Louisa Berry Long

Narrative:

     Louisa Berry Long was born in 1812 in Caldwell Co., Kentucky.^7,8,9
     Her father died in Mar or Apr 1817, when Louisa was about 5 years old.¹⁴ She was probably one of the three females under age 10 listed in the household of her mother, Sarah Graham, in the 1820 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., Kentucky.¹⁵
     She was probably the female age 15 to 20 listed in the household of her mother, Sarah Graham, in the 1830 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., Kentucky.¹⁶
     Louisa appeared on the 1840 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., Kentucky, with a household consisting of one male under age 5 (son Willis), one female age 20 to 30 (herself), and one male slave age 10 to 24. Her mother's household is apparently nearby, as she was listed next in the census record.¹⁷

Her Mysterious Relationship with Caleb Cobb --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     The relationship between Louisa and Caleb seems beset with mysteries. First, there is a series of transactions involving land left by her late father to his widow and children. The purchases started about the time of the birth of their first son, while she was still apparently living on the property with or near her mother. It seems Caleb set about acquiring the rights of all the heirs, apparently expending some effort to do so. On 15 Jul 1836 he purchased from Louisa's sister Maria and her husband, for $50, their right as "one of the legatees of Griffin Long desc'd." to 400 ac. on Spring Creek and the waters of Livingston Creek. On 26 Oct 1836 he purchased from Sarah, Long's widow, her right of dower on the same property, for $100, noting that she then lived there. On 26 Oct 1836 he purchased Louisa's rights as one of the legatees, for $70.¹⁸
     On 17 Jul 1841 he sold five acres of apparently the same 400-acre parcel to Daniel Jarrett for $25. He sold half the property to his two brothers as part of the 2 Aug 1841 sale of 18 different parcels, and a week later sold the other half to Louisa for $200, in neither case mentioning the previous sale of five acres. Then, on 8 Dec 1843, he obtained for $80 what appears to be further title to the same property, the rights of Thomas Long, of Sangamon Co, Illinois, which he had obtained from Louisa's sisters Eliza and Melvilla and their husbands. In that deed the tract was described a on the head of Spring Creek, belonging to heirs of Griffing Long desc'd.," the proper boundaries not known to the parities and undivided," reserving the one-third part which was the widow's right of dower. Was Caleb clearing the title to the land he had already sold, as he would have been required to do if the title became questionable? Why did he go to such trouble obtain the land then sell half of it back to Louisa? Was the other half valuable for the iron operations? Did she want it to return to her home place, or perhaps because her mother was still living there?¹⁹
     Then, three years before their marriage, Louisa appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., Kentucky, in the household of Caleb Clark Cobb, with Sarah Graham, her mother, and their son Gideon.²⁰
     Caleb and Louisa's relationship seems to have been awkward for the family. A well-researched family history by Caleb's granddaughter-in-law, based on extensive contacts with older family members as well as written sources, states that after his first wife's death he "moved to Dycusburg and married Louisa Long, and had by her one son Gideon. They then moved to Crittenden Furnaces..." The account ignores the fact that this son predated the marriage by seven years, and that they had apparently been living together in Caldwell Co. for some years before the marriage. It also omits mention of their eariler son and their daughter Belle, who was born after the marriage, but who may have died young.²¹
     Louisa married Caleb Clark Cobb, son of Gideon Dyer Cobb and Modena Chittenden Clark, on 30 Jan 1853 in Crittenden Co., Kentucky, with Collin Hodge officiating.^10,11

Settling in Dycusburg --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Louisa and Caleb appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Dycusburg, Crittenden Co., Kentucky, enumerated 13 Jul 1860, reporting no real estate, but $500 in personal estate. Their children Gideon and Belle were listed as living with them, They were apparently living near his brother Gideon as his household was listed second preceding in the record.^22,23
     Her husband died on 19 Nov 1867 in Crittenden Furnaces, Crittenden Co., Kentucky.^24,25,26
     In the inventory of her husband's estate Louisa had set aside items valued at $534.25. They included livestock – a horse valued at $25, two cows and calves at $40, all the poultry at $7 and a saddle and bridle at $33; furnishings – a bed and furnishings at $90, spinning wheel at $2, a sewing machine at $10, and carpeting at $200; as well as provisions including animal feed for a year, at $100. At the sale of items not set aside for her, she bought additional furnishings, including tables and chairs.²⁷
     On 12 Mar 1869 Louisa sold the portion of her father's land in Lyon Co. that her late husband had sold to her in 1841, selling it to Samuel H. Cassidy for $1,300.²⁸ On 25 May 1869 she purchased two lots in Dycusburg from Samuel H. Cassidy and his wife Narcissa, for $1,000, thus apparently trading the acreage for the two town lots. One was part of lot no. 15, on Main St., and the second was in the section known as Jacob's addition to the town.²⁹
     Louisa appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Dycusburg, Crittenden Co., Kentucky, enumerated 9 Aug 1870, reporting her occupation as farmer, but reporting no real or personal estate owned. Her children Willis and Gideon were listed as living with her, as were John and Mary E. Charles and their family, whose relationship to her, if any, is unknown.³⁰
     On 1 Sep 1871 Louisa sold a small tract in Crittenden Co. to R. H. Brown for $100. The exact size is not given, but it appears to be about a quarter acre.³¹ On 21 Dec 1871 she sold the 131-acre parcel in Lyon Co. patented to by her father, but not granted until after his death. She sold it to George T. Hays of Vanderberg Co. Indiana for $105.50.³²
     Louisa reportedly moved to Illinois after the death of her husband and re-married, but no further record has been found.³³
     Louisa died in 1881.^12,13