DEATH CLAIMS T. S. COMBS, 87

Confederate Veteran, 23 Years a Resident Here, Succumbs at Home

Theodore Sutton Combs, 87 years old, Confederate veteran, died at 1:05 o'clock yesterday at his home, 416 First street. Mr. Combs became ill several months ago, and when his daughter Mrs. Otis L. Gilmore, died April 19, he became gradually weaker until death came. He had been bedfast since attending his daughter's funeral. At his bedside with him when he died was the widow, Mrs. Dora Combs, his daughter, Mrs. W. D. Barr, and two grandchildren, Miss Virginia Lee Gilmore, and Miss Edna Harvey Barr. For 23 years a resident of Huntington, he was active in the Democratic party, Johnson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and in Guyandotte Western Star Lodge, No. 11 A.F. & A.M. He was a retired real estate operator and auctioneer. Mr. Combs was accorded the title of “major” by his friends, who familiarly hailed him when he appeared on the streets. He also attained the title of “Dixie Whirlwind” when he came to Huntington in 1908 to become the auctioneer for the Bowman Realty Co., whom he served throughout his active business life in Huntington. Although he retired from active service with the Bowman company in 1916, several times he was drafted back to conduct special sales. He would have reached his eighty-seventh birthday Friday. Born in Romney, Hampshire County, July 24, 1844, he enlisted in the Christian S. White Co., of the Confederate Army in 1863, before his nineteenth birthday. This company, however, was never mustered into service, and from it Major Combs went to the Hampshire County Militia to serve in the drum and bugle corps. Later he became an orderly for Captain John B. Sheard of the Hampshire guards.

Twice Married

Major Combs was twice married. His first wife was Miss Mary FULLER of Frostburg, Md. They had four children, Edgar L. Combs and Theodore Frelinghuyseny Combs, Jr., both of Parsons, and Mrs. W. H. Shomo, of Cumberland, Md. and J. J. Combs, deceased. He married Miss Dora M. CRAWFORD in Grant county, W. Va., on October 7, 1888. They had two daughters, Mrs. Gilmore, who died recently, and Mrs. W. D. Barr, of St. Louis, Mo. Major Combs' father, J. J. Combs, at the time of his death in Romney, was the oldest printer in the United States, having learned the trade from his father, who was at one time an employee of Benjamin Franklin. Major Combs was a life-long member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, having become a member when the church was organized during the Civil war period. Besides his church and masonic affiliations, he was a member of Garnett Camp, United Confederate Veteran. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock at the residence with Rev. A. J. Watson, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in charge. Masonic rites will be conducted by Western Star lodge No. 11, with burial in the Woodmere cemetery. Active pall bearers will be Irvin Dugan, P. R. Noble, F. A. Murphy, R. L. Maring, J. L. McLaughlan, and Vernon Kruse. Honorary pallbearers will be James Murphy, W. V. Hennen, C. C. Holloway, Carney M. Layne, Haller Bowman, and Frank Mathews. Beside the widow, two sons and two daughters, he is survived by 20 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.