Cobb's Island Story

This week the Eastern Shore News begins a series of articles on the Cobb family of Northampton County and Cobb's Island.

Through the courtesy of Mrs. Georgie Mae Coplinger of Cheriton, we were able to procure a number of newspapers of an early date containing special features of the quaint little island off Northampton.

Today we print an article taken from The Republican, St. Louis, the issue of Thursday morning, December 2, 1886. It proves that the fame of Cobb's Island was wide spread in that early period.

The article, as our readers will note, was signed by a guest and friend.

A quaint summer Isle off the Virginia Coast -- some interesting events that have occurred there.

Cobb's Island, Nov. 20, 1886. -- (Correspondence.) -- There is an island that skirts the county of Northampton, in Virginia, on the eastern shore, known as Cobb's island. There are quite a number of them, lying out on the seacoast east of Northampton -- Smith's, Hog, Bone, Mocken and Wreck islands. On the tomb of one of the Custises of Arlington, it is said, that he was governor of the Leeward islands, in which, of course, Cobb's was included. The latter was but little known for many years, and was considered utterly worthless, being barren and unfit for pasturage. In the year 1839 Mr. Nathan Cobb of Eastham, Mass., emigrated to the county of Northampton, bringing his family with him. He lived there awhile, and then purchased the island (which bears his name) for $100, and fifty bushels of salt. On arriving at the island he found no human habitation, only a tent, that had probably been erected by some fishermen. Like Alexander Selkirk, he was monarch of all he surveyed, from the centre all round to the sea. Mr. Cobb had been a Cape Cod fisherman, was a brave seaman and had no fears of the angry deep. He wrote on North and had a jointed house built and sent to him, which he easily put together. Here he lived with his family, consisting of a wife and several sons. They subsisted chiefly by gunning and fishing, and the treasures of the sea, from floating wrecks, were often a source of profit to them. In those days there were no lighthouses on the coast, and wrecks were very frequent. Soon after his settlement there his first wife died. In course of time he married Mrs. Fletcher (nee Carpenter), who lived on Hog Island. It is said that Mr. Cobb has saved the lives of many a shipwrecked crew, and there are thirty-five men that his descendants distinctly remember, whom he rescued from a watery grave. The adjacent county of Northampton has been from time immemorial a malarious district and physicians began to recommend their patients to go to the island seeking restoration of health. It was thus that he commenced in a small way to keep a public house. The guests were few, only invalids in summer and occasionally a party of gunners during the winter months. Gradually the place became more widely known as a health resort, and it was found necessary to enlarge the accommodations. This resulted in the building of the cottage now known as the Truitt house. Many strange things have happened at Cobb's, and the narration of them would fill too large a space. I will mention only one or two.

In the summer of 1859 a party of gentlemen, who had been spending some days on the island gunning and fishing, chartered a sloop (manned by the islanders) to take them over to Old Point. The morning was propitious, and they were borne safely to their destination. On returning, however, a fierce storm was raging, the sea ran high, and one of the men (Mr. Doughty) was washed overboard. It was all they could do to manage the vessel, and the only aid they could render the unfortunate man was to throw over buckets and a piece of plank. He was unable to catch the rope that had been thrown to him.

The last that was seen of him he was swimming against wind and tide and making for one of the neighboring islands. The crew returned with saddened hearts. Quite a number of ladies and gentlemen were guests at the Truitt house, and it had been arranged for a large ball there on that evening. Musicians had arrived from the main land, and ladies were preparing for attractive toilets. When the returning sloop came in and the sad news was brought all hearts were touched with sympathy, and the tears that coursed down the cheeks of those hearty men and the grief of the inhabitants found hearty response in the gay company, and all idea of the expected dance was abandoned. Mr. Nathan Cobb was utterly inconsolable. Many gathered in groups to talk over the occurrence and everything wore a funeral aspect. Some weeks afterward Mr. Cobb went down to the shore (as was his custom when a boat came over from the main) to welcome the passengers. What was his surprise to see his old companion, whom he had mourned as dead, well and hearty and dressed in a handsome new suit. At first he started back in terror exclaiming: "Is this Doughty, or his spirit? It cannot be he." He was, however, soon reassured by a warm grasp of the hand. No prince ever received more cordial welcome, and the vociferous joy with which he was greeted marked an epoch in the history of these honest hearted dwellers on the shore. Then all collected to hear his adventures. "After vain endeavors to reach land he had resolved to float with the tide, hoping that he might be rescued by some passing vessel. His cries for help were heard, and he was taken on board a barque, bound for Annapolis, Md. Doughty was the first man whom the captain had ever saved. He took great pride in the fact, carried him to Annapolis, showed him around the town, gave him an entirely new suit of clothes, paid his fare to Norfolk, and from there he was taken to Northampton where he soon found a conveyance to the island." Mr. Doughty is still living and resides in Northampton. He had been six hours overboard when he was taken on board the barque. In 1848 a large whale floated ashore on Cobb's. In 1855 a surveying steamer that went from there met with a serious accident; the boiler burst, and six men were killed. In 1855 a vessel struck on the bar at night and sank. The crew climbed into the rigging, and were saved. The vessel was loaded with lime and caught fire. On January 9, 1883, the life-saving men were out wrecking. The life-boat brought the crew all ashore. The boss wrecker took his men and went aboard again. The storm raged so that they could not get to land. The cook was swept off in the breakers; Mr. Gordon froze to death in the rigging; Mr. Cobb was very ill from exposure, and the rest were badly frosted. Last year a bottle was found on the beach with a letter in it saying: "We are all well, the ship's on fire." To return to the Cobb family, Mr. Nathan Cobb, after the death of his second wife, married a Mrs. Griffith, who is still living. His last visit to Northampton was when he cast his vote for Hancock as president. He died in the year 1881, aged 84. The following is a true copy of

A Sampler,

worked by his eldest daughter:

Family Records of the Cobbs

Nathan J. Cobb, the son of Elkanah and Jerusha Cobb, was born in Eastham, December 15, A.D. 1797.

Nancy Doane, the daughter of Jessie and Thankful Doane, was born in Eastham, August 23, 1799, and died January 1,1840.

They were married December 25, 1820.

The children are as follows, viz.: Dorcas D. Cobb, born September 28, 1821.

Thankful M. Cobb, born October 5, 1823.

Nathan J. Cobb, Jr., born September 27, 1825.

Nancy D. Cobb, born November 2, 1828.

An infant son, born December 29, 1830.

W.D. Cobb, born March 29, 1833.

Albert F. Cobb, born February 14, 1836.

Martha Cobb, born August 7, 1838.

Jerusha R. Cobb, born May 9, 1844; Nancy D. Cobb, born December 5, 1846; children of Esther Carpenter.

This wrought by Dorcas D. Cobb, A.D. 1833.

This is the work of my own hand,

Left for my friends to see,

When I am gone, not to return,

They may remember me.

Inscriptions on the Tombstones At Cobb's Island

In memory of Nathan Fosque Cobb; born at Eastham, Mass., Dec. 15, 1797. Died March 20, 1881.

Nancy D. Craft; born Dec. 5, 1846. Died Aug. 7, 1882.

James H. Cobb; born Sept. 27, 1856. Died June 8, 1857.

Bettie H. Cobb; born Oct. 31, 1859. Died March 1, 1866.

For many years there have been those, who annually resorted to Cobb's island, until now, so greatly has the patronage increased, that they are able to accommodate more than a hundred guests. Through the influence of a Christian lady of Baltimore, a chapel has been built, known as "Cobb's Island church." The pulpit has been supplied by Rev. Thos. Pullen of the Virginia Methodist conference. It is now in charge of a young local minister, Rev. Henry Hunt of Northampton. The church has a bell and steeple, is very near the beach, and it is a touching sight to see visitors from different parts of the earth, of various states and denominations, meet together for the first and perhaps the last time to engage in Christian worship. They have a Sunday-school library, which is read with interest by the native children. There are fifty persons in all, who reside there permanently. The life-saving station, under the command of Capt. Krum, occupies a conspicuous position. The captain has quite a rare collection of stuffed birds that are objects of curiosity to strangers. The bathing at the island is unsurpassed. The beach is as smooth as concrete pavement. It is a pleasant carriage drive for some miles around, the island is ten miles out at sea and is in the form of a crescent. It is seven miles around, and averages, perhaps, half a mile in width. It has been visited by some of the greatest celebrities in the country. There are at least half a dozen or more seamen there--Capt. Mathews, who has sailed around the world; Capt. Frank Reynolds, who once belonged to the United States navy; Capts. Nathan and Warren Cobb; Capt. Jack Andrews; Capt. Melson and a number of others, who are all experienced boatmen.

A Guest and Friend