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Hon. Nathan Coombs
Hon. Nathan Coombs - The subject of this memoir, whose portrait will be found in the body of this work, was born in Middleborough, Massachusetts, in 1826, and at an early age went with his mother to the Territory of Iowa, and settled near the then embryotic city of Muscatine. His father was dead, and his mother was then married to a Dr. Carpenter. In 1842 the family went to Oregon across the plains, and in 1843 came to California, locating in Yolo County. In 1845 the subject of this memoir came to Napa Valley and purchased a farm from Salvador Vallejo, which was located about one and a half miles north-west of where Napa City now stands, and where he resided till his death. He also owned the land on which a portion of Napa City now stands, and laid out the original town site in 1848. He served in the State Legislature, and always took a very active part in whatever conduced to the welfare and advancement of the city and county in which he resided. He was a very liberal contributor to public improvements, and was well known all over the State as a raiser of blooded stock and a patron of the turf. He reared a family of intelligent children, one daughter having married Hon. John M. Coghlan, and one of his sons is the present District Attorney of Napa County. Much more could be said of the life of this most worthy pioneer, but we regret that the proper data could not be obtained, and we were dependent upon the press notices for all the facts stated above. His death occurred December 26,1877. On the 29th of that month, the following resolutions were placed upon the records of the Board of City Trustees of Napa: Resolved, That the Board of Trustees of the City of Napa deplore the death of Hon. Nathan Coombs, an early pioneer and a distinguished citizen of California, and the founder of this city. Resolved, That, as a mark of respect for his memory, the Board do now adjourn.
http://www.cagenweb.com/archives/Biography/NapaCounty/Napa1881-429-436.htm
"History of Solano and Napa Counties, California with Biographical Sketches of The leading men and women of the Counties, who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present time., History by Tom Gregory and other well known writers., Illustrated ~ Complete in one volume, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1912, p 882.
HON. NATHAN COOMBS.
The late Hon. Nathan Coombs was a pioneer of 1843 in California. Descended from colonial ancestry, he was born at Middleboro, on Cape Cod, Mass.. in 1826, and early lost his father by death and later his mother became the wife of a Dr. Carpenter. The family moved to Iowa and settled at Muscatine, from which place, in 1842, young Coombs, at the age of sixteen, made his way across the plains to Oregon. The long and difficult journey was filled with many dangers, Indians were troublesome, the trail was often lost, wild beasts roamed the forests, water was scarce on the plains, but at last he reached his destination in safety. After spending one year there, he made the journey to California, arriving in the summer of 1843. He stopped in what is now Yolo county and secured employment on the Gordon ranch and it was there he met and wooed the daughter of his employer, Isabella Gordon. In the spring of 1845 the young people rode on horseback to Sutter’s Fort, a distance of about twenty miles, and were married by Capt. John Sutter. Returning to the Gordon ranch they remained but a short time, coming to the section that is now embraced in Napa county in June that year, and purchased land at Trubody. This Mr. Coombs farmed for a time, then selling it, he bought a tract of land from Salvador Vallejo and in 1848 laid out the town site of Napa. From that time until his death he was one of the most prominent factors in the building up of both city and county, and was known and esteemed throughout the entire west. He participated in the strenuous life of that early period and was of the Bear Flag party, the reckless daring of which at Sonoma has become a part of our traditions.
Mr. Coombs found that horses of a good grade were not to be had in California and decided to make a trip to Kentucky in search of some good stock. Riding was the only means of travel and horses brought a good price and a fine animal was much admired. In 1857 he made the trip by way of the Isthmus of Panama. purchased several stallions, the most noted being Lilly Cheatham and Ashland, which were in all probability the first thoroughbred stock imported into this section of the state. On his ranch adjoining the town he raised many fine animals, some of which he sold. and others for his own use, and being a lover of horseflesh was interested in racing and became a patron of the turf. He also raised a great many cattle which roamed at will, as there were no fences to hinder them, and in this way obtained the best of forage.
During the days of frontier life Mr. Coombs had many thrilling experiences. Once he was attacked by a grizzly bear that pulled him from his horse, struck him across the chest and tore flesh and muscles of his body and arm. By good fortune he escaped, but to the day of his death he suffered from the effects of that encounter. With that exception he possessed a robust constitution and great powers of endurance. In the midst of perplexing conditions he maintained an equable disposition and a fearlessness that were his distinct characteristics. Throughout his community he was known as a man of excellent judgment and his counsel was often sought by acquaintances and associates. The early settlers looked upon him as a councillor in many questions touching their titles to their lands. He was a liberal contributor to all charitable enterprises and to all measures for the upbuilding of the city and county of Napa. He was a member of the Society of California Pioneers of San Francisco, interested in all things that showed the growth of the Golden State.
The death of this pioneer occurred December 26. 1877, when he was fifty- one years old, and his wife died at the age of fifty-five years. They had seven children, five of whom attained mature years: William ; Eva, who married Hon. J. M. Coghland; Nathan; Frank L. and Levi. Mr. Coombs served in the California legislature during the sessions of 1855 and 1857 and in later years was urged at many times to accept public honors, but steadfastly refused. Mrs. Coomb’s father, William Gordon, a native of Pennsylvania, crossed the plains in 1824 to Mexico, locating at Taos, where he married Miss Lusario, of Castilian parentage. He brought his family to California in 1840, and engaged in stock raising on a large scale on Cache Creek, Yolo county. His ranch was the rendezvous of the Bear Flaggers during the Mexican war. Mr. Gordon became a leader in all the early events of his section and died in Lake county in 1876. Perhaps no man in early California was better known, no one had more friends, no one could have been more trusted, and no one of the early timers died more lamented."
Nathan Coombs & Isabel Gordon - from Napa Register, p 12-A, Saturday, March 30, 1963, John Eagan (The added text in Parentheses is from the book, Men of the Bear Flag revolt."
18 year old Nathan Coombs and 14 year old Isabel Gordon rode horseback 20 miles from the Gordon ranch in Yolo County to Fort Sutter where they were married by General J. A. Sutter. They rode back home the same night, arriving about midnight, after two families destined to play major roles in the history of Napa County had been joined by the wedding. (they had no shoes to get married in and rode on the same horse. When the priests discovered this non-Catholic wedding, they sent a notice that it was invalid- the same treatment given to Cyrus Alexander who coughed up $300 wanted by the priest. Both were incensed, especially now that they already had children who were now "Illegitimate," but the Coombs had no money to pay and disregarded the order. Cyrus Alexander married Rufina Lucero, who was the younger sister to Isabel's mother, Maria Juana.*)
Nathan was born in Middleboro, Mass., on Cape Cod, in 1826. His father died while Nathan was very young and his mother moved the family to the small settlement of Muscatine in what is now the state of Iowa where she remarried, becoming the wife of a Dr. Carpenter. In 1842 the family moved to Oregon with a caravan destined for Portland. A youth of 16, Nathan was the "game boy" for the group, going ahead and hunting for food. The caravan followed closely what is now the Southern Pacific right of way.
Later, Coombs moved south and arrived at the Gordon ranch via the Columbia River and Sacramento Valley trail at the age of 18. While working for Gordon, a romance developed with Isabel.
(Nathan came to California with the Hastings-Clyman Party from Oregon in 1843. Sutter gave them passports. All were disappointed with the slowness and complications of obtaining title to land in Oregon and a lack of markets for goods. In the fall of 1843, he and a party of five or six went after a grizzly prowling around William Gordon's cattle. Coombs was on a "half-broke" horse, the horse ran into a thicket, and the grizzly knocked down the horse and raked Coombs across the arm and chest, tearing the flesh. His dog hung on to the rear of the horse for dear life, distracting bruin. Fellow hunters rescued Coombs. In 1844 Nathan applied for naturalization papers. He worked for Wm Gordon for a while. He bought a farm of Salvador Vallejo 1-1/2 miles east of Napa, in Brown's Valley.*)
He also acquired other land there with William Gordon, the Coombs and Gordon-Chimiles Rancho, 4 square leagues (17,762 acres) in Napa County, granted in 1846 by Governor Pio Pico. Coombs and Gordon filed a claim on that land in 1852 and it was confirmed by the federal court on 27 July 1857.
When Coombs first came to Napa, he and Captain John Grigsby did carpenter work on Nicolas Higuerra's adobe house and received the land where Coombs was later to establish Napa in payment for the work. Grigsby later disposed of his share to Coombs and the young pioneer surveyed and laid out the city streets of Napa in the spring of 1848. He fought with Captain John C Freemont in the Mexican War. He and John Grigsby were both part of the Bear Flag Party. Nathan Coombs later was elected to two terms in the California Assembly and served in the lower house in the sixth (1855) and 11th (1860) sessions.
Nathan Coombs was best known for his love of race horses. In 1870 he went to Kentucky where he and a friend, Wolfskill purchased several thoroughbred horses. The horses were floated down the Mississippi River by barge, then taken by boat to the Isthmus of Panama and then were ridden overland to the Pacific Ocean. They were then loaded onto ships and sailed to San Francisco, and finally arrived in San Francisco. On his land he raised many fine animals, some of which he sold. He also raised cattle which roamed at will, as there were no fences.
* from "Men of the California Bear Flag Revolt and their Heritage," by Barbara R Warner.
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Nathan crossed the plains from Iowa in seach of health at age 18. Became a naturalized citizen of Mexico in 1844. He was the first bridegroom of Yolo County when he married William Gordon's daughter, Isabelle, in 1845. He purchased a Napa Valley ranch from Salvador Vallejo. He rode into Sonoma with the Bear Flag Filibusters under the Kelsey bothers in June of 1846 but seems to have taken no further part in the affair. Upon the discovery of gold he laid out the town of Napa on his grant, a venture that made him exceedingly wealthy.
He served in the California Legislature of 1855, was a Captain of State Militia in 1863, became a noted patron of the turf and breeder of thoroughbred stock, dying in 1877.
Nathan Coombs (c.1824-1877) — of Napa County , Calif. Born in Massachusetts. Married 1845 to Isabel Gordon (1831-1890); father of Frank Leslie Coombs grandfather of Nathan F. Coombs Member of California state assembly 10th District, 1855-56, 1860-61. Died in Napa, Napa County , Calif., December 26, 1877
1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Nathan Coombs
Age: 26 farmer value $20,000
Estimated birth year: abt 1824
Birth Place: Massachusetts
Gender: Male
Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Nappa, Napa, California
Household:
Isabella age 19 born Santa Fe, New Mexico
William age 3 California
Evalina age 1 California
Joseph Gordon age 14 Born Taos, New Mexico
Sarah Gordon Age 11 Born Taos, New Mexico
1860 United States Federal Census
Name: Nathen Coombs
Age in 1860: 36
Birth Year: abt 1824
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Home in 1860: Napa, Napa, California
Gender: Male
Post Office: Napa
Value of real estate:
Household Members: Name Age
Nathen Coombs 36
Elizabeth Coombs 27
William Coombs 14
Evalena Coombs 13
Franklin Coombs 7
Nathen Coombs 11
Levy Coombs 3
Nancy Coombs 28 servant
John Coombs 24 cook
Joseph Hinkley 23 day labor
Franklin Hinkley 22 day labor
C Coyle 44 carpenter
Wm Thorp 36 Stock raiser
C Briggs 42 hostler
Louis Rowley 22 day labor
John Williams 21
Wm Emery 28
1870 United States Federal Census <http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7163&enc=1> about Nathan Coombs
Name: Nathan Coombs
Estimated birth year: abt 1825
Age in 1870: 45
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Home in 1870: Napa, Napa, California
Family:
Elizabeth 24
Willie 23
Nathan 19
Frank 18
Levy 12
Race: White
Gender: Male
Value of real estate:
Post Office: Napa City
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1826 - 1877 (51 years)
