1773 (Fauquier MB5:100) John Combs, Jr., termed "son of John" was indicted for cohabiting with "Sarah LUTTRELL, daughter of Richard LUTTRELL." (Fauquier Families, 1759-1799, Index to Fauquier Co, VA Records)

We do not yet know why John Combs, Jr. of Fauquier and Sarah LUTTRELL did not marry. It does not appear that she was already married (unless she had previously married someone also surnamed LUTTRELL?); nor have we located yet any record indicating that John Combs, Jr. of Fauquier was already married. That some kind of bar to the marriage existed, whether legal, religious, etc., seems probable given the records that follow, which also document that at some time between 1773 and ca 1777, John and Sarah LUTTRELL Combs, Jr. did marry:

6/7 Oct 1780 - 28 May 1781 (Fauquier Co., VA WB 1 - p. 418) Nuncupative Will of John Combs, Junior Date: 7 Oct. 1780. "We Original YOUNG and Ennis Combs did on the seventh of this instant attend John Combs, Jun'r. in his sickness and at the request of the said John Combs I the said Original YOUNG was desired of by the said John Combs to write his Will and the said Enis Combs present he appeared to be in his senses at the time and desired his Estate to be divided as followeth, that is to say that all his lands to be equally divided between his two Sons and four daughters namely Nimrod Combs alias LUTTRELL and John Combs and all his other Estate to be equally divided betwen his two Sons and four daughters namely Nimrod Combs alias LUTTRELL, John Combs, Hetheland Combs alias LUTTRELL, Betty Combs, Heland Combs alias LUTTRELL, and Sarah Combs. the land to be divided so Nimrod Combs alias LUTTRELL to have his one half, so as he to enjoy the dwelling house of the said deceased John Combs. And that his said Wife Sarah Combs was by his request to enjoy all the land and Negers together with all other of his Estate during her Widowhood or life and then to be divided as before mentioned. And that before I the said Original YOUNG had wrote the said Will the said John Combs got out of his senses and so died. Exors: Wife Sarah together with Joseph Combs and Enis should be Executors.
S/Original YOUNG, Enis Combs.

I do hereby certify that Original YOUNG and Enis Combs came personally before me William BLACKWELL and made oath that it contained the last Will of the said John Combs, Jun'r. who died on the 6th day of October 1780.
/s/ W. BLACKWELL.

Proved: 28 May 1781 oath of Original YOUNG and Ennis Combs. Sarah Combs made oath and granted cert. for obtaining letters of administration.

(Abstracts of Fauquier County, Virginia, Wills, Inventories and Accounts 1759-1800, John K. Gott, 1972)

It is probable (currently being analyzed by LUTTRELL researchers) that Sarah LUTTRELL Combs was the daughter of the Richard LUTTRELL who follows:

27 Sep 1764 - 25 May 1766 (Fauquier WB1:95) Will of Richard LUTTRELL names sons, James, Michael, Samuel, John, Richard and Robert LUTTRELL; daughters: Untstips(?) LUTTRELL, Mary LUTTRELL, Catherine CORUM, Sarah LUTTRELL (a tract of land); grandaughter, Mary CORUM; wife Mary; wife and sons Richard and Robert LUTTRELL named Exrs. Wits: Edward LAWERENCE, Sr., Edward LAWERENCE, Jr., Richard LAWERENCE.

The land inherited by Sarah LUTTRELL Combs may have been the following:

10 Sep 1764 - 26 May 1766 (Fauquier WB1:95) Will of Richard LUTTRELL. to his daughter Mary, 80 acres, part of land lying on the west side of Rocke Run bounded by WOOD'S, DEARMON'S and PETER'S lines and the ridge path that goes from John Combs' to John NELSON'S.

(Researcher Danny Luttrell, wdluttre@lanmail.rmc.com)

There appears to have been no animosity between the Combs and LUTTRELL families. When Michael LUTTRELL, son of the above Richard, signed his will on 16 Mar 1776 in Fauquier, one of the witnesses was a John Combs. (Fauquier WB1:351). Likewise, when John Combs, Sr. of Stafford signed his will, he openly acknowledged his grandchildren, both LUTTRELL and Combs -- although adhering strictly to the laws of primogeniture (eldest lawful son inherits). Likewise, based on both the will of John Combs, Sr., and the fact that John Combs, Jr. chose his brothers, Joseph and Ennis to be co-executors, Sarah, was in good standing with her husband's family - and in fact, in 1787, Sarah and her brother-in-law Ennis Combs are listed adjacent to each other on the Fauquier Co, VA personal property tax list.

(1787 Census of VA, Fauquier Co, VA, Nettie Schreiner-Yantis, 1987)

Given that Sarah was designated by the courts as Sarah LUTTRELL, daughter of Richard LUTTRELL, it would appear that she had no earlier marriage that would have barred them from marrying. Did John have an earlier marriage? If so, no record of it has been located, and there was no surviving male issue given his father's statement that his grandson John Combs, son of John, deceased was his lawful heir (also documenting that sd. John Combs was eldest lawful son of John Combs, Jr.). However, something must have kept them from marrying. Could the answer lie in the phrase in John Sr.'s will: "tho not christened?" Not christened by whom? If not a lawful bar to marriage, possibly a religious? From 1740 to 1751, the births of the children of Mason Combs, Sr. of Stafford (whose relationship to Joseph Combs I of Stafford remains unknown), were recorded in the Overwharton Parish Register. Aquia Church served Overwharton Parish, and Joseph Combs I of Stafford resided on Aquia Creek of Overwharton Parish. Yet in all the years he is known to have lived there (from at least 1723-1756) Not One Single Birth of a child of Joseph's was recorded; and only one marriage -- that of his daughter Jane Combs to Capt. John ASHBY, the latter of a family heavily recorded in the Overwharton Parish Register.

Given the proximity of Joseph Combs I of Aquia Creek in Overwharton Parish to Aquia church, was it not probable that he was not Church of England, but of another faith? One about which he felt so strongly that he refused to record the births of his children in the Parish Register -- with his sons, John Sr. and Joseph Jr. following suit? That, of course, raises the question of which religion? Thus far, we have found no evidence that he or his children were Quakers; however, no early Quaker records seem to be extant for Stafford County either. Other of Joseph Combs' neighbors, most obviously the BRENT Family were staunch Roman Catholics; however, no records of Joseph as a Catholic have been located either. There were apparently Combs and/or Combs In-Laws (hereinafter Combs &c) in Maryland who were Quakers, and there were most certainly Catholic Combs in MD, including Combs &c Families who were associated with the BRENT family of Maryland and Stafford Counties, Virginia.

Researcher Josiah H. Combs was originally of the belief that the Virginia Combs Families, including that of Joseph Combs I of Stafford were 'staunch communicants' of the Anglican Church. However, he later publicly withdrew from that position in an article in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography (Genealogies of Virginia Families, Vol. II, p. 302, GPC, Baltimore), apparently at the behest of other Combs researchers. Josiah H. Combs also apparently foresook the Combs of Nelson Co, KY based primarily on his belief that the Combs of that county were all "Catholic COOMBES of MD" and therefore nothing to do with 'our Combs' (the Combs of Stafford Co, Virginia).

Note: That the Combs of Nelson County, Kentucky included large numbers of Catholics is not disputed; however, early marriage records of that county are extant, including the minister and his faith, and document that at best perhaps half the Combs in the county were Catholic.

Descendants of John and Sarah LUTTRELL Combs, Jr.

Nimrod Combs alias LUTTRELL

See New report.

John Combs

No mention of John in Sarah Luttrell Combs' will (Fauquier Co VA WB13, 1832-1835)

Hetheland Combs alias LUTTRELL

According to Sarah Luttrell Combs' will (Fauquier Co VA WB13, 1832-1835); Behethelon Cummins; grandson John C. Cummins appointed executor; witness Elijah Cummins

Betty Combs

According to Sarah Luttrell Combs' will (Fauquier Co VA WB13, 1832-1835); Betsy Hopper; [John Hooper, marriage record in Fauquier Co VA 27 Jan 1800]

Heland Combs alias LUTTRELL (Helen?)

No mention of Heland in Sarah Luttrell Combs' will (Fauquier Co VA WB13, 1832-1835)

Sarah Combs

According to Sarah Luttrell Combs' will (Fauquier Co VA WB13, 1832-1835); Sally Cooper; A Julia Cooper was also given some money in Sarah Luttrell Combs' will, "as a compensation to her for her trouble with me", possibly a granddaughter?

1730 Will of Michael DERMONT Sr Grandfather of Sarah LUTTRELL

To John Combs, Sr.
To Combs Marriages