James Brewer Cobb

Narrative:

     James Brewer Cobb was born about 17 May 1823 in Orwell, Vermont.^7,8,9
     His mother died on 19 Feb 1828, when James was about 4 years old.^14,15,16 He was probably one of the two males age 5 to10 listed in the household of his father, Horace Cobb, in the 1830 Federal Census of Orwell, Rutland Co., Vermont.¹⁷
     He moved to Brighton, New York, with his father and stepmother between 1830 and 1840.¹⁸ He was probably one of the two males age 15 to 20 listed in the household of his father in the 1840 Federal Census of Brighton, Monroe Co., New York.¹⁹
     James appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Brighton, Monroe Co., New York, in the household of Abigail W. Nichols, his step-mother.²⁰
     James married Helen W. McCall, daughter of John McCall and Laura Rotel, about 1853.^10,11,12
     James and Helen moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, after their marriage. They appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, enumerated 17 Aug 1860, reporting real estate valued at $7,500 and person estate of $300. Their children Anna, Gertrude and Maude were listed as living with them, as were his half-sister, Jane, three farm laborers, Frederick Cook, age 19, and Benjamin and Henry Simons, both age 21, and Marinda Stack, a 25-year-old servant.²¹
     James served as commissioner of highways for Kalamazoo Twp. in 1860.²² He served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives for the 1863-64 and 1865-66 terms and again in 1881-82 in 1863 in Michigan.^23,24 He was appointed Treasurer of Kalamazoo Co., apparently to fill a vacated term, serving from Mar 1874 to Jan 1875.²⁵
     James and Helen appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, enumerated 8 Jun 1870, reporting real estate valued at $20,000 and person estate of $2,400. Their children Gertrude, Maude, Charles and Alice were listed as living with them.²⁶
     James and Helen appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, enumerated 2 Jun 1880. Their children Gertrude, Maude, Charles and Alice were listed as living with them, as was Susie Stewart, a 21-year-old housekeeper.²⁷
     He was a farmer, likely on his late father's farm, with his brother and step-mother in Brighten. He continued farming in Michigan.^28,29,30 In the 1860 census he reported having 120 acres of improved land and 30 acres unimproved, valued at $7,500, and $400 worth of tools and implements. He reported four horses, six milch cows, two working oxen, twelve other cows, 500 sheep, and ten swine, valued at $2,150. He reported that he had produced 630 bushels of wheat, 400 of corn, 200 of oats, and 1,500 lb. of wool. The page showing the remainder of his crops has not been found.³¹
     In the 1870 census he reported having 170 acres of improved land and 24 acres unimproved, valued at $20,000, and $200 worth of tools and implements. He had paid $300 in wages in the prior year. He reported four horses, five milch cows, 200 sheep, and 13 swine, valued at $2,050. He reported that he had produced 1,000 bushels of winter wheat, 1,000 of corn, 150 of oats, and 40 of barley. The page showing the remainder of his produce, and it's value, have not been found.³²
     In the 1880 census he reported owning 160 acres of tilled land and 12 of woodland, valued at $15,000, tools and implements worth $600, and $1,150 worth of livestock. He reported that he had spent $100 in repairing fences in the prior year, $25 for fertilizer, and $850 for 100 weeks of hired labor. He reported six horses, three milch cows and three other cows which had dropped four calves and produced 500 lb. of butter the prior year, 95 sheep that had produced 450 lb. of wool, 12 swine, and 50 chickens that had produced 250 dozen eggs. He reported that he had produced 1,000 bushels of corn on 20 acres, 80 of oats on one acre, 1,200 of wheat on 47 acres, 150 of potatoes on 3 acres, and 200 of apples, worth $100, on 500 trees on 20 acres. He had also produced 30 tons of hay on 20 acres, with another 35 acres of grassland not mown. He had cut 30 cords of wood worth $40, for a total value of all products of $2,665.³³
     The Kalamazoo County Agricultural Society, the oldest in the state, was organized 1 Jan 1845 to "promote the more general dissemination of the true principles and science of Agriculture." The society hosted annual fairs for many years, but attendance fell off and in 1867 the officers decided to abandon it. In Jan 1873 a meeting was held in an attempt to revive it, and James' brother William was elected president. The fairs were resumed and became successful. By 1880 William was no longer an officer, but James was elected Treasurer.³⁴
     He was an insurance agent by 1880, and a wool dealer at the time of his death.^35,36
     James died on 7 May 1899 in 530 S. Burdick, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan.¹ He was buried on 9 May 1899 in Mountain Home Cemetery, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, with his wife and children.^1,13