Biographical Sketch of Thomas Lewis Des Combes, Leeton, Johnson County, MO >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Thomas Lewis Des Combes, a retired farmer of Leeton, Missouri, is one of Johnson county's oldest pioneers. He was born in St. Louis county, Missouri, on May 1, 1838, the son of Charles Lewis and Martha Ann (Wash) Des Combes, the former a native of Switzerland and the latter of Virginia. Charles Lewis and Martha Ann Des Combes were the parents of the following children: Thomas L., the subject of this review; Mrs. Mary Louise Crooks, Henry county, Missouri, born November 8, 1839; Adele Anne, born September 24, 1841 and was burned to death in 1857; Charles Edward, born August 19, 1843, who enlisted in the Confederate service during the Civil War, serving under Francis M. Cockrell, and who is now deceased; William Frederick, born August 4, 1845, deceased; Rachel Rose, born October 11, 1849, deceased; Mrs. Martha Venable, Lee- ton, Missouri; John Nelson, who died at Leeton, Missouri; Susan Rob- ertha, born November 30, 1854; Virginia Ellen, born September 3, 1867, deceased; and Eugene, who died in infancy. Charles Lewis Des Combes came to Missouri in 1821, an emigrant from Switzerland. He first loca- ted in St. Louis county, coming to Johnson county in 1856, where he entered 400 acres of land in section 29 in Post Oak township. He and Mrs. Des Combes spent the remainder of their lives on this farm. Mrs. Des Combes died in March, 1893 and two years later, September 25, 1895 she was followed in death by her husband, nearly ninety years of age. Thomas L. Des Combes was in the Confederate service almost three years. He took part in the battles of Lonejack and Lexington, Missouri. From Lonejack his company was sent south and for seven days and nights Mr. Des Combes had no time for sleep, except that which he secured while on horseback. He belonged with the rear of the company but one time his horse carried him, while asleep, to the front. He was suddenly awake- ned by an officer callin, "Halt!" He was asked where he belonged. "Company F," replied Mr. Des Combes, now wide awake. "Where are you going?" was next asked. "I don't know," was the reply; "ask the horse." The officer then commanded Mr. Des Combes to dismount and take a nap, telling him that he would call him when the rest of his company came up to them. Mr. Des Combes was near Corsicana, Texas, when the war closed and he was mustered out at Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1865. He returned home by way of St. Louis, Missouri. After the war, Mr. Des Combes en- gaged in farming and until 1906 was thus employed. Eleven years ago he moved from the farm to Leeton, where he now resides. Besides his home in Leeton, Mr. Des Combes still owns the old home place, which compris- es 240 acres of land southwest of Leeton, one and a fourth miles, and 40 acres in Henry county. One hundred sixty acres of the farm are part of the original Des Combes place, upon which both his father and mother died. When Mr. Des Combes built his pioneer home, he bought the pine lumber in St. Louis, Missouri, shipped it to Lexington by boat, and then hauled the lumber from Lexington to his home, using a team of oxen. It took five days to make the trip. On November 15, 1866 T. L. Des Combes was united in marriage with Sallie Virginia Bell, born July 3, 1843, in Morgan county, Missouri, the daughter of John and Martha Eliz- abeth Bell, pioneers of Cooper county, settling there in 1849. After the close of the Civil War they settled in Johnson county, where both died. John Bell died in 1906, and Mrs. Bell died in 1899. To T. L. and Sallie Virginia Des Combes have been born the following children: John L., Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. Anna E. Holt, Warrensburg, Mo.; Mrs. Mary Eleanor Swigert, Leeton, Mo.; William T., Leeton, Mo.; Henry C., Warrensburg, Mo.; Eugene, Leeton, Mo.; and Mrs. Sallie Catherman, Warrensburg, Mo. Mr. Des Combes is now seventy-nine years of age and his wife is five years his junior, but both are as active and alert, physically and mentally, as many men and women twenty-five years young- er. The Des Combes' name is destined to great longevity, for besides their four sons, Mr. and Mrs. Des Combes have thirty-three grandchild- ren. It is a good, old name, one of which their descendants may well be proud. On November 14, 1866, Mr. and Mrs. Des Combes celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. All of their children with their families were present with thirty of the grandchildren present. It was a family reunion and a very happy one. On October 21, 1917, Sunday, Mrs. Sallie Catherman gave a dinner in honor of the fifty-first wedding anniversary of all the children excepting a daughter were present. The Des Combes family will make the family reunion an annual event. A purse of gold was given to the aged couple by their children on the wedding anniversary reunion. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================