Sebastian Cobley is numbered among the honored pioneers of the Wood County, Ohio have been connected with the early history of Middletown Township for more than 45 years.
Sebastian Cobley was born in Germany, on Saturday, February 9. 1811, and while still a young man, came to Ohio. He settle near Toledo, Ohio and there he married Elizabeth Buriger about 1836. Elizabeth was born in France.
For several years after their marriage, Sebastian worked as a foremen in a Toledo brickyard. As a enterprising young man once owned 15 acres of land on what is now Summit Street in Toledo.
About the year 1840, Sebastian and Elizabeth moved to
Middletown Township, Wood county, where he bought land. The land was covered with a dense growth of brush and trees and he commenced clearing with his first priority being that of building a log cabin for his family.
He even had to build much of his own furniture with the beds of that time being made of boring two holes in the wall and rounding of the ends if a pole at each end to fit this holes and also similar holes made in the post set toward the middle of the room. Bark was woven across the bed to hold the bed stick.
The chairs and/or stools were made of barrels and barrel ends obtained from the nearest trading post, with straight round sticks for legs. The floor of the cabin was dirt and you can imagine the problems of keeping the floor clean when it rains.
In this area of that time, wild animals were a problem with wolves being most prominent and persistent. Frequent howling during the night was a common terrifying occurrence which made the hair stand up on the back or even the most seasoned pioneer. when hungry, wolves would attack the farm animals and even people.
To assist you in visualizing the number of people present in the area, there were less then 40 families in the entire township.
It was through hard diligent labor that Sebastian cultivated his land into a productive farm. He and his wife Elizabeth, were members of the Roman Catholic Church to which he devoted many hours to its establishment in the Catholic faith, each seeing that their children tended to a proper religious requirements.
Eight children were born to them, namely:
Caroline, born in 1840 who married Joseph Debacher and died June 20, 1888
Andrew, born in 1841 - soldier in IIIth 0.V.I
Sophronia, born in 1844 who married George Yount
William F., born in 1849 who married Fannie Wickham
Anthony A., born in 7 - 15, 1850 - 7 - 29, 1895
Mary, born in 1852 and married A. F. Chase
John, born in 1854 and died when he was 12 years of age.
Louis, born in 1857, and married July 18, 1873. J. C. Nufer
William F Cobley, (Sophronia's brother) was Mayor of Haskins, Ohio in 1895: Postmaster from 1885 to 1889, and was elected to more public offices than any other man in the Township. He served as Justice of the peace : and school Board Treasurer. He was grocer and businessman in Haskins.
Sebastian and Elizabeth were true pioneers of Wood County and always took an interest in the welfare of those around them. He was a true neighbor, good friend, loyal citizen as evidenced by his involvement in the growth of Hawkins. To set with kindness was as natural as breathing and his name will long live.
Sebastian Cobley was born in Germany, on Saturday, February 9. 1811, and while still a young man, came to Ohio. He settle near Toledo, Ohio and there he married Elizabeth Buriger about 1836. Elizabeth was born in France.
For several years after their marriage, Sebastian worked as a foremen in a Toledo brickyard. As a enterprising young man once owned 15 acres of land on what is now Summit Street in Toledo.
About the year 1840, Sebastian and Elizabeth moved to
Middletown Township, Wood county, where he bought land. The land was covered with a dense growth of brush and trees and he commenced clearing with his first priority being that of building a log cabin for his family.
He even had to build much of his own furniture with the beds of that time being made of boring two holes in the wall and rounding of the ends if a pole at each end to fit this holes and also similar holes made in the post set toward the middle of the room. Bark was woven across the bed to hold the bed stick.
The chairs and/or stools were made of barrels and barrel ends obtained from the nearest trading post, with straight round sticks for legs. The floor of the cabin was dirt and you can imagine the problems of keeping the floor clean when it rains.
In this area of that time, wild animals were a problem with wolves being most prominent and persistent. Frequent howling during the night was a common terrifying occurrence which made the hair stand up on the back or even the most seasoned pioneer. when hungry, wolves would attack the farm animals and even people.
To assist you in visualizing the number of people present in the area, there were less then 40 families in the entire township.
It was through hard diligent labor that Sebastian cultivated his land into a productive farm. He and his wife Elizabeth, were members of the Roman Catholic Church to which he devoted many hours to its establishment in the Catholic faith, each seeing that their children tended to a proper religious requirements.
Eight children were born to them, namely:
Caroline, born in 1840 who married Joseph Debacher and died June 20, 1888
Andrew, born in 1841 - soldier in IIIth 0.V.I
Sophronia, born in 1844 who married George Yount
William F., born in 1849 who married Fannie Wickham
Anthony A., born in 7 - 15, 1850 - 7 - 29, 1895
Mary, born in 1852 and married A. F. Chase
John, born in 1854 and died when he was 12 years of age.
Louis, born in 1857, and married July 18, 1873. J. C. Nufer
William F Cobley, (Sophronia's brother) was Mayor of Haskins, Ohio in 1895: Postmaster from 1885 to 1889, and was elected to more public offices than any other man in the Township. He served as Justice of the peace : and school Board Treasurer. He was grocer and businessman in Haskins.
Sebastian and Elizabeth were true pioneers of Wood County and always took an interest in the welfare of those around them. He was a true neighbor, good friend, loyal citizen as evidenced by his involvement in the growth of Hawkins. To set with kindness was as natural as breathing and his name will long live.
Sebastian Cobley is numbered among the honored pioneers of the Wood County, Ohio have been connected with the early history of Middletown Township for more than 45 years.
Sebastian Cobley was born in Germany, on Saturday, February 9. 1811, and while still a young man, came to Ohio. He settle near Toledo, Ohio and there he married Elizabeth Buriger about 1836. Elizabeth was born in France.
For several years after their marriage, Sebastian worked as a foremen in a Toledo brickyard. As a enterprising young man once owned 15 acres of land on what is now Summit Street in Toledo.
About the year 1840, Sebastian and Elizabeth moved to
Middletown Township, Wood county, where he bought land. The land was covered with a dense growth of brush and trees and he commenced clearing with his first priority being that of building a log cabin for his family.
He even had to build much of his own furniture with the beds of that time being made of boring two holes in the wall and rounding of the ends if a pole at each end to fit this holes and also similar holes made in the post set toward the middle of the room. Bark was woven across the bed to hold the bed stick.
The chairs and/or stools were made of barrels and barrel ends obtained from the nearest trading post, with straight round sticks for legs. The floor of the cabin was dirt and you can imagine the problems of keeping the floor clean when it rains.
In this area of that time, wild animals were a problem with wolves being most prominent and persistent. Frequent howling during the night was a common terrifying occurrence which made the hair stand up on the back or even the most seasoned pioneer. when hungry, wolves would attack the farm animals and even people.
To assist you in visualizing the number of people present in the area, there were less then 40 families in the entire township.
It was through hard diligent labor that Sebastian cultivated his land into a productive farm. He and his wife Elizabeth, were members of the Roman Catholic Church to which he devoted many hours to its establishment in the Catholic faith, each seeing that their children tended to a proper religious requirements.
Eight children were born to them, namely:
Caroline, born in 1840 who married Joseph Debacher and died June 20, 1888
Andrew, born in 1841 - soldier in IIIth 0.V.I
Sophronia, born in 1844 who married George Yount
William F., born in 1849 who married Fannie Wickham
Anthony A., born in 7 - 15, 1850 - 7 - 29, 1895
Mary, born in 1852 and married A. F. Chase
John, born in 1854 and died when he was 12 years of age.
Louis, born in 1857, and married July 18, 1873. J. C. Nufer
William F Cobley, (Sophronia's brother) was Mayor of Haskins, Ohio in 1895: Postmaster from 1885 to 1889, and was elected to more public offices than any other man in the Township. He served as Justice of the peace : and school Board Treasurer. He was grocer and businessman in Haskins.
Sebastian and Elizabeth were true pioneers of Wood County and always took an interest in the welfare of those around them. He was a true neighbor, good friend, loyal citizen as evidenced by his involvement in the growth of Hawkins. To set with kindness was as natural as breathing and his name will long live.
Sebastian Cobley was born in Germany, on Saturday, February 9. 1811, and while still a young man, came to Ohio. He settle near Toledo, Ohio and there he married Elizabeth Buriger about 1836. Elizabeth was born in France.
For several years after their marriage, Sebastian worked as a foremen in a Toledo brickyard. As a enterprising young man once owned 15 acres of land on what is now Summit Street in Toledo.
About the year 1840, Sebastian and Elizabeth moved to
Middletown Township, Wood county, where he bought land. The land was covered with a dense growth of brush and trees and he commenced clearing with his first priority being that of building a log cabin for his family.
He even had to build much of his own furniture with the beds of that time being made of boring two holes in the wall and rounding of the ends if a pole at each end to fit this holes and also similar holes made in the post set toward the middle of the room. Bark was woven across the bed to hold the bed stick.
The chairs and/or stools were made of barrels and barrel ends obtained from the nearest trading post, with straight round sticks for legs. The floor of the cabin was dirt and you can imagine the problems of keeping the floor clean when it rains.
In this area of that time, wild animals were a problem with wolves being most prominent and persistent. Frequent howling during the night was a common terrifying occurrence which made the hair stand up on the back or even the most seasoned pioneer. when hungry, wolves would attack the farm animals and even people.
To assist you in visualizing the number of people present in the area, there were less then 40 families in the entire township.
It was through hard diligent labor that Sebastian cultivated his land into a productive farm. He and his wife Elizabeth, were members of the Roman Catholic Church to which he devoted many hours to its establishment in the Catholic faith, each seeing that their children tended to a proper religious requirements.
Eight children were born to them, namely:
Caroline, born in 1840 who married Joseph Debacher and died June 20, 1888
Andrew, born in 1841 - soldier in IIIth 0.V.I
Sophronia, born in 1844 who married George Yount
William F., born in 1849 who married Fannie Wickham
Anthony A., born in 7 - 15, 1850 - 7 - 29, 1895
Mary, born in 1852 and married A. F. Chase
John, born in 1854 and died when he was 12 years of age.
Louis, born in 1857, and married July 18, 1873. J. C. Nufer
William F Cobley, (Sophronia's brother) was Mayor of Haskins, Ohio in 1895: Postmaster from 1885 to 1889, and was elected to more public offices than any other man in the Township. He served as Justice of the peace : and school Board Treasurer. He was grocer and businessman in Haskins.
Sebastian and Elizabeth were true pioneers of Wood County and always took an interest in the welfare of those around them. He was a true neighbor, good friend, loyal citizen as evidenced by his involvement in the growth of Hawkins. To set with kindness was as natural as breathing and his name will long live.
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