Charles E. Coombes married Miss Penelope "Nellie Bedford on 26 December 1894 at Benjamin, Knox County, Texas. They were cousins. She was a member of an early West Texas ranch family. Her father established the town of Benjamin and was an organizer of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

Judge Charles E. Coombes, 77, West Texas attorney, author, after-dinner speaker, and real individualist, died in Dallas. Services were held at the First Christian Church in Abilene with Rev. Hallie Woolard of Abilene, pastor assisted by Rev. G.N. Goldston, pastor of San Angelo First Christian Church assisting.

Charles E. Coombes was from an old established Texas family which left an indelible stamp. He was widely known as a spinner of tall and humorous tales, published a couple of books, held many public offices and was closely identified with civic endeavors, particularly the West Texas Chamber of Commerce and the Texas Cowboy Reunion. His father was a prominent lawyer, judge, and grandmaster of the Masonic Lodge. His father laid the cornerstone for the Texas State Capitol. Judge Coombes was educated in the Groves Elect School in Dallas. At the age of 15, he became a cowboy on the A. Spike Ranch in Knox County. Later, he was offered the management of the Ward Ranch but felt he was more suited for another profession. For about a year, he was associated with his brother, W.N. Coombes, and then at the age of 17 went to Benjamin employed as a clerk in an abstract office. In January 1896, he returned to Dallas and resumed the study of law, and was admitted to practice in the fall of that year. He returned to Benjamin, Texas in 1898. In 1898, he was elected Knox County attorney. In 1902, he was elected District Attorney for the 50th Judicial District. After one term, he returned to private practice only to be appointed to fill out an unexpired term as Knox County Judge. On 29 February 1908, he was appointed District Judge of the 50th Judicial District. On 1 January 1911, Coombes moved to Anson and formed the law partnership with W.R. Chapman, under the firm, Chapman, and Coombes. In Anson, he served as president of the school board. In 1917, he moved to Stamford where he headed up the West Texas Chamber of Commerce, served as City Councilman and Mayor. He was the primary lawyer for the Swenson Land and Cattle Company. In 1926, he moved to Abilene, where he lived until returning to Stamford in 1930. He was mayor of Abilene from 1923-1927, for two terms. While in Abilene, he was associated with the law firm of Stinson, Coombes, and Brookes. He returned to Stamford in 1927 and was associated with Henry G. Andrews in a law firm. In 1930, Mr. Coombes and other southwestern cowmen organized the Texas Cowboy Reunion in Stamford. He served as secretary-treasurer and was on the board of directors for many years. In 1936, on Stamford Day at the Texas Centennial, Mr. Coobes addressed the nation on the "Texas Cowboy."

In 1931, he was named president of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce. He served as a city councilman in Stamford and taught Sunday school. In his later years, he published two books and was working on a third. "The Prairie Dog Lawyer" deals with many of his memories of the law profession in the early days of Texas and then there's "Moods, Meditations, and Memories." The Coombes family have been members of the Christian church. Mr. Coombes affiliates with the Blue Lodge and Chapter of Masonry and Woodmen of the World. He is a Democrat and chairs the Democratic County Central Committee. He is fond of athletics, the home, library, music, and the theatre.

Charles E. Coombes, was a practicing attorney in early Stamford, served as secretary-treasurer of the Texas Cowboy Reunion in its formative years. For the 1937 souvenir program, he wrote about the early day cowpuncher who blazed the way for our present civilization and development. The cattle they raised fed the armies while they fought the battles for Texas Independence. These early cow men followed the trail herd to the marts of trade from which some returned to Texas while others helped to civilize the States of the great Southwest. When the open range changed to the drift fence era, and later to fenced dominion he still held his own as the hardy pioneer and the man of destiny. He receded with the frontier until the frontier was no more and then took his place as a citizen of an empire he had carved from the wilderness. Members of such families as Ackers, Allen, Alexander, Bryan, Black, Bedford, Boaz, Burnett, Cowden, Cousins, Goen, Hinton, Hamby, Humphrey, Halsell, Jones, Jeffers, Kleberg, Martin, Matthews, McGinty, Raines, Swenson, Waggoner, and a host of other history makers will be at the 1937 Reunion.

Survived by one daughter - Mrs. S.P. "Elizabeth 'Beth'" Henigan of Abilene; four sons - Joe W. Coombes, Charles E. Coombes, Jr., Hilory Zack Coombes, Jerry Cray Coombes; two grandchildren - Jerry Coombes, Jr. and Charles E. Coombes, III, both of Boulder City, NV.

One child, William Rufus Coombes, preceded him in death.

Services for Judge Charles E. Coombes were simple. A quartet from the church sang two songs, Rev. G.N. Goldston, pastor of the First Christian Church in San Angelo, and longtime friend, read two brief scriptures. He made no comment as to any relations with Mr. Coombes, although, he said they were close, nor did he make any comment on the two Scripture passages which he read. He led a brief and beautiful prayer and returned to his seat. The quartet sang its second song. Rev. Rev. Hallie Woolard, pastor of the First Christian Church, of which Mr. Coombes was a onetime member, read briefly from the Psalms. He made no mention of the death of Judge Coombes or his birth on Coombes Creek in Dallas County. No reference was made of his migration to West Texas in 1890 and his employment on a Knox County ranch. No mention was made to his marriage in 1894 or his wife's death. No mention was ever made of Judge Coombes' high judicial officers, nor of his leadership in civic affairs in his beloved West Texas. Rather, Rev. Woolard spoke most Charles E. Coombes having been a "stalwart man of God, whose strength, faith, belief, and fortitude enabled him to face death without fear." The minister spoke mostly of Mr. Coombes' love for people, which enabled him to understand, appreciate and follow the love of God. Although he was a lawyer, he was still "a man who believed that a man's word was better than his bond," and that no man-made laws could circumvent moral laws. The pastor spoke briefly of Judge Coombes' unique understanding of the Bible, of his work as a Sunday School teacher, and church officer. He mostly praised Mr. Coombes for his faith and belief in an unseen pilot that guided him safely through this brief, mortal life to a home in eternity. When he had finished, he prayed briefly. His body was taken to Cedar Hill Cemetery where it was buried beside the grave of his wife.

"From my earliest recollections, I wanted to do two things: go west and become a lawyer. When I was 15, I told my father I was going to leave home and head for West Texas."

name: Charles Edward Coombs

death date: 17 Jun 1953

death place: Dallas, Dallas, Texas

gender: Male

race: white

death age:

estimated birth date:

birth date: 25 Sep 1875

birthplace: Texas

marital status: Widowed

spouse's name:

father's name: Zacharia Ellis Coombs

father's birthplace: Kentucky

mother's name:

mother's birthplace:

occupation: Lawyer (Judge)

place of residence: Stamford, Jones, Texas

cemetery:

burial place: Abilene, Texas

burial date: 18 Jun 1953

additional relatives:

film number: 2113925

digital film number: 4167323

image number: 3158

reference number: CN29349