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Rsmyth · 10-11-2012, 08:26 AM

Over at Boothiebarn, Dave Taylor had an interesting story on the death of Cobb. I had to update my notes since I did not know the "T" stood for Tower. There was a Tower ( Maiden name) in the family who died (1830's) before Silas was born. Prior to the war he sailed on a whaling ship out of Boston. I wonder if the whaling trade, predominantly a northern enterprise, was effected by the war, specifically southern raiders?

Dave Taylor · 10-11-2012, 04:49 PM

Rich,

Here's an interview with the "Whale Wars" dude talking about the decline of the whaling during the Civil War due to the efforts of the Confederacy.

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/0...hale-wars/

Pretty interesting

Rsmyth · 10-11-2012, 08:23 PM

Thanks Dave. I guess the whale trade was affected. The CSS Shenandoah took 38 Union vessels as prize, mostly whalers shipping out of New Bedford, Mass. If you ever get a chance, New Bedford has a great whaling museum and you are close to the site of the Lizzie Borden murders.

Jim Garrett · 10-12-2012, 04:01 PM

James Wadell was a Marylander and is buried at St. Annes Church in Annapolis. The Sons of Confederate Veterans camp in Annapolis is named in his honor. The confederate commerce raiders did have a great effect on the whaling industry. Between the CSS Shenandoah and the CSS Alabama, they bottled up the whaling fleet. The timing could not have been worse. The did for lamp oil increase exploration in the Pennsylvania oil fields and found that there was less peril and more cost efficiencies in crude.

The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond has the flag the CSS Shenandoah was flying when she surrendered. They also have the cap of Capt. Raphael Semmes, of the CSS Alabama.

Laurie Verge · 10-12-2012, 04:44 PM

Raphael Semmes was a Southern Maryland boy from Charles County and attended Charlotte Hall Military Academy in St. Mary's County - just a plug for us Marylanders...

BTW: Sylvester Stallone attended Charlotte Hall in the 1960s for one year (a disciplinary action, I believe). However, he left because he was supposedly being picked on by other cadets. Charlotte Hall was very prestigious, dated pre-Revolution, and expected the best of their students who came from fine families. I'm guessing that Stallone did not match the correct cadet image.

JMadonna · 10-12-2012, 06:02 PM

Dave,
I left this comment on your website, but I'll leave it here too in case anyone can help.

The problem I have with the death of Silas T. Cobb is this: If his body was recovered how did it get from Grand Haven Michigan to Hollister Massachusetts, where his gravestone is? Secondly, Why is there no death certificate for Cobb in the State of Michigan archives? Believe me, I looked for one. I’m pretty sure that even back then you’d need one to transfer a body across state lines.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jerry

Dave Taylor · 10-13-2012, 05:12 PM

Jerry,

I'm afraid I can't answer you with any facts. All I can tell you, is that Cobb was a native of Holliston, MA, so it makes sense to me that he would be returned there for burial.

I don't see any reason to question that Cobb died though.

JMadonna · 10-14-2012, 08:39 AM

(10-13-2012 05:12 PM)Dave Taylor Wrote: Jerry,

I'm afraid I can't answer you with any facts. All I can tell you, is that Cobb was a native of Holliston, MA, so it makes sense to me that he would be returned there for burial.

I don't see any reason to question that Cobb died though.

Dave,
I have no doubt that Cobb is dead. But without a death certificate, I have doubts that he died in Michigan. Just because a news article names a man doesn't mean it's THE Silas Cobb.

Does the grave-site in Hollister really contain his body or is it just a commemorative marker? Combined with his lack of a death certificate is the fact that his army records are also missing.

Coincidence? Maybe, but a curiosity for sure. He's like the man who never was.

Jim Garrett · 10-14-2012, 09:03 AM

I don't necessarily think that a death certificate is the be all and end all document (even though it should be the end all). Case in point was my great grandfather. I cannot find a death certificate for him. It may not exist today. It may or may not have existed at some point in time. You never know, one of us could be bidding on Cobb's death certificate next week on Ebay.

Gene C · 10-14-2012, 09:27 AM

So true Jim, in some places (a state that borders KY) a death certificate can be used for voter ID. Angel

JMadonna · 10-14-2012, 11:04 AM

(10-14-2012 09:03 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote: I don't necessarily think that a death certificate is the be all and end all document (even though it should be the end all). Case in point was my great grandfather. I cannot find a death certificate for him. It may not exist today. It may or may not have existed at some point in time. You never know, one of us could be bidding on Cobb's death certificate next week on Ebay.

Good point Jim. But if the death was accidental drowning
you have to believe there was an official report made and a death certificate drawn up. It's probable that whoever drowned was either misidentified as Cobb to the newspapers or identified as a different man to the coroner.

Jim Garrett · 10-14-2012, 01:42 PM

Looking at a map and the Wiki of Grand Haven, I'm not really surpised that there is no death certificate. Grand Haven has a population of about 10,000 today. It was incorporated in 1867. I can't imagine the 1900 population was more than 5,000. It is also conveniently located near........not much. Often when a death is not mysterious or unusual, a coroner will not be involved. Often a local funeral director would sign off on a death certificate. I would say that since it was the mayor of Grand Haven reporting the deaths that were obviously from drowning, and that they were out-of-towners, heck, why bother with all the paperwork.

JMadonna · 10-14-2012, 02:28 PM

(10-14-2012 01:42 PM)Jim Garrett Wrote: Looking at a map and the Wiki of Grand Haven, I'm not really surpised that there is no death certificate. Grand Haven has a population of about 10,000 today. It was incorporated in 1867. I can't imagine the 1900 population was more than 5,000. It is also conveniently located near........not much. Often when a death is not mysterious or unusual, a coroner will not be involved. Often a local funeral director would sign off on a death certificate. I would say that since it was the mayor of Grand Haven reporting the deaths that were obviously from drowning, and that they were out-of-towners, heck, why bother with all the paperwork.

Jim,
Grand Haven was a busy port town at the time. Michigan lumber was building Chicago back then.

Why do you assume that Cobb was an out of towner? His pre-war occupation was a boot-maker. Singer sewing machines made that occupation practically obsolete during the war. He could just as easily been working in the logging or shipping trade. His death certificate would tell us that.

I don't care if it was the job of a doctor, coroner or mayor to sign-off on a death certificate, if you want to transfer a dead body across state lines that is a necessary piece of paperwork.

Jim Garrett · 10-14-2012, 05:28 PM

(10-14-2012 02:28 PM)JMadonna Wrote:
(10-14-2012 01:42 PM)Jim Garrett Wrote: Looking at a map and the Wiki of Grand Haven, I'm not really surpised that there is no death certificate. Grand Haven has a population of about 10,000 today. It was incorporated in 1867. I can't imagine the 1900 population was more than 5,000. It is also conveniently located near........not much. Often when a death is not mysterious or unusual, a coroner will not be involved. Often a local funeral director would sign off on a death certificate. I would say that since it was the mayor of Grand Haven reporting the deaths that were obviously from drowning, and that they were out-of-towners, heck, why bother with all the paperwork.

Jim,
Grand Haven was a busy port town at the time. Michigan lumber was building Chicago back then.

Why do you assume that Cobb was an out of towner? His pre-war occupation was a boot-maker. Singer sewing machines made that occupation practically obsolete during the war. He could just as easily been working in the logging or shipping trade. His death certificate would tell us that.

I don't care if it was the job of a doctor, coroner or mayor to sign-off on a death certificate, if you want to transfer a dead body across state lines that is a necessary piece of paperwork.

The second of the clippings on BoothieBarn says that two men were from Hollister, Ma and two were from Portland. Today you need a death certificate to remove a body across state lines. But, what was protocal 150 years ago? Did Edwin Booth need a death certificate to remove John Wilkes to Baltimore? Did John Atzerodt need one to remove George? I thinks it may be safer to assume that back then, you didn't need a death certificate than needing one.

JMadonna · (This post was last modified: 10-14-2012 05:38 PM by JMadonna.)

(10-14-2012 05:28 PM)Jim Garrett Wrote:
(10-14-2012 02:28 PM)JMadonna Wrote:
(10-14-2012 01:42 PM)Jim Garrett Wrote: Looking at a map and the Wiki of Grand Haven, I'm not really surpised that there is no death certificate. Grand Haven has a population of about 10,000 today. It was incorporated in 1867. I can't imagine the 1900 population was more than 5,000. It is also conveniently located near........not much. Often when a death is not mysterious or unusual, a coroner will not be involved. Often a local funeral director would sign off on a death certificate. I would say that since it was the mayor of Grand Haven reporting the deaths that were obviously from drowning, and that they were out-of-towners, heck, why bother with all the paperwork.

Jim,
Grand Haven was a busy port town at the time. Michigan lumber was building Chicago back then.

Why do you assume that Cobb was an out of towner? His pre-war occupation was a boot-maker. Singer sewing machines made that occupation practically obsolete during the war. He could just as easily been working in the logging or shipping trade. His death certificate would tell us that.

I don't care if it was the job of a doctor, coroner or mayor to sign-off on a death certificate, if you want to transfer a dead body across state lines that is a necessary piece of paperwork.

The second of the clippings on BoothieBarn says that two men were from Hollister, Ma and two were from Portland. Today you need a death certificate to remove a body across state lines. But, what was protocal 150 years ago? Did Edwin Booth need a death certificate to remove John Wilkes to Baltimore? Did John Atzerodt need one to remove George? I thinks it may be safer to assume that back then, you didn't need a death certificate than needing one.

Never assume Jim. The law was in effect.

Why do you assume that the goverment refused to give a certificate to Edwin Booth and John Atzerodt?