Branch County MI Archives Biographies.....Coombs, William A. 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Burt Fuller burtf@msn.com April 4, 2005, 6:08 pm

Author: Port. & Bio. Album of Branch Co., MI., Chapman Bros, 1888

William A. Coombs

Source:  Portrait & Biographical Album of Branch County, Michigan
Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1888, p. 530

The business interests of Coldwater and vicinity find in this gentleman a most 
energetic and worthy representative, he being the proprietor of three large 
flouring-mills, besides dealing in all kinds of grain and field seed.  He may 
be usually found at his business house, which is located on Monroe Street, 
opposite the post-office, and familiarly known as the Board of Trade.  The 
mills owned by Mr. Coombs are designed as A, B and C: the first and last 
mentioned are operated by both steam and water power, while the mill “B” is run 
exclusively by steam.  Our subject has operated the first mentioned for a 
period of eleven years, having traded a farm for it in April, 1977.  “B” 
and “C” became his within the last two years.  He transacts the most extensive 
business in this line in this part of the State, manufacturing by the Roller 
process and selling directly to the trade through traveling salesmen.  He 
receives orders from Ohio, Indiana, Penn., New York, West Virginia, and all of 
the New England States.  He expects in the near future to extend his trade to 
the other side of the Atlantic.  The aggregate capacity of his mills is 700 
barrels per diem, and the product compares favorably with the best flour 
manufactured in Michigan or any of the winter wheat States.

Mr. Coombs came to this county in 1867 from Rolling Prairie, Ind., where he had 
been in general trade for about three and one-half years, and bought a stock of 
dry-goods of James Wells in the city of Coldwater.  He carried on this business 
for a little over two years; during this time he was considered very hot 
competition by the other dry-goods merchants, but his health failing him he 
traded his stock of dry-goods for a farm in Batavia Township, this county.  For 
the next seven years he was engaged in selling general nursery stock in the 
States of Michigan and Indiana, selling all kins of fruit and ornamental trees, 
shrubbery, etc., working from ten to fifteen men on the road constantly many of 
the finest bearing orchards in this State at the present day are trees sold my 
Mr. Coombs.  This experience qualified him for doing business with all kinds of 
men.  Probably his rare adaptability to this department of commerce, and his 
tact in dealing with the peculiarities of those with whom he comes in contact 
have been no unimportant factor in establishing his success.  His birthplace 
was on the rugged New England Coast, in Knox County, Me., where he first opened 
his eyes to the light Aug. 21, 1840.  When a lad twelve years of age his 
parents migrated to LaPorge County, Ind., settling in the wilds of Galena 
Township, where his father cleared a farm and remained a number of years.

William A. Coombs acquired a practical education in the common schools of 
Galena Township, LaPorte Co., Ind., and commenced his business career as a 
clerk in a Rolling Prairie store.  After selling out his store in Rolling 
Prairie, Ind., he turned his attention to real estate, and purchased 1,000 
acres of land in Butler County, Neb., but before he had taken possession he 
made a visit to Michigan, and finally decided to exchange his land for a stock 
of dry-goods and carpets, and thus established in Coldwater the “Banner Store”, 
which he operated, as before state, two years.

Archibald Coombs, the father of our subject, was also a native of the Pine Tree 
State, and the son of George Coombs, who was the son of Joseph Coombs, the 
founder of South Thomaston, in that State.  The two latter men were extensive 
millers and dealt largely in flour and lumber, besides real estate 
extensively.  They represented a large amount of property, and spent their 
entire lives in New England.  The subject of this sketch has a black granite 
horse block and a hitching post, which in their natural state grew on the farm 
of his grandfather in Maine.  Col. George Coombs married a Miss Mann, who came 
of an old and respected family, her father Dr. Mann, a surgeon in the army of 
the War of 1812, having been a resident of Castine, Maine, and his house was at 
one time occupied by British officers in that war.  After the death of George 
Coombs his wife was married again, and spent her last days in Thomaston, Me.

The father of our subject was in early life employed as Chief Line Inspector, a 
calling which in that day involved large responsibilities.  He also followed 
the sea for a time.  He was married in South Thomaston to Miss Harriet N. 
Killoch, who was a descendant of the Hon. Nicholas Snow, the progenitor of the 
family in America, who landed at Plymouth Rock from the British ship “Annie”, 
in July 1623.  He married Miss Constance Hopkins, who came over in 
the “Mayflower” in 1626, and Stephen Hopkins, on of the signers of the 
Declaration of Independence, was a direct descendant of this branch of the 
Hopkins family.  Mr. Coombs, our subject, is the tenth generation.  His mother 
was born in South Thomaston, Me., and was one of a large family who were 
prominent in New England, representing its wealth and respectability.

The parents of our subject after their marriage and the birth of three 
children, William A., Oscar D. and Minerson, migrated to Indiana, and settled 
in Galena Township, LaPorte County, where two more children were added to the 
parental household, Luch H. and Harry L.  The family constitutes a circle still 
unbroken by death.  The parents and four of the children are now residents of 
Valley County, Neb., where the father and sons own a large amount of real 
estate, and are carrying on farming successfully.  Archibald G. Coombs and his 
wife are still active and intelligent, although approaching the decline of 
life.  Their son Mingerson is married and is a resident of Ord, the county seat 
of Valley County, Neb., where he is extensively interested in real estate.  The 
other three are at home with their parents.
The subject of this biography was the eldest of the five children born to his 
parents, and upon reaching manhood and preparing to establish a home of his 
own, was married, March 8, 1866, to Miss Clara A. Webster, who was born in 
Ripley, N.Y., March 11, 1840, and is a daughter of W.H.H. Webster, the son of 
Judge Elizer Webster, the founder of Warsaw,  N.Y.  He had migrated from 
Vermont, and took up his residence in Wyoming County, N.Y., when the county was 
a wilderness, and where he lived and labored many years.  Subsequently he sold 
out and went to live in Ripley, where he is the owner of a fine property.  He 
was married, in Ripley, N.Y., to Miss Mary E. Dixon, who came of a good family 
and is yet living.  Mrs. Coombs is a well-educated lady, having completed her 
studies in the Female Seminary, at Willoughby, Ohio.  She made her home with 
her parents until her marriage, and is now the mother of five children, namely: 
Edith A., Anna M., Susan Snow, C. Lizzie and William A., all living.

Mr. Coombs was Postmaster at Rolling Prairie two years under the administration 
of President Johnson, and since coming to this county has also been prominent 
in local affairs, representing the Second Ward in the County Board of 
Supervisors, and in the city representing the Second Ward in the Common 
Council.  He is a man who has always taken a lively interest in State and 
National affairs, frequently attending the National Republican Conventions, 
including the one which nominated Grant in 1868, Hayes in 1876, Garfield in 
1880, and the one at Chicago which nominated Blaine.  At the latter he was one 
of the Alternate Delegates, and this year (1888) was made a delegate from the 
Third Congressional District to the Republican Convention at Chicago, which 
nominated Harrison, June 25.  He had always been an ardent Blaine man until 
there was a prospect of the nomination of Alger, of Michigan, when he felt 
bound to support the representative from his own state.


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