Combs, Moses

Combs, Moses (Newell)

(1753–1834) manufacturer, philanthropist; born in Morris County, N.J. A Revolutionary War veteran and tanner and shoemaker, he became known as the "Father of Newark industries." He opened an evening school that was probably the first in the U.S.A. and which later became tuition-free. He was also a religious leader in the Newark community.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.