U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Cobun Family --------------------------------------------------------------------- A History of Preston County West Virginia Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914 by H. S. Whetsell Pages 860-863, THE COBUN FAMILY. James Cobun was of English origin and probably of Virginia. He was born December 2, 1746, and came to the vicinity of Morgantown before he was married — probably not far from the year 1770. In 1790, he settled on the present site of Masontown, having patented a tract of a 1000 acres of glade land. His house stood in the eastern part of the present town, and considerably to the rear of E. E. Cobun's residence. The fact that he possessed a number of slaves would imply that the pioneer Cobun was a man of some means for the time in which he lived. He was a classleader of the Methodist church and was remembered by his granddaughter, Mrs. Hubble, as a person of excellent Christian character. He died at Masontown, September 17, 1822, aged almost 76 years. His wife was Sabrah, a daughter of Arthur and Sabrah Trader. It was during her girlhood that her parents came West in the same party with James Cobun. She was of the brunette type, and was called the "pretty squaw" by the Indians because of her handsome feature's and her long and abundant black hair. Mrs. Cobun was born, September 10, 1756, and died October 1, 1843, at the advanced age of 87. The parents of James Cobun were Jonathan and Catherine. There is no record of the family name ever being spelled otherwise than it is now, yet it used to be spelled and pronounced Coburn. Because of their tendency to emigrate, the Cobuns are not so numerous in our county as formerly. The descendants bearing the family name are to be found chiefly at Masontown and near Tunnelton. The children of James and Sabrah Cobun were Catherine, Susannah, James, Arthur, Isaac, John, Jacob, and Sarah. All but the last three were born in Monongalia. Jacob died of an accident in boyhood. Jonathan settled in Monongalia. Catherine, born March 3, 1773; married a McGee, who lived near Independence. Susannah, born September 23, 1776, married a Holt, ancestor to Judge John H. Holt of Grafton, and Sarah, born June 3, 1794. married William McMillen. James, Arthur and Isaac remained in Valley district. Their birth dates, respectively, were March 27, 1781, Nov. 30, 1783, and October 30, 1786, and their wives, likewise, were Nancy Fortney, Jane Patton, and Prudence Davis. Isaac remained on a portion of the family homestead, the farm of the late B. F. Cobun, while Susannah and her husband suceeded to the original home. James and Arthur lived a little farther southward, the former on the Simon D. Snider farm, and latter on the Simon M. Snider place. Arthur died suddenly while in a field. Isaac lived until June 24, 1867, being then in his 81st year. Prudence, his wife, died January 19, 1873, aged 81. John Cobun, born November 3, 1790, settled in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and died there at an early age, leaving two daughters, Charity and Sabina A. The former married James M. Cobun, a cousin, and the latter married Thomas Watson. The children of James Cobun, Jr., were Wesley, Samuel, Harvey, Jane, Polly, and Susan. Wesley never married. Samuel married and settled in Monongalia, and Harvey in Pennsylvania. Polly married Shay of Reno. Both the other sisters wedded Holts, and they lived in Pennsylvania. The children of Arthur were: (1) James P., born January 6, 1807, died October 2, 1880. He married Mary A. Menear and settled on Pringle's Run. (2) Jonothan married an Evans and lived in Monongalia. (3) Isaac W. married Catharine Menear. (4) John F. married Eliza Greer of Harrison and settled in that county. (5) Robert, a preacher, went to Kentucky. (6) John, a twin brother to Robert, lived in Pennsylvania. (7) Eugenus married Eliza Haywood and went to Harrison county. (8) Isabel, born 1814, died single in 1899. (9) Alpheus and (10) Mary left Preston county. The children of James P. number the following: (1) Tabitha, wife of Enos Wolfe. (2) Louisa R., wife of William Braham. (3) Eugenus C., whose first wife was Frances Collins and whose second was Lulu ____. (4) William A. (5) Marcellus J. H. (6) David S., who married (a) Rebecca Miller and (b) Victoria Summers. (7) Mary E., wife of Ellis Herndon. (8) Martha J., wife of Frederick Westerman. (9) Matthew E. The children of Eugenus C. are Emma, Mollie, Carrie, Dell, Charles, William, Walter and Earl. The children of David S. are: (1) Minnie, wife of Lucian J. Conley. (2) John D., who married and lives at Grafton. (3) Laura B., wife of Edward Helms. (4) Martha A., wife of Charles Stevens of Fairmont. (5) David W., who married Melissa Bolyard. Also by second marriage: Mary L., Ada J., Desie E., Callie L., Bruce T., Thomas M., Annie B., Carrie L. The children of Isaac W., are: (1) Harrison, who went to South Dakota. (2) John. (3) David. (4) Robert, who married Laura Shaffer. (5) Jacob, who married a Collins. (6) Deborah C., wife of Marshall Duncan. (7) Jane, wife of George McMillen. (8) Albert N., who married (a) Kate Shaffer and (b) ____ Zotz, and went to Ohio. (9) Martha, wife of Silas S. Sterling. Albert N. had two daughters, Bessie and Agnes M. The latter married Philip Beavers. The children of Isaac were: (1) Gerry L. D., born March 26, 1813, who went to Pennsylvania. (2) James M., born January 14, 1815, died in a Confederate prison. His first wife was Charity Cobun and his second was Mary M. Hubble. (3) George, born October 4, 1816, married and lived in Pennsylvania. (4) Charity, born September 22, 1818, died single September 17, 1871. (5) Sabina, born December 10, 1820, married Samuel Graham. (6) Jacob G., born January 14, 1823, was mortally wounded at Droop Mountain and died November 26, 1863. (7) Catharine, born August 7, 1829, married Clinton Jeffers. (8) Benjamin F., born September 1831, married Jane Hartley. (9) Isaac B., born May 4, 1834, married Belle Flaherty. The children of James M. are (1) Alcinda, wife of Abraham Elliot. (2) Akinus, and (3) Laverns. The children of Benjamin F. are: (1) Albert D. (2) Harriet L., wife of Samuel Field. (3) Homer L., who married Attie Loar. (4) Sanford L., who married (a) Mattie Loar and (b) Rosa E. Roby. (5) Elmer E., who married Aura Brown. (6) William G., who married Clara Freeland. (7) Florence B., wife of Rev. Edward Lawson. (8) Louie W., wife of J. Allison Stuck. (9) Myra, wife of Sherman Snider, and (10) Allie, deceased. Benjamin F. and Isaac B. Cobun were brothers. Isaac B., was the father of Wilbur F., born November 5, 1860. He married Emma McCauley, and has four children, namely: Nina M., wife of George Fleming of Chicago; Grace D.; Dennis B., and Clyde. W. F. Cobun came to Fairmont in 1873. He is a plasterer. (2) Bertie May, born March 4, 1864, is the wife of Dr. U. W. Showalter of Clarksburg, West Virginia. They have four children, Percy and Pearl, twins, Ulysses and Boyd W. Percy is a physician. (3) George M., born January 26, 1866. He married Bertie Orr, and lives in Morgantown. They have one son, Miles L. (4) Lincoln J., born in November, 1857. He was a lawyer in Philippi, and is now deceased, departing from his wife December 9, 1893. (5) Leonidas W. is a physician in Morgantown. He married Flora Waters, daughter of W. Waters of Independence. (6) Alvin C, died in infancy. (7) Addie P., born May 18, 1873, is teacher in Rowlesburg. (8) Lizzie Catherine, born March 23, 1875, is the wife of F. W. Gandy of Terra Alta. (9) Miles B., born May 20, 1877, is a merchant of Fairmont, W. Va. September 16, 1903, he married Minnie Horchler, daughter of August Horchler of Newburg. They have two children, Eleanor P. and Agnes Belle. --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Preston County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/preston/bios.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------