===================================================================== Match: Bowles Source: NYSTLAWR-L@rootsweb.com From: pbperazzo@comcast.net Subject: Re: John W. Combs This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Combs, McEwen, McDonald, Mitchell, Rutherford, Hicks, Calhoun, Bowles Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/2RB.2ACE/3290.1.1 Message Board Post: Hello: Below is further information on John W. Combs, his wife and family. If he turns out to be a part of your family, you might be interested in his sculptors and further history. In a month or so I will be putting images on our web site of some of John Combs' family, sculptors, and quarrying. Peggy Descendants of John William Combs Compiled by Peggy B. Perazzo, Website: Stone Quarries and Beyond <http://www.cagenweb.com/quarries/> 1. JOHN WILLIAM1 COMBS was born Abt. 1841 in New York State(1), and died 14 May 1922 in San Francisco, S.F. Co., CA(2). Notes for JOHN WILLIAM COMBS: "Pen Pictures from the Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California," 1888. "John W. Combs born in New York State. His father, who was noted for his skills as a mechanic, died in Mr. Comb's boyhood...he never attended school except for 14 months. He started life as a butcher boy, which led him to study the forms and structure of animals, and having natural taste for art, he one day asked a marble cutter for a block of marble, and taking it into his room, he procured an old chisel and mallet, and while setting up with his sick mother, cut the figure of a lamb out of it. He started to learn the trade of marble cutter at 17 years of age, and soon became very expert in figure carving. "Although he never took lessons in art, he has made many pieces, busts, and faces in basso-relievo from photographs...One of his pieces was a basso-relievo of Pope Leo which sold at a Catholic fair for $150. Other pieces have been valued much higher, among them the bust of ex-senator Henry C. McEwen of Dixon, Salina County.* His figure work has taken numerous prizes at fairs and exhibitions." (* "Salina County" should probably be "Solano County.") The following information on his marriages and family is from his granddaughter, Ruth Combs Edvalson: ’ÄúMr. Combs married in Ogdensburg, New York. He lost his wife in 1865, who died leaving two sons and a daughter. Mr. Combs married his present wife in the same city on January 19, 1867. His two sons are both superior workmen in marble. John Combs’Äô first wife was Catherine McDonald the daughter of Ann and Rory McDonald. She was born in Inverness, Scotland March 15, 1836. John William and Catherine were married the 3rd of January 1855 in Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence county, New York. The children of John W. and Catherine Combs were all born in Ogdensburg, New York: John William Jr., born 5 June 1856, died 22 Jan. 1858, Fannie, born 11 Jan. 1853. Married Melvin Mitchell and died 11 Feb. 1922, Angus W., born 12 June 1861. Married Emma L. Kate and died 25 Dec. 1927, John Albert, born 22 Mar. 1863 (never married), died 20 Feb. 1914 in San Diego, Cal., of stonecutters’Äô dust; buried by a friend. ’ÄúJohn William Combs’Äô second wife was Frances M. Rutherford, born 27 April 1841 in Edwardsburg, Canada West. They were married 9 January 1866 in Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County, New York. They had no children. Her mother’Äôs name was Jannett Rutherford. The mother Jannett died in San Jose 12 October 1887, age 86 years and 27 days. She was also the mother of Mrs. J. Hicks. Her funeral was held 13 October 1887 at 2:00 in the United Presbyterian Church, corner of Santa Clara and Fifth streets, San Jose, California. (funeral notice in possession of Ruth Combs Edvalson) ’ÄúJohn William Combs’Äô third wife was Oreta Calhoun, born 11 July 1862 in Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky, born to James Caldwell Calhoun and Mary Elizabeth Bowles. They had five children.’Äù Endnotes 1. 1890 Santa Clara County, CA, Great Register of Voters. 2. California Death Index.