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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Independence County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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J. C. Cobb, an honored ex-Federal soldier of the Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, was born in Fulton County, Ky., in 1838, and grew to manhood on Blue Grass soil, but his educational advantages in his youth were of the most meager description. He was left an orphan when a small lad, and was reared by strangers, but left the family with whom he made his home, before he attained his majority, on account of ill treatment, and started out to seek his own fortune. He first went to Mississippi County, Mo., where he found a home with Dr. Snuzer, near Charleston, and remained with him until the war became an assured fact, when he joined the Federal forces at Indianapolis, Ind., being a member of the Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, and served honorably and well throughout the war, and was mustered out of service at Bull’s Gap, in East Tennessee. He participated in the engagements at Elizabeth (Ky.), Franklin, Hartsville, Galena, Clarksville, Knoxville, Jonesboro, and Bull’s Gap, Tenn. At the latter engagement he was quite severely wounded, being shot from his horse and having his jaw broken. He served in Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. In 1883 his application for a pension was recognized, and he received back pay to the amount of $1,233. He returned to Kentucky at the close of the war, and was married four months afterward, to Miss Nancy Whitlock, who was born in Kentucky, in 1841, and by her has a family of three living children: Martha A., wife of Walker Dunnagan; Mary L., and Myrtle May. Those deceased are John J., who died when eight years of age; Elizabeth, at the age of six months, and Emma J., when ten months old. About one year after the war Mr. Cobb removed with his wife to Arkansas, but only remained a short time; then they returned to Kentucky, and remained six years. Since that time they have been residents of Arkansas, and up to January 1, 1889, resided five miles from Sulphur Rock, but at that date moved to the town, where they have since made their home. They are quite well-to-do, and each of their children owns forty acres of land, which was deeded to them by their parents. Mr. Cobb is a son of Amsy and Lettie (Ryan) Cobb, the former of whom was a native of North Carolina, and at an early day became a citizen of Kentucky, and lived and died in that State. The mother was born in Newcastle, Ky., and of their five children, four are still living: J. C., Anna, wife of A. McNutt; Elizabeth, wife of Bert Watton, and —. The maternal grandparents were John and Alsie (Smith) Whitlock. John was born in North Carolina, but was left an orphan in his youth, and ran away to Kentucky. He lived in Monroe and Phillips Counties, but died in Crittenden County, at the age of seventy-six years, followed by his wife, who was of Kentucky stock, at the age of sixty-six years.

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This family biography is one of 158 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Independence County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Independence County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Independence County, Arkansas family biographies here: Independence County, Arkansas Biographies

View a map of 1889 Independence County, Arkansas here: Independence County, Arkansas Map

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