The Washington County Arkansas Cosby Family
by Kenneth Sims
Most of the Washington County, Arkansas Cosby's descend from Wiley Sr. and Mary Cosby (Cozby).
[Excerpt from Forgotten Ancestors, copyright 1991 by Kenneth O. Sims]
The children of Wiley and Mary Cosby include the following:
1. Nancy, who was born ca. 1818 in North Carolina and married Robert Anderson Hix (q.v) in Jefferson County, Alabama April 19, 1840.
2. Dyer, who was born in North Carolina ca. 1822. He was of unsound mind according to his grandmother's estate settlement. He lived with his mother in Washington County, Arkansas.
3. Harriett, who was born in North Carolina ca. 1823 and married William P. Rogers. Her whereabouts were unknown by the Alabama family in 1853.
4. Elizabeth, who was born February 1, 1825 in North Carolina and married James Wiliford in Washington County, Arkansas on May 14, 1845. Elizabeth died in Washington, County, Arkansas February 20, 1890 and is buried at the Kings Cemetery in Washington County.
5. Charles, who was born February 23, 1827, in North Carolina. He never married and lived in Washington County, Arkansas where he died March 20, 1912 and is buried at the Kings Cemetery.
6. James, who was born ca. 1830 in North Carolina or Alabama and married Nancy Jane Mankins in Washington County, Arkansas on December 16, 1858.
7. Mary, who was born September 11, 1833, possibly in Alabama, and married her stepbrother Walter Lewis on December 3, 1854. Walter died in the civil war on October 10, 1864 at Pilot Knob Missouri. Mary died March 20, 1907 and is buried next to her mother in the WhiteHouse Cemetery in Washington County, Arkansas. Descendants of Mary Cozby and Walter Lewis still live in Washington County, Arkansas.
8. Wiley Cicero, who was born October 15, 1835 probably in Jefferson County, Alabama. He married Amanda King in Washington County, Arkansas. He died November 5, 1875 in Washington County, Arkansas and is buried there at the Kings Cemetery. His descendants still live in Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas.
9. Frances, who was born ca 1838 in Jefferson County, Alabama and married B.A. Rudolph evidently in Washington County, Arkansas.
10. Ruth, who was born ca. 1840 in Jefferson County, Alabama and married Peter Fine on his twenty-first birthday on February 9, 1860 in Washington County, Arkansas.
The research of Kaye Larrabee of Lubbock, Texas, a descendant, of Ruth and Peter Fine, indicates that, based on the birthplaces of the children, this family moved back and forth between Fine Springs, Washington County, Arkansas and Rudy, Crawford County, Arkansas. Ms. Larrabee writes that Ruthy (Cosby) Fine was born February 4, 1840; died August 15, 1875 in Fine Springs, Washington County, Arkansas and was buried August 18, 1875 at the Newberry Chapel Cemetery in Rudy, Crawford County, Arkansas.
Nancy Cosby Hix who married Robert Anderson Hix was the only known child of Wiley and Mary Cosby who did not move to Arkansas in 1843-45. Therefore the descendants of Robert Anderson Hix are the only known Alabama descendants of Wiley Cosby Sr.
