Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",  published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.

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     LEMUEL COMBS, a prosperous farmer residing three and one half miles north of Larene, was born May 4, 1859, in Floyd county, Kentucky, the son of James and Malinda (Hayes) Combs, both now living in Cowley county, Kansas.  Both parents were born in Floyd county, and the father was a soldier in the Civil War.  He is now sixty-eight years of age, while the age of Mrs. Combs is sixty-five.
     The brothers and sisters of Lemuel Combs are: Joseph, a merchant in Cameron, Missouri; Saul, a mechanical engineer; May, a bookkeeper at Cambridge, Kansas; and Nora, at Nickerson, Kansas.
     As a boy, Lemuel Combs was taken by his parents to Kansas where he was reared on a grain and stock farm and given a good common school education.  In 1882 he came through New Mexico, Arizona, and California, and arrived in Lincoln county, Washington, in 1884.  Here he located on a piece of railroad land, which he at once began to improve.  He also followed government contracting, and supplied Fort Spokane with grain and produce.  He has now three hundred and sixty acres of good land, a first class orchard, good, commodious and modern farm house and out buildings, good improvements and sufficient cattle, horses and hogs to make the business of farming pay.
     Although Mr. Combs has never been the head of a family, he has always taken a foremost part in all school affairs, and in fact, in all enterprises having a tendency to develop and better the conditions of the country.  When he came here he settled on raw land, and had little means, but he is now a man in comfortable circumstances, and has a wide circle of friends.
     He is a member of the Davenport Lodge, No. 64, I. O. O. F.
 

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