William Henry Cobb

Narrative:

     William Henry Cobb was born on 1 Nov 1825 in Vermont.^7,8,9
     His mother died on 19 Feb 1828, when William was 2 years old.^13,14,15 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.¹⁶
     He moved to Brighton, New York, with his father and stepmother between 1830 and 1840.¹⁷ 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.¹⁸
     William appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Brighton, Monroe Co., New York, in the household of Abigail W. Nichols, his step-mother.¹⁹
     William married Laura A. Wilson, daughter of Edwin Wilson and Harriet [surname unknown].^10,11,12
     He was a farmer, likely on his father's farm, with his brother and step-mother, in Brighton in Brighton.²⁰
     William and Laura A. Wilson moved to Michigan some time in the early 1850s. By 1867 they lived on Portage Rd., Kalamazoo.²¹ They appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Portage Twp., Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, enumerated 23 Jul 1860, reporting real estate valued at $8,300 and person estate of $4,675. Their children Horace, Charles, James and Harriet were listed as living with them, as was Laurence Wilkinson, a 16-year-old farm laborer.²²
     William served as commissioner of highways for Portage Twp. in 1869 and again in 1876-77.²³
     William and Laura appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Portage Twp., Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, enumerated 2 Jul 1870, reporting real estate valued at $16,800 and personal estate of $3,000. Their children Horace, Charles, James and Harriet were listed as living with them, as were two laborers, Darius Burns, age 31, and Peter Degner, age 23, Mary Wadsworth, age 33, a housekeeper, and Emma Wadsworth, age 9.²⁴
     William and Laura appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Portage Twp., Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, enumerated 18 Jun 1880. Their daughter Harriet was listed as living with them, as were Sidney Safford, age 74, identified as a boarder, Mary E. Wadsworth, age 43, a servant, and Oscar A. Andrews, age 20, a farm laborer.²⁵
     His wife died on 21 Mar 1892 in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan.^26,27,28
     William appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Portage Twp., Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, enumerated 23 Jun 1900, reporting that he owned his farm, free of mortgage. His half-sister Jane was listed as living with him, as was Devias Burns, age 65, a farm laborer.²⁹
     William continued farming in Michigan, though for a time in the late 1860s he operated a livery stable at 62 Water St., Kalamazoo, with John Parker. It appears that farming became his full-time occupation after that.^{30,31,32,33,34,35} In the 1860 census he reported having 100 acres of improved land and 66 acres unimproved, valued at $8,300, and $555 worth of tools and implements. He reported six horses, five milch cows, two working oxen, three other cows, 468 sheep, and 20 swine, valued at $3,320. He reported that he had produced 444 bushels of wheat, 600 of corn, 175 of oats, and 900 lb. of wool. The page showing the remainder of his crops has not been found.³⁶
     In the 1870 census he reported having 210 acres of improved land and 30 acres unimproved, valued at $16,800, and $600 worth of tools and implements. He had paid $500 in wages in the prior year. He reported 10 horses, five milch cows, six other cows, 140 sheep, and 18 swine, valued at $1,930. He reported that he had produced 720 bushels of winter wheat, 600 of corn, 360 of oats, and 100 of barley. The page showing the remainder of his produce, and it's value, have not been found.³⁷
     In the 1880 census he reported owning 108 acres of tilled land and 12 of woodland, valued at $12,000, tools and implements worth $600, and $950 worth of livestock. He reported that he had spent $100 in repairing fences in the prior year, $10 for fertilizer, and $500 for 70 weeks of hired labor. He reported five horses, six milch cows and five other cows which had dropped six calves and produced 800 lb. of butter the prior year, 30 swine, and 70 chickens that had produced 300 dozen eggs. He reported that he had produced 800 bushels of corn on 20 acres, 1,000 of wheat on 40 acres, 50 of potatoes on one acre, and 200 of apples, worth $75, on 400 trees on 10 acres. He had also produced 25 tons of hay on 22 acres, with another 20 acres of grassland not mown, for a total value of all products of $3,200.³⁸
     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 William was elected president. The fairs were resumed, offering prizes in various categories, and became successful. At the 1878 fair William received the diploma for the best-cultivated farm. By 1880 William was no longer an officer, but his brother James was elected Treasurer.³⁹
     The Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company of Kalamazoo County was organized 17 Feb 1863. William became an officer, by 1880 becoming President and a director.⁴⁰
     William died on 2 Jan 1904 in Portage Twp., Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, at age 78.¹ He was buried on 3 Jan 1904 in Mountain Home Cemetery, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, with his wife and family.¹