Martha J. Cotton Perkins Combs: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

 

Martha J. Cotton was born November 1854 in Kentucky, the daughter of John Cotton and Martha Eldridge[i].  The family lived near Bruin.  When Martha was five the family appears on the Carter County, census and by the age 10, in 1870, the Elliott County, Census. 

Martha married James Frank (Franklin?) Perkins 15 February 1872 in Lawrence County, Kentucky.[ii]  Perkins was the son of Virginia “Jennie” Perkins who died 27 April 1914 in Lawrence County[iii].  Martha and Frank had six children: Amanda married a cousin; Mary Jane married George Washington Jordan; James M. Perkins; Rosa L. married Frank Turner; Nora married William Johnson; and Nancy Ann married Frank Kane Lucas. 

The Perkins family resided in the Twin Branches area of Lawrence County, Kentucky. Jesse Hicks and his wife Elizabeth sold James F. Perkins land on Cherokee Creek of Big Blaine 11 December 1878.  The deed does not cite how many acres but involved a note.[iv]  By 1880 the family had 40 acres noted as tilled  and 205 acres of woodland and a horse according to the Agricultural Census.

Martha purchased seven acres on the waters of Cherokee in Lawrence County from John and Ann Arrington 27 February 1886.[v]  The deed shows the boundary was near the Perkin’s house while another corner was near Jesse Hicks.[vi]  By 1893 John Arrington was deceased leaving Ann a widow.[vii]

James Frank Perkins died about 1893.  By 10 May 1895 Martha and heirs were cited in a commissioner’s sale in a court case involving S. W. Moore vs. L. F. Kelley.  Martha’s land were described as laying north of the land being sold in the neighbors court case.[viii]  By July, the same year, the Sheriff posted properties to be sold to satisfy owed tax. Among those listed was 200 acres of Martha Perkins, joining John Arrington for tax in the years 1893 to 1895.[ix]

By the time the sheriff’s sale was announced, Martha had been remarried six months to John “Jack” Combs.  The couple married 6 January 1895 in Lawrence County, Kentucky. John and Martha had two more children together: Cora who later married Reuben Harrison Lucas and Lewis Combs who married Julia Stephens and was killed after being hit by a train.[x]

John Combs was older than Martha and had several other marriages.  Being in ill health he wrote a will providing for Martha in Lawrence County, Kentucky in January 1903.[xi]  He bequeathed Martha $150.00 while leaving a dollar to each of several of his children including Angeline Arrington.  It is an interesting will dividing furniture among some of his children and leaving his real estate to only one son with the stipulation that Martha be paid and to pay her two youngest $25.00 per year.  The will was proven and filed 19 May 1903.

The 1910 census tells a rather sad story.  Martha, aged 55, is living on Bolts Fork Road, in Boyd County.  To make ends meet she is washing for private families.  Within the household is daughter Nora, Cora and Lewis along with two grandson’s Homer age 5 (born Ohio) and Frank age 2.

When son Lewis Combs moved to Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio circa 1917, Martha and daughter Nora Perkins Johnston, now divorced, moved with him.  They resided on Sidney Street which is just a block away from I 70 at this writing. Tragedy struck in 1923 when son Lewis and grandson James Edward Turner, along with two others, were killed when their automobile was struck by a train in Muskingum County, Ohio.

On August 9, 1930, on a trip to West Virginia, Martha was involved in an automobile accident in Huntington, West Virginia leaving her with a fractured leg, right arm and internal injuries.  She returned to Columbus where she died 10 December 1930.  The doctor wrote on the death certificate that the contributory cause of death was from injuries received from the accident.[xii]

The Ashland Daily Independent posted a short notice on 12 December 1930 simply stating “The body of Miss Martha Combs, 76, who died at her home in Columbus, Ohio Dec. 10, arrived in Ashland at 2:20 this morning and was sent out to Garner where burial will be made at two o’clock tomorrow afternoon. Her family came from Garner and she has been taken back to the old home for burial.”

Martha was laid to rest next to son Lewis and near the grave of son-in-law George Washington Jordan (married daughter Mary Jane Perkins) who had died in April in Cabell County, West Virginia, buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

 

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[i] M Law, KY 1848

[ii] KY L M 5 p 170

[iii] Buried Hensley Cem., Law., KY

[iv] KY, Law, Dbk N p 322 & Bk Q p 192   

[v] KY Law dbk Q p 192

[vi] Jesse Hicks and wife Elizabeth are thought to be buried on Clay Jack, Boyd County, KY

[vii] KY Law Wb 1821-1914 page 301

[viii] Big Sandy News 10 May 1895, page 2

[ix] Big Sandy News 19 Jul 1895

[x] Earlier blog post http://easternkentuckygenealogy.blogspot.com/2023/04/lewis-combs-whispers-from-grave-klaiber.html

[xi] KY Law Will book page 232

[xii] OH Div of Vital Death Cert 71968

Lewis Combs: Whispers from the Grave; Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky

 

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2023

Lewis Combs was born 14 March 1899 in Lawrence County, Kentucky, the son of John Combs and Martha J. Cotton. Lewis’s father died in 1903 leaving an interesting will in Lawrence County, Kentucky. [i] By 1910 Lewis’ mother and sisters were residing on Bolts Fork Road in Boyd County, Kentucky on the border of Lawrence County.

When Lewis Combs was nineteen he had become a machinist helper in Columbus, Ohio.  His widowed mother, Martha had moved to Columbus with him. The 1917 World War I Draft gives his description as tall, slender with blue eyes and brown hair. The Combs are then residing on Sidney Street.  By 1920 Lewis’s half-sister Nora Perkins Johnston, widowed, is living with them along with her two children Frank and Russell.

Shortly after the 1920 Federal Census was taken, Lewis Combs married Julia Stephens and went to work for Timken Roller Bearing Company.  It was said to be one of the largest employers in the Columbus area at that time.[ii] Ironically Timken was said to be one of the first companies to introduce roller bearings for railroad cars.[iii]

Hunting season, in Ohio, was open in November 1923 when Lewis along with Harry B. Watson, Oscar Norvell and James Edward Turner set out, on Thursday, for Trinway, Muskingum County, Ohio on a hunting trip.  It was early morning of the 15^th, at 5:38 AM, when they reached Frazeysburg and began to cross the tracks at Basin Street.   They were struck by a Pennsylvania Flyer. The train was due in Columbus by 6:50 and was manned by a Columbus crew. The conductor stated that the engineer had whistled at the crossing just before the accident happened. Both Combs and Watson were night foreman at Timken. Norville and Turner were Pennsylvania shop men.  The automobile was owned and driven by Lewis Combs.

According to the Times Recorder[iv] Lewis and wife Julia had two children: Shirley[v] age 3 and Louis aged 18 months.[vi]  Mrs. Frank Turner (Rosa L)[vii] of Reynoldsburg was interviewed and stated she was the mother of J. E. Turner and half-sister of Combs.  James Edward Turner was born 6 January 1899 at Black Lick, Ohio to Frank and Rosa.[viii]  Lewis and James Edward, so close in age, would certainly become close.

Lewis Comb’s death certificate[ix] states that he was to be buried at Ironton, Ohio on the 18^th. It is not clear why the arrangements were changed. Instead the burial took place in Klaiber Cemetery, on Garner, Boyd County, Kentucky. Lewis’ full sister Cora had married Reuben Harrison Lucas in Boyd County in 1910.  They were living in Cabin Creek, Kanawha County, West Virginia at the time of Lewis death but stayed in touch with extended family in and around Boyd County.  Harrison’s father Henry Kane Lucas family were living on Glancey Fork near Denton which is over the western ridge from Klaiber Cemetery. Harrison’s mother Lucinda Sexton Lucas was a niece of Marcus and Catherine Sexton already buried in Klaiber Cemetery.

A photograph can  speak volumes. The first picture was taken in 1995.  Within two years I took picture #2 and searched everywhere for any piece of porcelain without success. No matter how well we tend the graves we cannot be in the cemetery 24 hours a day.  As of this writing even the remaining piece is missing.  It is heartbreaking when something like this happens to our loved once final place of rest. We have cemetery rules and hope that everyone will stop by the house and ask permission before going up the hill to the cemetery.

Photographs copyright by Teresa Martin Klaiber. Please cite your source!

 

Coming next blog… Whispers From the Grave, Martha J. Cotton Perkins Combs

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[i] KY Lawrence, Will bk, 1903 page 232

[ii] Columbus Dispatch, 18 Aug 2010 Timken Company brought factory jobs to Columbus

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timken_Roller_Bearing_Company

[iv] Times Records 16 Nov 1923

[v] James Shirley Combs

[vi] Louis aka Lewis married 6 April 1940 Annabel Sanders in Gallia County.  The m. cert states his parents are Lewis and Julia.

[vii] Rosa L. Perkins was the d/o Martha Cotton and first husband James Frank Perkins

[viii] Oh Musk D cert 67745

[ix] OH Musk D cert 67744

Garner, Boyd County, KY 1923 Diary Entries

Transcribed and annotated by Teresa Martin Klaiber 2010

Diaries come in many shapes and forms. This particular diary is simply one, moth eaten sheet of paper, written in blue ink on the back of a NeedleCraft Magazine form letter.

The author is not cited nor is the year cited. However, with a little sleuthing this compiler has been able to ascertain that the compiler was Julina Leota Sexton Horton Klaiber. Besides the entry that President Harding has died, other entries concerning deaths have been confirmed as 1923 as well.

This flimsy, fragile, tattered sheet is just one of many treasured items discovered in the smoke house on property that has been in the Sexton and Klaiber family for 125 years.

The area is known as Big Garner and over the years the road has had several names including Poor House Fork and finally Long Branch Road. The smoke house and cellar still stand beside the well as a testament of days gone by.

Original entries are in bold. Annotations in brackets.

Jan. 23 Ruth Fannins baby died buried...[Hattie May Fannin daughter of Thomas & Ruth Stapleton Fannin. Buried in Sexton Cemetery on Pigeon Roost, Boyd County, KY. Death certificate 217.]

Feb. 7 School closed.

Feb. 19 Mrs. Fannin died buried the... [Samantha Jane Fannin born 20 June 1839. A widow, died at Coalton and buried at Fannin aka Sexton Cemetery. Death certificate 6755.]

March 3 Lelia [Horton Meeks, daughter of Julina and first husband William Horton] and Wilmont [Meeks son of Lelia] came out home went back. [Went back to Ironton, Lawrence County, OH where resided.]

March 5 Mrs. Lambert died buried 8, Thurs. [Marrieta,as spelled on the death certificate, born September 25, 1848, widowed. Daughter of Aaron and Miriam Eastham Davis. Burial was in Sexton Cemetery. The certificate says the death occurred on the 6th. Certificate 6756.]

March 20 Lizzie Sexton baby borned. [Juanita Catherine daughter of John Milton Sexton and Elizabeth - Lizzie- Mae Klaiber Sexton.]

March 31 Goldia and Mattie were out home.

April 1 Mr. Pinkins died buried Tue 3 [? very difficult to read.]

April 2 Ed Harris died at 5:30 buried -- 5 pm.

--- I did my first washing machine.

April 22 Sunday. Cynthia, Arthur and Martha [Klaiber would later marry 1. Zachary Jones 2. Fred Cox] went to Mrs. --

April 28. Saturday. Nick cat kittens born 3 Sat 12

May 1. Sunday. Martha went to Millards K. [Klaiber] I went to Lelia's.

May 19. Saturday Lelia, Wilmont and myself came home.

May 21. Tuesday. Millard [Klaiber] moved to Detroit.

June 5. Tom Kitten died.

--- Alice Kittens were borned.

June 22 Sunday. Mrs. Selbee died at 4:40. [Kate born 1866 wife of W. R. Selbee, buried in Banfield Cemetery.]

June 24 Lelia and Wilmont came out.

--- School at East View started. Mrs. Te--- [East View located on Garner on RR 854 facing the junction of Jacks Fork.]

---Willa S. baby borned and buried 31. [Willa Sexton. Infant death certificate 19880.]

---Thursday. Uncle Walter Reece, Bird and Paul Ambs were here. Went home from here Aug. 8. [Bird is Virginia the daughter of Walter and Martha Sexton Reece who married Paul Ambs.]

August 3. Friday. President Harding died buried the 10. None Charged.

August 4. Saturday. Gladys baby borned. [Gladys Klaiber married Richard Otworth, baby is Elizabeth Jane.]

August 6. Monday Fred Elzwick baby died buried 7. [Fred Elswick Jr. born at Normal, Boyd County, son of Fred and Melissa Boggs Elswick. Buried at Seed Tick in Lawrence County, Kentucky. Death certificate 19881.]

August 10. Friday. Ollia Church baby born. [The child was Virginia Evans born in Boyd County, certificate 39821. The index spells mother's given name as Ola.]

August 17. The horse fell on me.

--- Monday school began.

September 3. Aunt Miriam, Alle, Frank, Wren, John, Ethel come and we went ---

--- Saturday Goldia and Mattie married.

---Thursday Esther married.

September 17. Wednesday. Mr. John Lambert died buried the 20. [Death certificate states he died on the 18th. He was the son of Cal and Anna Hogan Lambert. Buried in Ashland Cemetery. Death certificate 27172.]

September 19. Friday Mrs. Hubert died buried 21.

September 21. Sunday. Martha Lucas burned died the 22. [Born 23 June1919. Her full name was Martha Edith. The certificate states she died on the 22nd. Her clothing caught fire. She was the daughter of Frank and Nancy Perkins Lucas. Burial was in Klaiber Cemetery.]

On the form letter side there are several entries written over the printed heading which are very hard to read:

--- Lewis Combs got killed. [The tombstone says 1923 with no month or day. A train hit his automobile. He was killed at Frazeysburg, Muskingum County, Ohio November 15, 1923. His usual residence was Columbus, Ohio. The certificate says he was to be buried in Ironton, Ohio. He is buried in Klaiber Cemetery, Boyd County, Kentucky.]

---Louise Carmack [??? very hard to read.]

--- Mrs. Kounse died buried 11.

---18. Harry Church

--- [unreadable]

--- [unreadable] Wilmont came out.

--- 24. Mrs. Bell Job died buried 26. Preacher stayed here one night. [Belle Jobe died 24 December 1923. She was born 28 Sep 1872 the daughter of James Stanley and Sarah Clark. She was a widow buried at Garner, Kentucky. Death Certificate 29604. Other siblings of Belle say their mother was a McGuire. Further research is suggested by anyone working on this line.]

END

Julina Leota Sexton Horton Klaiber

The author of this sheet of paper with so much genealogical information, Julina Leota Sexton Horton Klaiber was born 30 June 1877. She was the daughter of Henry Powell Sexton and Julina McCormack. She married 28 October 1896 William Henry Horton and for a short time resided in Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio. Horton died in a gas explosion in the saloon he ran in Ironton. Julina married 2nd James Matthew Klaiber 2 April 1905. She lived for 101 years and died 20 May 1978. She is buried in Klaiber Cemetery on the property where she spent most of her life. Her flowers still grace my gardens.