AN 1861 AX MURDER CASE

This was submitted by a reader and it certainly does flesh out the scope and history of this most popular form of mayhem in 19th and early 20th century America.


"The Cobb Murders" - Murder of a Family in Maysville, Ky.The Union (Georgetown, OH) July 31, 1861.

One of the most atrocious murders we have ever been called upon to record occurred at a farm house on the Maysville and Orangeburg road, two miles from Maysville, In Mason County, Ky on the 24 inst. The victims were an odd man named Cobb and his two sons - one aged 16, he other about 21 years. Two men, named Charles Collins and ___ Moore, entered Mr. Cobb's house and seizing an ax, entered the room in which the young men slept, and deliberately butchered them. They then entered the bedroom occupied by Mr. And Mrs. Cobb. With a couple of heavily dealt blows upon the head they dispatched Mr. Cobb. They also struck his wife once or twice, and evidently thought they had killed her. - Though very severely wounded, she is likely to recover. Having completed their horrible work of blood, they proceeded to search the house for money, and finding about $200 in a bureau drawer, departed with it.

The object of the murder was booty, as one rullians understood that Mr. Cobb had a large amount of money in his possession at the time. What makes the deed appear still more inhuman is the fact that one of the murderers - Collins - is nearly related to Mr. Cobb.

The original article is located in the Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland OH.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky [Indictment for murder] against Charles Collins, Filed on the 26th Day of July 1861.
A True Bill
Witnesses for Commonwealth:
William Deatley
Henry DeAttey
Joseph Spense
Mrs. Cobb - widow
James Hire/Hise
Joseph Spencer
Thursten Foster
Edna Cobb.
Dr. L K Sharpe
Dr. M L Adamsen
Benj Cobb
Thos Deatley
Mrs. Frank Cobb
Stephen Valentine
R. H. Baldwin
Henry Barclay
Cain B. White
Noble Dryden
John Mitchel
Robb Dryden

"If the jury believes from the testimony beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant before the finding of the indictment and in the county of Mason did willfully and with malice aforethought kill and murder Geo. W. Cobb and Elijah Cobb by striking them with an axe, or other heavy weapon, they must find him guilty and if an the whole case the jury have a reasonable doubt of his being proven guilty, they will find him not guilty."

Just How Infamous?

There is a fascinating character who comes out of Virginia and moves into Kentucky in the very early days of that region. His moniker is interesting.  I ran across him while doing some genealogical work. I knew right away he could not really be a connection - because we have no one famous!  The man's name is Famous Mortimer (sometimes Mortemer, Mortimore).  Since I have a Mortimore line, I wanted to know 'just how famous was this guy?'  He is a much married man - marrying a Mary Blue and a woman named Fanny and possible others. All of which meant a lot of descendants

I ran across a will out of Loudoun County, Virginia in 1779 where a William Mortimer dies of sudden disease while away from home and his last words are described to the court.  His earthly remains and property were left to a mother named Sarah, a sister named Bethelmere, and a brother named...Infamous Mortimer.

So, is Famous really Infamous?  What is this infamy desirable enough to bear their name or to even self-moniker with such appellation?  Apparently in Hertfordshire in England is one clue...  "The Mortimer Trail is named after the infamous Mortimer" who apparently were powerful in the reign of Edward III and later and who plotted, bedded, and schemed to acquire, maintain and add to their political power but in the end achieved a mere passing few notes in history, "family who have been a clan of Marcher Lords. This family ruled the Welsh borderlands for approximately 400 years, starting in Norman times. One of the most  feared and powerful families, their seat was Wigmore and Ludlow Castle  though  they  governed lands from Normandy and all across England and into Wales. These holders of quite a bit of the most influential of the Norman Earldoms influenced the history and geography of the Welsh Marches." ( http://travel-preparation.myvemma4all.com/?tag=mortimer-trail  and  A biographical index to the history of England by Sterling Yancey McMaster).

Did a line of disenfranchised Mortimer's come to the New World with dreams of new success?  Did "Famous" simply drop the "In-" as better PR?  Did he track into the wild of Kentucky with Daniel Boone like visions dancing in  his head?  The frontier had a tendency to make men into myths based on their acts of valor, courage, or daring.  Sometimes their fame remained and sometimes...as records burned, people died, and moved away....history (as it is so often the case) was simply forgotten.