The Cobbs of Lincoln
County, North Carolina
(and the surrounding area)
Forward
I began this study knowing full well that I could be
“biting off more than I could chew”. I
have been researching my Cobb lineage in the area of Lincoln County, North Carolina
for more years than I care to count. I
have maintained a database dedicated specifically to the Cobb families of that
area for several years.
This report will attempt to correct several commonly
found errors, and hopefully provide some clues for further research. Although I have personally visited the North
Carolina State Archives in Raleigh, as well as the Lincoln County courthouse in
Lincolnton, I am still convinced that it will require a lengthy and extensive
search of the few remaining records to shed additional light on sorting out all
the Cobbs that passed through that area.
Additions and corrections to this data are earnestly
solicited. Contact me at this email
address ... M.Cobb
Introduction
The primary geographic focus point of this study is Lincoln County, North
Carolina.
Before 1778, Lincoln was a part of Tryon County,
which took up a large segment of the southwestern part of the state, and part of
South Carolina
as well. In that year, Tryon was
dissolved and Lincoln and Rutherford counties were created. All the records for Tryon were given to Lincoln County for safekeeping. Between 1840 and 1850, land was taken from Lincoln to create three
new counties ... Gaston, Cleveland, and Catawba.
Until 1850, the descendants of one man, Ambrose Cobb, who
moved from Halifax County, Virginia
in 1777, heavily dominated the Cobb population of Lincoln County.
By 1785, Clisby Cobb had arrived from Morris County,
New Jersey. He initially settled in Surry
County, but with the passage of
several decades his family had spread into Burke
County and the northern part of Lincoln, which was used to create Catawba County
in 1842. At that time the two Cobb
families began to share the same territory.
From 1850 onward, descendants of both Ambrose and Clisby can be found
scattered throughout the region and on down into the northern part of South Carolina, as well as Missouri
and Texas and
other points west.
Also, it becomes very clear when examining the 1850 and
1860 census, that Cobb families from other parts of North Carolina had begun moving into the
area.
Chapter One
The 1790 Census of Lincoln County,
North Carolina
Synopsis:
Four Cobb males listed as head
of household
Four Cobb males born before 1775
Six males born between
1774-1790
Seven females of all ages
“Other Free Persons” in
household = 06
Total Cobb population of Lincoln County = 17
Just who was the first Cobb in Lincoln County? The 1790 census reveals only one Cobb family
in the county. There were four Cobb
males listed as the head of household ... Ambrose Sr, Ambrose Jr, David, and
Joseph. All four are positively
identified.
Ambrose Cobb (Sr) was the great-great grandson of Ambrose
Cobb and wife Ann White, who immigrated to the Virginia Colony in 1635, from County Kent, England. He was the son of Robert Cobbs and Crosia
Frith and was born in 1729, in what is now York County, Virginia. By 1750, he was married and living in Lunenburg County, Virginia,
on land that fell in Halifax
County when it was
established in 1752.
Ambrose lived in Halifax County until 1777, when he sold
out and moved to Tryon (now Lincoln) County, North Carolina. He signed his Will on 21 June 1797, leaving
everything to his wife Sarah, with the exception of two parcels of land that
sons William and James already occupied.
It is very unfortunate that in his Will, Ambrose failed to name all his
heirs, which has caused much anguish to Cobb family researchers.
THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF AMBROSE COBBS
“In the name of God Amen. I Ambrose Cobbs of Lincoln County and State
of North Carolina, being weak in body but yet of a sound and perfect
understanding and memory, thanks be to God for the same, and calling to mind
the uncertainty of this life and knowing it is appointed unto all men once to
die, and being desirous to settle things in order do make and constitute and
appoint this and no other to be my last Will and Testament, in manner and form
following that is to say first of all I principally give my soul to God the
giver of it, in hopes to receive the same again at the joyful resurection at
the last day with a full and true pardon of all my sins and transgressions
through the death and merits of my blessed saviour and redeemer Jesus Christ,
and my body to the earth from whence it came to be ordered for a decent and
Christian like manner and as touching my wordly estate as the Lord in his mercy
hath lent me and my will and meaning is that the same be employed and disposed
of in the following manner, and first that all my just and lawful debts and
funeral expenses be first paid, then I give unto my son William Cobbs two
hundred acres of land on the lower end of the tract including the houses and
plantation, and also one feather bed and furniture. Also I give unto my son James Cobbs one
hundred and fifty acres on the upper end of the tract including the improvement
where he formerly lived. Also I give him
one bed and furniture. Then all the remainder
of my property of every kind to be sold and the money equally divided between
all the rest of my living children, save one which is Mary Jackson whom I give
five shillings and no more.
The above property mentioned is not to be divided or
possessed by the heirs until after the decease of me and my wife Sarah
Cobbs. I do appoint my two sons William
and James Cobbs to be Executioners and these Presents. Sealed, signed, and delivered in presence of
Robert Reed and John Rockett.
(Ambros Cobb signature) June 21st, 1797”
The exact date of Ambrose’s death can only be
estimated. On 25 November 1799, Sarah
signed a Quit Claim on that part of his estate that was still in her legal
possession. In this document she
declared that she could not properly manage the estate and wanted to see her
children enjoy it. She retained only a
small portion for her immediate needs.
She specifically stated that her husband Ambrose was deceased, therefore
we know he died sometime during the interim between the signing of his Will and
the date of Sarah’s Quit Claim ... or simply stated, sometime between 21 June
1797 and 25 November 1799.
QUIT CLAIM OF SARAH COBB
“Be it known that whereas I am through age and
infirmity unable to take that care of the property left me during my life by my
deceased husband, I have therefore thought proper as believing it more to the
advantage of my children to whom it is finally left, to deliver the same except
that part as I have retained for my support and subsistance (sic) , to my two
sons William and James Cobb to be sold agreeably or ..... (illegible) and
divided, which I have done, I do hereby approve of what they as Executors may
and shall do in fairly selling and disposing of said property.
Given under my hand and seal this 25th day of November
1799.
Test Sarah
Cobb (her mark)
Zachariah Spencer
Samuel Sowill
(3d name illegible)”
The three remaining Cobb heads of household were sons of
Ambrose Sr.
Ambrose (Jr) was born 1761 in Halifax County, Virginia. He married Rachel Black in Lincoln County
on 18 March 1783. Sometime before 1800,
he moved to Kentucky. He died there in Knox County
in 1824.
David Cobb was born 1756 in Halifax County,
Virginia. He had periods of service in
the American Revolution from both Virginia and
North Carolina. He married Catherine “Kitty” Bird on 06
October 1785 in Lincoln
County. He remained in Lincoln
until after 1800, at which time he moved to the Alabama Territory. He died in what is now Lauderdale County, Alabama,
in 1827.
Joseph Cobbs was born in 1767 in Halifax County,
Virginia. He married Mary “Last Name
Unknown” in Lincoln
County probably about
1787. Between then and the time of this
census enumeration, he had produced two sons who are as yet un-identified. Joseph left Lincoln County sometime before
1800, as he was enumerated on the census of that year in Greenville District,
South Carolina, just a few miles away.
He remained in Greenville until about
1822, when he moved to the newly established McMinn County, Tennessee. He died there on 22 July 1840. He named two of his sons David and James, as
did Ambrose Cobb (Sr).
Errors.
It has been held by some for many years that another Cobb
family that entered the area at approximately the same time was related to Ambrose;
that being the family of Clisby Cobb. It
is not difficult to find claims that Clisby and his daughter Selina were even
children of Ambrose.
Clisby was the son of John Cobb and Rhoda Smith of Morris
County, New Jersey. Clisby was born there in 1748. He was in North Carolina
as early as 1785, but he settled in the Surry
County area and only later moved to
what is now Catawba County (created from Lincoln in 1842). He was living in Burke County
as late as 1810.
The 1800 Census of
Lincoln County, North Carolina
Synopsis:
Three Cobb males named
as head of household.
Six males under 10
years of age.
Three males 10-15 years
of age.
Two males 26-44 years
of age.
Five females under 10
years of age.
One female 10-15 years
of age.
Three females 26-44
years of age.
One female over 45
years of age.
Total Cobb population
of Lincoln County = 21.
All were direct
descendants of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census.
The three Cobb males listed as head of household were
James, William, and David --- brothers and sons of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the
1790 census. They were all living next
door to each other.
The James Cobb family:
He was born in 1770, in Halifax
County, Virginia. He married 23 October 1790 in Lincoln County,
to Sarah “Sally” Beach. She was born about 1774. As James was not enumerated in his own
household in 1790, it is probable that he was living in either the Beach
household, or that he was included in the count of “Other Free Persons” in his
father’s household. In his 1800
household was James and Sarah (both in the 26-44 age category, along with two
males under ten and three females under ten.
All have been identified. Robert
was born in 1790, and Henry in 1794...while Charlotte “Hetty” was born about
1794, Nancy about 1795, and Judith 1795-1800.
A sixth child, Enoch, was born 1800-1805.
James Cobb died before July 1805 in Lincoln County. His widow Sarah continued to live in Lincoln County, and remarried before 1820, to
one William West. They were still living
in Lincoln County as late as 1830.
Repeating, all of James’ “known” children have been
identified. They were listed in the
January 1807 Session of the County Court of Pleas of Lincoln County. Enoch
Beach (Sarah's kinsman)
was appointed Guardian to Nancy Cobb, Judy Cobb, Henry Cobb, Lollah (Charlotte)
Cobb and Enoch Cobb- "orphan children of James Cobbs, deceased". It has been alleged that there was one more
child, a son Ambrosia. This is not
likely. Census reports show that Ambrosia
was born in 1792, and was therefore still a minor in 1807, and would have been
named in the 1807 Guardianship order of Enoch Beach.
All of James’ children married in Lincoln County. Only two remained in the area, while the
other four removed to Georgia. Robert married Eleanor Phillips in 1813. He died in Lincoln County
1830-1840. Henry married Elizabeth
“Betsy” Shitly (sic) in 1817. He was
dead by 1830, probably in Georgia. Charlotte “Hetty” married in 1816, to William
McGinnis. They were in Georgia by
1840. She died there 1850-60 in Forsyth County.
Nancy
married 1808 to Miles Abernathy. Their
family was still in Lincoln
County as late as
1860. Judith married 1816 to Ambrose
McGinnis. Their family was in Georgia by
1830. They were living in Floyd County
as late as 1860. Enoch married twice,
(1) Susannah Shelley in Lincoln
County in 1821. By 1830, he was living in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Susannah died about 1845. (2) Margaret Holland in 1846 in Forsyth County, Georgia. Enoch was still living as late as 1870, in
Gordon County, Georgia.
The William Cobb family:
Let me begin by making a couple of points. This man has been claimed by numerous
researchers. He has been associated with
the Goforth and Harmon families particularly.
He is even named in “A History of the Descendants of George Goforth
of Knedlington, England” (George Tuttle
Goforth, 1988, Gateway Press, Inc., Baltimore) as being the husband of one
Elizabeth Goforth. My information on him
was gathered during personal visits to the North
Carolina State
Archives in Raleigh, the Lincoln
County courthouse in Lincolnton, and
the county courthouse in Jackson, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri (the location of his estate
records).
All I can do is offer my apologies, but after a thorough
analysis of available records, there just weren’t enough William Cobb’s in Lincoln County for everybody to have one ... and
this one is mine.
This William Cobb was born 1765 in Halifax County, Virginia. He married in Lincoln County
on 07 August 1787, to Mary “Polly” Abernathy.
Her name has been reported as Abbott (sic). And it’s true; in the Lincoln County
marriage records her surname is illegible.
My reasons for saying her name was Abernathy are based on (1) the bible
of their daughter Dicy Cobb Richards, (2) William’s estate records in Missouri,
and (3) the fact that Charles Abernathy, her alleged brother, was the bondsman
for the marriage.
William was not separately enumerated on the 1790 census,
therefore he was either living in the Abernathy household, or he was included
in the “Other Free Persons” category in his father’s household. In his home on this 1800 census there was
himself and his wife in the 26-44 age category, two males under ten years of
age, one male 10-15, one female under ten, one female 10-15, and one female
over 45 years of age. This elder female
was his widowed mother Sarah, widow of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790
census. Also in William’s house in 1800
were daughters Dicy born 1788, and Jane born 1795-1800. The information from this census matches
perfectly the information known about William’s family.
William and his brother James were named as Executors of
their father’s estate, in the Will signed by Ambrose Cobb (Sr) on 21 June 1797,
in Lincoln County.
James died in 1805, leaving William the sole surviving Executor. It was a complex estate and was not finally
settled until 1818. William was
census-enumerated in Lincoln
County in 1800-1810-and
1820. It has been purported that William
moved to South Carolina at one point, then
later returned to Lincoln
County. While anything is possible, I consider it
unlikely. Being the only surviving
Executor of his father’s estate, he was obligated to remain available in Lincoln County, at least until 1818, to attend
to those matters.
By 1820, both of William’s parents were deceased and his
father’s estate finally settled. Most of
his children were grown and married, and apparently William got the “itch” to
move west. The Bollinger Migration to
southeastern Missouri had begun some years
earlier, and by 1830 William and several of his children had relocated to Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.
Then tragedy struck.
In July 1833, a Cholera epidemic went through the country and within a seven-day
period William, son Starling and wife Nancy, and daughter Jane Hancil (sic)
died. This information comes from the
bible of daughter Dicy Cobb Richards. It
is known that William’s wife “Polly” Cobb survived the epidemic, as within a
few months she petitioned the court of Cape Girardeau County to appoint an
Administrator of her deceased husband’s (rather modest) estate, on the grounds
she was not qualified to properly manage it.
The ultimate fate of Mary “Polly” Abernathy Cobb is unknown. No record can be found of an estate in her
name, or of a subsequent second marriage.
All of William Cobb’s children married in Lincoln County,
but none remained in North Carolina. Most were gone by 1840, and all were gone by
1850. Starling married Nancy Penny in
1817. He was still in Lincoln County
in 1830, and moved to Missouri
just before his death from Cholera in 1833.
Dicy married William Richards in 1805.
They moved to Cherokee County,
Georgia, where
she died in 1855. Walter B. married
Isabella Cox in 1816. They moved Missouri with his
parents. By 1870, Walter was a blind
widower living with his son Starling in Bollinger
County, Missouri. Jane married a Mr. Hancil (sic) and they also
moved to Missouri,
where she died of Cholera in July 1833.
Stephen Cobb, son of William and Mary “Polly” Abernathy,
married Lavinia Steeley in 1822. They
moved to Missouri with his parents, but
settled in Madison
County where he died 1860-1870. Sally married James Cox in 1815. They were still in Lincoln
County in 1830, but afterwards moved
to Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.
She was named in her father’s 1833 estate papers. Phillip married twice. (1) 1820 to Louisa
Penney. He was the last to leave Lincoln County, being census-enumerated there in
1840. By 1850, he was also in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.
(2) By 1860 he was married to his second wife Mary by whom there were no
children. He died in Perry County,
Missouri in
1876.
Now a special mention regarding William Cobb’s youngest
two children: Son William (Jr) born 1804
in Lincoln County.
He has also been claimed by Goforth and Harmon researchers, and again my
apologies but they are in error. The
estate records of William (Sr) provide the essential clue ... specifically
stating that by July 1833, William (Jr) was already a resident of Illinois. Following this lead, he is easily
census-traced in St Clair and Jefferson counties in Illinois from 1830-1870. He died in Jefferson County
before 1880, leaving a large number of descendants in that area.
It is easy to identify William as he was never far from
his baby sister, Mary “Polly” who was born in Lincoln County
about 1810. She married in 1832 in Saint
Clair County, Illinois
to Benjamin Runyon Quick. She died
sometime after 1880, probably in Jefferson
County.
The David Cobb family:
A quick re-cap ... David was born 1756 in Halifax County, Virginia. He moved to Lincoln County
with his parents in 1777. He had periods
of service in the American Revolution from both Virginia
and North Carolina. He married Catherine “Kitty” Bird in Lincoln County, on 06 October 1785. David was listed as the head of his own
household in 1790 in Lincoln
County. At that time there were only two children in
the household, both males under sixteen years of age ... or obviously, both
born since their parent’s marriage five years earlier. On this 1800 census there were three more
children ... two males born since 1790, and a daughter born since 1790. Only the daughter has ever been positively
identified.
Sometime after this census and the next taken in 1810,
David left North Carolina
and essentially disappeared for a number of years. His complete absence from the 1810 and 1820
census gives me cause to believe he had probably moved over into East Tennessee.
Much of that region was still considered Indian Lands, and records are
very skimpy. The next positive
identification of him is 1814, in the Alabama Territory,
where he volunteered for service in the War of 1812. Despite his age he was accepted and served a
tour of duty at New Orleans
under General Carroll. In 1838, his
widow applied for pension based on his military service and gave oath that the
primary cause of his death was an unspecified illness he contracted during his
time as an Alabama
volunteer. In August 1818, his daughter
Mary “Polly” married in what is now Madison
County, Alabama, to one Richard Rison. David died in what is now Lauderdale County,
Alabama in 1827, per the widow’s application for pension. Kitty died in 1843 in DeKalb County, Tennessee.
From the 1790 and 1800 census reports, it is known David
Cobb had four sons. None have ever been
positively identified. It is known that
at least one of them also moved to Alabama,
as David’s widow in her 1838 application for pension stated that David had
served in the War of 1812 as a substitute for one of his sons. Allow me to pose a hypothesis in an attempt
to identify at least two of those sons.
Once again I say this is purely speculation on my part.
We already know that the only Cobb family in Lincoln County from 1777 to 1800, was that of
Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census.
Jumping ahead a little, the same will be said about the 1810
census.
The 1810 census of Lincoln County
shows the household of one Shade Cobb, living in Captain Boyd’s enumeration
district. Both he and his un-named wife
are in the 16-25 age category ... or born between 1785-1794. There are two male children in the household
... both born since 1800. Judging from
the age of these sons, it is likely that Shade was born closer to 1785 than to
the younger end of the age category and that he married probably around 1805.
Who was Shade’s father?
There aren’t very many candidates.
Due to his age, Ambrose Cobb (Sr) had produced no children for at least
fifteen years when Shade was born.
Therefore Shade must have been a grandson of Ambrose.
Ambrose Cobb (Sr) had eight known sons. By 1785, Vintner was already living in Kentucky. Robert had never left Halifax County, Virginia. John S. didn’t even marry until 1786, after
moving to South Carolina. Ambrose married in 1783, but his children are
all accounted for, and he was living in Kentucky
by 1800. We’ve already examined the
family of William Cobb, so he is eliminated.
James didn’t marry until 1790, and his children were accounted for in
the 1807 Guardianship record of Enoch
Beach.
This leaves only two possible candidates to be the father
of Shade Cobb ... sons Ralph and David.
Ralph was born 1752 in Halifax
County, Virginia. He married 10 March 1779 in Lincoln County
to Jane Lamkin (sic). He was in Lincoln County in 1810. In addition to himself and his wife, at that
time, there was one male in the 16-25 age category, and one female also in the
same category in his household. After
that Ralph utterly disappeared without a trace.
Then there’s David Cobb.
Shade is a perfect match age-wise to have been one of David’s older
sons. And it is my hypothesis that’s
exactly who he was.
An individual named Ambrosia Cobb was born 1792-1795 in North Carolina. He married in Lincoln County
to Susan Underwood on 19 March 1824. It
is likely this was his second marriage.
He was listed on the 1820 census as the head of a household that
included two females under ten years of age.
Further, the oldest female in the home was also in his same age
category, but from census reports we know that Susan was not even born until
1810 (Yes, there was at least a 15-year difference in their ages.). Who was his father? Again ... Ralph and David are the only two
possible candidates. And again, Ambrosia
is a perfect match age-wise to have been one of David’s younger sons.
The 1810 Census of Lincoln County,
North Carolina
Synopsis:
Five Cobb males named as head of
household ... Shade, William, James, Ralph,
and
John
Two Cobb
females named as head of household ... “Widow” and Sally
Five
males under 10 years of age
Five
males 10-15 years of age
Five
males 16-25 years of age
Two
males 26-44 years of age
Two
males over 45 years of age
Seven
females under 10 years of age
Five
females 10-15 years of age
Three
females 16-25 years of age
Three
females 26-44 years of age
Three
females over 45 years of age
Total
Cobb population of Lincoln
County = 40
Compared to the 1800 census, it appears we have
experienced some population growth.
Living alone in Captain Andrew’s enumeration district was
one “Widow” Cobb, age 45-plus. Her
identity is a complete mystery. She was
not Sarah, the widow of Ambrose Cobb (Sr), as Sarah was still living with son
William (see below). There were no other
Cobbs living in the vicinity.
In Captain Boyd’s enumeration district was Shade Cobb who
was discussed in the latter part of the preceding section dealing with the 1810
census.
In Captain Rozelle’s enumeration district was William
Cobb (the same), son of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census. In his household at that time was two males
under ten years of age, two males 10-15 years of age, one male 16-25, one male
over 45 ... then two females under ten years of age, one female 10-15, one female
26-44, and one female over 45 years. The
elderly female was his mother Sarah, widow of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790
census.
William is of course the sole male over 45 years of age,
and the head of the household. His wife Mary
“Polly” (Abernathy) was the female in the 26-44 age category. The male 16-25 was son Starling. The two males 10-15 were Walter and
Stephen. The two males under ten years
of age were sons Phillip and William.
The female 10-15 was Jane. And
the two females under ten years of age were Sally and Mary “Polly”. It’s a perfect match to be the known children
of William Cobb.
Also in Captain Rozelle’s district was one Sally Cobb
listed as the head of household. “Sally”
was Sarah Beach, widow of James Cobb who died in 1805 and the son of Ambrose
Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census. She was
listed as being 26-44 years of age. Also
living with her was three males 10-15 years of age, one male 16-25, and three
females 10-15 years of age. The three
males 10-15 were sons Robert, Henry, and Enoch.
From here on it gets tricky, as there’s too many people in Sally’s
household.
There is a male in Sally’s household in the 16-25 age
category that is unidentified. Also, it
is known that James and Sally Cobb had three daughters ... Charlotte, Nancy,
and Judith. Nancy married Miles
Abernathy in 1808, and they were listed in their own household on this 1810
census. Thus, there should only have
been two females in Sally’s household ... there were three, all in the same age
category, born 1795-1800. Since Nancy
was not there, and since there is an extra male and female in the household, I
am compelled to believe that James and Sally had another child ... that this
child was an already married daughter ... and that she and her husband were
living with Sally at the time of this 1810 census. I would further speculate that this daughter
and her husband had not been wed very long for two reasons. First, the daughter was about fifteen years
of age at the time of the census. Second,
there were no very young children listed in the household. I will venture to say however, that this
daughter was married by January 1807, else she would have been named as a minor
in the court ordered Guardianship of Enoch
Beach, over the children
of James Cobb, deceased.
Going on, Ralph Cobb (already discussed in the preceding
section) was listed on this 1810 census.
Ralph married in Lincoln
County in 1779. By the time of this enumeration, he had been
wed 30 years, yet there were only four persons in the household; he and his
wife, and two children ... one male and female, both in the 16-25 age
category. Theoretically, they could have
been a married son or daughter and their spouse. Ralph’s total disappearance after his
marriage, and again after this census, does not help much.
Living next door to Ralph Cobb in 1810 was the family of
one John Cobb. In this household was one
male under five years of age, one male 16-25 years of age, one male 26-44 years
of age, one female under ten, and one female 16-25 years of age. In theory, he could have been a son of Ralph
Cobb. If he was not, he was a newcomer
to Lincoln County.
He was not listed on the 1820 census, and nor was Ralph Cobb.
Finally in Lincoln
County in 1810 was a
James Cobb. In his household was two
males under ten years of age, one male 26-44, two females under ten years of
age, one female 10-15, and one female 26-44 years of age. Unless he was a newcomer to Lincoln County,
he had to have been a descendant of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790
census. If he was an Ambrose Cobb
descendant, his father was most likely to have been Ralph Cobb. If so, he was probably named for his uncle
James, Ralph’s brother who died in 1805.
He was not listed on the 1820 census.
And again, neither was Ralph.
The 1820 census of Lincoln County, North Carolina
Synopsis:
Nine
Cobb males named as head of household ... William, Robert, Ambrose,
Henry,
Shadrick, Starling, Walter, William, and Joseph
Thirteen
males under 10 years of age
Four
males 10-16 years of age
Four
males 16-26 years of age
Six
males 26-45 years of age
Three
males 45-plus years of age
Sixteen
females under 10 years of age
Five
females 10-16 years of age
Six
females 16-26 years of age
Two
females 26-45 years of age
One female
45-plus years of age
Total
Cobb population of Lincoln
County = 60
There were nine Cobb households in Lincoln County
on this enumeration.
The Robert Cobb family:
This was Robert Cobb, son of James Cobb and Sarah “Sally”
Beach.
He married Eleanor Phillips 15 February 1813 in Lincoln County. The household was composed of eight persons
... two males under ten years of age, one male 16-26, one male 26-45, three
females under ten years of age, one female 16-26 years of age. Born about 1794, Robert and Eleanor were in
the 16-26 age category. The older male
was possibly her father. The two males
under ten years of age were probably John and Henry, who eventually married
Anne Long and Nancy Hilton, respectively.
One of the three females under ten years of age was Martha who
eventually married Wesley Hill Moore. The other two females in this age category
are unknown. Robert never left Lincoln County and died there between
1830-40. Eleanor was still living in
1870, in Cleveland County, North Carolina
with daughter Martha and her husband Wesley Moore.
The William Cobb family (him again), son of Ambrose Cobb
(Sr) from the 1790 census: This was the
last record of William in Lincoln County, and at this time he was living next
door to Robert Cobb, above, East of the South Fork of the Catawba River. His household was composed of seven persons;
one male 10-16 years of age, one male 16-26, one male 45-plus years of age, one
female under ten, two females 10-16, and one female 45-plus years of age. The male 10-16 was son William. The male 16-26 was either son Stephen or
Phillip. The two females 10-16 were
daughters Mary and Copa. Mary eventually
married Benjamin Runyon Quick (mentioned earlier). Copa is known to have moved to Missouri with her
parents, and to have survived the 1833 Cholera epidemic. After that all trace of her was lost.
The Ambrosia Cobb family:
He was named earlier as being a possible son of David Cobb. In 1820, he was living just a few doors from
Robert and William Cobb. His household
was composed of four persons; one male 16-26 years of age (himself), one female
16-26 (his un-named first wife), and two females under ten years of age (also
unknown). He was still in Lincoln County
in 1830, but by 1840 had relocated to Rutherford County,
Tennessee.
The Henry Cobb family:
He was the son of James Cobb and Sarah “Sally”
Beach, and grandson of Ambrose Cobb
(Sr) from the 1790 census. He married in
Lincoln County on 27 August 1817, to Elizabeth
“Betsy” Shitly (sic). He was living East
of the South Fork of the Catawba River, his family was composed of four
persons; one male under ten years of age, one male 16-26, one female under ten,
and one female 16-26 years of age. They
had three more children after this enumeration, and by 1830 had moved to Gwinnett County, Georgia. He died there about 1830. Elizabeth was still living as late as 1860,
in Milton County, Georgia.
The Starling Cobb family: He was the son of William Cobb,
and grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census. He married 11 October 1817 in Lincoln County to Nancy Penny. In 1820, he was living East of the South Fork
of the Catawba River, and his family was
composed of four persons; one male 26-45 years of age, two females under ten,
and one female 16-26 years of age. He
and Nancy were the two adults. The two
young females were daughters Mary Ann and Elizabeth Elvira. Starling was still in Lincoln
County in 1830, but soon after joined
his parents in Cape Girardeau County,
Missouri. He and wife Nancy both died of Cholera in
July 1833, leaving four orphans.
The Walter Cobb family:
He was the brother of Starling Cobb (above), son of William Cobb, and
grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census. He married in Lincoln County
on 22 January 1816 to Isabella Cox. In
1820, he was living next door to brother Starling Cobb. On this enumeration his family was composed
of three persons; one male under ten years of age, one male 26-45, and one
female 16-26 years of age. He and
Isabella were the two adults. The young
male is unknown. By 1830, Walter had
moved to Cape Girardeau County,
Missouri. He and Isabella apparently had only one other
child, a son Starling, born in 1836 in Missouri. By 1870, Walter was a blind widower living
with this son in Bollinger County,
Missouri.
The Shadrick Cobb family:
This was Shade Cobb from the 1810 census. In 1820, he was living next door to Starling
and Walter Cobb. At this time his family
was composed of seven persons; two males under ten years of age, one male 26-45,
two females under ten years of age, one female 10-16, and one female
26-45. And as stated earlier, I believe
it likely he was a son of David Cobb, and grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from
the 1790 census. He was still in Lincoln County in 1830 and 1840, but disappeared
afterwards.
The William Cobb family:
No, this is a new one. For the
first time, there is a William Cobb in Lincoln County
that can be positively identified as NOT being a descendant of Ambrose Cobb
(Sr) from the 1790 census. He was William
Halsey Cobb, son of Clisby Cobb and wife Margaret Halsey Young. He was born 1785 in New Jersey.
He married Jane Connely (sic) on15 April 1809 in Burke
County, North Carolina. He had moved to Lincoln County
since the 1810 census. He remained in Lincoln the remainder of
his life and died there 03 September 1839.
He is buried at the First Presbyterian Church in Lincolnton. Jane died only two years later, and it is
presumed she is buried beside her husband.
In 1820, his family was composed of eight persons; four males under ten
years of age, one male 10-16, one male 26-45, one female under ten years of
age, and one female 26-45 years of age.
William and Jane are the two older adults in the household. The four males under ten were Clisby (about
1810), Leander E. (1810), Caleb (1815), John C. (1812), and William W.
(1820). The male 10-16 was Clisby (about
1809). The female under ten years of age
was Mary (about 1810).
The following family seems to be bona fide newcomers to Lincoln County in 1820. At least I can’t connect them to anyone that
was already there ... yet.
The Joseph Cobb family: Let me emphasize now this is NOT the Joseph
Cobb from the 1790 census that has suddenly re-appeared after 30 years. Of the nine Cobb families in Lincoln County
at this time, this particular clan was not living in proximity to any other,
being located West of the South Fork of the Catawba River, while all the other
Cobbs were living East of the South Fork.
In 1820, this family was composed of 15 persons; three males under ten
years of age, two males 10-16, one male 26-45, two males 45-plus years of age,
four females under ten years, two females 10-16, and one female 16-26. Allow me to state this a little differently ...
there were seven total children under ten years of age, and four 10-16 years of
age. The only adult female in the house
was 16-26 years of age. At least some of
those children had to be hers, therefore I am inclined to believe the actual
head of the household (Joseph) was the male in the 26-45 age category, while
the two older males were possibly his and her fathers.
This is the only census
enumeration of this family in Lincoln
County, and I believe
they did not remain long. Considering
the number of children, if they had remained in Lincoln one would expect to see the total
Cobb population of the county increase exponentially on the next (1830)
census. However, the 1830 enumeration
actually shows a decline in the county’s Cobb population. Certainly though, I will not discount the
possibility that this family may have simply moved across a county or state
line, and still have been within the area being considered on this report.
The 1830 Census of Lincoln County,
North Carolina
Synopsis:
Eight Cobb
males named as head of household ... Robert, William, James,
Sheldrake,
Abrase, John, Phillip, and Sterling
Five
males under 5 years of age
Seven
males 5-10 years of age
Eight
males 10-15 years of age
One male
15-20 years of age
Four
males 30-40 years of age
One male
40-50 years of age
Two
males 50-60 years of age
Four
females under five years of age
Two
females 5-10 years of age
Three
females 10-15 years of age
Five
females 15-20 years of age
Five
females 20-30 years of age
Two
females 30-40 years of age
One
female 40-50 years of age
One
female 50-60 years of age
One
female 60-70 years of age
Total
Cobb population of Lincoln
County = 52
There were eight Cobb households in Lincoln County.
The Robert Cobb family: The same Robert Cobb from the
1820 census, son of James Cobb, and grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790
census. His family is now composed of
eleven persons; one male under 5 years of age, two males 5-10, three males
10-15, one male 30-40 years of age, one female 5-10, one female 10-15, one
female 15-20, and one female 30-40. The
male under 5 years of age was William Rufus (1828). The two males 5-10 were sons Henry (1820) and
Robert Jr (1821). One of the 10-15 males
was possibly John (1816-20). The other
two males in the same age category are unknown.
The female 15-20 was Martha “Araminta” (1814). The other two young females are unknown. Robert and wife Eleanor (Phillips) were the
two older adults.
The William Cobb family:
This is the same William Halsey Cobb from the 1820 census, son of Clisby
Cobb and Margaret Halsey (Young). In
1830 his family was composed of nine persons: one male 5-10 years of age, three
males 10-15, one male 15-20, one male 40-50, one female 15-20, one female
20-30, and one female 40-50 years of age.
The male 5-10 was Joseph Cameron Cobb (1822). The three males 10-15 were John C
(1812-1815), Caleb (1815), and William W. (1820). The male 15-20 was probably Leander E.
(1810). Daughter Mary was one of the
younger females, the other is unknown.
William and wife Jane Connely were the two older adults.
The James Cobb family: This is probably the same James
Cobb enumerated on the 1810 census, and somehow omitted from the 1820. He and his wife have both aged 20 years, both
now being 50-60 years of age. The two
daughters that were under ten years of age in 1810, are now 15-20. There is now an unidentified male in the
household 5-10 years of age. The family
was composed of five total persons.
The Sheldrake Cobb family: This is the same Shadrick Cobb from the 1820
census, and Shade Cobb from the 1810 enumeration. In 1830, his family was composed of eight
persons; one male under 5 years of age, two males 10-15, one male 50-60, one
female 10-15, one female 15-20, one female 20-30, and one female 30-40 years of
age. Again, it is purely speculative
that he was a son of David Cobb, and grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the
1790 census.
The Abrase Cobb family:
Although written as “Abrase”, I believe he was most likely the same
Ambrosia Cobb from the 1820 census.
Again, he is offered as a possible son of David Cobb, and grandson of
Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census.
By 1830, he had married his second wife Susan Underwood. His family was composed of four persons: One
male 30-40 (himself), one female 20-30 (wife Susan), one male under 5 years of
age, and one female under 5 years of age.
The male child is unknown and does not appear on any subsequent
enumerations. The female child was
probably daughter Elizabeth
(1825). It is apparent his first wife
and children had died since 1820. He
moved his family to Rutherford County, Tennessee
before 1840.
The John Cobb family:
This was the first appearance of this family in Lincoln County. It was composed of five persons; one male
5-10 years of age, one male 30-40, two females under 5 years of age, and one
female 20-30 years of age. Obviously,
John and his wife were the two adults in the household. Although not a perfect match where the age
and sex groups of the children are concerned, it is possible he was the son of
Benjamin M. Cobb and Violetta Morris, and grandson of Clisby and wife
Margaret. If so, his wife was Sarah
“Sally” Bumgarner, who he married 18 April 1821 in Lincoln County.
The Phillip Cobb family:
Identified earlier, he was the son of William Cobb, and grandson of
Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census.
On this 1830 enumeration, the census taker’s mind must have been “out to
lunch”, as only two persons were counted in the entire household ... a male 5-10
years of age, and another male under 5 years of age! Phillip was still in Lincoln County in 1840,
and a better accounting of his family will be given there.
The Sterling
Cobb family: This was actually Starling
Cobb, son of William Cobb and grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790
census. This was the last enumeration
done of his family before his removal to Missouri,
and his untimely death there from Cholera in July 1833. In 1830, his family was composed of eight
persons; one male under 5 years of age, one male 5-10, one male 30-40, one
female under 5 years of age, one female 5-10, one female 10-15, one female
20-30, and one female 60-70 years of age.
As both of his parents were still living in their own household, it is
presumed this elderly female was the mother of Starling’s wife Nancy
Penny. The male under 5 years of age was
son Richmond
Cobb (1827). The male 5-10 was son
William (1821). The female 10-15 could
have been either one of two daughters ... Mary Ann (1817) or Elizabeth Elvira
(1819). The census taker omitted one of
them for some reason.
The 1840 Census of Lincoln County,
North Carolina
Synopsis:
Seven Cobb males named as head
of household: Phillip, Sadric, Clizby, Shadric, James, John, and William
Two Cobb
females named as head of household ... Ellen and Jane
Three
males under 5 years of age
Three
males 5-10 years of age
Seven
males 10-15 years of age
Two
males 15-20 years of age
Two
males 20-30 years of age
Two
males 30-40 years of age
One male
40-50 years of age
Three
males 50-60 years of age
Five
females under 5 years of age
Nine
females 5-10 years of age
Five
females 10-15 years of age
Two
females 15-20 years of age
Two
females 20-30 years of age
Four
females 30-40 years of age
Three females
40-50 years of age
Total
Cobb population of Lincoln
County = 53
There were nine Cobb households in Lincoln County
at that time. The county was divided
into militia regiments rather than districts or precincts.
The Phillip Cobb family:
Enumerated in the Lower Regiment.
He was the son of William Cobb and Mary “Polly” Abernathy, and the
grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census. He was the last of his parent’s children to
leave Lincoln County.
By 1850, he was in Cape
Girardeau County, Missouri. In 1840 his family was composed of nine
persons; one male 10-15 years of age, one male 15-20, one male 30-40, one
female under 5 years of age, two females 5-10, one female 10-15, one female
15-20, and one female 30-40 years of age.
Phillip married in Lincoln
County on 20 January 1820
to Louisa Penny and they were the two older adults on this enumeration. The male 10-15 years old was Roland
(1826). The male listed as 15-20 years
of age was son William Lee (1824). The
female under 5 years of age was Martha (1838).
The females 5-10 were Nancy (1833) and Elizabeth “Betsy” (1834). The female 10-15 was Mary “Polly” (about
1830). The female 15-20 was Kizzy
(1818). I know, it’s not a perfect match
arithmetically speaking, but it is an exact accounting by sex and birth
order. There were two children born
after this enumeration ... Winny (1841) and Sidney (1845).
The Sadric Cobb family: Enumerated in the Lower Regiment. I’ll take a shot and say his name was
actually Cedric. This was his first and
last appearance in Lincoln
County. He was not Shadrick as you’ll see in a
minute. And due to his age, he was also
not Shadrick’s son. Where this gentleman
came from, and where he went is anybody’s guess. He was not in Lincoln County
by the next census in 1850. However,
considering the ages of his children, he could have left descendants in Lincoln. So --- Who was he, anybody?
In 1840, Sadric’s family was
composed of eight persons; two males 5-10 years of age, one male 10-15, one
male 50-60 (obviously himself), one female under 5 years of age, one female
5-10, one female 10-15, and one female 20-30 (his wife or a widowed
daughter?).
The Clisby Cobb family:
Enumerated in the Lower Regiment.
This was Clisby (Jr), son of Clisby Cobb and Margaret Halsey Young. He married Margaret Dickson McCarter in 1815,
and they were the two older adults on this census report. There were only two children listed on this
enumeration, both females ... Margaret (1834) and Sarah Jane (1837). By 1850, Clisby had died in York
District, South Carolina, and his
widow had moved back to neighboring Gaston
County, North Carolina. She died in 1865, and was buried next to her
husband at the Bethel
Presbyterian Church in York District.
The Shadrick Cobb family:
Enumerated in the Lower Regiment.
This is the same individual that has been named on census reports in Lincoln County since 1810, and who I have
proposed may have been a son of David Cobb, and grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr)
from the 1790 census. In 1840, his family
was composed of five persons; one male 10-15 years of age, one male 50-60
(himself), one female 5-10, one female 15-20, and one female 40-50 (his
wife). This was Shadrick’s last
appearance in Lincoln
County. Considering his age and his tenure there, it
would seem likely he died in Lincoln
County sometime before
the next census in 1850. From census
reports, he had at least four sons and three daughters, and therefore
descendants could have remained in Lincoln
County.
The James Cobb family: Enumerated in the Upper Regiment. This is NOT the same James Cobb listed on the
1830 or 1810 census. There were only
three persons in his household; himself (age 20-30), his wife (age 20-30), and
a son under 5 years of age. Considering
the age of the child, James and his wife were probably closer to the younger
end of their age category ... or in other words, they were probably born around
1820 or so. In my database are not less
than 25 men named James Cobb who at one time or another lived in or near Lincoln County.
For one reason or another, not one of them even comes close to being a
match with this man. This was also his
first and last appearance in Lincoln
County. So --- Who was he?
The Ellen Cobb family:
Enumerated in the Upper Regiment.
This was Eleanor Phillips, widow of Robert Cobb, son of James Cobb and
grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census. At this time, Eleanor still had four children
at home; sons Henry (1820), Robert Jr (1821), and William Rufus (1828). One daughter was still at home, age
10-15. Her identity is not known.
The Jane Cobb family:
This was Jane Connely, widow of William Halsey Cobb, son Clisby Cobb and
Margaret Halsey Young. Her husband had
died just the year before this census was taken. She died the next year. At this time, there was only one child still
living at home, son William W. Cobb.
The John Cobb family:
Enumerated in the Upper Regiment.
This was the same John Cobb found on the 1830 census of Lincoln County.
At this time, his family was composed of eight persons; one male under 5
years of age, one male 5-10 years of age, one male 10-15, one male 40-50, two
females 5-10, one female 10-15, and one female 30-40 years of age. John and his wife were the two older adults
in the household.
The William Cobb family: Enumerated in the Upper Regiment. This is NOT the same William Halsey Cobb from
the 1830 census. This is this man’s
first and last appearance in Lincoln
County. His family was composed of seven persons; one
male under 5 years of age, one male 10-15, one male 30-40, one female under 5
years of age, two females 5-10 years of age, one female 10-15, and one female
30-40 years of age.
Recap
We are now up to 1840 (inclusive). Beginning with the next census in 1850, every
member of a household will be listed by name rather than just counted by
age/sex category. Also, before 1850
three new counties will be created from Lincoln
... Cleveland in 1841, Catawba in 1842, and Gaston in 1846. These two circumstances will force me to
branch out to include additional counties, due to the facts that (1) there were
very few Cobbs on the 1850 Lincoln
County census, and (2)
many of them had moved on completely out of the region.
Before pushing on let’s take a minute to re-cap. Until now, the Cobb population of Lincoln County has been heavily dominated by the
family of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) who arrived in what is now Lincoln (then Tryon) in
1777. But beginning in 1820 particularly
there were Cobbs in Lincoln
County that are not yet positively
identified. Circumstances, such as
living next door to another Cobb family, makes recognizing some people a little
more than guesswork, but it will not account for all of them.
Let’s take a minute to see how many are not yet
identified. (Listed by census)
1790: Joseph Cobb.
He and his wife were both born before 1774. In 1790, he had two sons less than 16 years
of age that are not identified. DNA
analysis of his descendants has proven he was related to Ambrose Cobb;
therefore it is 99% certain he was a son previously unidentified. By 1800 he had left Lincoln
County for South Carolina.
1800: None
unidentified.
1810: David Cobb,
son of Ambrose Cobb (Sr). We know he
left Lincoln County before this census, but we do not
know if all four of his sons went with him (we know at least one did). By 1810, two of them would have been 20-25
years of age, and the other two 10-20.
1810: Ralph Cobb,
brother of David Cobb married in Lincoln
in 1779, but appears only once on a census report, in 1810. At that time he had a son and a daughter in
his household, both 16-26 years of age.
They are not identified.
1810: “Widow” Cobb, age 45-plus, living alone in Captain
Andrew’s enumeration district remains unidentified. We know she was not the widow of Ambrose Cobb
(Sr).
1810: Shade Cobb, also listed as Shadrick and Sheldrake
on subsequent census reports. Enumerated
in Lincoln County from 1810-1840. Born 1785-94, he was quite possibly a son of
David Cobb, and grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr).
1810: Sally Cobb,
widow of James Cobb who was the son of Ambrose Cobb (Sr), had two unidentified
persons in her household ... a male born 1785-1794, and a female born
1795-1800. It appears they must have
been a previously unknown daughter who had recently married and her new groom.
1810: John Cobb is
unidentified, but due to the fact he was living next door to Ralph Cobb, he was
probably a son of Ralph, or Ralph’s brother David. There were five persons in his household; a
male born 1766-1784, a male born 1785-1794, a female born 1785-1794, a female
born since 1800, and a male born since 1805.
John could have been either one of the adult males. This family left Lincoln County
before the next census in 1820, as did both Ralph Cobb and David Cobb.
1810: James Cobb
is unidentified. He was either a
newcomer to Lincoln
County, or another
possible son of Ralph Cobb. There were
five persons in his household; a male born 1766-1784 (himself), a female born
1766-1784 (his wife), a female born 1795-1800, two males born since 1800, and
two females born since 1800. He was also
gone from Lincoln
County by the next census
in 1820.
1820: Robert Cobb,
son of James Cobb (deceased) and wife Sally Beach, and grandson of Ambrose Cobb
(Sr) from the 1790 census had two unidentified females in his household, both
born since 1810.
1820: Shadrick
Cobb, (aka) Shad and Sheldrake Cobb, was living next door to Starling and
Walter Cobb, both sons of William Cobb and grandsons of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from
the 1790 census. He was listed on census
reports from 1810-1840 in Lincoln
County. Although living next door to sons of William
Cobb he could not have himself been a son of William, as all of William’s
children are accounted for. Therefore,
he must have been a nephew of William Cobb, possibly a son of ether David or
Ralph Cobb. In his household were five
persons; a male born 1775-1794 (himself), a female born 1775-1794 (his wife), a
female born 1804-1810, two females born since 1810, and two males also born
since 1810.
1820: Joseph Cobb was living West of the South Fork of
the Catawba River, and not in proximity to any other Cobb family in Lincoln County.
He was not the same Joseph Cobb enumerated on the 1790 census, therefore
he must have been a newcomer to the county --- the first Cobb that cannot even
be speculated as descended from Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census, and he
remains unidentified. He was gone by
1830, but due to the fact his was a large family descendants could have
remained behind in the Lincoln
County area. His household was composed of fifteen
persons; two males both born before 1775, two males both born 1775-1794, one
female born 1794-1804, two males born 1804-1810, two females born 1804-1810,
and three males and four females born since 1810.
1820: Ambrosia Cobb is unidentified, but due to the
similarity in names it is a foregone conclusion that he was a grandson of
Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census.
In 1820, he was living just a few doors from both Robert and William
Cobb. He was still in Lincoln County
in 1830, but by 1840 had moved to Rutherford
County, Tennessee.
A comparison of census reports indicates he was married twice, and that
by 1830, his entire 1820 family had died, therefore his wife and children will
not be listed here.
1830: Robert Cobb
from the 1820 census. He was the son of
James Cobb (deceased) and grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790
census. A full accounting of his family
is extremely difficult to achieve.
Therefore I was forced to employ a holistic approach ... taking all the
census reports for this family, laying them side by side, and comparing all of
them one to the other.
In 1820, Robert Cobb had two
young sons and three young daughters.
The sons are identified, but two of the daughters are not. It appears that all three daughters were still
at home on this 1830 census. By 1840,
only one of these females was still at home and she remains unidentified.
On this 1830 census all four of
Robert’s ‘believed” known sons are accounted for, but there were two
unidentified young males in the household, of which at least one should have
been listed in 1820 but wasn’t. One of
them was born 1815-1820, and the other 1820-1825. In 1840, there were only three males in the
household, and they are identified.
To summarize, in 1830 there were
four unidentified children in Robert Cobb’s household ... a male born
1815-1820, a male born 1820-1825, a female born 1815-1820, and a female born
1820-1825. In 1820 the two males were
not present. By 1840, all were gone with
the exception of one unidentified female.
1830: James Cobb
was listed on the 1810 census, and for some reason omitted on the next
enumeration in 1820. Both he and his
wife were born 1770-1780. Their family
has increased by one, a male born 1820-1825.
1830: Shadrick
Cobb, (aka Shade and Sheldrake) Cobb, was still in Lincoln County. The size of his family has increased by the
arrival of one male born 1825-1830. None
of his family is yet identified. I
believe he was possibly a son of David Cobb and grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr)
from the 1790 census.
1830: John Cobb
first appeared in Lincoln
County on this
enumeration. His family was composed of
five persons; one male 5-10 years of age, one male 30-40, two females under 5
years of age, and one female 20-30 years of age, none of which are yet
identified. It is possible he was the
son of Benjamin M. Cobb and Violetta Morris, and grandson of Clisby Cobb and
wife Margaret. If so, his wife was Sarah
“Sally” Bumgarner, who he married 18 April 1821 in Lincoln County.
1840: Sadric
(Cedric?) Cobb made his only appearance in Lincoln County
with this census. Regardless of a
seeming similarity in name, he could not have been a son of Shadrick Cobb. In 1840, his family was composed of eight
persons; two males 5-10 years of age, one male 10-15, one male 50-60 (obviously
himself), one female under 5 years of age, one female 5-10, one female 10-15,
and one female 20-30 (his wife or a widowed daughter?). None are identified.
1840: Shadrick
Cobb (aka Shade and Sheldrake) made his last appearance in Lincoln County
on this enumeration. This is the same
individual named on census reports in Lincoln County
since 1810, and whom I have proposed may have been a son of David Cobb, and
grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census. In 1840, his family was composed of five
persons; one male 10-15 years of age, one male 50-60 (himself), one female
5-10, one female 15-20, and one female 40-50 (his wife). Considering his age and his tenure there it
would seem likely he died in Lincoln
County sometime before
the next census in 1850. From census
reports, he had at least four sons and three daughters that may well have
remained in Lincoln
County. None are identified.
1840: James Cobb
was enumerated in the Upper Regiment.
This is NOT the same James Cobb listed on the 1830 or 1810 census, and
he does not appear on any subsequent reports.
There were only three persons in his household; himself (age 20-30), his
wife (age 20-30), and a son under 5 years of age. None are identified.
1840: Ellen
(Phillips) Cobb was the widow of Robert Cobb, son of James Cobb and grandson of
Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census.
At this time, Eleanor still had four children at home; sons Henry (1820),
Robert Jr (1821), and William Rufus (1828).
One daughter was still at home, age 10-15. Her identity is not known.
1840: William Cobb
was enumerated in the Upper Regiment.
This is NOT the same William Halsey Cobb from the 1830 census. This is this man’s first and last appearance
in Lincoln County.
His family was composed of seven persons; one male under 5 years of age,
one male 10-15, one male 30-40, one female under 5 years of age, two females
5-10 years of age, one female 10-15, and one female 30-40 years of age. None are identified.
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