Hezekiah Cobb

Narrative:

     Hezekiah Cobb was born about 1804 in South Carolina.^4,5
     He moved with his parents about 1806 to Livingston Co., Kentucky, which became Caldwell Co. in May 1809. He was probably one of the three males under age 10 listed in the household of his father, Josiah Cobb, in the 1810 Federal Census of Caldwell Co., Kentucky.¹¹
     Hezekiah and his brothers Humphrey, Samuel, and Theron all seem to have moved to Shelby Co., Tennessee, some time after 1810, and at least some of them before 1825. It seems likely that they did not move together, but some followed others at different times.
     On 14 Dec 1838 Hezekiah and his siblings sold the 200-acre parcel in Caldwell Co., Kentucky, that they had inherited from their father.³
     Hezekiah appeared on the 1840 Federal Census of Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, with a household consisting of one male under age 5 (unknown), one age 30 to 40 (himself), one female age 20 to 30 (his first wife.)¹²
     Hezekiah married second Mary Ann Hatcher on 22 Nov 1845 in Shelby Co., Tennessee.⁶
     Hezekiah married third Lucy A. Halley on 21 Nov 1849 in Shelby Co., Tennessee, with R. Corlitt officiating.^7,8
     Hezekiah and Lucy appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, enumerated 15 Aug 1850, reporting real estate valued at $3,500. His children Henry and Nancy by his prior marriages were listed as living with them, as were Nancy and Julia Hatcher, aged 3 and 8 respectively, who would appear to have been relatives of his late wife.¹³
     Hezekiah married fourth Eliza J. P. Angus on 3 Nov 1857, with James Arnald, justice of the peace, officiating.^2,9
     He was a saw mill owner for many years, but by 1870 considered himself a farmer.^14,15,16
     Hezekiah and Eliza appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Shelby Co., Tennessee, enumerated 8 Aug 1870, reporting real estate valued at $4,800. Their children Angus and Julia and his daughter by his previous marriage, Elizabeth, were listed as living with them.¹⁷
     Hezekiah died on 12 Oct 1872 in Shelby Co., Tennessee.¹⁰
     He was buried in a "find walnut coffin with silver plated handles" which cost $40, the use of the hearse was $10, and four carriages $20. The bill remained unpaid until 1878, incurring interest charges of $24.¹⁸
     Hezekiah died intestate (without leaving a will) and letters of administration for his estate were issued on 18 Nov 1872 to his wife Eliza, after she posted a bond for $2,000.¹⁹
     An inventory of his estate was filed on 10 Dec 1872, listing a piano, a sewing machine, a clock, various chairs and tables, a safe, a cooking stove, silverware and crockery, farm equipment, and 800 pounds of cotton. There were also two notes due him, one dated in 1865 for $900 of which $600 had been repaid, and one from about 1862 for $200, shown as "now lost."²⁰
     The final settlement of the estate was filed on 4 Aug 1878. In it, the widow, as administrator, stated that she had taken under rights as the widow the sewing machine, bedroom furniture, the clock and safe, a table and chairs, cooking stove, and farm equipment. She had sold the piano for $200, various other furniture pieces, and had collected $2,234 in a lawsuit against the Paducah Murphies Railroad, for a total of $2,665 received. She reported expenses including $500 for attorney fees for the railroad case, $800 paid in a lawsuit against the estate, $276 for two notes due, various accounts due, and $300 allowed her for a year's support. The balance of $157.66 was paid her as compensation for her services as administrator, with nothing remaining for heirs.²¹