My Genealogy Hound

Capt. Charles R. Combs was born in Albany, N. Y., November 25, 1829, the son of Robert and Mary Combs, who both died when our subject was but a child. Charles R. came west in 1848, and spent a few years in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Ky. He came to Alexandria, Mo., in 1856, and followed various mercantile pursuits until the opening of the war. At that time he and Capt. Spellman organized a company, which became Company C, in Col. Moore’s regiment. He served as first lieutenant of this company, and after the battle of Athens he organized a cavalry company, and after serving as first lieutenant of Company C, Seventh Missouri Cavalry, he was promoted captain, and mustered out as such in 1864, after nearly four years of service. After a year’s residence in Keokuk, he came to Memphis in 1866, and the following year engaged in his present business. He is the largest dealer here in eggs, butter, hides, poultry, feathers, etc., and ships largely to New York, Chicago and other places. He has four teams engaged in buying produce, and does an annual business of about $60,000. He was married in 1853 to Catherine T. Cornelius, of Covington, Ky. Their children are Alice (the wife of V. H. Rees), William, Frank, Fielding, Mary, Robert, Lucy and Leslie. Our subject is a Republican, has served five years on the city council, and is now city treasurer. He is identified in the following fraternities: I. O. O. F., A. O. U. W. and is a Knight Templar. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.