Caroline County was formed from King William, King & Queen and Essex Cos (created from Old Rappa.) in 1728. Caroline is a very, very "burnt county" (very few extant early records), but included the area of Peumans End Run (& many var. spellings) where are found in the records of Old Rappahannock and Essex Cos VA, a number of early Combs. The only early Combs records found in the Co of Caroline itself thus far is for Mason Combs, b c1714 in Richmond Co VA, d 1785 in Surry Co NC; resided in Westmoreland(?), Stafford and Frederick Cos VA (respectively), s/o John and Hannah (MASON?) Combs, and grandson of Archdale & Elizabeth (-----) Underwood Underwood Combs. Also found in this county are Revolutionary Soldier Francis COOMBES, ancestry unknown, and Frank & Caroline Combs of the 1850 Census.

The 1716 will of John Combs referred to 200 acres on Peumans End Run which he bequeathed to his young son, Mason (only 2-3 years of age at the time). (Richmond VA WB3:300). Upon reaching age 18, Mason Combs, went to court in Westmoreland Co VA against William BROWN in order to retrieve his share of his father's personal estate; however, his claim to the 200 acres at Peuman's End Run was apparently clear in title:

08 Aug 1734 (Caroline OB 1732-1740:154) Aug. 8, 1734. MASON Combs acknowledged his deeds of lease and release of land indented to Grace BUTTLER which on his Motion is admd. to record. (Caroline Co, Virginia Order Book, C. Hammett Transcription, 1997)

Based on the above record, Mason Combs apparently had sold the 200 Acres on Peumans' End Run to Grace BUTLER whom we very much would like to identify due to other numerous BUTLER-Combs connections. Unfortunately, due to the missing deed books of Caroline, we have no record of where Mason Combs was living at the time; however, most probably he was residing in King George (where his brother, Archdale Combs II, resided) or Westmoreland (where his mother, Hannah (MASON?) Combs (Wroe?), may have been residing.

14 May 1737 (Caroline OB 1732-1740:423) May 14, 1737. Suit on attachment. Wm. JEETER agt. the estate of Mason Combs. It's ordered that Grace BUTTLER be summoned. (Caroline Co, Virginia Order Book Abstracts, 1732-1740, Dorman)

We do not yet know why William JEETER may have sued Mason Combs. Apparently, Grace BUTLER was being summoned to testify that Mason Combs no longer owned the land on Peumans End Run, but even that is not certain. What we do know is that three months later, the suit was dismissed:

12 Aug 1737 (Caroline OB 1732-1740:442) Aug. 12, 1737. Attachment. Wm. JEETER agt. the estate of Mason Combs. Dismissed. (Caroline Co, Virginia Order Book Abstracts, 1732-1740, Dorman)

We have learned quite a bit more about William JEETER as well as several other families of interest, including that of Richard BOOKER (see next), some of whose descendants were later in Amelia Co VA where they are found with a still-unidentified early John & George Combs.

Jul 1737 (Caroline OB 1732-1740:438) At a Court ? July 1737… Of 18 orders on p. 438:

No. 14. In the action of Debt between Saml BUSH? & Jacob WALKER Ex?s of John TUCKER decd Plt. & Richd BOOKER deft ye deft not app?g x x x an abs. ?? is ordered to issue against him returnable to next Court.

No. 15. In the action of Debt between Robert TUCKER plt & Richard BOOKER deft the deft not appearing it's ordered an Abs tobe? Issud agt him ret. to next Court.

No. 16. In the action of Debt between Robert TUCKER plt. & Thomas ROY deft. the deft. not appearing ?? is ordered to ?? agt. him ?? to next Court.
(Caroline Co, Virginia Order Book Abstracts, 1732-1740, C. Hammett, Transcription, 1997)

The next record of a Combs in conjunction with Caroline County is not a Caroline record, but a Prince William Co VA record for Joseph Combs of Stafford.

12 Mar 1738/9 - 26 Mar 1739 (Prince Wm. DB D:69-72) Mar. 12, 1739. Deeds of Lease & Release. John CLARK & Margaret CLARK his wife of St. Mary's Par., Caroline Co., planter, to JOSEPH Combs of Overwharton Par., Stafford Co., planter, 14 pds. for 152 acs in Hamilton Par., on Derrells' Run...corner to Jeffrey JOHNSON...to James PETERS land... to corner of John CATLET. s/John CLARKE, Margaret (+) CLARKE. Wits: Jonathan GIBSON, James BOWIE, John RALLS. At a court Mar. 26, 1739, John CLARKE acknowledged this release.

19 Mar 1738 (Pr. Wm. DB D:116-117) Richd. TALIAFERO and Wm. TALLIAFERRO, Gent., of Caroline, in private examining Margaret CLARK the wife of John CLARK apart from her sd. husband...her free consent duly execute certain deeds of lease and release dated March 19, 1738 [sic] between sd. John CLARKE and Margaret his wife to Joseph Combs and conveying unto JOSEPH Combs tract of land of 152 acs. in Hamilton Parish. March 31, 1739. Wm. TALIAFERRO, Richd. TALIAFERRO. At Court May 28, 1739 this comission and certificate were presented in Court. (Prince William County, Virginia, Deed Book Liber D, 1738-1740. John Frederick Dorman)

Many researchers have long believed Joseph Combs I of Stafford to have been an unnamed elder son of John Combs who d in Richmond VA in 1716/7, however, the land distribution and will of John Combs document clearly that Archdale Combs was his eldest son; and we have found no evidence at this time of children other than those named in John Combs' will. Nevertheless, the fact that both Joseph and Mason Combs are found in Overwharton Parish of Stafford Co VA has led us to believe that they were probably somehow related - it is the "how" that continues to escape us. Another possibility is that Joseph Combs came to Stafford from MD; and the above possible CLARK connection has been of interest because of the marriage of Sarah Combs, d/o Abraham Combs (-1684) of Old Rappa. Co VA & St. Mary's Co MD, to a Robert CLARKE. Thus we are very eager to learn more about the above John & Margaret CLARK.

09 Jul 1752 (Caroline Co OB 3:321) July 9, 1752. Action of debt. Mathew BOGLE of Glasgow agt. HENRY KENDALL. The defendant not appearing, the judgment of last March Court is confirmed agt. him and John JEATER his security for 10/19/2 current money, to be discharged on the defendant and SELBY'S paying 5/9/7 with interest from 1 May 1748. (Extracted from Caroline County, Virginia, Order Book 1746-1754, Part Three, 1750-1752 by Dorman by Researcher M. Gregg who adds: The name "Selby's" is unclear to me. The middle letter (l) may not be an l (ell) at all. There's a strikeover on it and I can't tell what it is. NO name beginning with "Se" is indexed. I suspect that it is supposed to be some abbreviation for Security's. If the case came up before the March Court, it failed to get recorded. I looked back even further and didn't find it. Also looked forward through 1758 and there was no other mention of Henry (or any other) KENDALL.)

Our interest in the above record is primarily due to the finding of a Henry KENDALL with a JEATER (a.k.a. JEETER/JETER) as his security - due to the fact that one daughter of John Combs of Richmond was Elizabeth, wife of William KENDALL. The above Henry KENDALL has not yet been identified, however. See Also the St. Mary's Co MD marriage of Simon/Simmonds Combs' widow to one Henry COLBY/CELBY

29 Apr 1757 (Louisa DB B, Pages 190-191) "On the 29 day of April, 1757 William Todd LIVINGSTON & Sarah his wife sold to Peter COPELAND of Caroline County in consideration of 80 pounds, two tracts of land in Louisa County--the first whereon the said William now lives, lying on Negro Creek. . .the second tract containing 800 acres which was patented by the said William Todd LIVINGSTON. Wm Tod LIVINGSTON (Seal). Sarah / / LIVINGSTON (Seal) [witnesses not listed] ("Early Settlers of Lee Co, VA," Muncy, pp. 1031-1035)

The above record is of possible interest because William Todd LIVINGSTON later removed to Orange Co NC, thence Rowan>Surry>Wilkes Co NC (where he lived adj. to Jeffery JOHNSTON, son or grandson of the Jeffery JOHNSTON listed above, and Edmund DENNEY who named Ann (DENNEY? BALTRIP?), wife of Wilkes Co NC RW George Combs, and her children in his will. William Todd LIVINGSTON died in Washington Co VA in 1778, where he may have lived adjacent to descendants of Mason Combs, Sr.

1777-1783 Revolutionary William JOHNSON (Rev War Pension File W24) enlisted in Caroline Co VA, but later removed to Northampton Co NC where he m 30 Sep or 1 Oct 1790 or 1791 to Nancy BRIANT. He applied for his pension on 27 May 1818 in Hawkins Co TN, and died 16 or 17 Nov 1833 in Grainger Co TN where his widow applied on 27 Sep 1844, aged 71. (Virgil D. White, Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Abstract Files, Natl Hist. Publ, Waynesboro, TN)

The above record is included not only due to the possible JOHNSTON connection herein, but also due to the marriage of Martin & Sarah Combs Johnson ca 1797 in Hawkins Co TN & the descendants of John & Sarah MABRY Combs of Grainger Co TN.

1786-1789 Francis COOMBE, Soldier, 10th VA Regt., Caroline County, 1786-89, Pension No. 91, 7 pieces. (Virginia State Library Archives whose card index includes the following additional data: "Beginning with the October 1777 General Assembly session several recruitment acts were passed which included pension provisions for disabled soldiers and for the widows of men killed in action during the war. The provisions varied according to the specific terms of each act. In October 1782 an act was passed requiring county courts to certify on a semi-annual basis the continued eligibility of pensioners to receive allowances. The last act concerning Revolutionary War pensions was passed by the General Assembly in 1785. This collection consists of the surviving records of those papers presented to the county courts in order to certify eligibility for pension allowances as well as other correspondence and notations relating to the payment of pensions. Documents in individual folders may include correspondence, medical evaluations, orders for payment signed by the governor, powers of attorney, and receipts signed by the pensioner. Entry 230 in Auditor of Public Accounts Inventory (Richmond, 1992).

Combs, FRANCIS, UNKNOWN, PAPERS BURNT AT WAR OFFICE, PRIVATE, $50.00 ANNUAL ALLOWANCE, $981.94 AMOUNT RECEIVED, SEPTEMBER 4, 1789 PENSION STARTED (Virginia Pension Roll of 1835, Report from the Secretary of War, In relation to the Pension Establishment Of the United States 1835, Copied and indexed by William R. Navey, P. O. Box 251, Hollyridge, NC 28445-0251)

Note: We are still in need of the above record. This Francis COOMBE/Combs remains unidentified; however, he may have been the same Francis who was of Spotsylvania Co, VA in 1809, who made reference to a Revolutionary War Military Certificate, which appears to have been for a Francis COOMBES, private, Virginia Continental Line.

1850 US Census, Caroline Co., VA

HH 202
John B. COX 29 Va wheelwright
Louisa J. 30 Va
James W. ? Va
Mary E. 6 Va
Ellenora 4 Va
John W. 1 Va
Frank COMBS 60 Va laborer mulatto
Cartherine COMBS 45

(Transcribed by Combs Researcher Debi Houser)