• General Notes

  [pitts.FTW]
  
  [Br²derbund WFT Vol. 5, Ed. 1, Tree #0725, Date of Import: Apr 16, 2002]
  
  Source: "Samuel Combest and His Descendants" book.
  The account of his death in the Western Kansas World of April 22, 1898
  states he was fighting a fire on Thrusday, April 22 by plowing along the
  side of the fire. The wind changed and swept the flames over him as he
  ran to escape, running in the same direction as the fire. He was rescued
  by William Dubbs and Frank Curtis. He died the following Saturday night
  at 9:00 and was laid to rest on Sunday at 3:00, at Cyrus Cemetery, Ness
  County, Kansas.
  Another account of the incident states that Samuel was clearing some land
  by setting fire to the grass on April 21 when the flames spread across
  the prairie. He attempted to plow a furrow to stop the blaze, when the
  horses threw him to the ground. He was burned so severely that the flesh
  fell from his bones and he lived only a few hours.
  A third version, passed down by Samuel's son Christopher Columbus Combest
  via his son Christopher Frank, to his son Ivan Combest, is as follows:
  
  "Samuel James Combest was plowing a fire guard around a piece of land
  which hea nad some elder neighbors wanted to work up. Before Samuel had
  finished the plowing, one of the old fellows set the fire which cut
  across the field, trapping Samuel in the flames."

Details of Samuel James' family with Adaline Read