Morgan County undoubtedly is one of the healthiest places on earth. People seemingly here live to a greater age than any other section of the country. If people 100 years old are an evidence of a healthful climate, then citizens of Colorado should come to Morgan County for health instead of our people going to that famous health resort. In a radius of a dozen or so miles are three persons over 100 years old and a number almost to the century mark and monagenarians are getting to be no curiosity in this section; while four score years are as common almost as babies and 70 being the limit of human existence seems to have been abrogated in Morgan County. Scarce a week passes that some supple, hearty looking, red faced by slightly gray individual comes into the Democrat office on business. He looks to be 60 or 70 years old but in conversation he becomes reminiscent and talks about voting for or against Harrison in 1840 and, our curiosity being aroused, a question as to age elicits the reply, "Oh, I am only 83." This happens so frequently that we are beginning to look upon 80 years as simply a man's prime in Morgan County. Without exaggeration we believe we have fully 50 subscribers over 80 years of age in this county who come regularly each year to the office and walk up the famous winding stairs like boys, and pay their subscriptions. When a boy the writer can remember when he looked upon a man 40 years of age as quite an old man. Today a man 80 years old seems no older to us than a man at 40 when a boy in school. It is an old but true adage that no one is old but those who are older than ourselves. We know men in Morgan County who are hovering around four score years who would be grievously insulted if you suggested to them that they are old.

But while there are a great number of people in Morgan County over 80 years of age, yet it is not often that you find more than one in a family that reach this great age. The HANN family is an exception to this rule. An account of this remarkable family was published in the Democrat some months ago. Since that time the oldest one of the four brothers has died at the age of 89. The three that are still living are 78, 83, and 87. But this family is exceptional. Usually you do not find two of the same family living at an age as great as 80 years. But we have one case in Morgan County of two brothers living and both are 86. This is the most wonderful coincidence of the whole matter. They are twins. Twins are unusual at any age. Twins 80 years of age are curiosities. But twins like the subject of this sketch, who are almost 87 years of age, are marvels in any country. We refer to B.H. COMBS, Woodgrove and N.A. COMBS of Bristol, Morgan County. They are the oldest twins living in Ohio and so far as we are able to learn are the oldest in America.

How strange it is that we have in our midst men who deserve a national reputation and yet their nearest neighbors give the matter no thought, never considering that kind Providence has wrought wonders in sparing the life of these aged twins until today there is not a parallel case to be found in Ohio and few in this or any other country. The writer has made publication of this fact in many of the leading dailies of the United States and has watched closely to see if any section of the country has twins of greater age living but there has been no such report and our assertion has stood for months uncontradicted so that we are convinced that the Combs brothers can carry off the first prize in any exhibition of aged twins in this or any adjoining state. This being true a sketch of the lives of these aged citizens will be read with interest of our patrons.

Burr Harrison COMBS and Nimrod Ashby COMBS are of a family of 10 children and are sons of Robert and Nancy COMBS and were born in Loudon [Loudoun] County, Virginia, January 12, 1815. Their mother's maiden name was SEARS, and aunt of the father of Rev. William SEARS of McConnelsville [Morgan Co, OH]. The 10 children in the order of their birth were George Washington, who died while small; Sarah MCNABB, who died in eastern Morgan; Joseph P., who died in Illinois; Robert M., who died in Meigs County, Ohio; John Morgan, who died in Noble County, Ohio; Burr H. and Nimrod A.; William Henry, who died in Pike County, and Alexander Warren and Mary Ellen who both died when quite small.

On April 1, 1825, the family emigrated to Ohio. By looking on the map the reader will observe that Loudon County, Virginia is in the famous Shenandoah Valley near the Potomac River. Then consider that the hundreds of miles from that place to Morgan Co, Ohio, was largely unbroken forests and one will realize the difficulty and hardships of such a long journey. The subjects of this sketch were 10 years old at the time and distinctly remember many circumstances of the long drive. It required 11 days to reach Wheeling and from that point on the Ohio river to the point in the wilderness where they expected to locate was even more difficult to travel at that time, as there were no regular roads and but few settlers to direct the way. Think of the weeks of loneliness and trials these emigrants must have endured, and the dangers of camping out at night with no human habitation for miles around and no company but the wild animals of the forest.

They had four horses and one cow. In crossing the Potomac on a flat boat the cow went under the boat and they supposed that she would be drowned but she came up on the other side and was rescued and brought to shore. They spent some time at Wrightstown in Belmont county where the SEARS family had located. Then bade adieu to friends and started on through the forest and after many weary days and much difficulty in finding the way, they finally arrived in Morgan county.

A quarter section of land was entered in Manchester township. This land was virgin forest. It had probably not changed one iota since Columbus made his first landing in America. There was not even a bridle-path. Most of the surrounding land was government land without human habitation and an almost unbroken forest extended four miles in every direction. The family at once set to work to cut down logs and build a house. It was difficult work at first as the father was inexperienced in clearing and the primitive methods of preparing logs for the house that must serve as a home. Having so many boys, they did most of the work themselves and did not receive the usual assistance from the few settlers about them. Mr. B.H. COMBS tells us that his father knew so little of how to clear land that he at first rolled the logs together in immense piles as high as a house and then burned them and that it made such an intense heat that all the ground underneath was ruined for crops for several years.

The father brought with him several hundred dollars in gold but like most of the early settlers was not far seeing in the matter of finance and instead of investing the money in land permitted it to lie idle about the house or loaned it without interest. In the days of these early settlers it was considered a disgrace to loan money at interest. B. H. COMBS says that he remembers his father loaning a considerable sum to Erastus HOSKINS, a merchant near where Hoskinsville now is, and that HOSKINS had great difficulty in inducing him to accept some clothing which he gave him as a return for the favor. The quarter section now known as the WALLS farm a half mile up Meigscreek from Woodgrove, which is one of the richest farms in Morgan County, was offered him at one dollar per acre but the father preferred to let the money lay idle in the home. He already had more than he could get cleared for many years. Robert COMBS, the father, was a great raiser of wheat and trained his boys to hard labor in the fields, The work necessary to clear and prepare the land was so arduous that the children were deprived of all educational advantages. Yet B.H. and his twin brother are men of intelligence, in fact the former, who is the more active, has traveled extensively and is far better informed than many who are able to read and write. He is a close observer of modern improvements in all kinds of machinery and can talk more intelligently of 19th century progress and inventions that the great majority of people one meets.

One of the difficult matters with the early settlers was to get their milling done. The grain was carried in sacks on horseback to the mill. The nearest mill at first was the Beach mill below Beverly and the Lyons mill beyond Caldwell. B.H. COMBS says he went to the latter mill once when a boy and the grinding was so slow and there being several ahead of him, he was compelled to stay two nights and as he had to feed his horse from the sack, it eat the grist nearly all up before he got back home. Later Thomas DYE started a horse mill on what is now the REED farm near Renrock. Another great difficulty with the early settlers, in fact for some time an impossibility was to secure sawed lumber. The first used were slabs split out and dressed down by hand. The first saw mill in the community was the Bill SHERMAN mill located on what is now the Dr. E.D. REX farm.

In the B.H. COMBS home is an old leather bound bible that was purchased away back in the pioneer days of Mutchmore, a man who by traveling about and selling books to the early settlers did more for that and all succeeding generations to elevate the morals and increase the intelligence of the people than probably and person who ever resided in this county. This family heirloom gives a record of the Combs family. From it we secure the following facts: Robert COMBS was born 18 February 1779, and Nancy SEARS 13 September 1784. They were married 31 October 1804 [Loudoun Co, VA]. The latter died 18 February 1839. Afterward Robert COMBS was married to Lucinda SEALOCK. To this union three children were born, two died in infancy, the other a daughter, is Mrs. Nancy SHUSTER, wife of Henry SHUSTER of Reinersville. Robert COMBS died 6 May 1851 and he and his first wife are buried in the old Dye Cemetery near Renrock [Noble Co, OH].

Burr H. COMBS, one of the twins, has resided on the original Combs farm, with the exception of a very short time following his marriage, for the entire time since the land was entered, or 76 years [ca 1825]. On March 5, 1840, he was married to Sarah WESCOTT. To them were born eight children, all now living but one. The children in order are: Nancy Ellen, wife of Leander BECKETT, of Hiramsburg, Noble Co.; Mary A., wife of Alexander WILSON; Maria Jane, wife of Ezekiel DYE, who resided in Iowa; Sylvester W. of Noble county; Robert A. of Anita [Cass Co], Iowa; Henry C. the well known Republican leader of Manchester township; Sarah W., wife of John DRAKE of Wellston [Jackson Co, OH]; and John C., the youngest, who resides with his father on the home place. Mrs. Mary WILSON, the second child, died at Paris [Washington Co], Pennsylvania, 4 April 1880. Mr. B.H. COMBS has 21 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. The latter is a boy, two years old, son of Mrs. Mary YOUNG of Chicago [Cook Co, IL]. She is a daughter of Sarah, wife of Ezra CALDWELL, and Mrs. CALDWELL is a daughter of Mrs. BECKETT. Mr. COMBS has a large picture of the five generations framed and hanging in his room. Mr. B.H. COMBS' wife died 2 February 1900 and lies at rest in the Reinersville cemetery.

N.A. COMBS, the other twin, was never so active as his brother and always gave as a reason for Burr's superior strength that he is the older. In August, 1838, he was married to Margaret SEALOCK, better known as Peggy, the name she always was known by. To them were born four children all of whom are living as follows: Burr H., William, John and Susan whose first husband was Philip KEEVER. After his death she married William CLYBURN and now resides at Wellston. We are informed that N.A. COMBS has four grandchildren and one great grandchild. N.A. COMBS' wife was a sister of his father's second wife and thus an odd relationship existed between the children of the two families, Mrs. Henry SHUSTER being a cousin and aunt of N.A. COMBS, died August 28, 1895 and is interred at Reinersville. Right here we wish to pay a high tribute of respect to the memory of this kind hearted woman. When a boy the N.A. COMBS residence was the nearest house to our place and many pleasant hours have we spent at their hospitable home. Mr. COMBS was a cobbler [shoemaker] by trade and he and his wife, were tireless talkers. Neither the pegging on of a shoe sole, nor the ceaseless talk of his wife, Peggy, interred in the least with the loquacity of our friend, Nimrod. We have set by hours between them and carried on two sets of conversations on subjects in no way related, all at one time with all a boy's interest in each topic under consideration. It was a schooling in mental application that we believe has been of inestimable benefit to us ever since. It accounts for our ability to talk to a loafer in our office while all the time pondering over the need of a tariff on goods we ship abroad until the seat of our pants shines like the dome of the National Capitol. But to return to the subject in hand. Mrs. COMBS was a great lover of flowers and her garden was always in summer a bower of beautiful colors. She would show us the different varieties, tell their names and and explain their pecularities and in that garden, through the interest taken in us by that kind- hearted woman, who is now gone from earth, we formed a love of nature and its beauties and wonders that has ever since been one of the strongest attributes of our being. So long as the writer lives the kindness of that woman, who was always the friend of children, will never be forgotten.