Family of Elbridge Coombs and Abigail D. Currier

The Family of Elbridge and Abigail (Currier) Coombs

Abigail Dorothy CURRIER, daughter of Thomas CURRIER and Mariah B. JORDAN, was born 28 Mar 1828 in Sedgwick, Hancock, Maine. She died 11 May 1895 in South Portland, Cumberland, Maine, and was buried in the Sedgwick Rural Cemetery. Abigail married Elbridge C. COOMBS, son of Captain David COOMBS and Sarah COOMBS, about Oct 1852. Elbridge was born 27 Apr 1828 in Bowdoinham, Sagadahoc, Maine. He died 21 Mar 1899 in Pleasantdale, South Portland, Cumberland, Maine and is buried in the Sedgwick Rural Cemetery. Elbridge and Abigail first resided in Bath (in 1850) where Elbridge was employed as a ship's carpenter. They moved to Augusta about 1865 and to Sedgwick in the 1870's. "Elbridge brought Abbie back to Sedgwick from Augusta in a covered wagon. They stayed the night in Belfast." (Elizabeth Carroll Parker). Elbridge and Abigail had the following children:

"Elbridge was a very stern man, but she was softer and sweeter." (Bessie Hill Coombs Haskell)

"Dad [James Parker Coombs] detested arguments. He liked to remind us that one time, when he and his brothers argued about a card game, his mother simply swooped the cards up and threw them in the fire. Also, she or somebody in his family, used to hold up the mirror to wranglers by saying: 'Oh, those naughty blackbirds, they wrangle and jangle from morning till night, while we sit in our pretty plum tree.' It had a distraction value." (Joy Coombs)

1. Henry Elbridge COOMBS was born 23 Nov 1853 in Bowdoinham, Sagadahoc, Maine. He was a printer in New York. He was married in April 1877 in Bowdoin, Maine to Ellen Murphy. Henry and Ellen had one child.

2. Harriet Maria COOMBS was born 13 Sep 1855 and died 7 Aug 1934. She was married on 15 Jul 1874 in Sedgwick, Hancock, Maine to Edward Clarence Cole. Edward and Harriet had five children.

3. Herbert Milton COOMBS was born 3 May 1858 in Bowdoin, Sagadahoc, Maine. He died 3 Apr 1862.

4. Horace Lincoln COOMBS, (twin) was born 26 May 1860 in Bowdoin Sagadahoc, Maine. "Horace was a musician and played the tuba at Togus Veterans Hospital. He was very nice looking and awfully good, but he couldn't stand a job for very long. He had a melancholy whistle, and we could always hear him coming. We loved to have him visit, because he would talk music, and that was the year we got the piano (1901). He lived with the Coles in Plesantdale for about five years. He came back to Sedgwick with them when Ed retired from the Boston and Maine Railroad. He was very fond of Aunt Fannie. He wanted to spend the nights with Aunt Fannie and me, and work at the ice works. Sargentville was a post office in Sedgwick, and the coastal schooners would come in. The ice was cut in large blocks on Lake Winnawalkum (Walker's Pond) and shipped on four or five masted schooners. I can remember him getting up early and rushing out to catch a ride with some men who were going up to the ice works, but I don't think he did that more than two months or so.

"He went to New York, with Fred and Jim to look after him. I was about twelve or thirteen. We had bought a new piano, and I was taking piano lessons. He sent me a present from New York. It was the sheet music for the 'Merry Widow Waltz.' He was very ill. He died there. When mother saw him, she said, ' I would never have known it was Horace." (Elizabeth Carroll Parker) Horace was unmarried.

5. Howard Emerson COOMBS, (twin) was born 26 May 1860 in Bowdoinham, Sagadahoc, Maine. He died 28 Feb 1882. He is probably buried in the Sedgwick Rural Cemetery, although there is no record of his burial. Howard was unmarried.

6. Fred Austin COOMBS was born 10 May 1864, probably in Bowdoinham, Sagadahoc, Maine and died 6 Apr 1926. Fred was married about 1915 to Cordelia______. Fred and Cordelia had one child.

7. Jacob Flye COOMBS was born 18 June 1869 in Augusta, Kennebec, Maine and died 13 June 1950 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine. He is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery, Falmouth. Jacob was married (1) on 6 Sep 1899 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine to Mary Eliza Wheeler. Mary died before 1919. Jacob was married (2) 5 May 1919 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine to Mrs. Linnie Lenora Albee. Jacob had no children.

8. James Parker COOMBS was born 6 Jun 1869 and died 22 Feb 1935. James was an opera singer who also sang with Roxy's Gang at the New York Hippodrome. James was married (1) 17 Jun 1901 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine to Mary Ella Thompson. The marriage ended in divorce. He was married (2) to 3 Jun 1917 in Gray, Cumberland, Maine to Bessie Hill. James and Mary had three children. James and Bessie had two children.

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Sources: Abigail - Birth, Sedgwick Vital Records, Book 2, p. 89, death: headstone, Sedgwick Rural Cemetery. Elbridge - Birth: Vital Records of Bowdoin, Maine to the Year 1892, Vol 1, Births, p. 54, death - headstone, Sedgwick Rural Cemetery. The births of all children are recorded in both the Vital Records of Bowdoin and in the Vital Records of Sedgwick. Some data for the children were taken from The Story of Anthony Coombs and His Descendants by William Cary Coombs. Marriages for Jacob and James are recorded in Portland. Many death dates are from headstones in the Sedgwick Rural Cemetery.

1.	Henry Elbridge COOMBS was born 23 Nov 1853 in Bowdoinham, Sagadahoc, Maine. He was a printer in New York. He was married in April 1877 in Bowdoin, Maine to Ellen Murphy. Henry and Ellen had one child.
2.	Harriet Maria COOMBS was born 13 Sep 1855 and died 7 Aug 1934. She was married on 15 Jul 1874 in Sedgwick, Hancock, Maine to Edward Clarence Cole. Edward and Harriet had five children.
3.	Herbert Milton COOMBS was born 3 May 1858 in Bowdoin, Sagadahoc, Maine. He died 3 Apr 1862.
4.	Horace Lincoln COOMBS, (twin) was born 26 May 1860 in Bowdoin Sagadahoc, Maine. "Horace was a musician and played the tuba at Togus Veterans Hospital. He was very nice looking and awfully good, but he couldn't stand a job for very long. He had a melancholy whistle, and we could always hear him coming. We loved to have him visit, because he would talk music, and that was the year we got the piano (1901). He lived with the Coles in Plesantdale for about five years. He came back to Sedgwick with them when Ed retired from the Boston and Maine Railroad. He was very fond of Aunt Fannie. He wanted to spend the nights with Aunt Fannie and me, and work at the ice works. Sargentville was a post office in Sedgwick, and the coastal schooners would come in. The ice was cut in large blocks on Lake Winnawalkum (Walker's Pond) and shipped on four or five masted schooners. I can remember him getting up early and rushing out to catch a ride with some men who were going up to the ice works, but I don't think he did that more than two months or so. "He went to New York, with Fred and Jim to look after him. I was about twelve or thirteen. We had bought a new piano, and I was taking piano lessons. He sent me a present from New York. It was the sheet music for the 'Merry Widow Waltz.' He was very ill. He died there. When mother saw him, she said, ' I would never have known it was Horace." (Elizabeth Carroll Parker) Horace was unmarried.
5.	Howard Emerson COOMBS, (twin) was born 26 May 1860 in Bowdoinham, Sagadahoc, Maine. He died 28 Feb 1882. He is probably buried in the Sedgwick Rural Cemetery, although there is no record of his burial. Howard was unmarried.
6.	Fred Austin COOMBS was born 10 May 1864, probably in Bowdoinham, Sagadahoc, Maine and died 6 Apr 1926. Fred was married about 1915 to Cordelia______. Fred and Cordelia had one child.
7.	Jacob Flye COOMBS was born 18 June 1869 in Augusta, Kennebec, Maine and died 13 June 1950 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine. He is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery, Falmouth. Jacob was married (1) on 6 Sep 1899 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine to Mary Eliza Wheeler. Mary died before 1919. Jacob was married (2) 5 May 1919 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine to Mrs. Linnie Lenora Albee. Jacob had no children.
8.	James Parker COOMBS was born 6 Jun 1869 and died 22 Feb 1935. James was an opera singer who also sang with Roxy's Gang at the New York Hippodrome. James was married (1) 17 Jun 1901 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine to Mary Ella Thompson. The marriage ended in divorce. He was married (2) to 3 Jun 1917 in Gray, Cumberland, Maine to Bessie Hill. James and Mary had three children. James and Bessie had two children.