Benjamin T TBen Combs and Matilda Combs

Benjamin T "TBen" Combs
and Matilda Combs

Matilda and Benjamin Combs

Benjamin & Matilda Combs House

Kernel Shepherd and Cordellie (Combs) Shepherd

Sam Everage and Doshie Combs

Benjamin T. "TBen" Combs b 15 Mar 1856 Bentown, Happy, Perry Co KY d 27 Nov 1942 of stomach cancer; buried Jim Pete Combs Cemetery, Jeff, KY; s/o Massingill Martin "Mart" Combs and Elizabeth "Betts" Combs. Benjamin T "TBen" Combs m. about 1872 to Matilda Combs b 20 Mar 1856 d 26 Jan 1923 of diabetes; buried Jim Pete Combs Cemetery, Jeff, KY; d/o Hiram Combs and Mary Unknown. Children of Benjamin T "TBen" Combs and Matilda Combs;

1. Unnamed Daughter Combs

2. Unnamed Daughter Combs

3. Jerry Combs d age 5 years

4. Liza Jane Combs d age 6 years

5. Cordelle Combs (female) m. Kernel Shepherd

6. Samp Combs

7. Paula Ann Combs

8. Mary Bell Combs

9. Doshie Combs m. Sam Everage.

10. Jim Combs

11. Massingill Combs

12. Hiram Combs

13. McKinnley Combs

14. Taylor Combs b 8 Feb 1898 m. 24 Sept 1925 to Ada Browning d/o Willie Browning and Elizabeth Wells.

15. Preston Combs

16. Charlotta Combs

Benjamin T "TBen" Combs
and Maggie Williams

(Source) One of Massingill Martin "Mart" Combs & Elizabeth´s children who stayed on the farm was named, Benjamin T Combs. Benjamin´s nick-name was “TBen” Benjamin acquired the name “TBen” when he named the family farm, Bentown, after himself, then everyone started calling him “TBen”

Benjamin was born 15 Mar 1856 in Perry County. On the family farm at Bentown, Happy. He was the youngest of his siblings, so according to the old law of entail, he inherited the home of his parents. Ben inherited a three mile stretch of land along the Carrs Fork, from Accup to Vicco. Which included the old house his parents built.

The first road to Bentown was just a dirt trail, for horses and wagons. The road was across the river from their home and having no bridges, they crossed the river with boats. To get to their home until a swinging bridge was built.

In 1912 when the railroad was built through Bentown, people started traveling to and from Bentown on passenger trains. The railroad was built on the spot where Massingill´s house set. The old house was torn down, and Ben and Matilda built a new house. When a post office was built in Happy, they included Bentown as part of Happy. Because Bentown did not have its own post office. There is still a road in Bentown named Bentown Circle, put the area is no longer known as Bentown, except for by a few people who know the history.

There was a four acre square block of coal on Ben´s property. Ben sold all the mineral rights on the property to a local coal company. They started hauling coal off the property soon after 1949.

Ben married his cousin, Matilda Combs. They were both 16 when they got married. Matilda was the daughter of Hiram Combs and Mary. She was born 20 Mar 1856, in Perry County.

Matilda died 26 Jan 1923 from diabetes. After Matilda died Ben married a girl named Maggie WILLIAMS, they married before 1925.

Benjamin died 27 Nov 1942. He died of stomach cancer. Both Ben and Matilda died in Bentown and they are buried in Jim Pete Combs Cemetery in Jeff KY.

When Ben and Matilda had both passed away the family farm at Bentown was split, and given to their children. Some of their children sold the land they inherited. Ben and Matilda had 16 children. All of their children were born on the family farm, at Bentown. Their children were as follows: they had two daughters who died at birth and were not given names. Their son Jerry Combs died when he was five years old, and their daughter Liza Jane Combs died when she was six. They did not inherit any land. Cordelle Combs sold her land and moved to Leslie County, with her husband Kernel SHEPHERD. Samp Combs and Paul Ann Combs both sold their land and lived at Georges Branch.

The children who stayed at Bentown where; Mary Bell Combs, Doshie Combs, Jim Combs, Massingill Combs, Hiram Combs, McKinnley Combs and Taylor Combs. Preston Combs sold his land and lived in a house on Taylor´s land. After Preston died his house was torn down. Chorlotta Combs sold her land and lived on Taylor´s land until her house burnt.

Benjamin and Matilda´s youngest son Taylor Combs, was born 8 Feb 1898.