The Search for Nicholas "Danger" Combs

by Martin Grant Hall

[My comments to you or my suggestions are in brackets.]

In the late 1970's I purchased Dr. Josiah H. Combs' book (Combs, A Study...) and on first reading accepted the contents "as is", in part because it was well written and seemingly well researched; and, yes, because I wanted it to be correct. Upon several subsequent readings I was impressed with certain questions that the author raised. It seemed the proper thing to do was to contact those who were presently researching the family line. My first call was to Mrs. Ruth Combs in Richmond, Ky. who indicated that there were some serious problems with the book, and Josiah died before he was ready to publish his work. This is one of the greatest fears that any family genealogist can imagine.

When I suggested that the doctor's notes and research papers be donated to the Kentucky Historical Society she thought that it was a good idea. She was very gracious to me and could recall vast amounts of information. We corresponded for a time (1977) and she encouraged me to go back to the original sources since the notes I sought would probably not be forthcoming.

On many trips to the Kentucky Historical Society Library in Frankfurt, Ky. I read through stacks of papers on the Combs (and other) families. Every researcher has a slightly different view of certain nuclear families and their origins. We want to know correct facts about our ancestors, whatever they did or whoever they were; but we all want to have correct facts. To work and survive in any time takes courage, but stories in pioneer ancestors offer a certain amount of romance that most people today look back to with nostalgia.

It is my intention to prove, at least to myself, just who this Nicholas Combs was, the one called "Danger Nick".

Presented here are:

A. The Problem

B. Five Exhibits

...1. The census records

...2. The tax lists

...3. The deeds

...4. The correspondence

...5. The John Jay Dickey Diary

C. The Conclusion

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A. The Problem

A persistent problem in academic disciplines, like history, is a student occasionally copies the secondary sources and does not examine the original sources. The student thereby accepts the same bias that the "respected" writer who wrote the "accepted" version and propagates the same errors; even when they are obviously wrong. This is a common practice in most history text books.

Josiah [page 123] has "7 Nicholas (Danger Nick)" as the son of [6] Mason & Sarah Combs. It is the purpose of this paper to show that he is NOT the son of [6] Mason & Sarah, but IS the son of [7] John (father of the 8 brothers); that "Danger Nick" is one of the 8 brothers, and therefore the grandson of [6] Mason & Sarah.

This will not be a difficult task and we MUST look at the records and think about the significance of the ages and dates; not just one or two, but a long series of records.

B. 1. The Census Records [A name in brackets is who I believe that person to be.]

The 1850 Perry Co., Ky. census lists Robert Combs (28, born in Ky) and wife, Eliza (25); Jeremiah C [Chunky Jerry] Combs (68, born in Ky [probably Va]), Nicholas [Bird Eye] Combs (58); born in Tn) [Josiah agrees, page 60] and wife, Elizabeth (55); and Nicholas [Danger] Combs (86, born in Va. ca. 1764). The values of their real estate are, respectively, $800, $7250, $6000, and $4000. These people are all on the same census sheet! There is no wife listed with Nicholas [Danger]. It was probably his wife, Nancy [Grigsby] Combs who is listed on the June 1850 Death Schedule as having died that January [1850] of "fever" after a month-long illness. She is listed as being married and her age is given as 96 years! This would mean she was born about 1754.

"Chunky", "Bird Eye", and Samuel are sons of "Danger Nick" [Josiah's book, page 133] and Robert is the son of Samuel Combs [page 135]. There is a high degree of match between the names of the wives and children in the census and what Josiah Has published [pages 139 & 140].

Using just the dates of the 1850 census, we can see that this Nicholas [Danger] was born (ca) 1764. If he married Nancy Grigsby before 1781, when he was about 17 years old, they could have had their first and second child by the time the 1783 Shenandoah Co (Va) census taker knocked on their door. That census shows a Nicholas Combs with (a total of) three persons in the family [1st Census/USA 1790 (1782 - 1785), Dept/Commerce & Labor, Bureau of the Census, 1908, page 65]. "Chunky Jerry" as born (ca) 1782. Nancy (Alicia) Combs was probably the other child. Two years later in 1785 Nicholas Combs is listed in Shenandoah Co with a family of four. [Speculation: it is also possible since his wife, Nancy, was some eight to ten years older than he, that she brought a young child [Alicia] into their marriage, having been, presumably, married previously.]

The following Kentucky census extracts for Clay and Perry Counties show ONLY TWO Nicholas Combses from 1807 through 1853. It must be assumed that the senior, who is listed in EVERY year's tax list [!], is "Danger Nick"; and the junior, who is listed from 1814 on, is assumed to be his son, "Bird Eye". This "census" Nicholas Sr must be be one of the "8 brothers" because of his age and he is "Danger Nick" because even Josiah says "he [the brother] didn't stay around very long", and THIS Nicholas is showing great staying power.

1810: Clay County
Nicholas [Danger] Combs. In this household is a boy under 10 years of age and another between 10 and 16. The man and woman [Danger & Nancy] are both "over 45".

1820: Clay County
Nicholson [Danger Nick & Nancy] Combs. In this household there is a man and a woman [Danger Nick & Nancy], both listed as being over 45 years of age.
Nicholas [Bird Eye] Combs. In this household is a boy and a girl under the age of 10. There is a man between 18 & 28 and a woman between 16 & 26.
Note: after 1821 this portion of Clay County becomes part of the new Perry County.

1830 Perry County
Nicholas [Danger Nick] Combs. In this household there are still only the man and woman [Danger Nick & Nancy]. He is listed as being between 60 & 70 years of age, while the woman is between 70 & 80. [Now don't forget she is in the category that's "10 years older" than her husband.]
Nicholas [Bird Eye, later called Squire] Combs. In this household is a boy and two girls between 5 & 10, two boys between 10 & 15, and two girls under 5 years of age. The man and the woman are between 30 & 40.

1840: Perry County, Ky:
Nicholas [Danger Nick] Combs. In this household is a man between 70 & 80, and a woman between 80 & 90. [She is still in the category that's 10 years older than her husband.]
Nicholas [Bird Eye] Combs. The man and woman are both between 40 & 50.

That brings us back to the 1850 Perry County census and that year's Mortality Schedule which notes Nancy [Grigsby] Combs' death in January 1850. If this Nicholas above, whom I have referred to as "Danger Nick", is in fact "Danger Nick", then we have seen him aging through the census records to the 1850 enumeration where he should be between 80 & 90 years of age and his wife, Nancy, should be between 90 & 100. The 1850 census lists Nicholas [Danger] as 86 and is living alone. [His wife, Nancy, who died earlier that year at age 96 is documented above.] It seems that the person giving the information to the census takers over the 50 (plus) years from 1810 through 1850, gave consistent data and they had a better idea of their own age than did others, who came along later. Only the Nancy Combs who was married to "Danger Nick" could be this old in 1850.

Census Summary:....1810....1820....1830....1840....1850

Nicholas "Danger"...>45.....>45....60-70....70-80....86 years

female in same house...>45...>45...70-80...80-90....*

* No female is listed in the 1850 census with him but a Nancy Combs, 96, is listed in June Mortality Schedule as having died the previous January, who was "married" at the time, which means her husband was alive when she died.

B. 2. The Tax List: Floyd County, Ky - State Auditor's Land Records: Return of certificate for vacant lands granted settlers in Floyd County (compiled by W.R. Jillson).

cert # - date - # of acres granted - water course - to whom granted - remarks

62.....5 Dec 1803......100............KY River........Wm CORNETT

64.....3 Jany 1804.....200............Lotts Creek.....Wm GRIGSBY........Ky River

65.....3 Jany 1804.....400............Ky River.......Nicholas COMBS

Here you can visualize Nicholas [Danger] with William Grigsby hurrying into the Land Department on the same day; striking out into a new life in Kentucky. This can only be "Danger Nick" and if this is the same Nicholas of the 1850 census [and I am sure that it is] then he is about 40 years old. If this is Josiah's "Danger" then he is 68! Josiah says [p.50] that "Danger did not permanently settle down with his family in Perry until around 1808. He is known to have `commuted` a number of times between Kingsport, Tn, and Perry County." So you can see how one can start wondering about the statistics when Josiah's book says he [born 1736] settled down in 1808 at age 72! Then he `commuted' a number of times back to Tennessee. I'm not saying that a septuagenarian could not make that `commute` several times over the 75 (plus) miles of hills and mountains, but one in his 40's should have less of a struggle.

Clay County [KY] Tax List between 1807 and 1820 are fairly complete. They show a Nicholas [Danger] Combs for the entire period. The second Nicholas [Bird Eye] doesn't make his appearance until 1814. If the Nicholas of the 1850 census who is 58 years of age [the one that I called Bird Eye, above] IS, in fact, Bird Eye, then he was born in (ca) 1792 and became 21 in (ca) 1813, just in time to make the tax roll in 1814.

If the 86 year old Nicholas in the 1850 census is NOT "Danger Nick" then where is this Nicholas (86) in the tax list back in time? I can see not having your birth, marriage or death recorded, but who misses the tax collector?! It becomes even more difficult to maintain your anonymity when the recording clerk of the County Court is a "cousin" [Jesse Combs].

Clay County, Ky - Tax Lists 1807 - 1820

.....Nicholas Sr [Danger].............................Nickolas Jr [Bird Eye] **

..............acreage...........................................acreage

1807....... ... ................................................no listing yet
1808.......400 NF..........................................no listing yet
1809.......550 NF..........................................no listing yet
1810.......tax list is missing
1811.......380 NF..........................................no listing yet
1812....... ... ................................................no listing yet
1813.......480................................................no listing yet
1814.......140 NF..........................................name only entered
1815.......489 NF..........................................name only entered
1816.......tax list is missing
1817.......624 NF..........................................name only entered
1818.......486 NF..........................................100 NF
1819.......420 NF..........................................120 NF
1820.......400 NF..........................................120 NF

1821 Tax List pages are soiled; no Combs are legible.

NF = North Fork; TR = Troublesome Creek; Cr = Creek; F = Fork

** Keep in mind that there are ONLY these two Nicholas Combses listed throughout Clay County and only one [Danger] from 1807 through 1820, when that portion becomes part of Perry County. Nicholas Jr [Bird Eye] appears in the 1814 list for the first time but is in all subsequent lists. Watch the 126 acreage parcel stick with him.

Perry County, Ky - Tax Lists 1821 - 1853

..........Nicholas Sr [Danger]......................................Nickolas Jr [Bird Eye]

.................acreage........................................................acreage

1821:..........322..........................................................126 [North Fork, Ky River]
1822:..........322, 80....................................................126
1823:..........520..........................................................126
1824:..........100, 80....................................................126 [see B.3 Deeds]
1825:..........50, 50......................................................126, 100 NF
1826:..........TR: 250 & 100.........................................126, 100, 50
1827:..........300 TR....................................................126, 100, 50 NF
1828:..........100 TR....................................................126, 100, 50 NF
1829:..........100, 50, 50, 100.......................................126, 100, 50 NF
1830:..........TR: 100, 100, 50......................................126, 50 NF
1831:..........100, 100, 50, 100 TR...............................126, 100, 50 NF
1832:..........Missing
1833:..........150, 50 TR..............................................20, 126, 100, 50, 50 NF
1834:..........150, 50, 50, 100 TR.................................126, 50, 100
1835:..........100, 50, TR.............................................126, 100, 50, 20
1836:..........50, 100, 100, TR......................................126, 100, 50, 50, 20 NF
1837:..........100, 50, 50, TR........................................126, 100, 50, 50, 40, 100,
..................................................................................20, 1/4, 50
1838:..........300..........................................................446 NF; 100 L Cr; 50 F Cr
..................................................................................1/4 NF
1839:..........Missing
1840:..........Missing
1841:..........Missing
1842:..........150, 100 NF, 55 TR, 50 Lost Cr................50 NF [This entry has "Esq"
...............[This entry has the name "Dan."....................written with the name; could this
................written with the name; could this...................mean "Squire" as in Josiah's
................be an abbreviation for "Danger"?].................book pg 133? He was also called
................................................................................."Bird Eye".]
1843:..........200 NF, 50 TR.........................................100 Lost Cr, 50 1st Cr, 50 Big Cr
1844:..........205 NF, 50 TR.........................................NF: 396, 50; 100 Lost Cr
1845:..........NF 70, 100, 25..........................................NF: 126, 40, 20, 50, 50, 50,
..................................................................................50 1st Cr, 50 & 50 L Cr
..................................................................................100 & 50 NF.
1846:..........Missing
1847:..........Missing
1848:..........Missing
1849:..........100 TR, 100 Ball? F; 100 TR.....................NF: 1100, 176, 126; 100 Lick Br;
..................................................................................200 1st Cr; 210 NF; 100 Peach;
..................................................................................350 Lost Cr; 200 & 50 NF
1850:..........100 NF; 100 Lick Branch...........................NF: 1000, 286, 20, 50, 50
...............100 TR [This entry, also, has.........................150, 169, 200;
..............."Dan." written with the name;.........................100 Lick Br; 200 & 25 1st Cr;
...............could this mean "Danger"?].............................350 Lost Cr
1851:..........NF: 200, 200, 1200, 100.............................NF: 1000, 126, 159, 40;
...............[This entry does not have "SR"......................100 & 250 Lick Fork;
................or any other name.]......................................150 & 20 Rock Br;
...................................................................................200 & 50 1st Cr
1852:..........NF: 100, 100, 100;......................................NF: 1000, 359, 225, 100, 200
................Quicksand: 100............................................40, 50, 100, 20, 126, 50.
1853:..........100 Digran Roost;......................................NF: 1000, 300, 100, 49, 20, 50
...............100 Short F; 50 Coah? F;..............................126, 50, 250;
...............100 Bath? F..................................................Big Br 50; 50 Rock Br;
...................................................................................100 Lick Br; 50 NF;
...................................................................................200 & 25 1st Cr; 50 Lost Br.

** Keep in mind that there are ONLY these two Nicholas Combses listed throughout the Perry County Tax List from 1821 through 1853.

B.3. The Deeds

In the Perry County [KY] Deed Books there are a number of transactions involving Nicholas [Danger] Combs. Some of those are presented here. Each deed starts with Nicholas Combs Senior. [All remarks in these brackets are my personal comments to the reader.]

On the same day, 13 April, 1824, Nicholas [Danger] Sr deeds property to four of his children:
1. Nicholas [Bird Eye] Jr [Book A, Page 82] 126 acres for $100, on North Fork, KY River, "His X Mark"; [note 126 acres on previous tax list tracks for him the years 1821 through 1853!]
2. Rebecca Williams [Book A, page 83] a certain track for $10, on North Fork, KY River, "His X Mark";
3. Jeremiah [Chunky] [Book A, page 84] 126 acres for $50 on North Fork, KY River, "His X Mark"; and
4. Samuel [Book A, page 85] 126 acres for $50 on North Fork, KY River, "His X Mark".

On 2 November, 1831, Nicholas [Danger] deeds land to [his grandson], Moses Adams Combs, [Book A, page 501], for $10 on Troublesome Creek, "His X Mark".

On 5 January, 1833, Nicholas [Danger] deeds land to [his grandson] Alexander [Book A, page 535] for "....love and affection... & one dollar".

On 22 October, 1839, Nicholas [Danger] Sr, deeds land to [his daughter], Rebecca Williams [Book B, pages 214, 215, 216], "His X Mark".

In January 1842, Nicholas [Danger] Sr [Book B, page 270], deeds land on Ball's Fork / Troublesome Creek, to James Ritchie, "His X Mark".

On 20 November 1845, Nicholas [Danger] Sr, deeds land to [his son], Nicholas [Bird Eye] Jr, [Book B, page 385] 40 acres on North Fork, KY River for $40; County Clerk signs on 23 March 1846 [?]

On 10 April 1847, Nicholas [Danger] Sr & "his wife, Nancy!" deed land to Nicholas [their son, Bird Eye] Jr [Book B, page 412], "His X Mark" and "Her X mark". After it is written: "I, Jesse Combs, clk of the county court for the county ------, do certify that this deed from Nicholas Combs, Sr, and his wife, Nancy Combs, to Nicholas Combs, Jr, ..etc.!!
[This is ten years after Josiah says Danger died.]

On 28 August 1849, Nicholas [Danger] Sr & his wife, Nancy, deed land to Nicholas Ritchie [Book B, page 459]. "In witness thereof, the said Nicholas Combs, Sr., together with Nancy Combs, his wife,....". "His X mark" and "Her X Mark (S)".

In January 1850, Nicholas [Bird Eye] Jr & his wife, Betsy [Elizabeth "Betts", dau / John Combs, of Boyle Co] Combs, his wife, who hereby relinquishes her right of dower in and to the lands conveyed in this deed...." This shows that as late as 1850, Nicholas [Bird Eye] is still being referred to as Nicholas, Junior, possibly because his father, Danger, is still alive!

In 1853, Nicholas [Danger] Sr, deeds land to James Richie [Book C, page 200], for $50 "His X Mark".

B.4. The Correspondence

Two Congressional Acts [15 May 1828 and 7 June 1832], permitted Revolutionary War veterans to apply for a pension. Nicholas [Danger] Combs has a file in North Carolina [N.C. Combs, Nicholas R2186] with the pension office [Federal Archives Film M804, Rev. War Pension Applications, Roll 20]. This file contains a correspondence of at least a dozen letters dating from 14 November 1845 through 18 December 1856. [Interesting correspondence: replies indicate that his applications were "rejected".

One Instrument, a Revolutionary Pension Claim Power of Attorney, was printed and quite legible, having only the particulars of names and dates hand written into the blanks. Nicholas [Danger] Combs has given his mark and it is witnessed by "Nicholas Combs, Jun & ------ Combs"; the "Jun" is probably "Bird Eye" Nick. The name that is not very legible to me seems to be "Lourensy Combs", possibly Lorenzo, "Bird Eye's" son. It is signed twice by Zabhriah (sp?) Morgan, JPPC, and Jesse Combs, Clerk of the Court for Perry County [KY]. The date of this document is 24 October 1854!

Another document in manuscript and under the heading "Additional Declaration of Nicholas Combs Sr / of Perry Co, Ky etc" is dated 17 December 1855. Again, he [Danger] has given his mark. It is witnessed by Nicholas Combs Jr (signed) [Bird Eye] and A.C. Godsey [?] (signed). Hesekiah Combs, JPPC, and Jesse Combs, Clerk of the County Court, have also signed it. In this document he refers to "his brothers John and William ....". This last sentence is not too important here since the families of (1) Mason & Sarah, and of (2) John (Father / 8 brothers) are listed [p 123] with sons Nicholas, John and William; but it does tie him to one of these families. He further states that he "... Being smartly over 90 years of age". Certainly, if he was 86 in the 1850 census taken just five years ago, then I'm comfortable saying they are the SAME Nicholas.

Another document, in manuscript, was signed by Hesekiah Combs, JPPC, and Jesse Combs, Clerk of the County Court, Perry County. It is the testimony of a long time friend [of "Danger Nick"]; his name is John Hacker and he gives his mark. The date is 10 April 1856.

The contents of these documents are not relevant to the purpose of this paper. It should be mentioned that the contents are very interesting and some quite exciting. I only wish to show that Nicholas "Danger" Combs was very much alive past 1838 when he is said to have died [Dickey Diary, Micro Film pages 2326 & 2266].

John S., grandson, said (p. 2264) to Rev. Dickey, that "Nicholas Combs, my grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Several of his brothers were in the same war. I can't tell which ones were in the war, they may all have been in it". Several documents in this file are testimonies of individuals that they had seen this Nicholas' Revolutionary War discharge on his wall.

B.5. Exhibit 5: The John Jay Dickey Diary

The last point that I will mention in this paper is the Dickey Diary; a remarkable collection of stories taken down by a Baptist preacher because of some compulsion and belief in their importance. Josiah says "people forget [Combs, p. 57], they misspeak [p. 59 & 60], they misunderstand what others say [p. 60], etc". Josiah further says on page 60, "As proof that Dickey was confused...." **

** "There were three early Nicholases: [1] "Danger", [2] his son, "Bird Eye" Nicholas, and [3] Nicholas of the brothers. Nicholas of the brothers (b. 1764/5) [that makes him 86 in the 1850 census, p. 64], was considerably older than "Danger's son, "Bird Eye" (b. 1792); these are census dates. Not much is known about brother Nicholas, for like his brother, Biram, he did not stay around Hazard long, and moved away [THE NICHOLAS "OF THE 1850 CENSUS" HAS BEEN THERE (TN & KY) SINCE 1804, AT LEAST!]. "Danger's" son Samuel (b. 1799-1800) had a Nicholas, but he comes too late to cause confusion. "Chunky Jerry's" Nicholas (b. around 1800) also comes too late." [It is my contention that #1 and #3 are one and the same person.]

Margaret (Combs) Lewis was interviewed in the Dickey Diary (p. 2326) and said, "My father was Nicholas [Bird Eye] Combs. He was the son of Nicholas [Danger] Combs, one of the original eight brothers who settled in Perry Co from Holston River, Va." [I agree with her.]

All of Josiah's "Danger Nick" genealogy centers around two statements in the Diary which, I admit, sounds quite convincing. The first is John S. Combs' statement [Diary, p 2266], "I was grown when he [Danger] died. I was married, just married, had no children, (he looked at his Bible.) Was February 28, 1838. I bought his dog irons at his sale to go to housekeeping."

The second is Margaret (Combs) Lewis' statement [Diary, p 2326], "I was nearly grown when my grandfather, Nicholas [Danger] Combs died in 1837 or 1838". There is still a problem with this. In the Dickey Diary she said she was born in 1820 or 22, but the 1850 census shows her as 10 years of age, the 1860 has she and her husband (Abijah Lewis) both 20 and the 1880 (Hyden) Leslie Co. Ky, shows her as 39! All three of these three dates would mean that she was born in 1840 or 41. If she was 15 to 17 years old when "Danger" died, and she was, then she was born in 1840 or 41. If she was 15 to 17 years old when "Danger" died between 1855 and 1857; this would be closer to what I think happened.

The statements by these grandchildren in the Diary is the only `evidence` on the other side of the scale, albeit unofficial records. The 1837/8 death date for "Danger" is only creditable because of John S. Combs' reference to "his dog irons & being first married"; which is the way most people remember events like that. People do not, generally, remember dates. The date could have been entered incorrectly in the Bible. John S. couldn't remember if "Danger" was born in Va. or N.C., and thought that there was a `mass migration` of Combses to Ky. No disrespect is intended here, but after 40 (plus) years John S. may be mistaken about where he got the "dog irons"; Josiah says John S. was wrong about some facts, also.

C. Conclusion

If "Danger Nick" Combs was 102 years of age, in 1838, when he died [as Josiah says several times], then he fathered his first child at age 43, 2nd at 44 [p 47], 3rd at 56, 4th at 59 and 5th at 63! [p 133]; AND if his wife is 8 to 10 years older than he, then that makes her 51, 52, 64, 67 and 71 years of age respectively, for the birth of their children. Josiah is so convinced of this Diary interview date [d. 1838] that everything relating to "Danger Nick" is predicated on this being correct; but Danger's children's birthdates are more apt to be correct which would make a 1737 birthdate for him "unrealistic".

There is NOTHING in Josiah's book to support "Danger Nick's" age except the death date from the Dickey Diary. I haven't seen the Bible that had the death date recorded, but if it is recorded as 1838, there are scenarios which could account for a date being incorrectly entered many years later; there was, after all, at least 40 years between the death and the Dickey interview. I can imagine the "3" as being a poorly written "5" or page creased to partially obliterate the number(s).

Josiah [p 49] says "..... it seems certain that he [Danger] spent his declining years with his son "Bird Eye". The 1850 census shows Nicholas [Bird Eye], 58 years of age with wife, Elizabeth, 55, and his family. It also shows Nicholas Combs [Danger] living right next to him! This is not unlike the error with John (of Boyle Co) which has been treated in other papers on file with the KY historical Society.

If a researcher accepted the "1838 death date" as being correct, they would be inclined to "view" the records differently. That may be why there is a Nicholas (one of the brothers) listed but then Josiah says, "not much is known about brother Nicholas, for, like his brother Biram, he did not stay around Hazard for long, and moved away." [p 61]; but the Nicholas [Danger] who is in census records, tax lists, land transfers, etc, did stay around past his 92 birthday. It seems that Josiah cannot consider this Nicholas (1850 census) as "Danger" because he already had him "dead" (ca 1838); apparently when he `accepted` the 1738 birthdate all other events were measured from there, regardless of the stretch of ones imagination it required. However there is just too much in the public records about him to ignore. One who is collecting information on their family has to consider what is reasonable.

More searching needs to be done in the local areas; perhaps it has been done and the correct answers are waiting to go public. There are a few other scenarios possible that need to be explored without being locked into printer's ink. Ideas need to be looked at from different directions.

The writer has copies of all documents referred to.

If anyone can support, through the records, a different conclusion other than what I have suggested here, and can also account for the records to which I have referred, then I will gladly reconsider my analysis. Until such time I will have to put my family tradition to one side and list "Danger Nick" Combs as being one of the 8 sons of John Combs (father of the 8 brothers), born about 1764; and I suggest, my patient reader and dear cousin, that you do likewise.