Edward Cobb (1664-1731)

My 7th Paternal Great Grandfather, married Dorothy Bond Blunt

Edward Cobb, the youngest son of immigrant Nicholas Cobb, was born in 1664 in the Isle of Wight in Virginia. In an interesting twist of fate Edward Cobb ended up marrying Dorothy Bond Blunt, the young wife of William Blunt. William was the sixty year old man who was at Nicholas’ bedside when he died in 1686. William passed away not long after Nicholas. His widow wasted no time getting married. In January of 1687 Edward and Dorothy sold the 900 acres that Edward had inherited from his father. Six months later in July, an inventory of William Blunt’s estate was presented by Edward in which he represented himself as the “now husband of the widow.” 

Edward and Dorothy’s first child, Edward Jr, was born in 1689 and a second son, Nicholas, followed one year later. In September of 1691 Edward, Sr sold off another part of his inheritance - his interest in the 200 acre plantation known as the “John Jones Plantation”. Interestingly, the transaction was witnessed by Richard Reynolds whose descendants created the second largest tobacco company, the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company and the Reynolds Aluminum Company (valued today at more than 5.5 billion dollars.)

[Image: Early map of the Isle of Wight in Virginia ]

In 1692 a third child, Elizabeth, was born, followed by William, my ancestor, in 1695, and then Susan in 1697. In October of 1699, Edward Sr sold the 202 acres called “Little Neck”. This parcel of land had been granted to his father, Nicholas, in exchange for headrights back in 1663. Little Neck was the last of Edward’s land transactions in that area. In 1700 he relocated his family to the southern part of Isle of Wight near present day Franklin, Virginia where his last child Henry was born.

Nearly two centuries later, three brothers purchased a sawmill on the banks of the Blackwater River in Franklin, Virginia. Their operation, Camp Manufacturing Company, grew to $28 million in sales and in 1999 it was acquired by International Paper Company. My grandfather, John Edward Cobb Sr, lived in this town in the 1920s and 30s and worked as the manager for Camp’s company store. No doubt, my grandfather had no idea that he was living and working where his ancestors once had lived.

[Image: Road Marker for the Town of Franklin in Virginia]

Edward and Dorothy’s children married and most of them eventually moved on to seek a new life in the area that became known as North Carolina.

Their oldest son, Edward Cobb Jr, married a woman whose last name was Edwards, and fathered four children. In June of 1729, Edward Jr paid 2,000 pounds of tobacco for a 90 acre parcel of land located on the Cypress swamp in the Isle of Wight in Virginia from his sister Elizabeth and her husband Robert Lawrence. Edward Jr died there in 1742. Three of Edward Jr’s children resettled in North Carolina.

Nicholas III, named after his grandfather and his uncle, purchased 200 acres of land in the Isle of Wight near his brother, Edward Jr, in June of 1731.  He married and had at least one known son, Nicholas IV. Nicholas III died in 1756.

Elizabeth married Robert Lawrence at some time between 1710 and 1715. The sale of land to her brother, Edward Jr, precipitated their move to Bertie County, North Carolina. Together they had nine children. Robert died in 1739 but there is no record of what happened to Elizabeth.

William, my ancestor, joined his sister in Bertie County. He married and had at least one known son, Edward. His story is told in the next blog.

Susan married William Redditt and followed her siblings to Bertie County. Between the years 1719 and 1739 they had 10 children; the last child being born in the same year that her husband died. Susan married a 2nd time to Jonathan Miller.

Henry was the youngest child. His father named him as the executor of his estate. Henry married Mary Hardy and they relocated to Bertie County. In 1742 he bought his first tract of land in that County (400 acres for 40 pounds). They had 6 children who were born between 1730 and 1750. Henry died in 1763.

[Image: AI generated image of a plantation in Isle of Wight in the early 1700s.]

Edward Cobb Sr prepared his will on Nov. 26, 1729 and it was probated on March 22, 1731:

"I Edward Cobb of the County of Isle of Wright being sick and in weak condition but in perfect Sense and Memory, blessed be God for it do by these presents make and Ordain this my last Will & Testament revoking all former wills by me made. And for what I possess I desire it may be Disposed of in manner and form following. First, I commit my Soul to God, and my body to the Earth, to be Buried at the Discretion of my Executor. Item. I Give to my son Henry Cobb all my Land after named. I Give to my Daughter Susan Rede one two Year Old Heifer. I also give to her my Riding Mare and Mares only the use to my Loving Wife during her life and then to my aforementioned daughter. I Give to my Wife two hundred pound of Tobacco and the Goods she brought to me which are left and her Life in my Plantation, my Sons being all paid in my Life their full Share, after my Debts paid I do by these Presents make Constitute Ordain and Appoint my Son Henry Cobb full and whole Executor of this last Will & Testiment to See it justly Performed. In Testimony of all which I have hereto put my Hand & Seal this Twenty Sixth of November Anno 1729." Will Book 3, pages 251 and 252, Isle of Wright records.”