Person:Henry Cobb (1)

Will of "Henery Cobb" of Barnstable, dated 4 Apr 1678, proved 3 Jun 1679, mentions "my sons John, James, Gershom and Eliezer", "Sarah my dear and loving wife", "my sons Samuel, Jonathan, and Henry", "my daughters Mary, Hannah and Patience", "my daughter Sarah". Codicil dated 22 Feb 1678/9, mentions wife, Samuel, Jonathan, Henry and James. The inventory of "Elder Henery Cobb Late of Barnstable" was undated.

Source:The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, p. 10:37, "Scituate and Barnstable Church Records": Decemb. 15, 1635 our Brother Cobb was invested into the Office of a Deacon.

Origins

This Henry Cobb is identified in many genealogies on the web and elsewhere as the son of Baronet (Henry) Cobb, son of Richard Cobb and Elizabeth. The wife of the alleged father is often identified as Pleasance Redwood. These claims have been suspect for many years, and have more recently been quite assuredly disproved by DNA testing.

A considerable number of descendants of this Henry, as identified by traditional genealogical methods, through three of his sons, have been the subjects of DNA testing, and show exact or very close matches. This seems to clearly identify the "DNA signature" of Henry (unless one wants to postulate that these three alleged sons were all fathered by another man). Likewise, a significant number of descendants of the Amborse Cobb line in Virginia have been tested, again showing very close matches, but very different than Henry's descendants. Thus there is no relationship between Henry of Barnstable and the Virginia Ambrose Cobb line. Finally, Henry Cobb and Pleasance Redwood, have been linked by traditional genealogy to the Ambrose Cobb line. Thus, they cannot be Henry of Barnstable's parents (well, at least the elder Henry can not be Henry of Barnstable's father, to be technical about it).^S5

All reputable researchers of the Cobb family say that there is no evidence of this Henry's birth place, let alone the identity of his parents.^S3 Until some new evidence is found his parents must be regarded as unknown.

Additional Resources

The most recent, and most authoritative, account of Henry's immediate descendants is provided by recognized Mayflower researcher, Susan E. Roser, in her new book, Early Descendants of Henry Cobb of Barnstable, Massachusetts. This book covers four generations - Henry, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and is well worth seeing for any serious researcher of this line.

A more extensive source, older and less scholarly but still soundly researched, is Philip L. Cobb, A History of the Cobb Family (Cleveland: 1907), which is still available in reprint.

1.   Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862)
   1:413.

   "HENRY, Barnstable, one of the first set. had been of Plymouth a. 1629, and of Scituate in, 1633, there one of the found. of the ch. 8 Jan. 1635, of wh. he was that yr. chos. deac. was, prob. from Kent, by w. Patience, d. I presume, of deac. James Hurst, wh. was bur. 4 May 1648, had John, b. 7 June 1632; James, 14 Jan. 1635, both at P.; Mary, 24, bapt. 26 Mar. 1637; Hannah, bapt. 6 Oct. 1639; both at S. whence he rem. that yr. with Rev. John Lothrop; Patience, 15 Mar. 1642; Gershom, 10, bapt. 12 Jan. 1645; and Eleazer, 30 Mar. bapt. 2 Apr. 1648. As sec. w. he took, 12 Dec. 1649, Sarah, d. of Samuel Hinckley, had Mehitable, 1, bapt. 7 Sept. 1651, d. at 6 mos.; Samuel, b. 12 Oct. 1654; Sarah, 15 Jan. 1658, d. in few days; Jonathan, 10 Apr. 1660; Sarah, again, 10 Mar. 1663; Henry, 3 Sept. 1665; Mehitable, again, 15 Feb. 1667; and Experience, 11 Sept. 1671. He was rep. 1645, and six yrs. more, and d. 1679. Mary m. 15 Oct. 1657, Jonathan Dunham, as sec. w.; Hannah m. 9 May 1661, Edward Lewis; Patience m. Aug. 1667, Robert Parker; Sarah m. 27 Dec. 1686, Samuel Chipman, or Benjamin Hinkley, but wh. is uncert. for two Sarah, cous. were contempo. and one liv. to 8 Jan. 1742."

2. ↑ White, Elizabeth Pearson. John Howland of the Mayflower: The First Five Generations. (Rockland, Maine: Picton Press, 1990-2008)
   1/67.
3. ↑ Roser, Susan E. Early Descendants of Henry Cobb of Barnstable, Massachusetts. (Milton, Ontario, Canada: Stewart Publishing & Printing)
   1.

   actual date unknown; estimate based on approximate date of first marriage (1631 so before 1610 if of legal age) and date of birth of his last child (1671!). Author notes that he has been said to be "of" Reculver, Kent County, England. There is evidently no known proof of that.

4.   Otis, Amos, and Charles Francis Swift. Genealogical notes of Barnstable families: being a reprint of the Amos Otis papers originally published in the Barnstable Patriot. (Barnstable)
   1/7, 22, 26, 32, 157, 160, 161, 166, 170-173,175-177, 205, 209, 211, 293,332, 333, 335, 358, 368, 394 2/32,39, 43,91,116, 127, 193, 199, 211 , 1880, 1888.

   [1]

5.   Cobb, Hubert F. Cobb Family Genetics: A Case Study Using DNA. New England Ancestors (New England Historic Genealogical Society)
   pp 43-4.
6. ↑ Elder Henry Cobb, in Find A Grave.
7.   Henry Cobb, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995).

   Origin: Unknown. Migration: 1632
   Occupation: Tavernkeeper. Licensed to draw wine at Barnstable 5 Jun 1644 [PCR 2:73]
   Birth: By about 1607 based on estimated date of first marriage (1631 because first child 1632)
   Death: Barnstable between 22 Feb 1678[/9] (codicil) and 3 Jun 1679 (proving of will)

8. ↑ Codicil to his will dated 22 Feb 1678/9, will proved 3 Jun 1679.