From Leah's obituary

From Leah's obituary

Family records have this record simply titled, "From Leah's obituary". There is no date or place on it so information would have to be checked from other sources, but it does give many great clues:

Leah Melvina Pearce, daughter of Robert and Leah (Bartlett) Pearce, was born April 18, 1819, in the northern part of Tennessee, she being the youngest of eleven children. She died March 17, 1913, age 93 year, 10 months, 29 days, at her home in Monona County, Iowa. In her infancy her parents moved to Sangamon County, Illinois. Her father was a wheelwright and as to religion they were Quakers, but while on a journey to Tennessee, Mr. Pearce was taken sick and cared for by a community of Shakers at Shakertown, Kentucky. Becoming attached to their mode of life, he persuaded his family to move there, which they did when Leah was but three years of age.

At the age of 18, Leah, having become dissatisfied with the community life, was taken to Madison County, Illinois by her father, where she lived with her oldest brother, James, for a time and later with her oldest sister, Mrs. Anna Perkins, at which place on March 28, 1839 she was united in marriage to John Newton Combs, son of Samuel and Jane Combs.

Mr. and Mrs. Combs resided on a farm near Springfield, Illinois until the fall of 1841 when they moved to Jasper County, Missouri, driving through with a team and wagon. After living in Missouri for two and one half years, they returned to Sangamon County, Illinois, moving in a short time to Menard County, and later to Cass County where they remained until December, 1854 when they again moved to Missouri, settling in Clinton County, 35 miles southeast of St. Joseph.

Mr Combs was a strong union man and at one time, having bought an 80 acre tract of school land, paid part of it but the county official being Rebels refused to grant him a title to the property. Owing to this feeling a hatred toward the Unionists, Mr. Combs, for the safety of his family, decided to seek a home in the north. In the spring of 1861 he started on horseback for Dakota. Getting as far as Monona County, Iowa, and being pleased with the country, he rented the Graham farm, now knows as the Konkle farm, in Lake Township, northwest of Whiting. He returned to Missouri and started with his family for their new home, arriving in August 1861. They encountered no danger on the trip but were protected by the soldiers while passing through Cameron, Missouri.

There being much hauling between Council Bluffs and Sioux City to carry supplies to the soldiers at Sioux City and Dakota points, Mr. Combs opened a wagon stand and kept the West Fork (now Whiting) Post Office, he being its first postmaster.

Monona County at that time was sparsely settled, there being but ten residences on the bottom land between the Ashton Grove north of Onawa and the Shipman stage station northwest of Sloan. The prairie was covered with grass, much of which was from 8 to 10 feet in height. Wild animals such as wolves, swifts, foxes, badgers and deer were nurmerous. Indians often roamed about, and a number of times the pioneers gathered at the Combs home in order that they might better protect themselves from the redmen.

In 1863, Mr. Combs purchased of S. G. Irish, a 200 acre farm situated six miles northwest of Whiting on Badger Lake for $2.00 per acre. On April 28, 1864, he died, but Mrs. Combs remained on the rented farm, conducting the wagon stand and running the post office. The following spring, with her five children, she moved onto the farm purchased by her husband, where she resided up to the time of her death.

On December 20, 1883, she was married a second time, to P. M. Dubois, and their wedded life extended over a period of three years.

In early life the deceased was a careful spinner and weaver, having learned to spin, weave and color cotton, wool and flax while in Shakertown. She wove all woolen cloth used by her family until 1850.

Although living to such an advanced age, Mrs. Dubois' mental faculties remained sound and vigorous to the end. She was well posted on the affairs of our own government and those of other nations. She was a most ardent reader and was able to read some until two days before her death.

Mrs. Dubois was the mother of 12 children. There are 31 living grandchildren and 74 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Dubois was converted and united with the Missionary Baptist Church in Illinois, to which faith she always clung with hope. At her request, the remains were laid to rest in the Clark Cemetery west of Whiting beside those of her first husband.