Ebenezer Cobb

Narrative:

     Ebenezer Cobb was born on 16 Mar 1748/49 in Chelsa, Norwich, Connecticut.^5,6 He was baptized on 26 Mar 1749 in First Congregational Church, Norwich, New London Co., Connecticut.¹²
     Ebenezer married Elizabeth Lathrop on 4 Mar 1777 in Newent, Connecticut, with Elisha Lathrop, Esq., the bride's uncle, officiating.^7,8

Moving to the Frontier on the Upper Hudson --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Ebenezer and his four brothers, William and Mary, John, Elkanah and Joshua, moved from Connecticut to the settlement of Stillwater, on the Hudson River in the Saratoga Patent in the Saratoga Tax District of Albany Co., New York. We know that Elkanah was there by 1773 and that Ebenezer and Joshua evidently were there before 1777. John may not have arrived until 1779. Excepting Elkanah, the brothers remained in Stillwater at least until 1779.^13,14,15 (See background and map.)

Revolutionary War Service at Saratoga --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Ebenezer and his brother Joshua were evidently engaged in work for the military during the Revolution. On 17 Apr 1777 they had a claim for £17 5s 4p approved for "repairing of Arms on the late invasion to the northward."¹⁶ Ebenezer was an enlisted man in the 13th Regiment of the Albany County Militia. While his exact service dates have been lost, it seems highly likely that he was with his unit at the Second Battle of Saratoga, at Bemis Heights on 7 Oct 1777. The defeat of the British Gen. Burgoyne there forced his surrender ten days later, which encouraged the French to join the American effort, and thus was arguably a turning point in the Revolution.¹⁷
     Ebenezer and his brother Joshua joined about 120 other residents of the Saratoga and Cambridge Districts in Albany Co. in signing a petition to Gov. Clinton, noting that Gen. Burgoyne's forces had penetrated the county and the people were being attaced by "Savages" and British and Canadian troops. They asked for "speedy and effectual measures for their relief." His reply, dated 24 Apr 1778, said he had few resources, had asked Gen. Washington for help, and would send what help he could.¹⁸ They and their brother John joined 51 officers and other residents of Saratoga Tax District in signing a second petition to Gov. Clinton dated 27 Apr 1779, citing "daily and hourly incursions of a numerous and savage enemy" and asking him to reverse his order to call men away from the local regiment and to provide relief as he might "judge right."¹⁹
     Ebenezer appeared on the 2 Mar 1779 tax list of in Saratoga Tax District, Albany Co., New York, with real estate valued at £30.²⁰
     Ebenezer appeared on the 23 Oct 1779 tax list of in Saratoga Tax District, Albany Co., with real estate valued at $20.²¹
     Ebenezer purchased 50 acres of land in Pawlet, Vermont, on 9 Nov 1779, while a resident of Stillwater, New York, paying £600. The land had been confiscated by the state from the previous owner, Barnabas Hough, because of "his treasonable conduct," apparently during the Revolution.^22,23

Settling in Pawlet, Vermont --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Ebenezer moved to Pawlet, Vermont, from Stillwater, New York, about 1780 with his wife, Elizabeth, and their daughter Clarcy, joining his brothers, John, Elkanah, and Joshua, and their father, Gideon Cobb.^24,25,26 (See background and map.)
     Ebenezer, and his bothers John, Elkanah, and Joshua, all participated in Col. Ira Allen's Regiment during military actions in Vermont in 1780 and 1781. Surviving records show that all four were with Capt. John Stark's Militia Company "in defense of the Northern frontiers of this State" in Oct 1780, when Ebenezer served for 12 days. He also served for 10 days in Capt. Zadoc Everist's Company in the alarm in Oct 1781.²⁷
     Joshua and his brother Ebenezer exchanged two parcels of land on 20 Sep 1781. Ebenezer received the north half of lot no. 17, which Joshua had purchased in 1780, while Joshua received about 5 acres west of the new highway in lot no. 16, for which no purchase deed has been found.²⁸
     Ebenezer joined his brothers John, Elkanah, Joshua, and 45 other residents of Pawlet in signing a petition to the General Assembly dated 6 Sep 1785, asking that the Assembly incorporate the Congregational Society of Pawlet. They wanted to tax themselves in order to support "a Minister of the Gospel of the Congregational Order" in the town. Apparently their request was granted.²⁹ He was a delegate to the State Episcopal Convention in 1790, representing the Episcopal Church in Pawlet.³⁰
     Ebenezer appeared on the 1790 Federal Census of Pawlet, Rutland Co., Vermont, (which was enumerated 4 Apr 1791, after Vermont became a state in Mar 1791) with a household consisting of three males under16 (sons Harry, Ebenezer and Derrick), two over 16 (himself and another), and five females (daughters Clarcy, Susanna and Betsy, wife Elizabeth Lathrop, and another.)³

Administrator of His Brother's Estate --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Ebenezer was an administrator for the estate of his brother, Elkanah, along with Elkanah's son Gideon. They pursued the case Elkanah had filed before his death for damages to his mill. The case came to trial 16 Nov 1795 and the jury found Roger Stevens, Gilbert Soper, Nathaniel Lewis, and John Shumway Jr. guilty and awarded judgment of £60 and costs. The other defendants were acquitted and awarded their costs of trial. In the meantime the administrators filed a second suit for damages to the dam naming 17 defendants, many of them the same as in Elkanah's suit but several new names, including Simon Francis, apparently Elkanah's former partner in the mill. They sought £200 in damages costs. That suit was tried the same day and the jury found all but one of the defendants guilty and awarded £49 in damages and costs. The defendants in both suits filed a motions appealing the decisions to the Vermont Supreme Court claiming that the administrators had no standing to prosecute the suits.³¹
     Appeals were to be heard at the 30 Jan 1797 term of the Supreme Court but were not acted upon. The administrators filed a petition with the state Assembly on 20 Sep 1798, asking it to direct the Court to hear and determine the cases as though they had been prosecuted by Elkanah before his death. On 22 Oct 1798 the petition was read to the Assembly, and the petitioners granted leave to withdraw it, with no explanation provided by the record. No record of a decision by the Supreme Court has been found.^32,33
     On 13 Sep 1799, Ebenezer and his nephew Gideon as administrators exchanged halves of a 16½- acre parcel in Wells next to Pond Brook with James Dunscomb, declaring them to be of equal value.³⁴ The same day they deeded three parcels, "the whole of the real estate of Elkanah Cobb in Wells," to Simon Francis, his former partner. The parcels were of 3 acres, 18 acres, and 50 acres, and excluded the property set off by the court to the widow. The purchase price was $450, the amount by which the debts of the estate exceeded the "moveable estate."³⁵

The Move to Shelburne --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     In 1793, Ebenezer Cobb made a new survey of the town of Shelburne, Vermont, under the direction of the town selectmen, resolving longstanding disputes based on previous conflicting surveys. The original grant of the town charter specified it was to consist of 23,500 acres, a little over six miles square. But later surveys disclosed that its boundaries overlapped those of Burlington to the north. Since the grant to that town had been made a month earlier, it gained priority, and Shelburne's size was reduced to a little over 14,000 acres. The conflicting claims of early landowners were adjusted and resolved.^36,37
     On 3 Mar 1798 Ebenezer sold 75 acres in Pawlet to Ezra Shelton of Reuport [Repurt ?], Bennington Co., Vermont, for £430. The parcel fronted on the main road in town, and was near the shop of his brother Joshua. It is not clear from the description property descriptions, but seems likely this was his entire holding in Pawlet, as no further record of him has been found in that town.³⁸ On the same date Ebenezer and Joshua exchanged small parcels of land, with Ebenezer receiving one acre, 10 rods, while Joshua received half an acre, 10 rods. It would appear they were re-aligning the boundaries between their neighboring properties in preparation for Ebenezer's sale of his land.³⁹
     Ebenezer and Elizabeth moved to Shelburne before 1800. Ebenezer appeared on the 1800 Federal Census of Shelburne, Chittenden Co., Vermont, with a household consisting of one male under age 10 (son Calvin), two age 10 to 16 (Derrick and Ebenezer), and one over 45 (himself), and one female age 10 to 16 (daughter Betsy), two age 16 to 26 (daughter Susanna and another), and one over 45 (wife, Elizabeth.)⁴⁰ His sister Wealthy and her husband apparently lived close by, as he is listed next in the census record.⁴¹ His daughter, Clarcy and her husband, Isaac Tracy, were also apparently close by, as they are listed four households preceding.⁴²
     Ebenezer appeared on the 1810 Federal Census of Shelburne, Chittenden Co., Vermont, with a household consisting of one male under age 10 (unknown), one age 16 to 26 (son Darick or Calvin), and one over 45 (himself), and one female one age 16 to 26 (daughter Betsy), and one over 45 (wife, Elizabeth.)⁴³ His son Ebenezer and his wife were apparently living close by, as they are listed next.⁴⁴
     On 23 Feb 1810, and several times thereafter, Ebenezer placed a notice in the Burlington newspaper about a red morocco pocket book that had been found on the Lake Road leading from Burlington to Charlotte. The notice said it contained a small sum of money, a Sergeant's Warrant, and sundry other papers, and it could be claimed by proving ownership and paying charges. The owner was to apply to him at Shelburne.⁴⁵ In 1811 the town selectmen petitioned the General Assembly to establish the public lands in the town according to Ebenezer's survey.⁴⁶ During the War of 1812 he delivered 81 pairs of socks and mittens made by the ladies of Shelburne for the soldiers, acknowledged in a 8 Dec 1812 letter by Gen. Isaac Clark, then Col. 11th Reg.⁴⁷
     Ebenezer appeared on the 1820 Federal Census of Shelburne, Chittenden Co., Vermont, with a household consisting of one white male over age 45 (himself), and one white female age 16 to 26, and one over age 45 (wife Elizabeth.)⁴⁸ His son Ebenezer and his family were apparently living close by, as he is listed next on the census record.⁴⁹
     When his sister Abigail died intestate, it appears that as her sole surviving brother he was the presumptive administrator of her estate. However he filed a note dated 4 Apr 1822 with the Chittenden Co. probate court citing his "being advanced in years" and declining to serve.⁵⁰
     Ebenezer died on 1 Jul 1826 in Shelburne, Chittenden Co., Vermont, at age 77.^9,10,11

Administering His Estate --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     On 3 Jul 1826 Ebenezer's widow, Elizabeth, filed a request with the Chittenden District Probate court to appoint their son Ebenezer as administrator of his estate.⁵¹ The younger Ebenezer posted a bond of $2,000 with the probate court on 6 Jul 1826, with his sister Susanna's husband Holden Farnsworth acting as surety.⁵² The administrator then informed the court that it appeared that the estate was insolvent, and asked the court to appoint a committee to examine the claims of creditors. The Court appointed Burgess Hall and Henry Mayo, but the latter refused to serve. He was replaced by Levi Comstock.⁵³
     On 27 Jul 1826 Levi Comstock and Erastus Tracy filed their appraisal of the real and personal property of the estate with the Court, showing the total value of $458.80. The inventory included a yoke of oxen ($27.50), 14 cows, calves, and bulls, 20 sheep, a horse ($25), and a number of pigs. There were four acres of growing wheat and rye, 37 bushels of wheat ($31.50), 62 of corn ($31.25), 100 of potatoes, 4 tons hay, and other produce. There was a variety of tools and implements, and a long list of furnishings and household goods, including a large Bible ($4), two beds and bedding ($35.10), pots, and dishes. No real estate was listed.⁵⁴
     The commissioners appointed to examine the claims of creditor filed their report with the Court 19 Jan 1827, showing a total of $128.46 due. This included $47.07 for a note and interest due Thomas Fletcher and half of a note for $15 owed jointly with his son, Ebenezer. The rest was for 14 accounts owed, apparently to local merchants. This would indicate that the estate was actually not insolvent, but no final accounting has been found.⁵⁵