All I Want for Christmas . . .

Thoughts Silas W. Cobb and Sarah Cobb nee Hawks remain in my mind. Following the gift of the beautiful photograph of my fourth great-grandmother’s gravestone, I received yet another surprise

About a year ago, Mary Murphy of Vermont made contact regarding Sarah Cobb nee Hawks. Mary is the Commissioner of Cemeteries in Washington County, Vermont and the discoverer Sarah Cobb’s gravestone. Mary recently came across information about Silas W. Cobb and his family and offered to forward the information.

She tells me that Silas W. Cobb was born 15 October 1776! Silas W. Cobb’s children report both parents’ birthplaces as Massachusetts. Silas was interested in Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys. I have a hunch that his father was a Patriot.

The Dooley research is on hold waiting for requested information to arrive. The search is on for the Hawks Family line and I am desperately seeking Sarah.

Can you guess what my Christmas wish is?

A Genealogical Thanksgiving

 I have so much to celebrate this Thanksgiving. November 6, 2012, brought my one-year blog anniversary. I let it pass without acknowledgement, however, I was mindful of the milestone. Throughout the first year, I often wondered would I make it a year. To date I have published 136 posts with 37 followers and 8,742 page views with plenty of stories yet to tell.

The best part of genealogy is the connections I make through this hobby of mine. As my anniversary drew near, I received an email from my third cousin, Lynda Henderson. She happens to live near my son in the Pacific Northwest. We planned on meeting this summer, but a flat tire spoiled our plans. We will meet one day.

On November 3^rd, Lynda shared a photo of our mutual fourth great grandmother, Sarah Cobb nee Hawks. Sarah passed away in Vermont following the birth of her fifth child, Mary Ann Cobb. Little Mary Ann passed 5 December 1814 and Sarah passed in 3 January 1815. This must have been difficult times for the New England Cobb family.

The Cobb and Hawks families are of interest to me for they are my only familial connection to the American Revolution. I have searched for Silas and Sarah Cobbs parents, but have not yet located them. I will find them one day.

So here are my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandparents’ gravestones. Silas W. Cobb rests in the Northfield Oakwood Cemetery located in Northbrook, Illinois. Sarah Cobb’s final resting place is in Cobb Cemetery of Moretown, Vermont.

 

My Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather born 15 October 1776

My Great, Great, Great, Great Grandmother: Sarah Cobb nee Hawks

The Silas W. Cobb and Sarah Hawks Family

To understand early census records, I needed to first research the Silas W. Cobb family. Please refer to March 9, 2012 Post. Vermont records can be accessed online through Ancestry.com, Family Search and various Google searches. The Newberry Library located in Chicago also has an extensive collection of Vermont records.

Silas Bowman Cobb’s biography informed me that his mother’s maiden name was Hawks. Researchers on Ancestry.com have noted her name as Sarah Hawks. I have not personally found original records proving her given name.  I did, however, find a book, Duxbury and Moretown Cemetery Inscriptions, Washington County, Vermont written by Robert Morse. Copies of the book can be found in Vermont. This book suggests that evidence does exist as to Mrs. Cobb’s given name. Vermont Old Cemetery Association also published a book giving Sarah Cobb’s death information; which I was able to locate at a nearby library. It is there I learned that Sarah Cobb passed away 3 January 1815.

Silas W. Cobb and Sarah Hawks had a good size family considering she passed away at approximately 33-35 years of age. Here are their children:

Adeline Cobb                           Born about 1802

Edwin Cobb                             Born about 1804

George Whitman Cobb            Born about 1807

Silas Bowman Cobb                Born about 1812

Mary Ann Cobb                       Born about 1814 – Mary Ann passed at 3 months of age

Twin sister to Mary Ann          Born about 1814

When looking at the 1820 U.S. Census records for the Silas W. Cobb household, I understand how the family fits into the census numbers. As you see, there are many reported but unknown people in the household. Sadly, Sarah Cobb nee Hawks is not reported. Her passing suggests a remarriage for Silas W. Cobb and perhaps a few more children!

Free White Persons – Males – Under 10:            2 (Silas Bowman)

Free White Persons – Males – 10 thru 15:           2 (Edwin) (George Whitman)

Free White Persons – Males – 26 thru 44:           1

Free White Persons – Females – Under 10:         3 (Mary Ann’s Twin Sister)

Free White Persons – Females – 10 thru 15:        2

Free White Persons – Females – 16 thru 25:        2 (Adeline)

Free White Persons – Females – 26 thru 44:        1           

Number of Persons – Engaged in Agriculture:     1

Total Free White Persons:                                   13

Opportunities for genealogical research are always changing as new information comes online regularly.  I was recently contacted through Ancestry.com by a Vermont resident who is the new Cemetery Commissioner in the Town of Moretown, Vermont. She discovered Sarah Cobb’s gravestone and informed me that the stone was surrounded by briars and brambles in what was once a cow pasture. She has invited to Moretown and I plan on visiting there this spring or summer. How lucky am I?

Linda