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Title Correspondence between David Cobb and others, regarding land, militia reform, and trade
Archival Reference Ms. N-1000
Sub-collection David Cobb Papers  
Author Swift, Foster  Padelford, Seth  Eustis, William  
Date 2-15 Feb 1795
Document Type Correspondence
Contents Includes:
Letter from William Eustis (Boston) to David Cobb about the proposed state house, the state militia, and local politics, 2 Feb. 1795
Letter from Foster Swift (Taunton) to David Cobb about local news at Taunton, including the purchase of a fire engine by the town, 2 Feb. 1795
Letter from William Shepard (Westfield) to David Cobb congratulating him on his appointment to the office of postmaster general and suggesting a post office at West Springfield, Mass., 3 Feb. 1795
Circular letter from Benjamin Henfrey (Philadelphia) proposing a course of lectures on mineralogy, 4 Feb. 1795
Letter from William Eustis (Boston) to David Cobb about court and militia reform in Massachusetts, 5 Feb. 1795
Letter from William Eustis (Boston) to David Cobb about the merit of the state in advancing money to the continental agent, 8 Feb. 1795
Letter from Seth Padelford (Taunton) to David Cobb about politics, 9 Feb. 1795
Letter from Foster Swift (Taunton) to David Cobb about the lack of snow, 9 Feb. 1795
Letter from Jonathan Ingell, Jr. (Taunton) to David Cobb about the sale of bar iron, 10 Feb. 1795
Letter from Foster Swift (Taunton) to David Cobb about news from England, 11 Feb. 1795
Letter from William Eustis (Boston) to David Cobb about the state of militia reform in Massachusetts, 12 Feb. 1795
Letter from Col. E. Haskell (Charleston, S.C.) to David Cobb about the sale of lottery tickets, 15 Feb. 1795
Letter from J[ames] Sproat (Boston) to David Cobb about Cobb's land purchase, local news at Taunton, and Bristol Academy, 15 Feb. 1795
Sub-collection Information This collection consists of the papers of David Cobb primarily documenting his position as land agent for William Bingham in Maine, including papers related to the settlement of Maine, logging and the lumber trade, roads, and other subjects. Also included are papers related to his service during the American Revolution and his career as a politician and judge.

David Cobb was a Revolutionary War soldier and aide-de-camp to General George Washington, speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and president of the Senate, physician, judge, member of Congress, lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, and a founder of the Society of the Cincinnati and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The collection contains letters to Charles W. Hare, Bingham's Philadelphia agent, and Alexander Baring, the future Lord Ashburton and representative of London's House of Baring. Also included are legal actions, financial accounts, maps, and inventories related to land development, fishing, lumbering, census reports, lotteries, the laying out of streets, and the construction of wharves, warehouses, and sawmills in Gouldsboro, Maine, which Cobb tried to develop as a major commercial port.

The collection also contains eight fragmentary diaries kept by Cobb, 1781-1818; a manuscript notebook with sketches; lists of British ships of the line; instructions for naval officers; letters to various members of the Cobb family; and letters from William Eustis, Henry Knox, Timothy Pickering, and Israel Thorndike concerning foreign relations, state politics, and miscellaneous financial matters related to the firm of Cobb and Richards, in which Cobb was partner.
Region American East  
Subjects Government and Politics  Towns and Cities  Education  Legislation  Land Transaction and Property  Law and Order  Commissions and Appointments  Commerce and Trade  
Places Boston; Taunton; Westfield; Philadelphia; Massachusetts; Pennsylvania; Charleston; South Carolina
People Cobb, David (1748-1830)  Eustis, William (1753-1825)  Bingham, William (1752-1804)  Padelford, Seth (1807-1878)  
Themes Government & Politics; Land & Property
Library Massachusetts Historical Society  
Copyright Massachusetts Historical Society