Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

168 GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES.
vided for the personal safety, as well as the spiritual wants of the
people. Deacon Cobb built his house on his lot, where the house
formerly occupied by Josiah Lewis stands—a spot well selected
for defence against Indian hostilities. Dea. Dimmock's stood a
little east from the dwelling house of Isaac Davis, and 'Dea.
Crocker's at West Barnstable. The two latter were remaining
within the memory of persons now living. They were about
twenty-iive feet square on the ground ; the lower story was of
stone, the upper of wood.
Elder Cobb died in 1679, having lived to a good old age, and
was buried in the grave yard on Lothrop's Hill. No monument
marks the spot where rest his mortal remains—no epitaph records
his virtues. Deane says "he was a useful and valuable man," and
there is beauty and truth in the words. He lived to be useful not
to amass wealth or acquire political distinction.
When a young man, he separated himself from the Church of
England and joined the Puritans, then few in numbers, without
influence, poor, despised and persecuted by the civil and ecclesias-
tical powers. It appears that he joined Mr. Lothrop's church in
London, the members whereof were tolerant in their views, independent
and fearless in advocating the cause of religious liberty
and the rights of conscience, and bold in their denunciations of
all human creeds. He did not escape persecution, but he fortunately
escaped being fconfined for two long years with Mr.
Lothrop and twenty-four members of his church in the foul and
loathsome prisons of London.
He came to this country to secure religious liberty and the
freedom of conscience—utterly detesting all human creeds, and
firmly believing that the life is the best evidence of christian faith.
He remained in Plymouth a few years, joined in church fellowship
with the followers of Robinson, and listened to the teaching of
the mild and venerable Brewster.
In 1633, he went to Scituate, then a new settlement, and
assisted in clearing the forests and building up a town. The next
year his pastor Mr. Lothrop came over and settled in that town,
and soon after, many of his ancient friends and brethren were his
townsmen. After the organization of the church, they invested
him with the office of senior deacon, a mark of their confidence
in his ability and of their esteem for him as a man and a christian.
In Barnstable he was active and useful in promoting the
temporal, and in ministering to the spiritual wants of the first
settlers. He was a town officer, a member of the most important
town committees, and in 1645, 1647, 1652, 1659, 1660 and 1661,
a deputy to the Colony Court. On the 14th of April, 1670, he
was chosen and ordained a ruling elder of the Barnstable church,
an office which he held till his death in 1679.
Elder Cobb was not a man of brilliant talents. He was a