Comes House and his sister Eunice were baptized on September 26, 1739 in Christ Church, Braintree (later Quincy), Suffolk County, Province of Massachusetts Bay. He was the son of David House and his wife Elizabeth Dillis/Dellys. He was likely named to honor his paternal grandmother Deborah Coombs the second wife of Joseph House, and daughter of Henry Coomes/Coombs the immigrant. His older brother David, Jr. also served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

His first military service was as a private in Capt. James House’s Company, as part of the Massachusetts Provincial Regiments sent on the Crown Point expedition and fighting in the Battle of Lake George during the period of July 2 to December 17, 1755. By about 1760, he had married Sarah _______, the mother of his children. Coombs, his wife Sarah, and three boys and three girls under 16 were enumerated in Springfield, Cumberland County (later Windsor), New York (later Vermont) in 1771. They had six known children: David, Coombs Jr., Simon, Elizabeth (wife of Abner Sartwell Jr.), Susannah (wife of Archibald Harwood), and Eunice. The exact order of the children’s birth is unknown, as no birth or baptismal records have been found. On August 18, 1773 Coomes House (described as a yeoman) purchased 21 acres in Springfield from Nathaniel Harriman in an area known as Sartwell Hill.

During the Revolutionary War, Coomes served twice as a Private.  He served first in Lt. Joseph Little’s Company in Col. Joel Marsh’s Regiment from August 16 to October 5, 1778.  Joel Marsh was nominated by the Committee of Safety for Cumberland County to be second Major in the Upper Regiment of Cumberland County in 1775, he was the Colonel of a Vermont regiment from 1777 to 1781.

He served again in Capt. Samuel Scott’s Company of Vermont Militia, under the command of Col. Ebenezer Woods in October 1780, responding to the Royalton Raid.  On the morning of October 16, 1780, Lt. Houghton of the British Army’s 53rd Regiment of Foot and a single Grenadier, along with 300 Mohawk warriors from the Kahnawake Reserve in Quebec, attacked and burned the towns of Royalton, Sharon and Tunbridge along the White River in eastern Vermont.  By the time the militia could assemble, Houghton and his command were already on their way back north.  The militia caught up with the raiders near Randolph, Vermont.  Royalton was the last major Indian raid in New England.

His wife first wife Sarah dies between 1771 and May 15, 1783 when he marries Prudence (Satterlee) Gilbert the widow of Seth Gilbert.  Prudence, the daughter of Benedict Satterlee and his wife Elizabeth Crary, was born in Plainfield, Windham County, Colony of Connecticut on January 23, 1739.

On February 16, 1790, Eliphalet Chapman of Springfield was appointed and accepted Administration of the Estate of Combs House late of said Springfield Deceased who accepted said appointment and gave Bond with Oliver Sartwell as surety for his faithful Performance of that Trust.  The estate was inventoried on February 22, 1790 and valued at £220 12 3d, which included his house and 30 acres.  The estate was divided between his widow Prudence and his children David House, Coombs House Jr., Elizabeth Sartwell, and Susannah Harwood.  Prudence House of Cavendish, Windsor County, Vermont released all rights to the estate of her husband on May 12, 1804.  No further record has been found for Prudence (Satterlee) (Gilbert) House.

*References:
Early Vermont Settlers to 1784, Coombs House, Springfield, American Ancestors.org, p. 1-4
Combs House, Revolutionary War Records, www.Fold3.com