Jesse Cobb

ID# 18550

Key Events:

Marriage: Nancy [surname unknown] 1

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Jesse married Nancy [surname unknown].1
     On 14 May 1803 Jesse was granted patents for four parcels on the waters of the Pond River in Christian Co., Kentucky, in each case based on warrants he had acquired from others. The patents were for 400 acres surveyed 14 May 1803, 220 acres surveyed 30 Apr 1807, 131¼ acres surveyed 20 May 1808, and 150 acres surveyed 28 Apr 1812. Records of the date of the actual patents have not been examined.2
     Jesse appeared on the 1810 Federal Census of Hopkinsville, Christian Co., Kentucky, with a household consisting of four males under age 10 (unknown), one age 10 to 16 (unknown), one age 26 to 45 (himself), and one age 26 to 45 (wife, Nancy). There were also two slaves.3
     Jesse apparently moved to Caldwell Co. about 1814. He appears on the 1815 tax list for that county, reporting that he owned four parcels on the waters of Pond River in Christian Co., of 200, 130, 150, and 77 acres respectively, as well as seven slaves and four horses, with a total value of $2,554. The discrepancies between the sizes of the parcels as listed on the tax list and those shown in the patent records may be because he has sold some of his land, or because the parcels turned out to be smaller than described initially.4
     He was apparently seen as a solid citizen immediately, and took an active part in his new community. He was accepted as security for a guardian's bond on 22 May 1815.5 He was appointed 23 Oct 1815 surveyor of the road from Eddyville to Shaw's old mill, beginning where the road from Eddy Grove interesects to the Josiah Cobb place. He was the same day appointed with Josiah and three others to appraise the estate of Samuel Boyd.6
     Jesse purchased 540 acres on the waters of Lick Creek adjoining Josiah Cobb, from Andrew George on 3 Jan 1817, paying $300.7
     Jesse appears in the Caldwell Co. tax lists from 1817 through 1825, in each year reporting three parcels on the waters of Lick Creek totaling 540 acres. He reported varying numbers of slaves, from one in some years to a maximum of 6 in 1823, down to three in 1825. He reported as many as seven horses, in 1821, down to one in 1825.8
     On 29 Jul 1817 Jesse was named a security for the widow of Josiah Cobb as the administrator of his estate.9 The same day he was appointed one of five men to view and mark out a road from Princetown to Eddyville, and on 25 Nov was appointed one of five men to view and mark a road from Freemans Mill to intersect the Saline Road at or near James Armstrongs.10 On 23 Aug 1818 he became security for the $1,000 bond of Samuel C. Clark as constable.11
     Jesse appeared on the 1820 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., Kentucky, with a household consisting of one white male under age 10 (unknown), three age 10 to 16 (unknown), two age 16 to 26 (unknown), two age 26 to 44 ( probably himself and another), one over 45 (unknown), and one white female age 26 to 45 (wife Nancy). There were also one male and one female slave. Eight people were reported as engaged in agriculture, so it appears that several of the unidentified adult males were either relatives or hired hands working on the farm.12 He was listed immediately preceding Ann, widow of Josiah Cobb.13
     Jesse purchased 400 acres on the waters of Skinframe from William Murray of Trigg Co. on 15 Jul 1822, paying $350. He sold what appears to be the same parcel two weeks later, on 30 Jul, to Jonathon C. Langdon for $500.14
     Jesse was appointed surveyor of the road from Donalson fork of Harden to Eddyville, beginning at James Smarts to where the road intersects the road from Princeton to Eddyville. On 18 Apr 1826 he was appointed to survey the road from Widow Cobb's to the fork of the road two miles from Eddyville on the Princeton road on 15 Jul 1822.15
     He seems to have later fallen on hard times. On 17 Nov 1827 the 540-acre parcel purchased by Jesse in 1817 was sold on the courthouse steps. The sale was in settlement of a $450 judgment in the Sep 1827 term of the Circuit Court against him, in favor of John H. Phelps. Phelps bought the parcel for $50.16
     No further record of Jesse or his wife has been found.
     
Research Note, 14 Apr 2018:
Jesse and Josiah Cobb were clearly not closely related to the other Cobbs in Eddyville, whose ancestors and close cousins are well documented. The frequent association of the two with each other in various documents suggests they were related, but just how has not been well documented. It seems likely that most if not all of the "heirs and legal representatives" who sold Josiah's property in 1838 were his children. Extensive research by descendants of some of them has found evidence suggesting, if not yet solidly proving, that Josiah and Jesse were brothers, and were descendants of Henry (the Elder) Cobb of Barnstable by a different son than the one who is the ancestor of most of the Cobbs on our website. While the others descend from his son Henry (1665-1725), Josiah and Jesse are believed to have descended from his son Samuel (1654-1727), by his son Henry (1687-1755), most likely by his son Noah (1739-1808). This latter Henry is known to have moved to Pomfret, Connecticut, and then to North Carolina, where both he and his son Noah died. The presumed sons of Josiah were born in South Carolina, a connection that seems quite possible but not yet proved.17

Children:
     Children with Nancy [surname unknown]:

Jesse and Nancy appear to have had several sons, based on the number of young males in the 1810 and 1820 censuses, but their names are unknown.

Citations

  1. [S1975] Deeds, Caldwell Co., Kentucky, D:72, Jesse Cobb & wife Nancy to Jonathon C Langdon, 7 Mar 1823.
  2. [S4055] Jillson, The Kentucky Land Grants, pg 291.
  3. [S4108] Jessy Cobb household, 1810 U.S. Census, Christian Co., Kentucky.
  4. [S4057] Caldwell Co. tax lists,, 1815 pg 6.
  5. [S1971] Caldwell Co. Order Book, 1:386-7.
  6. [S1971] Caldwell Co. Order Book, 1:418-9; 1:426-7.
  7. [S1975] Deeds, Caldwell Co., Kentucky, B:360-2, Andrew George & wife Sarah to Jesse Cobb, 24 Feb 1817.
  8. [S4057] Caldwell Co. tax lists,, 1816 pg 6; 1817 pg 6; 1818 pg 8; 1819 pg 7; 1820 pg 8; 1821 pg 11; 1822 pg 6; 1823 pg 10; 1824 pg 9; and 1825 pg 10.
  9. [S1971] Caldwell Co. Order Book, B:156.
  10. [S1971] Caldwell Co. Order Book, B:153; B:198.
  11. [S1971] Caldwell Co. Order Book, C:116-7.
  12. [S4107] Jesse Cobb household, 1820 U.S. Census, Caldwell Co., Kentucky.
  13. [S4106] Widw Cobb household, 1820 U.S. Census, Caldwell Co., Kentucky.
  14. [S1975] Deeds, Caldwell Co., Kentucky, D:13-14, William Murray & wife Charotte to Jesse Cobb, 19 Aug 1822; D:72, Jesse Cobb & wife Nancy to Jonathon C. Langdon, 7 Mar 1823.
  15. [S1971] Caldwell Co. Order Book, D:21; D:235.
  16. [S1975] Deeds, Caldwell Co., Kentucky, E:308-9, Charles Lofland, commissioner in chancery to John H Phelps, 11 Mar 1828.
  17. [S7958] Wunder, "Cobbs in Caldwell, KY," e-mail to author, 7 Apr 2018, shows her current research into ancestry of Josiah Cobb.