DAVIDSON COUNTY, TN - BIOGRAPHIES - Micah Stirling Combs
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from History of Davidson County, Tennessee: Biographies, pp. 476-77.

Micah Stirling Combs
This gentleman's family, as the name indicates, is of English ancestry. His 
grandfather, James Combs, in company of his brother William, fled from 
political persecution in England to this country in 1772, arriving in Virginia 
in time to manufacture guns for the rebels, which he conveyed from the 
manufactory, concealed in the mountains, to them.
Just at the close of the Revolution, Mr. James Combs was married to a lady 
from his native land (England), by whome he had four children,--one son and 
three daughters. The son, James Woody Combs, was the youngest child reared, a 
sister sister younger than himself having been accidentally burned to death.
James Woody Combs, the father of the subject of this sketch, came with his two 
sisters (the edlest of whom was married to a man named Wilson, of Virginia,) 
to East Tennessee about the year 1801, where he employed himself at various 
occupations--farming, brickmaking, etc.--as opportunity would offer, using his 
surplus money in educating himself, until the breaking out of hostilities by 
the Indians, against whom he for many years helped to defend civilization, and 
against whom, as captain, he commanded a company at the battle of Tippecanoe, 
under Gen. Harrison, and was with Gen. Harrison throughout his entire Indian 
campaign.
At the close of his military career, about the age of twenty-one, he entered 
the law-office of the Hon. Micah Stirling, a lawyer of eminence in Troy, NY, 
as a student. After devoting two or three years to the study of law in this 
office he returned to visit his sisters in East Tennessee, and shortly 
afterwards permanently engaged in the practice of his profession at Pulaski, 
Tenn., at which place he married Miss Mary White Buford, the daughter of Capt. 
Charles Buford, formerly of Virginia.
He practiced law in all the courts of that curcuit, and in the Supreme Court 
at Nashville until his death, in 1842, constantly residing in Pulaski, with 
the exception of a few months in Savannah, Tenn., about the year 1827.
Mr. J. W. Combs and Governor A. V. Bron were the first two lawyers who 
commenced the practice of law in Pulaski, commencing about the same time. Very 
many of the prominent lawyers of the South were trained in those offices.
Mr. J. W. Combs left a widow and ten children,--three sons and seven 
daughters,--of whom the following are dead: Mrs. Ann Augusta Bryant; Harrison, 
who was killed near Spring Hill, Tenn., while serving with Van Dorn's cavalary 
(about 1864); Mrs. Mary Ferguson, at Memphis, Tenn.; Mrs. Elizabeth Glasgow, 
at Iuka, Miss.
The survivors of the family are Mrs. Frances E. Holmes, of Iuka; Mrs. Eveline 
Graves. of Pontotoe Co., Miss.; Mrs. M. J. Butler, of Nashville; Mr. James W. 
Combs, of Nashville; Mrs. Alice Copeland, of Itawamba Co., Miss.; and Mr. 
Micah Stirling Combs, who was born in Pulaski, Dec. 21, 1829. Was principally 
educated at Wurtemburg Academy, in that place, spending a short time also at 
each of several other schools, one of which was in the country, about four 
miles out.
His first occupation was farming and the care of stock for three or four year, 
until he was about sixteen years old, being thirteen when his father died.
Between sixteen and eigtheen he was generally traveling in several different 
States. At the age of eighteen (1847) Mr. Combs commenced learning to print in 
the office of Addison Estes, of Pulaski, at which occupation he continued 
about about four years in several different towns.
About 1850, Mr. Combs settled in Lebanon, Wilson Co., Tenn., purchasing an 
interest in a journal called the Lebanon Packet, where he remained, published 
the Packet for about two years, which enterprise resulted very profitably. Mr. 
Combs at this time became sole owner and proprietor of the Packet office, 
which he removed to Nashville in 1852, and established the Evening News, the 
first evening paper ever established in the city; and of this paper Mr. Combs 
was editor and proprietor for about two years, which resulted in entire 
financial and journalistic success.
He was married to Miss Mary Georgie Jackson, daughter of Daniel and Mary (née 
Clay) Jackson, near Nashville, in July, 1853. Soon after this Mr. Combs 
disposed of his printing press, and, permanently retiring from printing, 
embarked in the livery business. On account of his strong attachment for 
horses, he has, with the exception of one or two short intervals, continued 
ever since in this business, being at the same time always engaged in other 
heavy and profitable enterprises, as farming, merchandising, and trading 
generally.
In the year 1872, Mr. Combs inaugurated the Combs Undertaking Establishment, 
since which time he has given his exclusive attention to the business, his 
livery business being conducted by employees.
Mr. and Mrs. Combs are the parents of eleven children, of whom seven are 
living. The oldest, James A., was accidentially drowned in the Cumberland 
River (while bathing) in 1869.
Mr. Combs is a member of the "Christian Church," member of A.O.U.W., the order 
of the K. of H., of the I.O.O.F., and the Royal Arcanum Societies.

[Note by electronic transcriber Raymond F. Person, Jr.: According to family 
records, the name should be spelled Sterling. James Woody Combs's grandson, my 
great-great-grandfather, was James Sterling Holmes. James Woody Combs' sisters 
have been identified by others as Martha (who married Levi Wilson), Nancy (who 
married Lewis Overstreet), and Sarah (who married Eli Wilson.]