Three Forks of the Kentucky River Historical Association

James Slaughter 'Hundley' Combs

Submitted to the KyGenWeb by
Glenda Falugher

His family lived for a while on Turkey Creek, Kentucky in Breathitt County. James S. and his Uncle [Tinsley Combs] served in the Union Army from Owsley County, Kentucky during the Civil War. [1861-1865]. James was a Private in Company 'E', 14th Kentucky Calvary. He was a scout under Col. H. C. Lilly, and fought in several skirmishes in Kentucky. i.e. Mount Sterling (Montgomery County, Kentucky... 92 miles east of Louisville) 3-22-1863, Salt Creek (Perry County, Kentucky... 9 miles southeast of Hazard...originally named Cornettsville) 6-11-1863, Mud Lick Springs (Freedom County, Kentucky... 5 miles northwest of Tompkinsville) 6-13-1863, Trippletts Bridge (either Rowan or Carter County, Kentucky) 6-16-1863, and several more. He enlisted in Aug. 1862 and left the service on March 1864.

After the Army he became a surveyor and surveyed in Owsley County, Ky. He said that during the Civil War his company was moving through Pebworth and the adjacent area. They stopped by Pleasant Grove School to get water. While there he met Mary C. Handy who was a school girl. He said that if he made it through the war he would come back and marry her. He did and they did on December 27, 1870. He was a school teacher, pstmaster, and merchant. He started the first Post Office at Pebworth, Ky. He wanted to name the town and Post Office Combs, but the name was already taken. In his later years he ran a general store in Pebworth. James and Mary lived happy and raised seven children. In the 1890 census James lived next door to his mother [Artemisia] and brother [John Dishman]. On the 1910 Owsley census is states that James and Mary had been married 40 years. When he died at the age of 89 in 1935 he had a full military funeral. My mother, Imogene [Helton] Sizemore said she can remember his flag draped coffin sitting on the front porch of the Combs home during visitation. His nickname was "Seals". James and his wife Mary are both buried at the Newman-Combs Cemetery, Pebworth, Owsley County, Kentucky.

Information from death records:
name: James S. Combs
date: 350714
age: 088
place: OWSLEY
residence: PEBWORTH volume: 037
certificate no.: 18220
deathvolume: 35

Mary C. 'Handy' Combs

Mary was the wife of James Slaughter Combs. Their family was considered to be well off. They always had a hired girl to help with all of the house work. My mother [Imogene Sizemore] said she can remember her great-grandmother sending the kids out to buy something. Mom said her great-grandmother would pull up her long skirt and about four long slips and she would have her change purse pinned to one of her slips. They lived in a very large house with a lot of family mementos. Unfortunately the house caught fire and almost everything was lost. Mary Handy told my mother [Imogene-Helton-Sizemore] that when she was a very little girl, her family came across the mountains from Virginia and settled in Kentucky. After the death of James Slaughter, Mary filed for widows pension because of James having fought for the Union during the Civil War. There was no marriage license on file so Curt Smith of Heidelberg, Ky. wrote the following letter for her: The affiant, Curt Smith, being duly sworn deposed and states that he is 83 years of age, that he knew James S. Combs well during his lifetime and that he was present at the wedding of said James S. Combs to Mary C. Handy, and was an eye witness to said wedding. That the wedding took place at Booneville, Kentucky about the year 1870 and the ceremony was performed by Reverend George Miller, deceased. In testimony whereof witness my hand this 3rd day of Sept. 1935. Subscribed and sworn to before me, a notary public in and for Lee County, Kentucky this 3rd day of Sept. 1935. R. H. Baxter.. notary public, Lee Co. Ky. My commission expires Apr. 4, 1936. For some strange reason when Mary died she was issued two death certificates. One is #3090... all of the information on this one was given by D. J. Holcomb, Levi, Ky. (grandson of Mary... son of Flora Belle), the other is #29752... all of the information on this one was given by J. O. Combs, Congleton, Ky. (this is Joseph Oscar...son of Mary). All of the information on the two certificates is the same except for who gave the information and the certificate number. Mary is buried at the Newman-Combs Cemetery, Pebworth, Owsley Co., Ky.

Information from death records:
name: Mary C. Combs
date: 401121
age: 090
place: OWSLY
residence: OWSLEY
volume: 060
certificate no.: 29752
death volume: 40

name: Mary C. Combs
date: 401121
age: 090
place: OWSLEY
residence: OWSLEY
volume: 007
certificate no.: 03090
deathvolume: 41

21 November 1940....Owsley County Courier: Fri. 11-29-1940
"Mrs. Mary Combs Succumbs at 90"

Mrs. Mary Catherine Combs, 90, widow of the late James S. Combs, died at her home at Pebworth at 11:55 p.m., Thursday, 21 November. Death due to infirmities of age, climaxed an illness of several months.

Funeral services were conducted at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon by Rev. Luther Newnam. Interment was in the Newnam graveyard near her home. Congleton Bros., Beattyville undertakers were in charge.

Survivors: four daughters, Mrs. Wm [Willabeth] Cornelius, Beattyville; Mrs. Wm [Lilly] Sternberg, Beattyville; Mrs. Wm [Flora] Holcomb, Plesant Grove; Mrs. Wm [Sarah] Combs, Pebworth; three sons, W. C. Combs and Clay Combs of Pebworth, and J. O. [Joseph Oscar] Combs of Beattyville.