52 Ancestors- John Anderson McCombs: A Lifetime of Building "Home" Across the Ozarks
Many people in my family tree embodied the pioneering spirit of 19th-century America, like my 3x great-grandfather, John Anderson McCombs. Born around 1846 in Tennessee, John's life would span multiple states, a civil war, and decades of change across the Ozark region. His father, John F. McCombs (married to Celia Townsend), established the family's Missouri homestead when young John was about 13 - land that would remain significant to my ancestor throughout his life. Growing Up in the Ozarks Young John grew up during a fascinating time in Newton County, Missouri. The 1850 census first places him in Jasper, Crawford County, Arkansas, but by 1860, the 13-year-old John was living with his family in Neosho, Newton County, Missouri. Life in Newton County in 1859 centered on lead and zinc mining, with large-scale lead production driving the local economy since the 1840s. Neosho itself was a growing community with a hotel, saloon, and several stores serving a population of 300-500 p...
