Jesse Cobb

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.