I just came across these posts and have some info that may help. Thelma Louise Cumbee Frederick was my grandmother. Her parents were Ephraim and Mary "Molly" Cumbee. She had four siblings : Madge Cumbee Smith, Lynn Cumbee Jones, Richmond Cumbee, and ELizabeth.
My grandmother told me that the Cumbees were originally McCumbers from Ireland. They changed their name to Cumber, then later to Cumbee because nobody wanted to hire thr Irish immigrants at that time. Ephraim and Mary raised their family in South Port, NC.