In the name of God Amen: I Jno. Combs Ser. of the County and State aforesaid do ordain this my last will and testament in manner following, that is to say first I give my soul to God who gave it & my body to be decently buried ---

Item 1st Then I give to my wife Nancy Combs feather bead & furniture, one cow & calf, one hand mill, one grindstone, two plows first choice, 2 weeking hoes, 2 new ground hows, 2 club axes, one horse first choice, one riding chair & harness, one yoak of oxen & ox cart & Yoke: also I give my wife a years provision for herself and family & then I lend to my wife Nancy Combs during her natural life one negro man named Peter also a negro woman or guril her first choice and at her death I leave the same negros to be equally divided between her children & mine Viz: Meranda Combs Samul H. Combs, Eliza Ann Combs, Jno. T. Combs and Jno. Combs; also I lend to my wife Nancy all the carpenters tools during her life to go with Peter, also I give to my wife Nancy my large chest, that my name is printed on, on pr cards, first choice, 1 linnen wheel do, and after all my just debts are paid I give to her one equall share of the money & notes, that may be left on hand with the rest of my heirs, also I lend to her the plantation whereon I now live and the Liverman land joining the same during her life time & then I give the above named land to my two sons Jno. Thompson & Jno. Combs and if either of them should die without issue the land to go to the other & if both should die the same land to be divided the two youngest one Nancey's shildren & mine ---

I now give to Spencer M. Combs the plantation and land where he now lives and my exutor to give him up his bond I hold against him ---

I now give to my son Wm. N. Combs the tract of land known by the name of the Machat land the line to run through the middle of the swamp between that and the Gregory land to the Creeks ---

I now give to my son Samuel H. Combs a tract of land by the name of the Gregory land joining the Liverman land and the land given to Spencer Combs, also one feather bed of good guality ---

I now give to my daughter Morandy Combs one feather bead & furniture, one linnen wheel, one chest and if there is not in hand I will my excutors to buy them of good quality ---

I now give to my daughter Eliza Ann Combs one feather bead & furniture, one linnen wheel & one chest & if not on hand my excutors to buy them of good quality ---

I now give to my son Jno. T. Combs one feather bead & furniture & if not on hand I wish my excutors to buy them of good quality ---

I now give to my son Jno. Combs one feather bead & furniture & if not on hand I wish my excutors to buy them of good quality ---

I now leave all my chattle property not mentioned in my will to be sold by my excutors at a credit of six months and the balance of my negroes not mentioned in my will to be hired out two years and then to be equally divided amongst my living children and at the two years end I leave the money & notes that the chattle property and megros may hire for to be equally divided between my wife Nancy Combs and all my living children ---

And I hereby make and ordain my worthy friends Wm. Mann and James I. Pledger excutors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I the said Jno. Combs have to this my last will and testament set my hand and seal the day and year above written,

Signed, Seald, Published and Declard by the said testator to be his last will and testament in the presn

of us

Jno. Combs (Seal)

Witness

Benj. Sprill
Abram Alexander
F. Davenport

April Term 1840

Then was this will proved in open court by the oath of Abram Alexander one of the subscribing witness thereto. And at the same time apperd Jos. I Pledger one of the excutors and qualifid thereto - ordrd that the will be recorded.

Test Jos. Halsy Clk.

Minutes
Tyrrell County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions

January Session 1842

James I. Pledger returned the account of sale of the negro hire belonging to the estate of John Combs deceased for 1842.

April Session 1842

Ordered that Jeremiah Weskett be appointed guardian to Maranda, Samuel, Eliza, Ann & John Combs children of John Combs deceased and that he enter into bond of seven thousand dollars with James I. Pledger, James Forbes & John J. Alexander securities.

Ordered that John McClees, Benjamin Spruill & John J. Alexander audite & settle the estate of John Combs deceased with James I. Pledger executor.

North Carolina Archives
Loose Estate Papers
Tyrrell County (C.R.096.508.14), Box 14
Combs, John, 1842

Bond dated 25 Apr 1842 in the amount of seven thousand dollars appointing Jeremiah Weskett guardian to Maranda, Saml., Eliza & Jno. Combs heirs of Jno. Combs, James I. Pledger, John J. Alexander & James Forbes securities.

Petition April Term 1842 of James I. Pledger, executor of John Combs shows that he with his wife Anna in her right, Reddick Alexander and his wife Esther, Enoch Ludford and wife Polly, Spencer M. Combs, William N. Combs, Miranda Combs, Samuel H. Combs, Eliza Ann Combs and John Combs, the four last of whom are infants of tender years by their guardian Jeremiah Weskett show they are entitled in equal proportion to the following negroes viz. March, Jack, Obed, Cooper, Simon, Jefferson, Daniel, Jess, Vine, Mary, Flora, Rose & Tamer and the adults desire that their share in said negroes be set off to them in severalty.

Division of the negroes belonging to the estate of John Combs deceased on 3 May 1842 among his lawful heirs, James I. Pledger and wife Anna, Spencer Combs, Reddick Alexander and wife Easther, Enoch Ludford and wife Polly, Wm. N. Combs & Maranda Combs, Samuel Combs, John Combs & Eliza Ann Combs, by John McClees, Benjamin Spruill, John Alexander & Thomas B. Midyett at the home of James I. Pledger. Valuation as follows:
No. 1 - March - $300
No. 2 - Jack - $350
No. 3 - Cooper - $650
No. 4 - Simon - $650
No. 5 - Obed - $625
No. 6 - Jefferson - $500
No. 7 - Daniel - $475
No. 8 - Jesse - $100
No. 9 - Mary - $400
No. 10 - Flora - $390
No. 11 - Rose - $360
No. 12 - Tamer - $260
No. 13 - Vina - $10
Total valuation equal $5070 leaving each heir's share at $563.33 1/3
Jeremiah Weskett guardian to the heirs draws lot number 6 & 13 and is paid $46.67 by lot number 2 & 12 and $6.66 by lot number 1 & 11.
Jeremiah Weskett guardian to the heirs draws lot number 3 and pays $86.64 to lot number 9.
William N. Combs draws lot number 8 & 10 and is paid $61.67 by lot number 5 and $11.66 by lot number 1 & 11.
Jeremiah Weskett guardian to the heirs draws lot number 7 and is paid $78.35 by lot number 1 & 11 and $9.98 by lot number 4.
Reddick Alexander and wife draw lot number 5 and pay $61.67 to lot number 8 & 10.
Spencer M. Combs draws lot number 9 and is paid $76.69 by lot number 4 and $86.64 by lot number 3.
Enoch Ludford and wife draw lot number 1 & 11 and pay $6.66 to lot number 6 & 13 and $78.35 to lot number 7.
Jeremiah Weskett guardian to the heirs draws lot number 4 and pays $9.98 to lot number 7 and $76.69 to lot number 9.
James I. Pledger and wife draw lot number 2 & 12 and pays $46.67 to lot number 6 & 13.
$20.50 due by the heirs for the costs of the division.

Bond dated 27 Apr 1846 in the amount of eight thousand dollars appointing Jesse McClees guardian to Samuel, Maranda, Eliza Ann & John Combs, orphans of John Combs deceased, Benjamin Spruill & John Sanderson securities.

Promissory note dated 25 Jul 1847 wherein S. S. Simmons, S. H. McRae & J. W. Parker agree to pay Jesse McClees guardian of John Combs heirs on order $516.19.

Petition October Term 1847 by Ezekiel Godwin and his wife Miranda, Joseph Evans and wife Eliza, adult heirs, John Combs & Samuel Combs, infant heirs of John Combs deceased by their guardian Jesse McClees. Petitioners are tenants in common of about 6 negroes and are desirous of having a division made of said negroes, alloting the adults their shares in severalty and the infants shares in common.

Division of the negroes belonging to John Combs deceased at Fort Landing on 31 Dec 1847 by Jos. Alexander, Benjamin Spruill, John McCleese as follows:
Cooper valued at $700.
Simon valued at $700.
Jefferson valued at $700.
Daniel valued at $650.
Total of $2750 leaving $687.50 per heir.
Joseph Evans draws Daniel and has $50 coming to him.
Ezekiel Godwin draws Jefferson.
Cooper & Simon remain in the hands of Jesse McClees guardian of Samuel & John Combs.

Petition October Term 1848 by Samuel Combs and John Combs by his guardian Jesse McClees who show that they are tenants in common of two negroes and they pray the court order a division.

Petition April Term 1848 by Alexander Owens against Joseph Evans and his wife Eliza, Ezekiel Godwin and his wife Marandy, Saml. Combs & John Combs, heirs at law of John Combs Senr. deceased. Petitioned states that he lives on land on Goat Neck that is low and flat and bounded on the south by the land of the heirs of John Combs deceased, on the west by William N. Combs, on the north by the lands of the heirs of Thomas Alexander and on the east by Alligator River. Petitioned desires to drain his land and the only way that can be done is by a ditch or canal through the lands of the heirs of John Combs deceased to Alligator Creek. Petitioner prays a commission of twelve freeholders be appointed to go upon his lands and determine where the canal should lead through the lands of John Combs deceased and assess the value of the damages thereto.

Summons dated the fourth Monday in July 1848 and issued 10 Aug 1848 for Turner Cahoon and wife Nancy and Jesse McClees guardian to John Combs infant to appear in court on the fourth Monday in October next to answer the petition of A. Owens in a case in which Alexander Owens is plaintiff and Turner Cahoon & wife & others are defendants.

Division of the negroes of John Combs deceased between his heirs Samuel Combs & John Combs on 29 Dec 1848 by John McCleese, Samuel Leigh & Henry McClees as follows:
John Combs draws Cooper valued at $700.
Samuel Combs draws Simon valued at $700.

Summons dated the fourth Monday in January 1851 and issued 10 Apr 1851 for S. S. Simmons & S. H. McRae to appear at court on the fourth Monday in April next and answer unto Jesse McClees guardian of John Combs heirs to the use of Jeremiah Whedbee in a plea that they render unto him the sum of $516.19 which they owe and unjustly detain to his damage $200.

Bond dated 23 Apr 1855 in the amount of five thousand dollars appointing Benjamin S. Basnight guardian of John Combs, Benjamin A. Spruill & Thomas Swain securities.

Account of Jesse McClees as guardian to John Combs from 1847 to 1855, succeeding Jeremiah Weskett as guardian. Turner Cahoon boarded John Combs from 27 Apr 1846 through 1847 and there is an indication that John Combs was an invalid.

Transcriber's Notes:

A Nancy Cohoon, age 50, appears in the household of Samuel H. Combs, age 22, in the 1850 census, along with a John Combs, age 10. The next entry in the census is Alexander Owens. Next is Ezekiel Godwin, age 27, and Marandy Godwin, age 23. Following that is William N. Combs, age 37, and Sarah Combs, age 47. A few houses after that is Joseph Evans, age 22, and Eliza Evans, age 19. Nearby are Mary Ludford, age 38, and family whose oldest child is 13; Reddick Alexander, age 40, and Esther Alexander, age 36, and family; and Spencer Combs, age 45, and Adah Combs, age 35, and family..

Tyrrell County marriage bonds show the marriage of Redick Alexander to Esther Combs on 12 May 1830, Henry Norman Security; also Ezekiel Godwin to Maranda Combs on 28 Aug 1847, James Brickhouse security; also James Pledger to Anna Combs on 10 Mar 1825, John Combs security; also Samuel Combs to Nancy Hassell on 27 Jan 1851, Benjamin Spruill, security; also Spencer Combs to Ada Basnight on 28 Jan 1833, Amos Thoroughgood security; also Joseph Evans to Eliza Combs on 8 Mar 1846, Silby Patrick security; also John Combs to Marey C. Melson on 23 Jan 1860, Henry McClees security.

There are three marriage bonds in Tyrrell County for a John Combs in the lifetime of John Combs, deceased. One is to Ann Midyett on 26 Nov 1816, two is to Nancy Basnight on 10 Mar 1825, and three is to Nancy Midyett on an unknown date. It should be noted that Anna Pledger, probably John's oldest child, appears in the 1850 census at age 41, meaning John would have had a first marriage by about 1808.

Return to Tyrrell County Wills Introduction

Updated May 15, 2024
Jean H. Pennell