Biography of George Washington Combs - Conway Co, AR

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Submitted by: Cathy Barnes <bbarnes@cswnet.com>
        Date: 21 Jun 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas.
Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

page 59

George Washington Combs, an enterprising farmer and justice of the peace of
Union Township, Conway County, is a native of McNairy County, Tennessee, and was
born in 1839. His father. John Combs, and his mother Susan (Etter) Combs, were
natives of Virginia, where they were reared and married. From there they removed
to Warren County, Tennessee, and thence to McNairy County, where they made their
future home. Mr. Combs died about 1879, and Mrs. Combs died in 1888. Both of
them were consistent members of the Methodist Church a great many years. Mr.
Combs was a moderate but industrious farmer, and a man who had the respect of
those who knew him best. His father, Gilbert Combs, was probably a Pennsylvanian
by birth, but lived a good many years in Virginia, and lastly in McNairy County.
Tennessee, where he died prior to the civil war. His occupation was that of a
farmer. Jacob Etter, the maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, it
is supposed was a native of Virginia, where he lived all his life. He was of
German ancestry. Esquire Combs is one of a family of nine sons and five
daughters, and was reared to manhood on a farm in McNairy County, Tennessee,
with the advantage of nothing but the poorly conducted country schools of his
native county for an education. At the early age of eighteen years (1857) he was
united in marriage with Miss Sarah C. Birchett, who is also a native of McNairy
County, Tennessee. Her parents, James and Virginia E. Birchett, where probably
born somewhere in the State of Tennessee, and died in McNairy County, Mrs.
Birchett about the close of the late war, and Mr. Birchett soon after. He was a
farmer by occupation Mr. and Mrs Combs have had twelve children born to them, of
whom there are three sons and five daughters living. After his marriage, Mr.
Combs continued to reside in his native county till about 1870, when he removed
to Gibson County, Tennessee, where he lived till 1881. He then emigrated to
Conway, County, Arkansas, and the first six years resided at Centre Ridge, but
since that time has lived near Springfield, where he owns a good upland farm of
eighty acres. Since 1888, Mr. Combs has served the people of Union Township as
Justice of the Peace, and had previously held that office in Lick Mountain
Township. He served as Constable in McNairy County, and Deputy Sheriff in Gibson
County, Tennessee. He affiliates with the Democratic party in politics, and gave
his first presidential vote to Douglas in 1860. He is a prominent member, of the
Masonic fraternity of Springfield Lodge, No. 127. Has served in the capacity of
Junior Warden, Tyler, etc. Mr. and Mrs. Combs have been devout members of the M.
E. Church, South, from childhood. Several of their children are also members of
the same.