The Cobbs of Lincoln County, North Carolina
(And the surrounding area)
Chapter Three – 1860
Contents (In Chronological Order)
1860 Census – Lincoln County, North Carolina
1860 Census – Catawba County, North Carolina
1860 Census – Gaston County, North Carolina
1860 Census – Cleveland County, North Carolina
1860 Census – York District, South Carolina
LINCOLN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
No new unidentified Cobb families moved into the area during the 1850-1860 time span, however there are still a few people that are not yet identified. Also, a good many marriages had taken place and a lot of children had been born since 1850.
01 June 1860 – Lincolnton Post Office
Robert Cobb
Age
37
Born
NC
Leana
39
NC
Harriet
16
NC
Henry
13
Gaston County
Frances (f)
10
Gaston County
Wesley
04
Gaston County
Georgiana
01
Lincoln County
This was Robert Cobb Jr, son of Robert Cobb Sr and Elenor “Ellen” Phillips, grandson of James Cobb and Sarah “Sally” Beach, and great grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census of Lincoln County. He married Leanah Hope on 14 December 1841 in Lincoln County. Considerable information is available on this family.
Robert was born about 1820 in North Carolina. He alternately moved between Lincoln and Gaston counties. He was living in the latter place as late as 1880, and disappeared thereafter. Leana Hope Cobb was born 17 March 1821 in North Carolina, and died 30 March 1883 in Cherokee County, South Carolina. She is buried in the old Blacksburg City Cemetery in Cherokee County.
Harriet was born 26 June 1844 in North Carolina, and died 21 March 1883 in Cherokee County, South Carolina. She is buried next to her mother. She apparently died unmarried and without issue.
Lawson Henry Cobb was born August 1842 in North Carolina. He married about 1871, probably in Lincoln County, to a Laura “Last Name Unknown”. He was still living in Lincoln County in 1880, but sometime after moved to Cherokee County, South Carolina. He was still living in Cherokee as late as 1920. He and Laura had eight children and numerous descendants.
Sarah Frances Cobb was born September 1850 in North Carolina. She married John W. Lemaster in Lincoln County on 06 February 1866. They were still living in Lincoln as late as 1870.
William Wesley Cobb was born 11 April 1857 in North Carolina, and died 11 September 1935 in Cleveland County. He was buried at Mountain Rest Cemetery at King’s Mountain in Cleveland County. He was married twice ... (1) Sarah “Last Name Unknown” about 1878, by who he had seven children, and (2) Susan A. “Last Name Unknown” about 1898, by who he had one child.
Georgiana Cobb was born 18 February 1860 in North Carolina, and died 05 March 1942 in Cleveland County. She married John Monroe Hays about 1878. They are also buried at Mountain Rest Cemetery.
John Cobb was born after this enumeration, in about 1865. He married Blanche “Last Name Unknown” about 1885, and was living in Gaston County, North Carolina, as late as 1910.
13 June 1860 – Lincolnton Post Office
Joseph Cobb
Age
37
Born
Lincoln County
Margaret
33
Lincoln County
Beverly (m)
12
Lincoln County
John
06
Lincoln County
This was Joseph Cameron Cobb, son William Halsey Cobb and Jane Connely, and grandson of Clisby Cobb and Margaret Halsey Young. He married Margaret Eliza Butts in Lincoln County on 25 October 1847.
09 July 1860 – Lincolnton Post Office
Jack Cobb
Age
40
Born
Lincoln County
Ann
30
Lincoln County
Ellen
17
Lincoln County
Rufus
16
Lincoln County
Elizabeth
12
Lincoln County
John
09
Lincoln County
James
08
Lincoln County
Sarah
04
Lincoln County
Henry
02
Lincoln County
This was John Cobb who married Anne Long on 07 February 1841, in Lincoln County. He may have been the son of Robert Cobb Sr and Elenor “Ellen” Phillips.
CATAWBA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
26 June 1860 – Jacobs Fork Township
Henry Cobb
Age
36
Born
NC
Nancy
37
NC
Missouri
18
NC
Rufus
16
NC
Emeline
11
NC
James
02
NC
This was Henry Cobb, son of Robert Cobb and Elenor Phillips, grandson of James Cobb and Sarah Beach, and great grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census of Lincoln County, North Carolina. He married Nancy Hilton / Helton on 16 December 1840 in Lincoln County.
Since the previous enumeration, son John M. has died. He was born 23 June 1845, and died 01 July 1854. He was buried at Wesley’s Chapel Methodist Church in Catawba County.
During the War Between the States, son Rufus Franklin Cobb served in Company B, 42nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment. He survived the conflict and married Frances J. “Caroline” Cathey about 1867. They had four children before her death in 1892.
Daughter Emeline married H.H. Croson in Catawba County on 16 January 1868.
17 October 1860 – Sherrill’s Ford Township
Rufus Cobb
Age
32
Born
NC
Martha
31
NC
Charlotte
11
NC
Luther
09
NC
Nancy
07
NC
James
05
NC
Araminta
02
NC
This is William Rufus Cobb, son of Robert Cobb and Elenor Phillips, grandson of James Cobb and Sarah Beach, and great grandson of Ambrose Cobb (Sr) from the 1790 census of Lincoln County, North Carolina. His wife’s was Martha “Patsy” Linebarger. They married about 1848, probably in Lincoln County, where they were enumerated on the 1850 census. Martha died in 1862, and shortly after on 20 July 1862, Rufus married Sophia P. Abernathy in Catawba County, and had seven more children by her.
08 November 1860 – Mountain Creek Township
John Cobb
Age
60
Born
NC
Sally
54
NC
Calvin
18
NC
Easton
14
NC
Caswell
25
NC
Deaf & Dumb
This was John Cobb, son of Benjamin M. Cobb and Violetta Morris, and grandson of Clisby Cobb and Margaret Halsey Young. He married Sarah “Sally” Bumgarner on 18 April 1821 in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Since the previous enumeration in 1850, a number of changes have taken place in the composition of this family household.
Son Benjamin Morris Cobb, a physician, married Catherine Lonergan on 08 June 1847, and moved to York County, South Carolina. Daughter Rhoda married Caleb Link on 07 October 1851, and was living next door at the time of this enumeration. Daughter Lavina married Patrick M. Clark on 27 January 1852. Daughter Malinda married Peter Stroup on 19 December 1851, and moved to Lincoln County.
Caswell was deaf and dumb, and as was typical in the age before the availability of social and rehabilitation services, he was cared for by relatives all his life. He was still living as late as 1880, with his brother Calvin. Easton Robert Cobb married Margaret C. Dellinger on 21 December 1870, but was deceased by 1880.
Calvin McKelvin Cobb enlisted in Company K, 46th North Carolina Infantry Regiment for service during the War Between the States. He survived the war and married Martha C. Sigmon about 1867. He lived in Catawba County until sometime after 1880, when he moved to Lincoln County. He died in Lincoln in 1920.
08 November 1860 – Mountain Creek Township
Caleb Link
Age
30
Born
NC
Rhoda V.
30
NC
Pamphilia
06
NC
Olive
05
NC
Sarah
03
NC
Laura
02
NC
Rhoda was the daughter of John Cobb and Sally Bumgarner, above. As stated, she married Caleb Link on 07 October 1851 in Catawba County. There were five more children born after this enumeration ... Margaret V about 1861 ... Anna A. in 1862 ... Elizabeth J. in 1865 ... John R.J. in 1870 ... and Fanny C. in 1874. This family was still living in Catawba County as late as 1880.
GASTON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
02 July 1860 – Crowder’s Creek Township
Margaret Cobb age 60 born Not Given
This woman is not identified. She was in her own household, next door to a widow Isabella Ford, possibly a relative of the Barbara Ford who married James S. Cobb in 1858 in Cleveland County.
CLEVELAND COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
08 June 1860 – No Township Given
James Cobb
Age
43
Born
NC
Occ: Machinist
Barbara A.
24
NC
Alexander
20
NC
Columbus
17
NC
Sylvester
15
NC
Leroy
14
NC
Adline
12
NC
Laura
09
NC
James
03
NC
Albertus
01
NC
This is James S. Cobb whose parentage is not yet known. The first positive identification of him on a region-wide census was in 1850 in Catawba County. He married in Lincoln County on 05 February 1838, to Frances “Fanny” Hilton / Helton. Fanny was born 09 September 1817 in Tennessee, and died in Catawba County on 04 November 1857. She was buried there at Wesley Chapel Methodist Church. James married Barbara Ann Ford in Cleveland County on 22 July 1858. His first child by her was Albertus, shown above. There were two more ... Andrew J. in 1862, and William Eugene “Wally” in 1866.
Sons Robert Alexander and F. Columbus Cobb enlisted in Company F, 23rd North Carolina Infantry Regiment for service during the War Between the States. Columbus died 15 January 1863, in a military hospital in Richmond, Virginia. Robert survived the war and spent the remainder of his life in Burke County.
16 August 1860 – No Township Given
Caroline Cobb age 21 born NC
This was the daughter of the widow Nancy Cobb who first appears on the 1850 census in Cleveland County. At this time Caroline was living in the household of one Sylvester Umphries / Humphries. Her connection to him is unknown.
22 August 1860 – No Township Given
Nancy Cobb
Age
52
Born
NC
Betsy A.
28
NC
Jackson
not given
NC
Missineah
20
NC
Thompson
17
NC
Nancy
15
NC
Jessie (m)
15
NC
Lemuel
26
NC
Elizabeth
18
NC
This was the widow Nancy Cobb who first appeared on the 1850 census of Cleveland County, and mother of the Caroline Cobb, above. Compared to the previous 1850 census we find ... Betsy A. here was listed as Elizabeth in 1850 ... Samuel (actually his name was Lemuel) has married Elizabeth Luezar Wilson, and is still living with his mother ... son Jacob is now listed Jackson ... and that Thompson Cobb here was listed as Thomas in 1850.
20 July 1860 – No Township Given
William Cobb
Age
55
Born
NC
Occ: Shoemaker
Martha
50
NC
John H.
23
NC
Occ: Carpenter
Nancy L.
20
NC
William W.
18
NC
Richard J.
16
NC
George S.
14
NC
Martha J.
10
NC
This was William Cobb whose parentage is not yet proven, but who I believe DNA analysis would confirm was a son of John Cobb, and grandson of Clisby Cobb and Margaret Halsey Young. William is shown here married to his first wife Martha Harmon, who he married in Lincoln County on 15 February 1827. Since the previous 1850 census, daughter Sarah Julia has married Robert W. Dixon and moved out. Before the next 1870 census, this family would experience some far-reaching changes.
Son John Harmon Cobb married Vianna McDuffy Gardner in December 1860. Son William married Frances Barnes about 1868. Daughter Martha married Andrew Costner about 1869. Son George Scott Cobb married about 1865, and moved to Union County, South Carolina. Son Richard Jerry Cobb simply disappeared, as did daughter Nancy.
Martha Harmon Cobb died in 1868, and shortly after William married the widow Catherine Collins Howell.
YORK DISTRICT, SOUTH CAROLINA
30 July 1860 – Fort Mill Township
B.M. Cobb
Age
38
Born
Lincoln County, NC
Occ: Physician
Catherine A.
34
Tipperary, Ireland
Charles A.
12
NC
Annie E.
10
NC
William I.
08
York District, SC
Mary F.
07
York District, SC
John W.
04
York District, SC
Thomas B.
03
York District, SC
George M.
7M
York District, SC
This was Benjamin Morris Cobb, son of John Cobb and Sarah Bumgarner, grandson of Benjamin M. Cobb and Violetta Morris, and great grandson of Clisby Cobb and Margaret Halsey Young. He married Catherine A. Lonergan on 08 June 1847, in Catawba County, North Carolina. For some unexplained reason, she and their first two children were not enumerated with him on the 1850 census. They had one more child after this census, Edmund Lonergan Cobb in 1865. Before the next census in 1870, son Charles married Mary Ann Frew. Also, Benjamin died 15 June 1868 in York District. His birth date is officially marked as 19 February 1822.
08 September 1860 – Hickory Grove PO
G.W. Cobb
Age
45
Born
NC
Occ: Shoemaker
Caroline
35
SC
James
17
SC
Sallie
15
SC
Nancy
13
SC
Rachel
11
SC
Elizabeth
09
SC
Jane
05
SC
Rebecca
03
SC
This was George Washington Goforth Cobb, one of the three men grouped together by some researchers as brothers and sons of a William Cobb and Elizabeth Goforth. The reader is referred to the previous chapter for a detailed analysis of this claim, and why it is erroneous. George and Margaret Caroline Childers were already married by 1840, per the census of York District, and all their children were born there.
This enumeration represents the last record for half of this family. George enlisted in Company B, 12th South Carolina Infantry Regiment for service during the War Between the States. He was captured and died while a prisoner on 25 November 1863 at Point Lookout, Maryland. Son James was still living in York County in 1870, as was sister Elizabeth who had married James M. Elliott. Daughter Margaret was still living in York in 1870, in the household of the Elliott family. Daughter Sarah “Sally” married Hiram Moss about 1865 and moved to Union County, South Carolina, taking sister Rachel along with them.
17 September 1860 – Hickory Grove PO
James Cobb
Age
53
Born
SC
Occ: Blacksmith
Jinsy
40
SC
Martha
27
SC
Elizabeth
19
SC
William G.
25
SC
Occ: Shoemaker
Rosalinda
14
SC
James
12
SC
Thomas
08
SC
John
06
SC
Lowry
12
SC
Harris
02
SC
This was James Cobb, another of the three men popularly grouped together as being sons of William Cobb and Elizabeth Goforth. It is quite possible that this man and George G.W. Cobb, above, were in fact brothers. They were born within a reasonable time span, in South Carolina, and both were trained craftsmen by profession, particularly as Shoemakers.
26 September 1860 – Hopewell PO
John G. Cobb
Age
47
Born
NC
Occ: Farmer
Rocinda
39
York District, South Carolina
Mary L.
14
York District, South Carolina
Martha
12
York District, South Carolina
James
09
York District, South Carolina
John
05
York District, South Carolina
William
04
York District, South Carolina
Joseph
03
York District, South Carolina
Martha
87
Virginia
This was John G. Cobb, the third man commonly found grouped with James and George G.W. Cobb as brothers, and sons of a William Cobb and Elizabeth Goforth. Again, the reader is referred to the previous chapter to see why this claim is erroneous. DNA analysis has shown that the descendants of this man share the same ancestry as the Ambrose Cobb (Sr) found on the 1790 census of Lincoln County, North Carolina.
Comparing this enumeration to the last one in 1850, the only significant change is that daughter Elizabeth is no longer found in family household. Being born in 1839, it is quite likely that she had married and moved out. Before the next census in 1870, wife Rocinda will have died, and John will have married a woman named Rachel by who he will produce no more children. Also by 1870, daughter Mary will be gone. Otherwise this family will be intact.
There were no Cobb families in Burke, Rutherford, Cherokee, or Mecklenburg counties in 1860. There were Cobbs in Greenville District, South Carolina, that are identified and had no connection to the families involved in this study.
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