Randolph County, VA (later WV) was est. from Harrison Co, VA in 1787. No Combs by surname have been located in Randolph Co, VA as yet. The following Raphael WATHEN m Margaret COOMES, d/o Francis & Charity WOOD Comes of Maryland, Surry Co, NC and Nelson Co, KY. Following the death of Raphael WATHEN, Margaret and daughters removed to Nelson Co, KY also, where on 24 Nov 1800, Margaret m Zachariah AUD and her sister, Louisa (Winnifred? Elizabeth?) m Wilford WATHEN (not known if same who follows). See also Combs-Wathen in Charles Co, MD.

20 Jan 1798 - Feb 1798 (Randolph Co. Va. Court Minute Bk 1, p. 317). The Last Will and Testament of Raphael WARTHEN* deceased. In the Name of God, amen. This twentieth day of January in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninetyeight, I Raphael WARTHEN of the County of Randolph and State of Virginia being weak in Body but perfect in mind and memory and calling to mind the Mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed of God for all men once to die -- do make constitute and appoint this to be my last Will and Testament in Manner and form following: That is to say, principally and first of all, I desire my body to be decently buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors, and as touching such Wordly Goods as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I will give and bequeath in the following manner, and first I Will that all my debts be truly and Justly paid by my Executors, and to enable them so to do I impower my Executors hereafter to be named, to sell such part of my personal or moveable Estate as they may think proper, And secondly I Will and Bequeath to Margret my beloved Wife one third part of all my Estate real and personal, to have and to hold the same during her natural life, excepting that part which may hereafter be applied to the discharge of my debts and the expenses of burying me and of Executing My Will -- And Thirdly I will and bequeath an equal Moiety of all my estate not heretofore Willed and bequeathed in this my Last Will to my two daughters Catherine and Clotilda. Yet on this Condition that whereas there is a probability that my wife is now in a State of pregnancy and may have another Child, and should that be the Case, I Will and bequeath that the Child which may be hereafter Born shall have an equal part with the two others above named; and I also Will and bequeath that so much of my Estate as will be Sufficient to Educate my Children to Read properly, to write plainly and to have a knowledge of Arithmetick as far as the Rule commonly called the Single Rule of Three, shall be applied to the use of their Education, and I further Will that the whole and every part of my Estate not applied to the payment of my Debts and other expenses above mentioned to be Left in the hand and for the Use of my Wife so Long as she remains my Widow or until my Children shall arrive to the age of inheritance -- but if she should Choose to Marry before my Children shall arrive to the age of inheritance She shall not Claim the use of any part of the Estate except in only what is Willed to her as above Stated and the better to Ascertain the real value of my Estate the whole shall be appraised by appraisors appointed by Order of Court, and shall my Widow at any time whilst she remains my Widow incline to sell my Land She shall have it at her option so to do, provided nevertheless that one of my Executors must agree in the price at which it must be sold, but should she at any time Marry before my Children shall arrive to the age of inheritance then my other Executor or Executors shall have the power of selling it for the benefit of my Children excepting only her Dower to be always reserved for her Use, And I do hereby revoke disannull and make Void all former Wills, Legacees or bequeaths by me heretofore made Establishing this only to be my only Last Will and Testament, appointing my Trusty friends Wilford Warthen, John Wilson and my wife Margret my sole executors to this my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the day and year first above written.
(NB: the word "part" and the words her natural life were unterlined before signed)
Signed, sealed and Declared in the presence of: John WILSON, Wilford WATHEN, John CLARK

(Randolph Co. Court Minutes Bk 1, p. 317) 1798 February Court The above Will of Raphael WARTHENS was Proven and Ordered Recorded.

(Transcribed by Combs Researcher Carol Collins)

(Randolph Co. Court Minutes, April 28, 1798) Inventory of Raphael WATHEN approved 1 March 1798 and taken by Jacob WESTFALL, Simon REEDER, Robert CLARK. Total (lb)237.5.6 (No next of kin or debtors signed)

(Transcribed by Combs Researcher Carol Collins)

3 April 1799 John & Mary CHINOWETH sold 245 acres in Randolph Co. deed of mortgage. Witnessed by John WESTFALL, Peter BUCKLEY and Nicholas GIBSON.

(Transcribed by Carol Collins who adds: I don't quite understand the language)

CC Notes: Raphael WATHEN is thought to be the son of John Wathen and Henrietta RINEY. If so, Wilfred was his brother. However- there was another John WATHEN in Randolph Co. VA at that time, wife's name Charlotte. His daughter married John WILSON (2nd wife) so he cannot be discounted. He was born in Charles Co. MD and married ca. 1790. Catherine was b. ca. 1792, Clotilda in 1794. *The Wathen's became Warthen/Worthen/Wortham when they moved west - meaning Frederick Co., Washington Co., etc. When they got to Missouri some became Worthens. In Texas it's Worthing. Most went back to the "original" spelling, dropping the "r". Interestingly, the Wathens of New England began adding an "r" at the same time. Most went back to the original, but not all. Confusion reigns in that there are bonefide Warthen/Worthen families from Germany living in the same areas and it's hard to separate them.