Combs &c. Families of Clay Co, IN

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Clay County was established in 1825 from Owen, Putnam, Sullivan and Vigo Cos. No Descendant Counties.

Note: Except where otherwise noted, marriage source is (Extracted by Combs Researcher Debi Kendrick from Clay County, Indiana Index to Marriage Records A-C Volume 1 1860-1920, Author: Indiana Works Progress Administration) This book contains names of groom/bride, name of spouse, date of birth, color, date of marriage, book and page number. See also Index to Combs Indiana Marriages for other counties.

The BLM Land Patent source is Combs BLM Land of Indiana.

See Also Rocky Creek Baptist Church, Parke & Clay Cos, IN

The boundaries of Clay Co, IN, as defined by government surveys, were (according to below-noted History of Clay Co, IN):

Southern border: Southern line of Twp. 9 (adj. Greene Co).
Northern border: Northern line of Twp. 13 (Parke Co).
Eastern border: Eastern Line of Range 5 (Putnam and Owen).
Western border: Western Line of Range 7 (Vigo and Sullivan).

Excerpted by Combs Researcher Debi Kendrick from “The History of Clay County" (Indiana)” in reference to earliest settlers (See Copyright Restrictions):

"In the extreme southwest part of the county, west side of Eel river, within what is now Lewis township, early settlements were made by Robert BABER (in 1822), George HOOKER, John J. LANNING. Nicholas CRIST, John STEWART, James BUCKALLEW, Daniel GOBLE, Sr., Henderson CURRY, J. W. McGREW, James MALOY, John SARVERCE, Joseph WHILES, Edward BRADEN, Samuel CHAMBERS, Joseph T. LISTON, the STARKS, the PUCKETTS, the STOUTS and others. The first of the pioneer weddings within this territory was a double one, at the home of Byrum Combs, later the Harry DALGARN place, Rev. Samuel BRILEY performing the ceremony. The couples married were Emery RODGERSON and Sallie Combs, Edward Combs and Barbara FRY."

Further identifying Lewis Twp. is the following from the same source:

"Lewis township, originally included within Harrison, became a separate organization about 1835, embracing the territory from the north line of Greene county to the Old Reservoir, about eleven miles in extent, and from Eel river to the Vigo and Sullivan. county line, an average width of four miles. The township was named for John LEWIS, who settled at a very early day and built the first cabin on the little creek just south of the site of Jasonville, which was supposed to stand on the Clay county side and within the borders of the new township, but on actual survey, found to lie within Greene county. 'Uncle John LEWIS,' as he was familiarly called, was the pioneer who could play 'Yankee Doodle' on a mowing scythe with a whetstone, which he frequently did in the time of hay harvest just to please 'the boys.'"

Apparently, it was not only Uncle John Lewis' Jasonville which was in Greene County, but also the home of Biram Combs, who appears on the 1830 Greene Co, IN census and in a History of Greene Co, IN which includes part of the above information (and more, including identifying correctly Emery as RODGERS, not RODGERSON).

07 Oct 1835 Clay Co, IN BLM Land Patents.

Combs Job (of Montgomery Co, IN) Y N Indiana 4540 Y October 7, 1835 Vincennes 1 E1/2SW 36/ 13 N 7 W N 2nd Principal 80 Clay IN0100_.005

Combs Job Y N Indiana 4541 Y October 7, 1835 Vincennes 1 SWSW 36/ 13 N 7 W N 2nd Principal 40 Clay IN0100_.006

DK Notes: Job Combs married Henrietta WILLIAMS, 1 Jul 1825 in Ripley County, Indiana (Index to Combs Marriages of Indiana). See also Montgomery Co KY, 1831, where Job and Henrietta (WILLIAMS) Combs of Montgomery County, IN received a 1/5 interest in the estate of Nathan WILLIAMS.

Note: The above land was in the northwestern corner of Clay, near the boundaries of Vigo and Parke Cos, IN.

1 Sep 1838 Clay Co, IN BLM Land Patent.

Combs Job Y N Indiana 17561 Y September 1, 1838 Vincennes 1 NWSE 21/ 12 N 7 W N 2nd Principal 40 Clay IN2170_.458

Combs Job Y N Indiana 17562 Y September 1, 1838 Vincennes 1 SESW 21/ 12 N 7 W N 2nd Principal 40 Clay IN2170_.459

Combs Job Y N Indiana 17563 Y September 1, 1838 Vincennes 1 W1/2NE 21/ 12 N 7 W N 2nd Principal 80 Clay IN2170_.460

01 Aug 1839 Clay Co, IN BLM Land Patent.

Combs Job Y N Indiana 18455 Y August 1, 1839 Vincennes 1 SENE 29/ 12 N 7 W N 2nd Principal 40 Clay IN2190_.332

Combs Michael (of Clay Co, IN) Y N Indiana 22482 Y August 1, 1839 Vincennes 1 SWSE 28/ 12 N 7 W N 2nd Principal 40 Clay IN2270_.383

25 May 1841 Clay Co, IN BLM Land Patents.

25 May 1841 Samuel STOCKWELL of Boon Co. [sic], Ky. patented 80 acres, Clay Co, IN., Township 12-N, Cert. 28767 (Source: Original Image, BLM Land Patent Database)

SE Notes: Could this Samuel STOCKWELL be related to Samuel Stockwell Combs (b. KY) of Clay Co, IN and later Delaware Co, IA? Both Samuel STOCKWELL and Samuel Combs obtained patents in 1841 in Clay Co, IN., in the same township (12-N). Samuel STOCKWELL first patented land in Rush Co, IN., in 1824. Is this Samuel STOCKWELL related to the Joseph STOCKWELL of Boone Co, Ky. and later of Ripley Co, IN., and to Mary Ann STOCKWILL that married Job Combs (or Coons) in 1823 in Boone Co, KY. Rush Co, IN is close to Wayne Co, IN. where Michael Combs married Polly EDWARDS on 1-1-1818.

May 25, 1841 Vermillion Co, IN. BLM Land. Combs, Job of Clay Co, IN. Y N Indiana 29225 Y Vincennes 1 W1/2NW 33/ 14 N 9 W N 2nd Principal 80 Vermillion IN2410_.234

14 Jan 1847. Clay Co, IN. Born: James Wilson Combs, s/o S. S. [Samuel Stockwell] and Mary PINKLEY Combs

(Combs Researcher Wesley Blank who adds that parents' names were from James Wilson Combs' wedding certificate)

WB Notes: James Wilson Combs d 20 Apr 1902 in Creighton, Knox Co, NE; married 27 Nov 1881, Greeley, Delaware Co, IA, Alma Virginia REDDEN, born 9/2/1858 in Berrien Co, MI, died 8/12/1899 in Stromsberg, Polk Co, NE. Neither he, nor his parents are on the 1850 Clay Co, IN census. Nor is Samuel of the 1841 land found in either this county, nor elsewhere in the state of Indiana.

Note: Obituary from Creighton Courier (Knox County, Nebraska) states birth year as 1848.

“In 1852, Daniel DUNLAVY was elected to the lower house and Michael COMBS to the senate, to represent the county in the first general assembly under the new constitution, which met in session, January, 1853. At this session, on the 14th day of March, a bill was passed to relocate the seat of justice for Clay county, providing for the appointment of a committee of five disinterested citizens of adjoining counties to select the site.” (See Also Copyright Restrictions)

Aug 27 1868 Clay Co, IN Marriage Records. COMBS, John W & Sarah C WOODWARD

17 Aug 1876 Clay Co, IN. Died: John COMBS a.k.a. COOMBS. Enlisted in War of 1812 in Fayette Co, PA. Married 1823 Tuscarawas Co, OH, Susannah RAMMAGE (a.k.a. Ramage) although reported in his pension file as Holmes Co, OH (descendant county). Also resided in Marion Co, IN. His widow died 4 Feb 1884, Brazil, Clay Co, IN.

More Clay Co IN Marriages

Important: All Records collected for this county may not have been added here as yet. See also the Combs Research List Archives