Hickerson Cosby

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA with the rank of Sargent. DAR Ancestor # A026314

In the time of Queen Mary, the Cosby family, originally from the counties of Leicester and Lincoln, in England, settled In Ireland. General Francis Cosbie was the thired husband of Mary Seymour, daughter of the Duke of Somerset. Alexsnder, second son of Francis Cosbie and Mary Seymour, married Dorcas Sidney. Their son, Charles Cosby I, was the founder of the Cosby family in Virginia. Charles was born Sept. 12, 1585 at Stradbally Hall. He married Mary Loftus, daughter of Sir Adam Loftus. The ancestral home is Stradbally Abbey in Queens county Ireland. The grounds are still occupied by members of the Cosby family. Charles Cosby immigrated from Ireland to Virginia in 1628.

It is the accepted fact that Hickerson Cosby, our ancester, is of this family. THE EARLIEST RECORD FOUND FOR HIM WAS AS A SOLDIER IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. tHE RECORDS SHOW THAT HICKERSON COSBY ENLISTED IN 1777, BECAME A SERGEANT OF COMPANY 3, THIRD VIRGINIA REGIMENT, AND RE-ENLISTED IN 1779.

He was married in Louisa Co., VA to Ann [Nancy] Harris, daughter of Archelaus Harris and Frances [Fanny] Smith in 1780. Several of their children were born in Virginia. In 1787, he and family migrated to Wilkes Co. GA. He had a large family, but left no record of his parentage, just that he was born in1750 in Louisa Co, VA. There has been much research and speculation as to his parents, but as of this time it is not proven.

Hickerson Cosby was appointed Constable in Groves Bath, John Wingfield's district, Wilkes County in 1792. There are numerous references to him in the two volumes of Wilkes County Records by Davidson. He died in 1806 and his will is recorded in Columbia County, which was formed from a part of Wilkes County. His son Garland was executor.

The above information is from a book "History of Pleasant Hill, Talbot County, Georgia" by Nelson Goolsby.

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POSTED IN ANCESTRY.COM BY A LADY NAMED McCLURE

I began my research 20 years ago on my 4th great grandfather, John Overton Cosby and 4th great grandmother, Mary "Polly" Hargis. At that time and for many years to come no one had done any research on either family and this was before anyone used a home computer for research. All the research I have posted is through hard work traveling to courthouses, cemeteries, libraries and personal interviews with family members. The military records for War of 1812 was a tremendous help with my search. After completing my research I waited a few years before I applied for membership in Oct. 2006 into United States Daughters of 1812 Society and my membership was approved on 16 Sept. 2006. The research didn't stop here I needed to do more to confirm the father of John Overton Cosby since so many records were disstroyed throughout the years in Geogia this was not an easy task. I had gathered an extensive amont of paperwork on Hickerson Cosby but, wasn't comfortable with that so another lady who thought she was related to him also decided we should go together and split the cost to hire a professional genealogist to continue my research. So this we did and after he completed his research but with little to add to mine he to thought the conclusion was Hickerson Cosby being the father of John Overton Cosby. HE ALSO CONFIRMED MY RESEARCH AND OTHERS THAT HICKERSON COSBY ,

b. 1759, d. 1806,  "WAS NOT THE SON OF GRIFFITH DICKERSON AND ANN CODBY or GRIFFITH DICKERSON COSBYas so many people have posted." Since my posting of research on my family there seems to be many more now who also have a connection to my ancestor and are also using my research as if it were their own based on the resources they are using coming from my tree. 

ANOTHER POSTING FROM GOOGLE

Hickerson (Higginson, Hickinson) COSBY, b c 1755. Some say he was born Hickerson Cosby DICKINSON, son of Griffith DICKINSON and Ann COSBY. The story says that his mother died and he was taken to raise by his maternal uncle, John COSBY. Hickerson is said to have kept his middle name for his surname and enlisted in the Rev War army as Hickerson COSBY and he married under that name. Other than in two wills, the name Hickerson Cosby Dickinson has yet to be found in VA records. A Hickerson COSBY married Nancy HARRIS, daughter of Archelaus HARRIS and moved from Louisa Co., VA to Wilkes Co., GA in the last decade of the 1700s. Were there two men with "overlapping" names born about 1750-1755??? Or is the old story true that there was one Hickerson Cosby Dickinson who dropped his legal surname and went through life as a Cosby??? John Culley

Also see photo Hickerson Cosby photo album