Daniel Garrard Combs
1836-1922
Daniel Garrard Combs
March 26, 1836-J an.16, 1922
By his grand-daughter, Beulah T. Bishop
Daniel Garrard Combs was born in Perry County, Kentucky, March 26, 1836. He was married to Rachel Turner, Sept. 25, 1856, who lived to celebrate her 100th birthday. Five daughters survive, one daughter, Mrs. Lucy McGuire, and One son, .John E . Combs, have passed to their reward. His father, Sam Combs, was a farmer and owned several slaves. His mother was Nancy Cornett Combs to whom was born ten children , five boys and five girls.
At the age of six years he moved to Breathitt County and attended a three month subscription school, walking thrre miles. He loved books and it was through reading and studying of books that he furthered his education.
At the age of sixteen he was one of the first teachers to teach in a free school, as the free school law had just been passed by the State.
Later he moved to Boonville, Owlsley County, Ky., where he lived for forty years. He was reared under the teachings of the Baptist Church. In 1867 Bro. 0. T. Asbille who was called by some a ''Campbellite'' and "Waterdog" came to hold a meeting in Boonville and it was under his preaching that he became converted. He made the good confession on Saturday night and was baptized on Sunday by W. K. Asbille, a nephew of Bro. O. T. Asbille, who was attending the Bible College in Lexington, Ky. Mrs. Combs made the good confession and was baptizrd at the same time.
During this meeting there were 86 additions, a church was organized and Bro. Combs was made an elder. Knowing very little of the duties of church officers, they wrote Bro. J. W. McGarvey of Lexington for information.
They organized a prayer meeting and Sunday School, the first they had ner attended. As there was no one to preach, four members of the congregation began to preach, Bro. Combs being one of them. He was called the "Children's Preacher."
His first meeting being held at Pine Grove in Lee County, he preached eight days and nights and 62 people confessed Christ and were baptized.
The first 18 years of his ministry he preached and also worked in a sawmill. He received not one cent of pay as a minister during these eighteen year but he built and dedicated 28 churches.
In eleven years of his preaching he took 6,600 people by the hand as additions to the church, some were preachers of denominations, some reclaimed, but most of them by baptism.
His was a religion of love for his fellowman, leading those who knew not Christ into his Kingdom. As an evangelist his ministry led him over mountains, to swim rivers, wade through mud, break ice and have his clothing to freeze on him. His shoes froze in the stirrups of his saddle.
He was ever ready with his Bible to debate with the Baptist and Methodist ministers.
In 1891 he began his ministry as an evangelist under the board of managers of the Kentucky Missionary Society. He served in this capacity
for 31 years. He had baptized with his own hands more than 10,000 people. He gave to each person he baptized a New Testament.
His ministry was over a wide sweep of territory mostly the rural districts of the Eastern half of Kentucky, in Tennessee, and Virginia. He baptized
over 22,000 during his entire ministry.
Quoting from the minutes taken from the Secretary's book of the State Board we read, ''A score of men like D. G. Combs in Eastern Kentucky
would cause a revolution and reformation."
"He led more people to Christ than any other man of our force and is in constant demand for hard fields." And again, we find, "He has no
doubt baptized more people than any other preacher of the State and there are many stars in his crown. He shall shine as the stars forever, for he has turned many to righteousness."
Brother H. W. Elliott was for many years Secretary of the State Board of Kentucky. After the death of Brother Combs he wrote the following: "He had very limited educational opportunities. He was a man of strong mind, and studied with great diligence the word of God, and became proficient in leading men to Christ. Preaching became a passion to him, and as late as last year he held two meetings, in which he added one hundred to the church."
He stated to W. S. Irwin that he had baptized with his own hands ten thousand people. He was an evangelist of the State Board for thirty-one
years, ceasing his connection with us, when failing health made it imperative, in 1919. He added during this time 13,915, organized eighty-three
churches and helped at more than six hundred different places. He went everywhere preaching the Word-in houses of worship, in school houses,
in the homes of the people, in tents, under the shade of the trees, by the baptismal waters-always, at all times, holding forth the Word of life. No man has been more abundant in labors, and multitudes are in heaven, led by this tireless messenger of the cross. Multitudes abide here whose lives were enriched by his abundant labors.
He died January 16, 1922. His wom out body was laid to rest in beautiful Macpelah Cemetery, at Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. He is said to have given
to each one he baptized a copy of the New Testament, with his name written on the fly leaf. His labors were largely confined to his beloved mountains. The greater part of his life was given to evangelistic work. He soon became restless when he agreed to serve regularly any church or
churches. He was never entirely happy unless going from place to place breaking the bread of life. He loved his fellowmen, and was beloved by great numbers. He rests from his Ia bors."
-J. W. West, Sketches of Our Mountain Pioneers, pages 247-251
Directions To Grave
The Combs family plot is in the Machpelah Cemetery in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. East of Lexington, Kentucky, take I-64 to Mt. Sterling exit, (Maysville Rd. (Hwy. 460). Head into town. Turn left on E. Locust St. (Co. Rd. 713) and you will head up a hill and see Macpelah Cemetery on both sides of the street. You will want to go to your right into the newer part of the cemetery. The Combs plot is in Section 2. GPS below is of the actual grave location.
GPS Location
38°03'23.0"N 83°55'52.1"W
or D.d. 38.056389, -83.931145
Rachel Combs
1834-1934
D.G. Combs
1835 - 1922
Photos Taken 05.26.2024
Webpage Produced 08.24.2024
Courtesy Of Scott Harp
www.TheRestorationMovement.com
Special Recognition: After searching the Machepelah Cemetery a few years ago, once again I visited Mt. Sterling and was determined to find the grave once and for all. Contacting the office, I had it confirmed that the grave was in the area I was looking. I finally found the grave after a bit of a walk. This was while I was on a Restoration Movement work trip in June, 2024. This was the first day of our event. Later that evening I had the honor of standing behind the pulpit at Upper Spencer where Raccoon John Smith preached many years ago. The exciting thing is that I was able to talk about Smith and his great life of preaching the gospel.