William Cobb

     William Cobb was born circa 1732 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.¹ He was the son of Benjamin Cobb.¹ He is said to have married Barsheba Whitehead, his cousin, in North Carolina.¹ He married Sally (—?—) in Tennessee.¹ He died near McMillan Station, Knox County, Tennessee, before April 1803 when the inventory of his estate was recorded.^2,3
     
     William probably moved to Northampton County, North Carolina, circa 1750 where his father Benjamin Cobb had land, and he may have married there, as the Whiteheads also owned land in that county. William moved to Watauga District, now Washington County, Tennessee, in 1770, and located his home in the fork of the Holston and Watauga Rivers. He was one of the first magistrates appointed for that county in 1778, and served continously, except during the existence of the State of Franklin, until he removed to Bean's Station, Tennessee, in 1795.⁴ (The State of Franklin was named for Benjamin Franklin and was slated to become our 14th state. North Carolina agreed to cede its western-most lands to the Union to pay off part of its Revolutionary War debts. The Watauga settlements were in this territory under the leadership of John Sevier. It was during this transitional period that the settlers decided to form an independent state, known as the State of Franklin, in 1784. Without the support of the Congress nor of North Carolina, Franklin was doomed to failure. Its citizens, however, persisted for a short time. The cause of the State of Franklin was lost after 4 short years and eventually became forgotten).

     Soon after his arrival in the Watauga District, William bought a tract of land at Sycamore Shoals for his son Pharaoh. Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga River was a favorite rendezvous point for the early settlers of northeastern Tennessee. In September 1780, soldiers met at William Cobb's home in the Fork, and marched up the Watauga to Pharaoh's home.⁴ On 25 September 1780, a great muster of the militia was held at Sycamore Shoals, including forces from Washington County, Tennessee, commanded by John Sevier, and Sullivan County, Tennessee, commanded by Isaac Shelby; these counties were then still a part North Carolina. To this group was added several hundred militia from Washington County, Virginia, under the command of William Campbell. The purpose of the muster was to form an army that would cross the mountains to do combat with a South Carolina Loyalist militia force commanded by British Major Patrick Ferguson. The Battle of Kings Mountain fought 7 October 1780 near the North and South Carolina border is considered by historians to be the "turning point in the South" in America's War for Independence. At least five Cobb men fought in the battle: William Sr., his sons Pharaoh and William Jr., Arthur, who was William Senior's first cousin, and Jerry, relationship unknown.²

     Benjamin Cobb obtained a grant for 600 acres on Knobb Creek south of the Watauga River, in Washington County, Tennessee, 11 July 1788, for fifty shillings per 100 acres.⁵ He sold this land to his son Pharoah on 20 December 1789,⁶ and on 27 February 1792, Pharoah conveyed same to his brother William.⁷

     President Washington appointed William Blount as Governor of the Territory south of the Ohio in 1790. Blount reached the Watauga settlements on 10 October 1790, and selected William Cobb's home as his headquarters for the organization of the Territory.²