Dedicated to the Memory of Combs &c. founder Carole Hammett (1946-2009)
This Combs &c. Web Site is Generously Hosted by Click Here to Join USGenNet
We Support Free Nonprofit Genealogy and History on the Internet

New October 2007
You Are Our 10592nd Visitor.
Please Email Additions/Corrections to Webmaster

THE COOMBS OF MAINE

Descendants of Anthony2 and Mercy (Hodgkins) Coombs

The Seventh Generation and their Children of the Eighth – Anthony2 & Mercy Hodgkins

Caroline,7 [Jacob,6 Wesley, Luther,5 Robert,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Augusta Coombs, born 4 Nov1857 in Ellsworth, ME; married Arthur Sidney Treat; resided in Chelsea, MA (1882), Rutherford, NJ (1897); died 2 Mar 1910 in Brooklyn, NY; both are buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Ellsworth, ME.

Children of Arthur Sidney and Caroline7 Augusta (Coombs) Treat:238

Wilbur7 [Jacob,6 Wesley, Luther,5 Robert,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Wesley Coombs, born 2 July 1860 in Ellsworth, ME; married Josephine Green in Chelsea, MA; resided in Kansas City, MO (1885), Pittsburgh, PA (1897); died of cancer in 1919 in New York, NY.

Children of Wilbur7 Wesley and Josephine (Green) Coombs:239

Frederick7 [Jacob,6 Wesley, Luther,5 Robert,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Augustine Coombs, born 15 Jan 1873 in Ellsworth, ME; married Ethel Kendall Parsons on 9 Oct 1894 in Ellsworth; died 29 June 1955 in Orange, NJ.

Though Frederick grew up in Ellsworth, he graduated from Chelsea High School in Chelsea, MA in 1892 or 1893. Apparently, due to his mother’s poor health (she died in Oct 1893), Frederick lived with his sister, Caroline (Coombs) Treat’s, family in Chelsea. After high school, he spent a year studying at Boston Tech. (now Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MIT), followed by a cruise to the Azores for his health.

Frederick married Ethel Kendall Parsons on 9 Oct 1894 in Ellsworth. Ethel was born in Franklin, ME on 16 May 1875 and was the daughter of James Edward and Mary Elizabeth (Butler) Parsons. The Coombs lived at Bridge Hill in Ellsworth.

James Edward Parsons was born at Providence, RI, on 17 Nov 1846, the son of Joseph Usher Parsons (1809–1895) and Eliza Clark Kendall (1810–1888). At the age of eighteen, he stood five feet eight inches, had a light complexion, blue eyes, light hair and was, by occupation, a printer. On 5 March 1864 he volunteered for three years of service in the Civil War as a Private in Capt. George Weeks’ Company B, 36 Regiment of the Wisconsin Infantry. James was discharged on 12 July 1865 at Jeffersonville, IN.240 For several years after the war James taught school in Mississippi. Removing to Maine, he married Mary Elizabeth Butler in Franklin, ME on 13 Apr 1872. Two years later he came to Ellsworth and entered the employ of C. C. Burrill. In 1887, he was promoted to Treasurer of the Burrill National Bank in Lubec, ME. He retired from the bank in 1909 and died on 7 Jul 1923.

Frederick opened a store in Ellsworth, called F. A. Coombs Books, Stationary, and Wallpaper. The business was not a success and the Coombs followed Caroline (Coombs) Treat to New Jersey. Frederick went on to become a highly successful businessman in New York City.

Between 1905 and 1940, Frederick and Ethel lived with their good friend Dr. Arthur F. Thompson, sharing a number of residences in the East Orange, NJ area:

North 17th Street 1902

169 Main Street 1905

22 Washington Street 1920

314 Oakwood Avenue 1929

187 Haywood Avenue 1940

Hotel Alvord 1953

The Coombs traveled to Europe in 1924, 1928, and 1930.

Frederick stood five feet six and one–half inches tall. For fifty years he was a senior executive with the Corlies, Macy & Co., New York, NY, printing and publishing house. He also served for many years as Treasurer and Trustee for the First Congregational Church in East Orange and on the Board of Deacons of Trinity Congregational Church, in East Orange.

Frederick died on 29 June 1955 in Orange, NJ; aged 82 years.

Ethel was active in the Woman’s Club of Orange, the Charlotte Emerson Brown Club, the Consumers’ League and several church organizations. She died in East Orange, NJ on 21 May 1960; aged 85 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Coombs were married for over 60 years. Both are buried in the family plot at the Evergreen Cemetery, Ellsworth, ME.

Children of Frederick7 Augustine and Ethel Kendall (Parsons) Coombs:241

Leonard7 [Lucullus,6 Ephraim,5 Anthony,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Raymond Coombs, born 1867; married Mary Howe.

Children of Leonard7 Raymond and Mary (Howe) Coombs:242

John7 [Lucullus,6 Ephraim,5 Anthony,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Frank Coombs, born 18 Nov 1874, at Lincolnville, ME; married 25 Nov 1910 to Bernice Andrews of Thomaston. Resided in Camden, ME. Occupation: assistant superintendent and clerk of Knox Woolen Company.243

Walter7 [Robert,6 Hudson, Robert,5 Anthony,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Hudson Coombs, born 20 Mar 1851, at Belfast, ME; married 16 May 1895 to Lulu May Treese. Resided in Belfast. Occupation: dealer in antique goods.

Children of Walter7 Hudson and Lulu May (Treese) Coombs:244

Charles7 [Robert,6 Hudson, Robert,5 Anthony,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Robert Coombs, born 20 Mar 1862, at Belfast, ME; married 3 Sep 1903 to Helena C. Mathews. Resided in Belfast, ME. Occupation: undertaker.

Children of Charles7 Robert and Helena C. (Mathews) Coombs:245

The Eighth Generation and their Children of the Ninth – Anthony2 & Mercy Hodgkins

Caro8 [Wilbur,7 Wesley, Jacob,6 Wesley, Luther,5 Robert,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Coombs, married Dr. Arthur F. Heyl, born 21 Apr 1895 in Portersville, PA, son of Sidney A. and Barbara (Fisher) Heyl, he died 4 Jan 1967.

Child of Dr. Arthur F. and Caro8 (Coombs) Heyl:246

Whitney8 [Frederick,7 Jacob,6 Wesley, Luther,5 Robert,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Coombs, born 4 Jan 1897 in Ellsworth, ME; married Agnes Strain Nearing of Brunswick, ME on 25 Dec 1922 in the Bowdoin College chapel; died 8 Nov 1930.

Whitney attended Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME; enlisted in the American Field Service May 1917 (ambulance driver); served with the French Army Jul 1917 – Mar 1918; transferred to the 12th Field Artillery, 2nd Division USA (Sergeant); Officer’s Training School Aug–Nov 1918; discharged Winchester, England, 25 Feb 1919. He studied at the London School of Economics, University of London, Feb – Apr 1919; graduated Bowdoin College 1919; Columbia University, Masters and PhD in Economics, 1921 and 1922. He taught economics at Lake Forest College, IL, Allegheny College, PA, and St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY. Whitney worked for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington for two years preceding going to St. Lawrence to head that university’s Department of Economics. On 8 Nov 1930, while walking with his daughter Elizabeth in Canton, NY, they were both struck by a car and killed. Whitney and Elizabeth had been on their way to the hospital to visit Agnes and their new daughter. Whitney and Elizabeth are buried in Canton, NY.

Children of Whitney8 and Agnes (Nearing) Coombs:247

Frederick8 [Frederick,7 Jacob,6 Wesley, Luther,5 Robert,4 Anthony,3 Anthony,2 Anthony1] Augustine Coombs, Jr., born 3 Nov 1904 in East Orange, NJ; married Esther Roberta Bullis of St. Paul, MN on 15 Jun 1929 in New York, NY; died 15 Feb 1993 in Chatham, NJ; his ashes are interred at Christ Episcopal Church, Short Hills, NJ.

He graduated from East Orange High School in 1922. After attending Lawrence Academy, Groton, MA, for one year, he entered Carleton College, Northfield, MN. While in college, Frederick traveled to Europe twice, once with his family in 1924 and again in 1927 with a classmate. Frederick graduated from Carleton College, Northfield, MN, in 1927.

After graduation, he returned to NJ and was employed by the Guarantee Trust Company, a bank in New York, NY.

On Saturday, 15 Jun 1929, he married Esther Roberta Bullis of St. Paul, MN; she was a classmate at Carleton. Rev. Dr. Albert Parker Fitch performed the wedding at the Park Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York, NY.

Esther Bullis was the sixth and youngest child of John Jay and Celestia Ann (Chamberlain) Bullis. Mr. Bullis was born at Kingston, Wolfe Island, Ontario, Canada, on 9 Jul 1869, the son of John Bullis (born 5 Dec 1830 – died 9 Apr 1915) of Sheepshead, Leicestershire, England and Elizabeth Davis (born 20 June 1830 – died 1 Nov 1917) of Steuben, NY; both died in Emerson, Manitoba, Canada. John Jay Bullis married Celestia Ann Chamberlain on 1 Nov 1894 in Minneapolis, MN; she was born 11 Jan 1871 in Fort Ann, NY, the daughter of Nathanial Chamberlain (born 17 Mar 1838 – died 1881) and Mary Antoinette Smith (born 3 Jan 1844 – died Apr 1884) Chamberlain. John Jay Bullis died 31 Mar 1956 in St. Paul, MN and Celestia Ann (Chamberlain) Bullis died 7 Jul 1956 in St. Paul, MN.

Esther Roberta Bullis graduated from University High School, Minneapolis, MN, in 1923 and Carleton College, Northfield, MN, in 1927. After college she accepted a position with Webb Publishing Company and traveled throughout the United States. After her marriage, she went to work for the Rockefeller Foundation until 1932. She died 13 Jul 2001 in West Orange, NJ; her ashes are interred at Christ Episcopal Church, Short Hills, NJ.

In 1933, after 13 months of unemployment during the Great Depression, Frederick went to work for the American Iron and Steel Institute in New York, NY. He worked at the Institute for 36 years and retired in 1969.

Children of Frederick8 Augustine and Esther Roberta (Bullis) Coombs, Jr.:248

  1. Luther Coombs - Diana Basford Family Bible and other family papers in the possession of Whitney J. Coombs, Littlestown, PA.
  2. Luther Coombs - Diana Basford Family Bible and other family papers in the possession of Whitney J. Coombs, Littlestown, PA.
  3. James Edward Parsons' military discharge papers in the possession of Whitney J. Coombs, Littlestown, PA.
  4. Luther Coombs - Diana Basford Family Bible and other family papers in the possession of Whitney J. Coombs, Littlestown, PA.
  5. Anthony Coombs and His Descendants, page 138.
  6. Anthony Coombs and His Descendants, page 138.
  7. Anthony Coombs and His Descendants, page 138.
  8. Anthony Coombs and His Descendants, page 138.
  9. Luther Coombs - Diana Basford Family Bible and other family papers in the possession of Whitney J. Coombs, Littlestown, PA.
  10. Luther Coombs - Diana Basford Family Bible and other family papers in the possession of Whitney J. Coombs, Littlestown, PA.
  11. Family papers in the possession of Whitney J. Coombs, Littlestown, PA.

Next: Descendants of John2 and Lydia (Wooden) Coombs

Join Combs &c. in Support of USGenNet
— an IRS-approved nonprofit web-hosting service —

Combs &c. Research FamiliesCombs Research Group Proud Patron of USGenNetJoin USGenNet

This site is hosted by USGenNet, a nonprofit web-hosting service solely supported by tax-deductible donations. If this website has provided you with useful information, please consider making a donation to USGenNet to help keep sites like this online.

NOTICE: The Combs-Coombs &c. Research Group is a nonprofit public benefit corporation and complies fully with USGenNet's Conditions of Use. This Combs &c. Research Report has been provided for the free use of those engaged in non-commercial genealogical research by the nonprofit Combs Research Group. Any and all commercial use is strictly prohibited. Researchers are encouraged to copy and distribute this work freely, but with the proviso that it may only be copied and circulated in its entirety -- including this notice, and all sources, bibliographies and credits; and excepting electronically in which case permission is freely granted to link to this site instead. Sincerely, The Combs &c Research Group, Email: Webmaster.

© 1996-2010 Combs-Coombs &c. Research Group