Ezekiel Cobb: A Revolutionary War Veteran of Early Hampden

Our main goal as a historical society is to preserve, exhibit, and share the history of our town. This year, in honor of the nation’s semisesquicentennial, we are paying special attention to figures of the Revolution who also called Hampden home.

As such, we were pleased when Amanda Cobb of Acton, Maine (of Hampden born and raised) contacted us following the unveiling of our new memorial. She presented research on her ancestor, Revolutionary War soldier Ezekiel Cobb, who appears in early records connected to Hampden when the area was still part of Frankfort, and has given us permission to share it here.

Revolutionary War Service

Ezekiel Cobb was born in 1764 in Gorham, Maine, to Elisha Cobb and Elizabeth Murch. Gorham was one of those early inland York County towns that was already getting pulled into Revolutionary service as the war ramped up.

One of the more notable connections from the town was Col. Edmund Phinney’s 18th Continental Regiment, which was selected for leadership by Gen. George Washington and included men from Gorham and the surrounding area. In 1776, the regiment marched toward Fort Ticonderoga as part of northern Continental Army operations.

Like a lot of men from this part of Maine, Ezekiel grew up in the middle of that shift from settlement life into wartime mobilization. He later became part of the wave of post-Revolution families moving into the frontier region that would become Hampden, when it was still known as Frankfort. 

Ms. Cobb’s research indicates that Ezekiel served during the Revolutionary War, with enlistment records showing service in York County in May of 1780 and again in June of 1781.

These details are supported through compiled military records and references including muster rolls and publications such as Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War. While some original documentation is fragmentary, later pension records and family testimony help confirm his service.

Life in Early Hampden

By 1790, Ezekiel Cobb was living in what was then still known as Frankfort, before the incorporation of Hampden. He appears in the federal census for that year, placing him among the early recorded residents of the area.

In 1788, Ezekiel married Nancy Thompson in Orrington, Maine (then listed as Lincoln County). Together they had nine children, establishing a family line that remained connected to the region.

Amanda Cobb also located a newspaper reference connected to the incorporation of Hampden that includes Ezekiel’s name, further situating him within the early documented history of the town’s formation (where some other familiar names from our memorial appear).

The Pension Application of Nancy Cobb Swett

One of the most valuable surviving records connected to Ezekiel’s life comes from the later pension application of his widow, Nancy.

After Ezekiel died in June 1816, Nancy remarried and became Nancy Swett. In 1853, she applied for a Revolutionary War widow’s pension based on Ezekiel’s service.

The file is preserved today in the National Archives and consists of approximately 63 pages with testimonies from family members, neighbors, and the community who supported her claim. Ms. Cobb notes that at the time, official records of Ezekiel’s enlistment and marriage were hard to find and she required supporting affidavits and personal accounts to prove her eligibility.

An 1836 pensioners list also mentions Nancy, further recognizing her as a Revolutionary War widow.

Burial and Legacy

Ezekiel Cobb died in Hampden in June of 1816 and is buried at Nealley’s Corner Cemetery.

In addition to the research shared here, Amanda Cobb has also purchased and placed a Revolutionary War marker at his grave, helping ensure that his life and service are recognized and remembered within the community.

We'd like to thank Amanda for honoring her ancestor and generously providing her research and supporting documents. Stories like Ezekiel's remind us that there is always more to learn about Hampden's early residents, and that some of the most valuable discoveries come from people willing to dig into old records, preserve family history, and share what they find.

Sources

Research and documentation generously provided by Amanda Cobb, including:

• Revolutionary War service records

• Federal census records

• Pension application records (National Archives, 63-page file)

• Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors references

• Newspaper research via Newspapers.com

• FamilySearch and Ancestry records

• Family photographs, including an image of Nancy Cobb Swett

The Hampden Historical Society welcomes additional information, photographs, and documents related to Ezekiel Cobb and other early residents of Hampden.