The James Cozby, Sr. Family
containing excerpts from Forgotten Ancestors copyright 1991 by Kenneth O Sims
The spelling of this family's surname has been recorded many ways. The two known spellings used today among James Cozby's descendants are Cosby (used by descendants of his son James S. Cosby of Jefferson County, Alabama and by descendants of his son Wiley who moved to Washington County, Arkansas) and Cozby (used by descendants of his sons, William, Isaac, Abner who moved to Texas).
James Cozby signed his will in Jefferson County, Alabama on April 5, 1837, leaving all his estate to his wife Elizabeth Cozby and naming Elizabeth and his son James S. Cosby as executrix and executor. (Note that even his will recognizes the difference in the spelling of the name.) He died between that time and June 16, 1838 when the will was probated. Family traditions in all branches of this Cosby (Cozby) family say that the family came from North Carolina. The earliest certain identification of this James Cozby appears in the U.S. Census of 1820 for Buncombe County, North Carolina where he is recorded as James Cozby on page 110 and where his son Wiley is recorded as Wiley Causbey on page 125. From these 1820 census entries, we can infer that James Crosby (page 263, 1810 U.S. Census, Buncombe County, North Carolina) and James Crosby (page 126, 1800 U.S. Census, Buncombe County, North Carolina) are this same James Cozby of the 1820 Buncombe Census.
Robert Lewis Cozby has determined that this James Crosby of 1800 Buncombe and 1810 Buncombe is the same James Crosby listed in the 1800 U.S. Census for Pendleton County, South Carolina. Mr. Cozby has found a Buncombe County land record showing that James purchased land in Buncombe on November 10, 1800 and he notes that the 1800 U.S. Census of Buncombe was certified May 2, 1801. Mr. Cozby says that these show that James Crosby moved to from Pendleton, South Carolina to Buncombe, North Carolina between the taking of the census in Pendleton and in Buncombe. The following facts can also be used to substantiate Mr. Cozby's theory:
1. Milton R. Cosby, the son of James S. Cosby and the grandson of James Cozby, in a sworn and notarized statement made by him September 26, 1921 verified that "James Crosby was the son of William Crosby, and was born at Pendleton Court-House, N.C. in 1774...."
2. There is no Pendleton Court-House North Carolina.
3. Willliam Crosby of Pendleton, South Carolina had sons James and Abner (William's estate) and James Cozby had sons William and Abner (James' estate).
4. William Crosby's estate settlement shows legatee James Cosby.
5. An original copy of a receipt for James' portion of William's estate dated 24 June 1823 is in the possession of descendants of James S. Cosby. This statement is evidently in James hand and has been in this family for 175 years. It reads: Coppy (sic) Recd 24th June 1823 of A Crosby & Wm Carson Administrator of the Estate of Wm Crosby Dec. Forty seven Dollars & 25 cents in part of my dividend of said estate. James Crozby
Evidently because James Cozby (1774) had a son named James S. Cozby and a grandson named Spencer Cozby, several researchers appear to have come to the conclusion that he was James Spencer Cozby Sr. In the absence of any indication that this may be true, this site will record that he was simply James Cozby Sr. As already noted, his will says James Cozby Sr. and refers to his son James S. Cosby (not Jr.) as though to note a difference. No record has been discovered which refers to James Cozby Sr. as James S. Cozby Sr.
James Cozby probably married in the early 1790's since the 1800 census show one male child under 10 years (Wiley ca. 1794) He moved to Jefferson County, Alabama between 1820 and January 23, 1822 when he purchased land there. His wife Elizabeth was born between 1776 and 1780 in S.C. [Some researchers, without citing any reference have recorded that his wife was Elizabeth Moore. Without a reference, this site regards this as unfounded and unreliable]. A transcript of Elizabeth's estate from Blount County was filed in Jefferson County with a petition to sell eighty acres there.
The children of James Cozby, as taken from the above mentioned petition, include:
1. Wiley, who was born about 1794 in North Carolina. He lived in Buncombe County, North Carolina in 1820 and in 1830. As best as can be ascertained from census records and the ages and birthplaces of his children, he moved to Jefferson County, Alabama between 1830 and 1833 some ten years after his parents made the same move. He lived in Jefferson County in 1840. Between December, 1843 and 1845 he moved his family (except for Nancy who married Robert Anderson Hicks April 19, 1840) to Washington County, Arkansas.
Wiley appears to have been the first of several Cosbys to move from Alabama to Arkansas. In April, 1849, according to Goodspeed's History of Arkansas (1889), Wiley was one of the Washington County citizens who became infected with the gold fever. Listed next to his name in the roster of the gold company which went west on April 24, 1849 was George Lewis.
In the 1850 U.S. Census taken the following year, Wiley's wife and his children were listed alone.
The research of Robert F. Cozby of Austin, Texas, a descendant of Wiley's brother Abner, indicates the following concerning Wiley:
(Wiley) died about 1849-50, perhaps in Nevada, where he traveled with George Washington Lewis in search of gold, during the gold rush.
Evidently after Wiley's death, Wiley's wife Mary married George W. Lewis (who R.F. Cozby reports as Wiley's partner) on January 11, 1852 in Washington County, Arkansas. Mary's and Wiley's daughter Mary married her stepbrother Walter Lewis on December 3, 1854. Both Mary's are buried in the White House Cemetery (pictures no longer available) in Washington County Arkansas. The older Mary's marker states Mary, wife of Wiley Cosby even-though her married name was Lewis.
This family apparently was the beginning of the Washington County, Arkansas Cosby Family.
2. Ellen, a daughter, was born ca. 1803-1804 in North Carolina. She married Joel Cain.
3. James S., a son, was born ca. February 23, 1806 in North Carolina and lived in Buncombe County, North Carolina; and Jefferson County, Alabama. He married first on March 21, 1824, to Rebecca Rachel Felton who died about 1831 and second on February 8, 1832 to Ann Brown. James S. Cosby was the father of Spencer Cosby and the grandfather of Americus Cosby. He was the great uncle of Nathaniel West Hix II who often spoke of Uncle Jimmy Cozby. Spencer Cosby's son Milton Chappel Cosby married Dicie Logins. Nathaniel West Hix II also spoke of Cousin Dicie who was actually his cousin-in-law. (from family tradition)
4. William David, a son, was born February 27, 1808 in North Carolina and lived in North Carolina; Jefferson County, Alabama; and Hunt County Texas. He married first on September 1, 1831 to Mary Cowden, daughter of William and Catherine (Yates) Cowden who died in Alabama January, 28, 1840. He married second to Lavinia C. Grubbs who died September 18, 1870. He married a third time to Mrs. Salome Ann Cowden, widow of Robert Lindley Cowden, younger brother to the first wife, Mary Cowden. William died August 9, 1881 in Wolfe City, Hunt County, Texas and is buried there at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery. His descendants live in Texas. (source: records of Robert F. Cozby, Austin, Tx).
5. Olive (Ollie), a daughter, was born ca. 1809 in North Carolina and lived in North Carolina; Jefferson County, Alabama; and Wood County, Texas. Olive married Ephraim Hix March 22, 1836 in Jefferson County Alabama. Ephraim Hix was evidently related to Elisha Hix, possibly his younger brother or a cousin.
6. Abner, a son, was born ca. 1812 in North Carolina and lived in North Carolina; Jefferson County, Alabama; Wood County Texas; Rains County Texas; and Hunt County, Texas. He married on August 18, 1831 in Alabama to Mary Brown who died May 28, 1851 in Rains County, Texas . Abner was married twice more. He died in Wolfe City, Hunt County, Texas in 1864. Many of Abner's descendants still live in Texas. They still spell the name Cozby. (source: records of Robert F. Cozby, Austin, Tx).
7. Isaac, a son, was born ca. 1817 in North Carolina and lived in North Carolina; Jefferson County, Alabama; and Smith County, Texas. He was a school teacher. He lived with Benjamin Gurley, who was the brother-in-law of Elisha Hix, in Smith County in 1850. Perhaps Isaac traveled to Texas with Benjamin. Birthplaces of Benjamin Gurley's children indicate that he moved to Texas between 1847 and 1849. Benjamin Gurley's last son, who was born in Alabama ca. 1847, was named Issac, evidently for Issac Cosby. Issac Cozby married December 7, 1852 to Eliza Jane Tunnell at Tyler Texas. Isaac died in 1862 at Garden Valley, Smith County, Texas. (source: records of Robert F. Cozby, Austin, Tx).
8. Sarah, a daughter, married Jeptha J. Barton on June 28, 1838, and lived in Tippa County, Mississippi.
9. Mary, a daughter, who married Moses M. Posey on September 11, 1838 and lived in Blount County, Alabama.
