Last updated
You are Our Visitor.
Please Email Additions/Corrections to Webmaster


Bedford Co, Tennessee was established in 1807 from Rutherford County, Tennessee, and that same year, Franklin was established from Bedford & Warren (est. in 1807 from White). In 1809, Lincoln County, Tennessee was established from Bedford, and in 1836, Coffee Co, was established from Bedford, Franklin and Warren.


1793Lincoln County is bounded on the north by the counties of Marshall, Bedford, and Moore; on the east by Moore and Franklin; on the south by the State of Alabama; and on the west by Giles County. It lies almost wholly within the central basin of Middle Tennessee…As early as 1784 land explorers passed through this section, and some surveys were made and grants issued prior to 1790. North Carolina grants for land in the county were issued to John HODGE, Robert WALKER and Jesse COMB in 1793. There are also land grants recorded in the office of Lincoln County Register, bearing date of 1794, to the following persons: William SMITH, Elizabeth W. LEWIS, Ezekiel NORRIS, William EDMONSON, Alexander GREER, Thomas PERRY, Thomas EDMONSON, Matthew BUCHANAN, Matthew McCLURE, Andrew GREER and John STEELE.

(Extracted by Combs Researcher Nancy Tyrrell Theodore from a reprint of “Lincoln County - History of Tennessee” by Goodspeed Publishing Co. 1886 p. 767-784)

Notes: See Combs-Edmondson Connections in Surry NC and Russell VA) Also note that in 1793 this land would have been Indian Land until 1803 when it became part of Rutherford County, Tennessee, then in 1807, Bedford Co, TN (See also both Lincoln Co and Combs of Frontier Tennessee)


28 Jul 1807 (Logan Co, Kentucky Book B, pg 53) Power of Attorney. Jesse W. Combs appoints friend John MOSS who is from Warren Co, KY as his atty in fact to draw in TN warrents for land to which Combs is entitled, etc. (Logan County, Ky Deed Abstracts 1792-1813 by Joyce Martin Murray extracted by Combs Researcher Debi Kendrick)

20 May 1811 (Logan Co, Kentucky Book C, p. 275) Indenture. Samuel SUMMERS & wife Nancy SUMMERS of Bedford Co., TN, one part, & Samuel G. HITE & Absalom CHISUM, who act as Trustees for Society of people called Shakers on Gaspers river, other part, $610 paid by Samuel & Absalom, convey for the use of the Society to which they now belong, a tract on Clear fork of said river, beginning in line of Andrew BLAIR & adjacent land of Jesse COMB. Witn: Samuel ROBINSON, Francis A. WHITE, Phillip HOOPER (Logan County, Ky Deed Abstracts 1792-1813 by Joyce Martin Murray extracted by Combs Researcher Debi Kendrick)

Notes: Not known yet if the above records refer to land still in Bedford or land that fell into Lincoln County, Tennessee as noted above; however, see also: (a) Winnifred Combs who m (1) Samuel SUMNER; m (2) Robert HICKS (Dickey Diary & Clay Co, Kentucky); (b) Combs-Moss Families of Washington Co, Virginia; and (c) Logan Co, Kentucky; and Combs-Chisholm-Dodson Families of White County, Tennessee. Also note that a Jesse Combs is found in Lincoln County, Tennessee in 1830.


1820 US Census Index, Bedford Co, TN

p. 30
Richard HORN

p. 53
John Combs 210011 02101

Notes: See Richard HORN of Surry NC; See Sarah, d/o a Richard HORN, who m William RIDGE, Jr. of Jackson & White Cos, TN, s/o William & Winnifred Combs Ridge, Sr. of Surry Co, North Carolina.

Note2: John Combs (also below 1830 census) is most likely the son of William (d. 1791) and Ann Churton Combs of Orange Co., North Carolina. He married Elizabeth Watson in Orange Co. in 1791, and like several members of this family-- my ancestor, Eleanor "Nelly" Combs Trice, and their sister Elizabeth Combs Mitchell-- migrated to Bedford Co. c. 1816-1817. (Source?) Tom Trice: email


1830 US Census, Bedford Co, TN

P. 34:
Joshua TOWNSEN 211001012001-

P. 60:
John Combs 10010101-00000001

Notes: Who IS this? Assuming this John Combs is the eldest male in the HH, he is 50-60 years of age (1770-1780) and the female is 60-70 years of age (1760-1770) The surnames in HH'S on either side of his are RADFORD and PULLEN. The only nearby name that is particularly familiar is that of a Peter HAYS [HAYES], with stats: 1012001-1131011 (See Combs-Hayes of Wilkes Co, North Carolina). No CODY, HORN, RIDGE, or STACY in the county this census year, and no SUMNER nearby (a John on p. 127). Joshua TOWNSEN included due to Joshua TOWNSEND-TOUSON w/William Combs of Wilkes Co, North Carolina. See Also Franklin County, Tennessee re Townsend.


1840 US Census Index, Bedford Co, TN

No Combs


1850 US Census, Bedford Co, TN

No Combs listed by Sistler; however, the census index includes:

23rd Civil District

p. 44

John KOOME

Notes: The 1840 and earlier census enumerations have not yet been checked for these variant spellings. Also of possible interest:

7th Civil District

p. 286

044 BROWN, William 47 NC
Jane G. 41 GA
(BROWN children: Sophrinia P., Benjam S., Marissa J., James P., Rufus L., William, Elbert, Laura A.)
SUMMERS, Samuel H. 22
Mary L. 20
Sally Ann 2

Notes: This Samuel SUMNER is too young to have been the same to whom Jesse Combs sold land in 1811; however, his being in a BROWN HH may be significant given the RW BROWNS of Hawkins & Warren Cos TN; the Brown-Combs Families of Perry Co, Kentucky, and the same in Overton County, Tennessee


See Also RW Soldier Samuel HAND whose migration was Union Dist SC (enlistment) to Washington Co, TN, back to York Dist SC, then to Pulaski Co, Kentucky, then to Bedford County, Tennessee "a few months," then to Rutherford Co, TN, then to Warren Co, TN (before 1820). and see Combs-Hand Families of Surry NC.


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