John W Cobb, Jr. and Nancy Jane (Hodge) Cobb

John and Nancy Cobb, my second great-grandparents on my mother's paternal line, were among only three of my second greats missing a photo in my family tree. The only photo I had was of their grave. They are buried in Evergreen Cemetery in West Plains, Missouri and have a beautiful stone flanked by two huge peonies. The cemetery is lovely and not far from the land where they lived and farmed. 

The grave of John and Nancy Cobb at Evergreen Cemetery in West Plains, Missouri.

Last week I was in Missouri for a family reunion. In talking to my Great Uncle Bobby Cobb, he mentioned he had a picture of John and Nancy. What?! I had never known a photo existed. We made plans to head over to his house on Sunday, less than an hour from the reunion location, and take a look at his pictures. Sure enough, he produced the pictures of John and Nancy Cobb and I was able to photograph them. I wasn't able to keep these, but he sent me home with a box of other old photos. I still have to go through them and get them all scanned. For now, though, I am very happy to introduce John W. Cobb, Jr. and his wife, Nancy Jane Hodge Cobb.

John W. Cobb, Jr. 

Nancy Jane (Hodge) Cobb

The frame was originally a two-part frame hinged together and when closed it clasped tight like a case. Now, after so many years, the two sides have come apart and the clasp is broken. Nancy's photo was stuck firmly in the frame and a gentle attempt to loosen it was unsuccessful. I was afraid I would damage it if I tried harder, so it was left as is. But John's side of the frame came apart easily. I was glad because his photo was partially obscured by the frame and I was able to take it out and photograph the whole thing.

John W. Cobb, Jr.

But that wasn't even the best part. Behind this photo was an older tintype portrait of two men.

The man on the left is believed to be John W. Cobb, Jr.
The man on the right is unknown.

My assumption at the time was that one of the two men must be John. The picture was probably the original picture in the frame and the more recent photo had been added later. It makes sense, too, because the photo of Nancy is a younger likeness of her and matches with the time period of this one. Hers could also be a tintype - like I said, I couldn't get that side of the frame open, so I don't know for sure. Looking at the two men and comparing them to the older photo of John (which only kind-of clearly showed the bottom half of his face), I believe the man on the left to be him. I enlarged the photo for clarification.

Close up of the two men in the tin-type portrait.

Closer still of the man I believe is John W. Cobb, Jr., my second great-grandfather.

So, my family, meet John W. Cobb , Jr. and his wife Nancy. They've been added to my family tree on Ancestry and now there is only one "second great" without a photo.

John W. Cobb, Jr. was born on 12 January 1852 in Lincolnton, Lincoln County, North Carolina to John W. "Jack" Cobb (1817-1880) and Anna Cahoun (Long) Cobb (1824-?). Between 1865 and 1870 the family moved to Grainger County, Tennessee where John met Nancy, daughter of Welcome Hodge (1816-1884) and Isabella (McGoldrick) Hodge (1825-?). John and Nancy married on 2 February 1873 in Grainger County. They were the parent of six children, but only four lived to be counted on a census and reach adulthood. 

• Warrie Glenn Cobb was born in 1883 in Tate Springs, Tennessee
• Anna Belle Cobb was born in 1884 in Morristown, Hamblen County, Tennessee
• Henry Clay "Kay" Cobb was born in 1885 also in Morristown
• Carrie Love Cobb was born in 1889 in Brinkley, Monroe, Arkansas

By 1900 John and Nancy had settled in West Plains, Howell County, Missouri and they lived there the rest of their lives. John died on 24 August 1923 and Nancy on 26 August 1927.

The obituary of John Cobb in the West Plains Journal, 30 Aug 1923, from Newspapers.com

The obituary of Nancy Cobb in the West Plains Journal-Gazette 1 Sep 1927, from Newspapers.com

It's Family Reunion time again!

When I was a child my mother had family, on the sides of both of her parents, living in fairly close proximity in the Kansas City, Missouri area and regular gatherings were common. In the summertime especially, picnics or Sunday dinners brought the family together. My grandparents, most of their generation, my mom, and many of her cousins are no longer with us. The remaining family members have spread out across the country and few are still in the Kansas City area, but we continue to work hard to keep the tradition of a regular family gathering alive. As is common with family reunions, our numbers get a bit smaller each time. People pass away or become unable to travel due to aging, and the youngest family members haven't formed the close bonds that the older generations did growing up with cousins nearby. But, for now, those of us that go have a really great time and we'll do this as long as we can.

Every other year for the last 15 or so years we have met lakeside on Truman Lake in Central Missouri. Traveling from all over Missouri and as far away as Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Louisiana, and Arizona, we all descend on the friendly resort in the heat of late July for a three-day party. Everyone always says they wish it could be an annual thing, but every other year comes around pretty quick. This schedule also allows families a chance to plan a different vacation on the off years and still get to every reunion.

The Reunion Schedule

We do a three-day reunion (Friday-Sunday) and have found a resort with a hotel and a kitchen/clubhouse that we reserve. I use the term "resort" loosely because it's more like a fishing camp, but it meets our needs and the price makes it more affordable for everyone to attend. Each person attending contributes $20 to help pay for the clubhouse and the food and we all pay for our own accommodations. We have a group of about 40-60 with the biggest turnout on Saturday. A few early birds arrive Thursday night and the rest trickle in on Friday and Saturday. Some just come on Saturday if they live nearby, but for those traveling far, it's nice to have three days to visit. On Sunday afternoon we start saying our goodbyes and everyone has headed home by Monday morning.

Our routine is the same every time.

Day One:

On Friday morning a crew does the grocery shopping at the local Wal-Mart while another group is setting up tables and decorating. We plan a light lunch on Friday so as people arrive they can grab a bite if hungry. Then on Friday night, we have a buffet dinner. This is always a late night of visiting and catching up.

A recruited helper (my Uncle) making paper chains for the Christmas in July theme.

The sun setting on the lake.

Day Two:

Saturday begins by opening up the clubhouse early and getting the coffee on. Breakfast items that can be kept warm and cold cereal make it easy for people to eat whenever they wake up. Once breakfast is cleaned up most of us play BINGO. All ages love the game. Everyone brings some prizes and it goes on for hours. The hotel has a pool which is always a huge hit with the kids and other options for activities are outdoor games, fishing, and boating.
A light lunch is offered, but the main attraction is the Saturday main reunion meal. Served in mid to late afternoon, this is always huge with lots of dishes and lots of desserts. After the meal, we draw for the raffle prize or prizes. These are always something handmade. We have had a crocheted afghan, quilts, and family history books. This year I'm making a quilt and so is another cousin. Quilts are always popular raffle items. Raffling items helps to bring in funds to keep the reunion going even as our numbers are dwindling. Group photos, if we remember, are done after we clean up.
Saturday nights are for story-telling, sing-alongs, laughter, and reminiscing. It's always another late night.

The kids love hanging out by the pool.

A crocheted afghan was raffled the first year we started doing a raffle.

Quilts are always a popular raffle item.

Lake fun!

Playing music and singing on Saturday night :)

Tip: if you can plan a time for everyone to gather for a photo, do it! We've found that this is something you have to be flexible with as there'll always be someone napping, at the pool, or on the lake and you'll likely never get a photo with everyone in it.

The one and only year (so far!) that we remembered to get a big group photo.

Day Three:

Sunday morning goes about the same as Saturday though we may switch up the breakfast items. Many of the folks check out of their rooms and head home Sunday afternoon, so the goodbyes begin after breakfast. Those of us that stay through Monday morning all help with clean-up and polish off as much of the leftover food as we can. If we're a small group, we sometimes head out to a local restaurant for a casual dinner.

My mom (in the blue blouse) passed away 7 years ago.
Here she is pictured with her brothers and sister at one of the reunions.
These four are the reason I started planning this reunion.

Our reunion spot sits on this quiet cove.

Planning the Reunion

Family reunions take a little bit of planning. Years ago when we first started, invitations were sent in the mail and RSVPs collected to get a head count. Now we have a facebook group and I just create an event with all the details after the reservations have been locked in. Those without a facebook account are contacted by phone or just hear about it from someone else. We collaborate and plan a menu in advance, then buy enough food and disposable tableware for our average group size and don't worry about an exact count anymore. For BINGO, we use a deck of BINGO cards, a pad of paper cards and plastic markers purchased online years ago that transport easily. If we run out of markers, Cheerios work well!

BINGO!

Bingo playing is a highlight of the reunions.

The table of BINGO prizes one year.

The kitchen work goes smoothly with a simple menu. Even for easy dishes, print out the recipes so anyone can help. Delegate the work. Setting up the buffet, taking out the garbage, food prep and clean up can all be delegated. Even though it's work, it's fun to do with others. We often have a group in the kitchen visiting and laughing as we prepare a meal and those are some of my favorite reunion memories. At the last reunion, we ordered the main dish on Saturday from a local restaurant and that reduced the workload a lot and was still within budget. We may do that again this year.

The clubhouse kitchen boasts a huge prep table that we put to use.

Having fun with reunion food.

I always choose a simple theme for the decorations. One thing that's been popular is to incorporate old family photos into the theme. They are great prompts for some terrific story-telling! Some of our past themes were "fiesta", "family tree", and "Hillbilly Hoedown" (our Ozarks hillbilly roots!). One year we did "Christmas in July" and everyone wrapped the BINGO prizes they brought. That was a lot of fun. This year it's "Flower Power" so we'll be getting our retro groove on. I just have fun with it and keep it simple.

The theme was "family tree".
The leaves and acorns hanging down from this tree all had a copy of an old family photo attached.
Leaves and acorns with photos were also scattered on the tables.

BINGO prizes wrapped as gifts for the Christmas in July theme.

Hillbilly hoedown was a fun theme.
One of my Aunts made the mason jar centerpieces.

The main thing is to just relax, keep it simple, and focus on enjoying the time with your cousins, aunts, and uncles. If you don't already have family reunions, consider starting the tradition. It's worth the effort, believe me.

Cars (and trucks) in Family Photos

I have a bunch of old family photos that feature a car. Some of them are just the car, but most of them have some people posed in front of the vehicle. People have always been proud of the vehicles they buy, so some of the pictures are probably to show off that car. Some of them were taken on arrival or just before leaving after having traveled somewhere for a visit. Others might just have been a coincidence. I went through all the pictures I have and chose some of my favorites to share, along with the captions written on the back, if there was one.

Bobbys 59 Buick

This one makes me laugh. It's a fantastic photo of my mom with her siblings, probably taken in 1959. Their Uncle Bobby's car would have been brand new. What's funny about it is what's written on the back of the picture. Not a date, not the names or ages of the kids, not what they were doing, but "Bobbys 59 Buick". That was what we needed to remember about this picture, haha.

May 25, 1947

This photo, taken in the Spring of 1947, is of my Grandma Cobb (far right) when she was about 7 months pregnant with my mom. The other two women are unknown. The only thing written on the back was the date.

Bob & Roy

My Grandpa Cobb and his brother in about 1946. I'm not sure if it's when Grandpa was released from service or if he was just home on leave.

Bobby, Louise & Jeanie Cobb

 My mom, on the right, with her little sister and their Uncle Bob.

Jack

This is my mom's cousin's husband. I love the flip in his hair and how he's standing with his face in profile - looks kinda "Hollywood" to me.

My Grandpa Cavanaugh is in the middle with his brother Melvin (Deacon) on the left and an unknown man on the right.

These are my Dad's parents, probably about the time they were married.

This is the German jalopy I had (It fell apart!)

This is Oliver Timson, husband of my great aunt Evelyn, when he was overseas in WWII.

 Great Aunt Evelyn with her daughter, Carla.

My great-grandpa Cavanaugh, his son Melvin and dog Skippy getting ready to move some apples.

My Grandpa Cavanaugh looking very debonair in what looks like a racing car.

Dec. 29, 1951

My Grandma Cobb on her parent's farm for a visit in 1951.

Aug 1958

My great-grandma Powell, on the right, with her sister Maxine. 

My Aunt and her new husband in 1957.

This was my Dad's 1966 Ford Fairlane 500.

I don't know whose Maverick this was, but I love this picture not only because someone was super proud of this car, but because that's my grandparent's house in the background and there are so many great memories there.

Aug 19, 1951

And this one is just adorable. It wasn't only the grown-ups that were proud of their cars. My mom is in the driver's seat and her little sister is posing on the hood.

Cobb(s) and Bruton Parish Church

Robert Cobb(s), 1627-1682, son of Ambrose Cobbs and Ann White, arrived in the United States with his family when he was 8 years old. As a young man, he settled in Marston Parish, York County, Virginia where he served as church warden of Marston Parish from 1658 until 1674, when Marston Parish and Middletown parish were absorbed into Bruton Parish. Then he became one of the first vestrymen of the Bruton Parish Church.

A tile I found at an antique shop features the present day Bruton Parish Church.

In 1677 the vestry decided that instead of repairing the existing churches in the parish, they wanted to build a new one out of brick to serve the entire consolidated area. An agreement was signed in 1681 that would require the payment of  "L150 and sixty pounds of good, sound, merchantable, sweet-scented tobacco. to be leveyed of each tytheable in the parish for three years together" in order to build the church. The land for the church and churchyard was given as a gift forever by the wealthy colonist, John Page. It was in what was then known as Middle Plantation, but in 1699 it was renamed Williamsburg when it became the colonial capital.

A plaque commemorating those involved in the building of the first brick church
at Bruton Parish includes the name of Robert Cobb.

Robert Cobb(s) died in December of 1682, midway through the construction of the church. A new, larger church was built in the same location in 1715, when Robert's son Ambrose was a member of the vestry, and still stands in Williamsburg. 

A plaque commemorating the 1710-1715 vestry, when the present church was built,
includes the name Ambrose Cobb(s), son of Robert Cobb(s).

Robert Cobb(s) was my 9th Great-Grandfather, his son Ambrose, my 8th Great-Grandfather. These men were in the midst of the beginnings of this country and knew all the important players in colonial Virginia. They were strong Christian leaders in the community and I'm proud to have them as ancestors.

Henry Clay "Kay" Cobb, 1885-1968

Number 12 on my pedigree chart is my Great-Grandfather Henry Clay Cobb, known as Kay by his friends and family. He was born on the first of September, 1885, in Morristown, Tennessee to John Cobb, Jr. and Nancy (Hodges) Cobb, one of seven children born to them. Only Kay and three of his siblings, Warrie, Belle and Love, lived to adulthood. As a child, his parents called him by his middle name Clay. One of his sisters wasn't able to pronounce the  "L" and called him Kay. Soon everyone else was calling him by the name and it stuck.

Kay Cobb, his son LeRoy Cobb, and LeRoy's daughter Louise.
The photo was taken about 1949-1950.

In 1889, when Kay was about four years old, his family moved from Tennessee to Howell County, Missouri, settling on a farm four miles outside of West Plains. As a child, he enjoyed playing baseball and running around with some of the other boys from the area - but only after the chores at home were done. He was an ornery kid and seemed to find trouble at social events.

The Journal-Gazette, West Plains, MO, 21 Sep 1905
image clipped from Newspapers.com

His brother once said that Kay ended up in a fight at every dance he attended. There were a lot of dances, as that was the most popular way for everyone in the community to get together and socialize. The boys traveled to attend dances in neighboring communities as well, which is how Kay would later meet the young woman he would marry. In the meantime, when he wasn't working or at a dance, he spent his free time hustling. He loved to gamble and often won. Billiards, cards, chicken fights, and sporting events were all bet upon. By the time Kay was an adult, he knew just about everyone for miles around. He knew who was making moonshine, and he knew just the type of people who were buying it, so bootlegging became another way for him to make a little cash.

The Journal-Gazette, West Plains, MO, 7 Aug 1913
image clipped from Newspapers.com

Kay registered for the draft when WWI broke out, and he really wanted to go and fight but was denied the chance. His parents were elderly and relied on him for help on the farm and his only living brother, Warrie, was blind. While most of his friends went away to war, Kay stayed and worked the farm with his father.

Front of Kay Cobb's WWI Draft Registration card, Ancestry.com.

Back of the draft registration card, Ancestry.com.

After the war, at a dance in Sturkie, Arkansas, a young woman named Hattie Nicholas caught his eye. After that first meeting, Kay was regularly hitching up his pony & wagon for trips to Sturkie, sixteen miles from the farm. He'd stay as late as was proper and then point the pony towards home. Then he'd crawl in the bed of the wagon and go to sleep! The horse knew the way and always got him home safely. John Cobb would find Kay asleep in the wagon, out in the middle of the yard, on many mornings. He'd wake him up and tell him it was time to help with the chores. When Kay decided he wanted to marry Hattie, he built a small house on his parent's land, went down to Sturkie where the wedding took place on the 5th of February, 1921, and brought her home to the farm. In December of that year, their first child, a daughter they called Velma Love, was born.

Though he was now a family man, Kay's bootlegging continued. He was in even higher demand since Prohibition had begun.

"The 18th Amendment only forbade the “manufacture, sale and transportation of intoxicating liquors”—not their consumption. By law, any wine, beer or spirits Americans had stashed away in January 1920 were theirs to keep and enjoy in the privacy of their homes."

https://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-should-know-about-prohibition

Prohibition laws were in effect for 13 years, from 1920-1933. During this time, Kay Cobb was in trouble with the law a few times, allegedly for selling homemade wine. But, according to Kay, he never made homemade wine. He admittedly bought and sold moonshine, but told his sons that he never made any kind of liquor. He sold moonshine to the Sheriff, the Judges, local doctors, and attorneys. Because of his local connections, his little bootlegging side gig was overlooked by the local authorities. It was the Feds who wanted him and who Kay suspected of planting the wine.

The Journal-Gazette, West Plains, MO, 28 Dec 1922
image clipped from Newspapers.com

In August of 1923, Kay and Hattie had their first son, John David (J.D.) and a few weeks later, Kay's father died. Now Kay was responsible for not only his growing household but also that of his mother and his sister Belle. Money was tight, so he continued to hustle. He worked the farm, took odd jobs in town including running the duckpin bowling at the pool hall, and continued to sell moonshine the whole time. In the spring of 1925, he again had some trouble with the law. Convicted of selling wine based on witness testimony, he appealed the conviction and was acquitted of the charges. 

The Journal-Gazette, West Plains, MO, 12 Mar 1925
image clipped from Newspapers.com

The Journal-Gazette, West Plains, MO, 30 Apr 1925
image clipped from Newspapers.com

The Journal-Gazette, West Plains, MO, 4 Jun 1925
image clipped from Newspapers.com

Kay's son Bobby remembers his father telling him that while he was jailed, the Sheriff allowed him to leave at night to go home to his family as long as he was back by morning. One night, in particular, Kay was allowed to leave jail to attend a big dance and was given the key to the jail so he could let himself back in. The Sheriff made it clear that Kay had to be back in his cell by sunup. Somehow, Kay lost the key at the dance and had to walk several miles to the Sheriff's house to get another key and he just barely made it back to jail before sunrise.

Over the next several years, life moved along for Kay and his family. Son LeRoy was born in April of 1927, in August of that year Kay's mom, Nancy, died, and then son Bobby was welcomed in February of 1929. In 1930 there was some excitement when Kay's nephew Glenn, the son of his brother Warrie, came into town. Glenn, just 16 years old, was in trouble for stealing a motorcycle and was found and arrested at the Cobb farm. It wouldn't be the only time that Glenn tried to escape the law by hiding out at the Cobb farm. Bobby remembers his dad telling a story about hiding Glenn for a week in a cave at the back of their property once.

Soon the excitement would be centered around Kay and his bootlegging again. In June of 1932 officers found liquor buried on the farm and he was convicted and fined $75. Kay claimed that someone had "planted" it.

The Journal-Gazette, West Plains, MO, 16 Jun 1932
image clipped from Newspapers.com

The truth is, Kay had planted the liquor. He devised a sneaky plan for selling liquor. On the front part of the property, just off the road, was a cornfield. When someone made a purchase they would be given information to find the bottle, sort of a treasure map. For example, 7 rows of corn into the field and down 14 stalks. The purchaser would find a bottle buried between the 14th and 15th stalks of corn. Kay and Hattie kept track of where the liquor was buried on a calendar.

The year 1933 began with hope for the future. Prohibition was coming to an end and the Cobb's were expecting another child, due in the late summer. On the afternoon of May 1st, the cyclone hit.

The Journal-Gazette, West Plains, MO, 4 May 1933
image clipped from Newspapers.com

Kay's daughter Velma remembered the storm and told the story years later of hiding under the bed with her brother J.D. while he prayed. They all survived the storm and a few months later, in August, Hattie delivered a daughter they named Vera Mae. The storm caused a lot of damage and may be the reason they decided to sell the farm. That was put on hold, though, as once again, Kay was facing charges relating to liquor. This time he was charged with possession and found himself in the county jail for a bit where he was one of several prisoners put to work chopping wood for the needy.

The Journal-Gazette, West Plains, MO, 9 Nov 1933
image clipped from Newspapers.com

Prohibition ended in December of 1933 and soon after that, the Cobb's were able to sell the old farm and purchase 85-acres. The new farm was located 13 miles west of West Plains, in the community of Pottersville, and was bought for $900.00. Besides farming, Kay needed to find other ways to support the family and found work with the WPA when it was created in 1935. He worked as a timekeeper and would leave home around 4AM and work until well after dark. As a timekeeper, a job similar to being a foreman, he was responsible for clocking the men in and out of work. Occasionally he would fudge the records and allow a few men to go squirrel hunting on the clock, provided they share their bounty with him. The government man that oversaw the workers never noticed a man or two missing. On the rare days when Kay was at home with his family, at the end of the day, after chores and after supper was cleaned up, he could be found on the front porch playing his banjo and singing with the children.

The children of Kay and Hattie Cobb
back, J.D. and Velma
front, Bobby, Vera and LeRoy
photo taken about 1938

The second World War was looming and the Cobb's would soon make some big changes. Kay's draft registration says he was working for Fraser-Brace Construction of Weldon Springs. It wasn't long after this that he was working at the Kansas City Bomber Plant in Fairfax helping to produce B-25 bombers. Hattie sold the farm and brought the younger kids with her up to Kansas City. Kay used the proceeds from the farm to buy a 22-apartment rooming house which supplemented the families income. 

WWII draft registration card for Kay Cobb, image from Ancestry.com

Kay's sons J.D. and Roy joined the Navy during the war and his son-in-law Wayman signed up for the Army. With extra money from the room rents at the boarding house and wages from the bomber plant, Kay purchased $2100.00 in war bonds and the Kansas City Star wrote an article about him. In the article, he said he wanted to do it because he had 2 boys and his son-in-law in the military and he wanted this war over as quickly as possible so they could all come home safe.

Kay and Hattie Cobb

After the war, Kay found work in the Kansas City Stockyards for American Royal. He worked as a plumber and was especially busy during horse shows and rodeos when the drains in the horse stalls would often clog up. After several years living in downtown Kansas City, the Cobbs found a home in the 'burbs. Kay planted a big garden that included rows and rows of tomatoes and raised roosters and chickens. He raised the roosters for his son Bobby to take to the chicken fights in Kansas. Kay always enjoyed sports and, besides the chicken fights, he would go to see a baseball game or a wrestling match any time he had a chance. 

Kay Cobb with his son Bobby, about 1952

Kay was proud of his garden, especially the tomatoes, and often enlisted the help of his kids and grandkids to sell them and then used the extra money for family vacations. The kids got to keep a little bit of the money and learned some lessons on selling and getting along with the public. Every Sunday Kay and Hattie had all the family over for a big dinner. The four oldest kids were all nearby, so their families were regular guests. Vera and her family had moved out of state and were only able to visit once or twice a year. In the summer, the meals were held outside on the lawn, picnic style. 

Kay and Hattie Cobb, seated, with their children about 1957.
L to R, Vera, Bobby, LeRoy, J.D. and Velma.

When Kay retired he spent even more time in his garden. He added flowers and gourds and kept a row of peach trees neatly pruned. Extended family would often come over for the day and help with planting or harvesting while the little kids played in the yard. 

Kay Cobb, son LeRoy, granddaughter Louise, and great-granddaughter Shannon.
Four generation photo was taken on August 13, 1967, at Kay's home in N. Kansas City.

On the morning of September 26, 1968, Hattie woke up to find Kay still beside her. She tried but was unable to wake him. He had died in his sleep. His body was transported to West Plains where his funeral was held. He was buried in Howell Memorial Park Cemetery in Pomona where Hattie joined him in 1977.

Kay Cobb's obituary as printed in a West Plains newspaper.

The grave of Kay and Hattie Cobb,
Howell Memorial Park Cemetery, West Plains, Missouri.