Phoebe R (Wills) Combs (1861 - 1931)

Born 27 Nov 1861 in Pulaski, Virginia, United States

Died 20 Nov 1931 at age 69 in Alum Springs, Pulaski, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Phoebe was born on 27 November, 1861, most likely in Pulaski County, Virginia.

Phoebe married John Combs, widower, on 2 November 1883 in Pulaski, Virginia. This record identifies her as "Phoebe K A Wills". ^[1]

Phoebe died on 20 November 1931 in Alum Springs, Pulaski, Virginia. She was buried in Hunter Cemetery. ^[2]

Information from US Federal Census Records

1870: Sulphur Springs Township, Hillsville Post Office, Carroll County, Virginia, June 1870: Forty year old Samuel Shockley's occupation is chair maker with personal property valued at $200. His wife, fifty year old Candace, takes care the home and children. The complete family living in the home at this time is as follows:

Samuel Wills- M- 40- Virginia

Candis A Wills- F- 50- Virginia

Washington Wills- M- 13- Virginia

Aulina Wills- F- 11- Virginia-

Phoebe Wills- F- 9- Virginia

Marion Wills- M- 7- Virginia ^[3]

1880: Phoebe is living away from her family in Walker's Creek, Giles, Virginia, and working as a laborer on a farm owned by a Johnston family. She was 18 years old at the time, with an estimated birth year of 1862. Here is the household lineup: J W Johnston Self M 41 Virginia, United States M C Johnston Wife F 40 Virginia, United States J P Johnston Father M 84 Ireland Phebe Wills Other F 18 Virginia, United States J F Meadows Nephew M 4 Tennessee, United States ^[4]

1900: Phoebe and her children are living in Pulaski Magisterial District of Pulaski, Virginia. She is head of house, which she owns, can read and write, and this record also states that Phoebe had four children and that all four are living.

Name- Age

Phoeba Combs- 28

Nettie Combs- 15

Georgia Combs- 14

Vergie Combs- 12

Henry Combs- 9 ^[5]

1910: Phoebe is still head of house, with her eighty four year old father in the home. His name is transcribed incorrectly as Sam Mills, but if one looks at the handwritten record it is definitely Wills. Here is the complete family at the time:

Phebe Combs- 45

Sam F Mills- 84

Nettie M Combs- 25

R Harry Combs- 19 ^[6]

1920, Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia: Phoebe is living in the home of her daughter, thirty two year old Georgia Eaton and Georgia's daughter, Rubie Eator. Phoebe is fifty eight years old. ^[7]

1930, Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia: sixty eight year old Phoebe is still living with her daughter Georgia. Georgia's daughter is there also with her husband Cornen M Cunningham. ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Source Information Ancestry.com. Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014. Original data: Virginia, Marriages, 1785-1940. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
2. ↑ Citing this Record "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKH-TZZM : 11 July 2016), Phebe R. Wills Combs, 1931; Burial, Alum Springs, Pulaski, Virginia, United States of America, Hunter's Cemetery; citing record ID 35762570, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
3. ↑ Citing this Record "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFLL-ZX4 : 12 April 2016), Phoebe Wills in household of Samuel Wills, Virginia, United States; citing p. 6, family 39, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 553,138.
4. ↑ Citing this Record "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC5Q-Y7C : 15 July 2017), Phebe Wills in entry for J W Johnston, 1880; citing enumeration district ED 34, sheet 82B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d), roll 1367; FHL microfilm 1,255,367.
5. ↑ Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Pulaski, Pulaski, Virginia; Page: 15; Enumeration District: 0049; FHL microfilm: 1241724 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
6. ↑ Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Pulaski, Pulaski, Virginia; Roll: T624_1643; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0051; FHL microfilm: 1375656 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.
7. ↑ Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Bluefield Ward 5, Mercer, West Virginia; Roll: T625_1963; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 80 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City).
8. ↑ Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Bluefield, Mercer, West Virginia; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 0036; FHL microfilm: 2342280 source Information Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.