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The business interests of Coldwater and vicinity find in this gentleman a most energetic and worthy representative, he being the proprietor of three large flouring-mills, besides dealing in all kinds of grain and field seed.  He may be usually found at his business house, which is located on Monroe Street, opposite the post-office, and familiarly known as the Board of Trade.  The mills owned by Mr. Coombs are designed as A, B and C: the first and last mentioned are operated by both steam and water power, while the mill “B” is run exclusively by steam.  Our subject has operated the first mentioned for a period of eleven years, having traded a farm for it in April, 1977.  “B” and “C” became his within the last two years.  He transacts the most extensive business in this line in this part of the State, manufacturing by the Roller process and selling directly to the trade through traveling salesmen.  He receives orders from Ohio, Indiana, Penn., New York, West Virginia, and all of the New England States.  He expects in the near future to extend his trade to the other side of the Atlantic.  The aggregate capacity of his mills is 700 barrels per diem, and the product compares favorably with the best flour manufactured in Michigan or any of the winter wheat States.

Mr. Coombs came to this county in 1867 from Rolling Prairie, Ind., where he had been in general trade for about three and one-half years, and bought a stock of dry-goods of James Wells in the city of Coldwater.  He carried on this business for a little over two years; during this time he was considered very hot competition by the other dry-goods merchants, but his health failing him he traded his stock of dry-goods for a farm in Batavia Township, this county.  For the next seven years he was engaged in selling general nursery stock in the States of Michigan and Indiana, selling all kins of fruit and ornamental trees, shrubbery, etc., working from ten to fifteen men on the road constantly many of the finest bearing orchards in this State at the present day are trees sold my Mr. Coombs.  This experience qualified him for doing business with all kinds of men.  Probably his rare adaptability to this department of commerce, and his tact in dealing with the peculiarities of those with whom he comes in contact have been no unimportant factor in establishing his success.  His birthplace was on the rugged New England Coast, in Knox County, Me., where he first opened his eyes to the light Aug. 21, 1840.  When a lad twelve years of age his parents migrated to LaPorge County, Ind., settling in the wilds of Galena Township, where his father cleared a farm and remained a number of years.

William A. Coombs acquired a practical education in the common schools of Galena Township, LaPorte Co., Ind., and commenced his business career as a clerk in a Rolling Prairie store.  After selling out his store in Rolling Prairie, Ind., he turned his attention to real estate, and purchased 1,000 acres of land in Butler County, Neb., but before he had taken possession he made a visit to Michigan, and finally decided to exchange his land for a stock of dry-goods and carpets, and thus established in Coldwater the “Banner Store”, which he operated, as before state, two years.

Archibald Coombs, the father of our subject, was also a native of the Pine Tree State, and the son of George Coombs, who was the son of Joseph Coombs, the founder of South Thomaston, in that State.  The two latter men were extensive millers and dealt largely in flour and lumber, besides real estate extensively.  They represented a large amount of property, and spent their entire lives in New England.  The subject of this sketch has a black granite horse block and a hitching post, which in their natural state grew on the farm of his grandfather in Maine.  Col. George Coombs married a Miss Mann, who came of an old and respected family, her father Dr. Mann, a surgeon in the army of the War of 1812, having been a resident of Castine, Maine, and his house was at one time occupied by British officers in that war.  After the death of George Coombs his wife was married again, and spent her last days in Thomaston, Me.

The father of our subject was in early life employed as Chief Line Inspector, a calling which in that day involved large responsibilities.  He also followed the sea for a time.  He was married in South Thomaston to Miss Harriet N. Killoch, who was a descendant of the Hon. Nicholas Snow, the progenitor of the family in America, who landed at Plymouth Rock from the British ship “Annie”, in July 1623.  He married Miss Constance Hopkins, who came over in the “Mayflower” in 1626, and Stephen Hopkins, on of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was a direct descendant of this branch of the Hopkins family.  Mr. Coombs, our subject, is the tenth generation.  His mother was born in South Thomaston, Me., and was one of a large family who were prominent in New England, representing its wealth and respectability.

The parents of our subject after their marriage and the birth of three children, William A., Oscar D. and Minerson, migrated to Indiana, and settled in Galena Township, LaPorte County, where two more children were added to the parental household, Luch H. and Harry L.  The family constitutes a circle still unbroken by death.  The parents and four of the children are now residents of Valley County, Neb., where the father and sons own a large amount of real estate, and are carrying on farming successfully.  Archibald G. Coombs and his wife are still active and intelligent, although approaching the decline of life.  Their son Mingerson is married and is a resident of Ord, the county seat of Valley County, Neb., where he is extensively interested in real estate.  The other three are at home with their parents.

The subject of this biography was the eldest of the five children born to his parents, and upon reaching manhood and preparing to establish a home of his own, was married, March 8, 1866, to Miss Clara A. Webster, who was born in Ripley, N.Y., March 11, 1840, and is a daughter of W.H.H. Webster, the son of Judge Elizer Webster, the founder of Warsaw,  N.Y.  He had migrated from Vermont, and took up his residence in Wyoming County, N.Y., when the county was a wilderness, and where he lived and labored many years.  Subsequently he sold out and went to live in Ripley, where he is the owner of a fine property.  He was married, in Ripley, N.Y., to Miss Mary E. Dixon, who came of a good family and is yet living.  Mrs. Coombs is a well-educated lady, having completed her studies in the Female Seminary, at Willoughby, Ohio.  She made her home with her parents until her marriage, and is now the mother of five children, namely: Edith A., Anna M., Susan Snow, C. Lizzie and William A., all living.

Mr. Coombs was Postmaster at Rolling Prairie two years under the administration of President Johnson, and since coming to this county has also been prominent in local affairs, representing the Second Ward in the County Board of Supervisors, and in the city representing the Second Ward in the Common Council.  He is a man who has always taken a lively interest in State and National affairs, frequently attending the National Republican Conventions, including the one which nominated Grant in 1868, Hayes in 1876, Garfield in 1880, and the one at Chicago which nominated Blaine.  At the latter he was one of the Alternate Delegates, and this year (1888) was made a delegate from the Third Congressional District to the Republican Convention at Chicago, which nominated Harrison, June 25.  He had always been an ardent Blaine man until there was a prospect of the nomination of Alger, of Michigan, when he felt bound to support the representative from his own state.
 

(letter found on Ebay, March 2005)