Hannibal Harrison Coombs (1810 - 1881)

Born 28 Aug 1810 in Clark, Indiana, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine Newland — married 4 Jan 1830 in Washington Co., IN (Lic.)

Husband of Rachel Hougland — married 14 Mar 1837 in Clark Co., IN

Descendants

Died 1 Oct 1881 at age 71 in Clark, Indiana, United States

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1830 • Washington, Indiana, USA:

1850 U.S. Census, Clark Co., IN

Charlestown Township, Page 226

Dwelling 326, Family 326, Lines 25 - 33

22 September 1850

Coombs, Hanabal 40 M

Coombs, Rachel 33 F

Coombs, Nancy 19 F

Coombs, Hannah 18 F

Coombs, Margaret 12 F

Coombs, Benj F. 10 M

Coombs, Maria C 08 F

Coombs, Mary 06 F

Coombs, Hannibal Jr. 03 M

1860 U.S. Census, Clark Co., IN

Page 75, Union Township

Lines 22 - 27, Dwelling 565, Family 555

Coombes, Hannibal H. M 49 W IN

Coombes, Rachel F 42 W IN

Coombes, Benjamin F. M 20 W IN

Coombes, Maria C. F 17 W IN

Coombes, Hannibal J. M 13 W IN

Coombes, Joel S. M 09 W IN

The 1870 census shows the family is still living in Union township, Clark county.

1880 U.S. Census, Clark Co., IN

Union Township, Page 260, Lines 07 - 11

Sheet 5, Supervisor's District 2, Enumeration District 35

Enumerated June 5, 1880 by Andrew Jackson Hawes

Coombs, Hannible W F 69 Head Married Farmer IN PA

Coombe, Rachael W F 63 Wife Married Keeping House IN KY

Clark, Pauline W F 16 G Dau Single At School IN IN Attended School Within Year

Era, Rachael W F 14 G Dau Single At School Canada NY IN Attended School Within Year

Shellers, John W M 24 Singel Works on Farm OH Prussia Prussia Attended School Within Year

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I, Alone Remember by Lucile Carr Marshall

Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, IN, 1956 Pages 296-298

Rachel was not related to our family. That she was called "Aunt" by the community as a whole was somewhat remark-able. The women who bore the title, like my grandmother, Aunt Nancy, lived in dignity in their well-established homes. It was a title denoting respect. Rachel had never married and was something of a roamer. Her life was one of adventure and lacked conventionality. Yet she was highly regarded or she would never have been called "Aunt." Her morality was not questioned in the slightest degree. If it had been, she would not have received the glad welcome she was given in many homes.

Her visits to any family began with the excitement of sud-den surprise. One never knew when she would ride up to a horse block throw her saddlebags over her shoulder, and step down. The length of her stay, on the other hand, was pretty well fixed. For approximately five weeks she continued to be talkative and eager. Then, one morning she would seem to grow restless, gather up her belongings, and direct one of the boys to catch her horse. The lad who was addressed with a crisp, "Calculate you can round up my critter, Bub?", felt honored. Father had been too young ever to be singled out for this distinction, but Uncle recalled that he had brought in the horse on one occasion.

Rachel rode by day or night. Sometimes she followed the untraveled trails where the wilderness lingered and sometimes she threaded her way through canebrakes near the Ohio where the bravest men hesitated to ride alone. She knew everybody, even the old-time Indians who returned periodically to fish on the river.

For the most part it was of other people and their affairs that Rachel talked. That she gave but meager glimpses of herself possibly added to the interest she commanded. Why she came to Indiana Territory, where a brother had preceded her, was a question she left unanswered. Nor did she throw any light on whether or not she had ever had a lover or a romance.

From household to household Rachel carried gossip. No eagerness in unfolding a newspaper was ever greater than the eagerness with which people waited for Rachel to tell the news. When an old person had died, she repeated his last words with a full sense of drama. She recounted the circum-stances that led up to every baptizing. and every wedding. She knew the bark that Aunt Melie Drummond used in making the dye that never faded, how Aunt Sally Coombs pickled her pork, and what Aunt Mollie Beggs added to her persimmon preserves to make them so tasty.

One experience of her own she told. At times it almost seemed as if she came for the very purpose of relating this in-cident, since usually, it was only a matter of a day or so after the telling that she called for her horse and rode away. Until the right moment she dodged every opening and ignored every hint. Then, choosing a time when all the family was present, she began her tale. She gave the account in the same manner always, never embroidering upon it or adding to it. Thus it became as authentic as verified history. It concerned the Pigeon Roost Massacre of 1812 which occurred well back from the Ohio River in what is now Scott County, Indiana. Somehow or other Rachel, then a young woman, got wind of a movement among the Indians that foreshadowed trouble. All through the night she rode to scattered cabins and aroused the families. Although six grown people and sixteen children were killed in the Pigeon Roost Settlement itself, it was thought that because of Rachel's warnings many people in outlying places were saved. Families ran to hide in bushes along creeks, stifling the cries of their babies. Rachel carried one baby to safety. Wee Hannibal Coombs was about three weeks old, and Rachel held him before her on the saddle, with his mother behind her, while she completed her rounds. By the time she told her tale at our quilting frames, Hannibal was an influential man, known the country over. He had a large number of children, whose names Rachel checked off on her fingers, her eyes flashing. How many people would never have lived if she had not saved Hannibal! Was he not already a grandfather? A crow in a corn field, calling suddenly, can startle a man with the scenting boastful-ness and amusement in its tones. Rachel's voice, Aunt Lizzie said, was like that.

From: History of the Ohio Falls Cities and Their Counties, Volume 2, 1882:

4 Jan 1830 • Washington, Indiana, USA married Catherine Newland

4 Mar 1837 • Clark, Indiana, USA married Rachael Hoagland, 1840 • Franklin, Washington, Indiana, USA 1850 • Charlestown, Clark, Indiana, USA 1860 • Union, Clark, Indiana, USA 1870 • Union, Clark, Indiana, USA 1880 • Union, Clark, Indiana, USA

Mr. H. H. Coombes was born in Clark County, Indiana Territory in August 1810. He was a son of Joel Coombes, who became a citizen of this county in 1801, formerly a resident of Pennsylvania. He was married in Kentucky and moved to Washington County in March 1816 where he lived for about three years and returned to Clark County and reside there till his death, which was in 1853.

In 1847 H. H. Coombs moved upon his farm, where he still resides in Union Township. His father's family consisted of four sons and two daughters, Mr. Coombes being the only surviving member. His brother William was killed at the battle of Buena Visa. The others died at difference ages. In the year 1837, he and Rachel Hougland were united in marriage. They have had a family of fourteen children; three only are living.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Coombes are members of the Christian church. Politically he is an old Jackson Democrat, for whom he cast his vote. Mr. Coombes' father was a Tippecanoe soldier and appointed captain of a company of sixty men and stationed at the blockhouse at the Pigeon Roost massacre. Mr. Coombes served his county as sheriff during the years of 1857-58-59.

Hannibal was married first to our ancestor Catherine Newland on January 4, 1830 in Washington County, Indiana. They had two children Nancy and Hannah, before divorcing on March 28, 1834. Catherine married Jesse Howell on February 22, 1835 and bore six more children; Lucy A., William N., John Weirman, Mahala Jane, Simon P., and James W. Hannibal married Rachel Hoagland on March 14, 1837 and they had at least six children; Margaret Jane, Benjamin Franklin, Maria Katherine, Mary Hasseltine, Hannibal Jackson, and Joel Spencer. Hannibal served as sheriff of Clark county during the years 1857-1859. He and Rachel were members of the Christian church. Politically he was an old Jackson Democrat, for whom he cast his vote.)

New Albany Newspapers Database, 1849 - 1889

DEATH / COOMBS, H. H. Death of, New Albany Ledger Standard. 10-4-1881. p 4, c 4.