Texas in the 1880 Cooke Co, TX census living with his grandparents, George and Phebe BOL(L)ING.

Texas Death Records: 1964-1998

19 Apr 1967 Olie Z. COMBS died. He was single.

15 Nov 1967 Earnest Richard COMBS died. He was a widower.

17 Aug 1969 Worthy Eugene COMBS died. He was a widower.

02 Jun 1975 Clifton C. COMBS died.

06 Mar 1976 Leslie W. COMBS died.

03 Oct 1976 Billy D. COMBS died.

24 Oct 1979 Sandra Kay COMBS died.

31 Jul 1987 Velna Edmonia COMBS died.

27 Oct 1992 Grace COOMBES died.

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

Last updated
You are Our Visitor
Please Email Additions/Corrections to Webmaster