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	RW Soldier Robert (Ashby?) Combs of Frederick, Loudoun & Fauquier Cos VA (s/o Joseph Combs II?)

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Robert Combs (alias ASHBY?) was b 1749-1753 at Berry's Ferry, Shenandoah River, Frederick Co, VA; resided in Loudoun Co, VA from at least 1777 to at least 1779, resided in Fauquier Co, VA from at least 1781 to at least 1840 (probably until his death, said to have occurred in either 1842 or 1846). Robert may have married bef 1791, Sarah LINTON (undocumented DAR Files). He appears to have been a natural son of Joseph Combs II of Stafford, Frederick and Loudoun Cos, VA (Loudoun Co, VA Tax Lists, 1790 Fauquier Co, VA Deeds), possibly by Sarah ASHBY (1758 Frederick Co VA Court Minutes).

Important! Some assumptions are being made in this report which may be eventually disproved, most particularly that Robert Combs alias ASHBY of Fauquier in 1790 was the same as RW Robert Combs of Fauquier. A number of records are still needed to prove or disprove these assumptions, and also to attempt to locate some of the oral family histories herein such as those in the DAR Files below.

According to his Revolutionary War Pension File, Robert Combs applied for his pension on 21 Aug 1832, Fauquier Co VA, declaring he was aged 79, (b ca 1753), and born near Berry Ferry on the Shenandoah River in Frederick Co, Virginia, but that he had no record of his age. He declared that he had entered into service seven different periods, twice as a volunteer, once as a substitute and four times drafted He stated that he volunteered in a mounted militia company raised by Capt. Levin POWELL in Loudoun Co, VA, to guard the shores of James River and adjoining waters to prevent the forces of Lord Dunmore from landing and damaging the country, shortly after his destroying the magazine, and that they marched as far as Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock River where they learned that Lord Dunmore had left the Chesapeake. They returned home; this tour was of seven or eight days. Robert declared that his next service was when he rendezvoused in a company of militia raised by Capt. Simon TRIPLETT in Loudoun County in 1775, which he joined in 1776, called minute men. They marched to Alexandria (D. C.) in May or June where he continued until cold weather set in. Shortly after returning from the minute service he substituted for John LANG to go to NOLAND'S Ferry on the Potomac, to receive the Hessian prisoners captured at Trenton and guard them on their way to Albemarle Barracks. This tour was in very cold weather and occupied two or three weeks. In the fall of 1777 he was drafted in Loudoun County and went in a company commanded by Capt. McMICKENS under Col. CLAPHAM and marched to the north and joined the army on the evening after the battle of Germantown. He supposes it was a three month tour. Robert Combs declared that he was drafted again in Loudoun and served under Capt. Simon HANCOCK and Col. COLEMAN and marched to Pennsylvania by Lancaster. He believes it was three months.

In the spring of 1781 he was drafted in Fauquier County and marched to Richmond under Capt. JENNINGS and Col. Elias EDMONDS, encamped a while on Shockoe Hill, was commanded by Gen. MUHLENBURG, encamped a while on James River below Richmond and afterward marched up the river. This tour or three months used to be distinguished the running tour from the men taking fright from the false rumor while marching in the night during a thunder storm. Early in the fall of 1781 he was drafted again in Fauquier County and marched under Capt. James WINN and Col. Elias EDMONDS to Williamsburg and was stationed about there until the besieging of CORNWALLIS in Yorktown, in which he was engaged until the capitulation [19 Oct 1781]. During the siege the company was transferred to the command of Capt. Lynn SHARP and the regiment to training of Maj. WELCH. He guarded a part of the prisoners to the Barracks above Winchester [Frederick Co, VA] where he was discharged.

He received three certificates of pay for his service which he sent to Richmond and took Treasury warrants for 4750 acres of land which were located on Licking River in Kentucky.

On 21 Aug. 1832, in Fauquier Co., VA, James S. PICKETT, a justice of the peace, declared by record of his father he was born in May 1775 and resides on his native hill in Fauquier County which has been his home from his birth. Robert Combs resides about one and a half miles from him, where he has occupied for more than fifty years. [ca 1782]. More than thirty years ago and frequently since he has entertained PICKETT with many incidents of his soldiers scenes, particularly with that tour called the running tour, of the rush of the rear of the army when frightened at night, of men stumbling down in the fence ditches in the dark and crying "quarters," quarters, and next morning the unfortunate evidence of lost swords, guns, hats and knapsacks.

On 21 Aug. 1832, in Fauquier County, VA, Anthony ETHELL, aged 75, declared he served in the Virginia militia in 1775 and 1776 in the company of Capt. Simon TRIPLETT called minute men. Robert Combs, now aged about 79 [b ca 1753], joined the company before harvest in 1776 and was stationed at Alexandria (D. C.) and continued in service until cold weather.

On 21 Aug. 1832, in Fauquier Co., VA, Reuben MURRAY, aged 70, declared he served a tour in the militia in 1781. He marched in a company of Capt. James WINN to Williamsburg and was stationed about there some time before the siege of Yorktown in which he was engaged until the capitulation, and guarded a part of the prisoners to the barracks at Winchester. The company was transferred to Capt. Linn SHARP. Robert Combs was drafted in the same service and was a mess mate with him and was discharged at the same time and place with him.

On 27 Aug. 1832, Loudoun Co, Virginia, Burr POWELL declared he had in his possession the record of an association formed about 1774 in Loudoun County for the purpose of resisting British aggression in which record the name of Robert Combs appears. The record has been mislaid.

In a declaration made on 30 Apr 1833, in Fauquier Co., VA, Robert Combs stated that he served first as a mounted volunteer under Capt. Levin POWELL eight days, second as a volunteer under Capt. Simon TRIPLETT five months, third as a substitute for John LANG fifteen days, fourth under Capt. McKICKENS and Col. CLAPHAM as a drafted soldier three months, fifth under Capt. Simon HANCOCK and Col. COLEMAN three months as a drafted soldier, sixth as a drafted soldier under Capt. JENNINGS and Col. Elias EDMIONDS three months, and seventh as a drafted soldier under Captains WINN and SHARP before, at and after the capture of Cornwallis for three months.

On 1 May 1833, Fauquier Co., Virginia, George LOVE declared he had lived in the same neighborhood with Robert Combs for nearly thirty years [ca 1802]. "George LOVE is now and has been for several years a Deacon of the Long Branch Baptist Church, Clerk to the Columbia Association, justice of the peace for Fauquier County, principle assessor in the 21st Collection District of Virginia about 1816, late colonel of 44th Regiment Virginia Militia, and now mathematical and practical land surveyor, late engineer upon the Quantico Canal and late assistant inspector of the James River Canal improvements."

Robert Combs, private in the company of Capt. POWELL in the Virginia line 17 months and 23 days, was placed on the Virginia pension roll at $59.22 per annum under the Act of 1832. Certificate 12919 was issued 17 June 1833.

A Query Letter stated that he died 9/7/46.

1835 Federal Pension Rolls. Fauquier Co, VA Robert Combs, Private, Virginia Continental Line, $59.22 Annual Allowance. $177.66 Amount received. 17 Jun 1833 pension started, age 81.
(Revolutionary War Pension file of Robert Combs (S8251), abstracted from Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data From Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records, Volume 1, Patrick Wardell, p. 228; Virginia Revolutionary Pension Applications, Volume Twenty One, Abstracted and compiled by John Frederick Dorman, Washington, D. C., 1975; Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files, Vol 1: A-E, Abstracted by Virgil D. White, Published by The National Historical Publishing Company. 1990; and 1835 Federal Pension Rolls, VA )

Joseph Combs II was the only known Combs in the area of Berry's Ferry in the 1750s (during which period he was charged with fornication with a Sarah ASHBY. By 1764, Joseph had removed from Frederick to Loudoun Co, VA, where Robert Combs is first found of record in 1770 when he, Thomas GRYMES, John Combs and several slaves were tithed by Joseph Combs II, listed on the tax return of Leven POWELL of Shelburne Parish who was not only Robert's first commander in the Revolutionary War, but was also Joseph II's brother-in-law (h/o Sarah HARRISON). John Combs has not yet been identified. Robert's appearance on this list indicates he was probably born ca 1749 rather than 1753 (assuming same individual, which seems extremely likely as no other Robert Combs nor any Robert ASHBY has been located in Loudoun during the time period when Robert stated he resided in that county).

From 1771 through 1775, Robert continued to be tithed by Joseph Combs II. As noted by Burr POWELL'S 1832 Loudoun declaration, Robert Combs, along with Joseph and Stephen (s/o Joseph II) Combs, were among the signers of a "Resolution made at Loudoun, Virginia in 1774 condemning the British Parliament and agreeing to sever connections untill they repeal the discriminating tax, etc." Joseph, Robert and Stephen were all missing from Loudoun tax lists in 1776 and 1777, probably due to either or both missing lists and military exemptions since Robert indicates in his pension declaration that he enlisted in the fall of 1777 in Loudoun and again for another three-month tour shortly thereafter. Robert is not again found in the records of Loudoun.

According to Robert's deposition, he was in Fauquier by the Spring of 1781 when he again enlisted, and that he was last discharged from Frederick Co, VA in the fall of that year. He is not found in the 1783-1786 Fauquier Co, VA tax lists (however, all not yet reviewed), but on 20 Mar 1787 he was listed in the Fauquier Co, VA Tax List C (not the same district as the Combs descended from John & Seth BULLITT Combs, Sr., brother of Joseph II) tithing himself, 3 blacks over 16, 3 blacks under 16, 2 horses and 5 head of cattle.

In 1790, Joseph Combs of Loudoun Co, VA deeded 158 acres to Robert ASHBY alias Combs, and an adjacent 163 acres to Henry WASHINGTON of Prince William (Fauquier Co, VA DB10:373 & 375, extracted by Combs Researcher Jeff Duvall from "Fauquier Families, 1759-1799: Comprehensive indexed abstracts of Tax and Tithable Lists, Marriage Bonds and Minute, Deed, and Will Books, and Others" by John P. Alcock (Athens, GA: Iberian Publishing Company, 1994)

In 1797 Robert was listed on a Fauquier Co, VA poll list, and in 1800, appeared on the Fauquier Co VA Tax District of Elias EDMONDS Junr with 1 free male over 16; 2 horses owned; 2 tithable slaves over 16; and 0 tithable slaves 12-16.

In 1810, Robert was listed on p. 250 of the Fauquier Co, VA census:

Robert Combs, 01101-00401-09

1 male 45+ (b bef 1755)
1 female 45+ (b bef 1755)
1 male 16-25 (b 1785-1794) [?]
4 females 16-25 (b 1785-1794) [Sarah Ann and Frances H.? and ??]
1 male 10-15 (b 1795-1800) [Burr?]

29 Apr 1814 Fauquier Co VA Marriage Bonds. John W. BISHEAR & Frances H. Combs, bondsman John Combs (Extracted by Combs Researcher Debi Kendricks from "Fauquier County, Virginia Marriage Bonds: 1759-1854 & Marriage Returns: 1785-1848" by John K. Gott)

Notes: According to the IL SAR Biography of Valentine Harrison SURGHNOR, b 8 Feb 1847, Pruntytown, Va. [not found], he was the s/o Valentine Harrison & Mary BRASHEAR Surghnor, gs/o John W. and Frances Combs Brashear [sic], and ggs/o RW Robert & Sarah LINTIN Combs. [SW: LINTON] Who was the bondsman, John Combs? Could he have been Robert's son born 1785-1794 per the 1810 census?

6 Oct 1814 William SHACKLETT & Sarah Ann Combs. s/o Edward SHACKLETT; d/o Robert Combs (Extracted by Combs Researcher Debi Kendricks from "Fauquier County, Virginia Marriage Bonds: 1759-1854 & Marriage Returns: 1785-1848" by John K. Gott)

Notes: Sarah Ann was the d/o RW Robert Combs by his wife, Sarah LINTON, according to (1) his great-granddaughter, Mrs. Martha Glenn Baer (DAR Lineages, Volume 41); and (2) his great-great granddaughter Mrs. Mary Roberta STRINGER Cooney (DAR Lineages, Volume 89). No marriage record has been located.

1820 Fauquier Co, VA Census
Robert Combs
1 male 45+
1 female 45+
1 female 26-45 [unmarried daughter?]
1 male 18-25 [Burr?]
1 female 10-16
1 male under 10
1 female under 10

The 1830 Fauquier Co, VA Census Index includes a Robert Combs, and in 1840, Robert and Burr Combs are both listed on p. 140 of Leeds Parish. (In 1830, Burr is listed two pages earlier than Robert). Although Burr appears likely to have been the son of Robert, he is undocumented as yet.

According to the SAR file of Valentine Harrison SURGHNOR, Robert died in Virginia on 13 May 1842 (A DAR file, however, lists his death as 1846 in Ohio).

No estate records have been extracted as yet, nor is it known if Robert left a will.