Royal Pinkney Cobb1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 15535, (1815 - 1876)
FatherCapt. Willard Cobb4 (17 Mar 1781 - 23 Jan 1855)
MotherAmy Allen4 (3 Dec 1778 - 27 Aug 1856)

Key Events:

Birth: 24 Jun 1815, Pawlet, Rutland Co., Vermont5,6
Marriage: 20 Dec 1842, Decatur Co., Indiana, Ruth Ann Howard (1822 - 1877)7,8
Death: 4 May 18769,10,11
Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Hannibal, Marion Co., Missouri12
ChartsDescendants of Gideon Cobb
AncestryThe Cobbs of Pawlet, Vermont

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Royal Pinkney Cobb was born on 24 Jun 1815 in Pawlet, Rutland Co., Vermont.5,6
     He was probably one of the three males under age 10 listed in the household of his father, Capt. Willard Cobb, in the 1820 Federal Census of Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont.13
     He moved to Indiana with his parents about 1827.14 He was probably one of the three males age 15 to 20 listed in the household of his father in the 1830 Federal Census of Decatur Co., Indiana.15
     He was a school teacher for a time, while studying law.16
     Royal married Ruth Ann Howard, daughter of John Howard and Anna Tate, on 20 Dec 1842 in Decatur Co., Indiana, with Rev. Fernandes C. Holliday offciating.7,8
     He was admitted to the bar in 1845, and opened an office in Greensburg.17,18
     Royal and Ruth appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Greensbrug, Decatur Co., Indiana, enumerated 21 Aug 1850, reporting real estate valued at $4,000. Their children Melville, Lois, James and Wilbert were listed as living with them, as were her mother, E. Fletcher, age 24, a milliner, and John Kelly, age 24, a student.3
     Royal served as a judge on the common pleas court in Decatur Co., Indiana.19,20
     While continuing his law practice, he also engaged in mercantile business and real estate. In 1853 he and J. V. Bemusdaffer, doing business as R. P. Cobb & Co., advertised in a Greensburg newspaper that they were dealers in Iron, Steel, Nails, Hardware, Cutlery, Groceries, Produce, etc.21,22
     Royal and Ruth moved to Missouri in 1858.23 They appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of Hannibal, Marion Co., Missouri, enumerated 9 Aug 1860, reporting real estate valued at $800 and personal estate of $300. Their children Melville, Lois, James and Wilbert were listed as living with them.24
     Royal continued his law practice after moving to Hannibal.25,26 He was elected City Attorney in 1860, serving one year.27
     But he ran the follow advertisement in the Hannibal newspaper in most issues from mid-Feb to late Jun, 1861:
     Royal P. Cobb, Spiritual Healing Medium, by the Laying on of Hands, and Spiritual Magnetizer. – Having been developed as a Healing Medium, by Spiritual agency, and also, having fully tested the power to cure disease by Spirit instrumentality, or “Laying-on-of-hand-opothy,” and having fully satisfied myself to offer my services to the public as a Spiritual Magnetizer, I would not be practicing any fraud upon my fellow-man, and being much pressed by the many calls upon my Medial Healing Powers, I have given up my practice as an Attorney at Law, in the court of the City of Hannibal, and now have given my undivided attention to the curing of diseases, both accute and chronic; and also, the healing of White Swelling, Fever-sores, and Cancers of recent and long standing.
     I have also treated many cases of Female Weakness and disease, successfully, and made permanent cure by the power of Haud-opothy. The Consumption, both quick and pulmonary, can be cured by Spirit influence through me, by the laying on of hands, without medicine.
     Having these gifts from a power higher than myself, I feel it my duty, in this simple and plain style, to state the same, and to substantiate my words I have at my office certificates, of living witnesses in the city or Hannibal and vicinity, to the cures performed, and all without drugs, as I never give drugs or medicines in their crude state.
     My fee for diagnosing a case, and once laying on of hands, is $1. If sick persons are at a distance, I must have a lock of hair, or some paper or garment that has touched the invalid, and if an answer is expected by mail, a postage stamp must be enclosed with which to prepay postage, together with the fee for examination. Diseases always diagnosed by Intuitional Clairvoyance, whether present or absent.28

     After his Spiritual Healing efforts, he apparently continued his law practice.29
     Royal and Ruth appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Hannibal, Marion Co., Missouri, enumerated 7 Jun 1870, reporting that she owned real estate valued at $1,000 and personal estate of $300. Their son Wilbert was listed as living with them.30
     Royal died on 4 May 1876 at age 60.9,10,11 He was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Hannibal, Marion Co., Missouri.12

Children:
     Children with Ruth Ann Howard:

  • Lois A. Cobb31,32,33 (4 Mar 1844 - 7 Aug 1923)
  • Melville Willard Cobb31,32,34 (14 Mar 1844 - 27 Sep 1918)
  • James S. Cobb31,32 (1846 - 1867)
  • Wilbert Howard Cobb31,32,35 (abt 10 May 1848 - 22 Dec 1905)

Citations

  1. [S862] Births, Marriages and Deaths, Pawlet, Vermont, 1768-1856, pg 25, shows name as Royal Pinkney.
  2. [S1938] Marriage Records, Decatur Co., Indiana, F:112, Royal P. Cobb and Ruth Ann Howard.
  3. [S2340] Royal P. Cobb household, 1850 U.S. Census, Decatur Co., Indiana.
  4. [S862] Births, Marriages and Deaths, Pawlet, Vermont, 1768-1856, pg 25.
  5. [S862] Births, Marriages and Deaths, Pawlet, Vermont, 1768-1856, pg 25, shows date. Since other entries show other places, it appears the absence of a place entry indicates a local birth.
  6. [S2340] Royal P. Cobb household, 1850 U.S. Census, Decatur Co., Indiana, shows age 35 and state.
  7. [S1938] Marriage Records, Decatur Co., Indiana, F:112, Royal P. Cobb and Ruth Ann Howard, shows date, county, state, and officiant.
  8. [S2340] Royal P. Cobb household, 1850 U.S. Census, Decatur Co., Indiana, shows them apparently living as husband and wife.
  9. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 16809296, Royal Pinkney Cobb, shows year, as 1876, and includes tombstone photo showing same.
  10. [S2380] Kennedy, "Re: The Cobb Family," e-mail to author, 17 Jan 2007, shows date, as 4 May 1874.
  11. [S11893] Portrait & Biographical Album of Marion, Ralls and Pike Counties, Missouri, pg 515, shows year, as 1878.
  12. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 16809296, Royal Pinkney Cobb, includes tombstone photo.
  13. [S2329] Willard Cobb household, 1820 U.S. Census, Rutland Co., Vermont.
  14. [S11844] Reuben R. Cobb obituary, The Indianapolis Journal, shows he moved to Indiana seventy years before.
  15. [S2331] Willard Cob household, 1830 U.S. Census, Decatur Co., Indiana.
  16. [S11893] Portrait & Biographical Album of Marion, Ralls and Pike Counties, Missouri, pg 514.
  17. [S11893] Portrait & Biographical Album of Marion, Ralls and Pike Counties, Missouri, pg 514, shows admitted, year, and office.
  18. [S2340] Royal P. Cobb household, 1850 U.S. Census, Decatur Co., Indiana, shows occupation as lawyer.
  19. [S4076] Harding, History of Decatur County Indiana, pp 278-9, shows he was judge of common-pleas court.
  20. [S11893] Portrait & Biographical Album of Marion, Ralls and Pike Counties, Missouri, pg 514, shows elected judge of Circuit Court in 1852.
  21. [S11893] Portrait & Biographical Album of Marion, Ralls and Pike Counties, Missouri, pg 514, shows also engaged in mercantile business and real estate.
  22. [S11894] R. P. Cobb & Co. advertisement2, The Decatur Press.
  23. [S11893] Portrait & Biographical Album of Marion, Ralls and Pike Counties, Missouri, pg 514, shows year.
  24. [S1865] R. P. Cobb household, 1860 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Missouri.
  25. [S11893] Portrait & Biographical Album of Marion, Ralls and Pike Counties, Missouri, pg 514, shows he continued his practice in Hannibal.
  26. [S1865] R. P. Cobb household, 1860 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Missouri, shows occupation as att. at law.
  27. [S11893] Portrait & Biographical Album of Marion, Ralls and Pike Counties, Missouri, pg 515.
  28. [S11895] Advertisement, Hannibal Daily Messenger, 9 Apr 1861, same advertisement found nearly daily from 17 Feb 1861 to 22 Jun 1861.
  29. [S2729] Royal P. Cobb household, 1870 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Missouri, shows occupation as lawyer.
  30. [S2729] Royal P. Cobb household, 1870 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Missouri.
  31. [S2340] Royal P. Cobb household, 1850 U.S. Census, Decatur Co., Indiana, shows them apparently living as parent and child.
  32. [S1865] R. P. Cobb household, 1860 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Missouri, shows them apparently living as parent and child.
  33. [S11892] Lois A. Gleason, Certificate of Death.
  34. [S11891] Melville Willard Cobb, Certificate of Death.
  35. [S2729] Royal P. Cobb household, 1870 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Missouri, shows them apparently living as parent and child.