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Esther Cobun m. Dec 30, 1786 Natchez Dist. b. 1769 NH d. Nov 12, 1814 Natchez, Adams Co. MS |
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Caleb b. 1787 Adams Co. Miss. Terr. d. after 1816 ?Adams Co. MS |
Capt. William b. Dec 16, 1788 Adams Co. MS d. Jun 16, 1835 Claiborne Co. MS |
Samuel b. Apr 17, 1790 Natchez, Adams Co. MS d. May 11, 1845 Adams Co. MS |
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Richard b. 1794 Adams Co. Miss. Terr. d. after 1816 |
Mary b. 1797 Adams Co. Miss. Terr. |
Esther (Hetty) b. 1799 Adams Co. Miss. Terr. d. by 1805 |
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Jacob Cobun b. 1802 Natchez, Adams Co. MS d. Mar 2, 1858 Inez, Victoria Co. TX |
Justus |
Esther Ann b. Nov 5, 1805 Adams Co. Miss. Terr. |
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According to Richard's obituary, he emigrated with his parents to the Natchez
district on Jan 1, 1774 from Morris Co. NJ
[Obituary, Natchez Gazette,
Natchez, Apr 5, 1815]. |
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A British grant of 100 acres of land that was surveyed in 1776 for father Justus
King, and "bounded by lands of Caleb King" was claimed by his sons Richard and
Prosper King [McBee, p. 546]. According to Richard, his "father and uncle,
Justus and Caleb King, were driven by the savages from their habitations and
came to settle near the Fort" during the very unhappy revolution in this
country" [McBee, p. 189]. |
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Upon marriage, Richard and Esther settled on land that was near St. Catherine's
Creek east of the town of Natchez. In 1792 they moved with their two sons to the
Pine Ridge community seven miles NE of Natchez along the Mississippi River. This
home became known as Springfield Plantation. |
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On Aug 28, 1788, a Joseph King appeared at the Natchez courthouse and under oath
said that in 1782, "being hurt by a fall, he stayed at the house of Miguel Lopez"
and his partner Nelly Price [McBee, p. 177]. |
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On Feb 18, 1789 father Justus King renewed his obligation for $1000 in Mexican
silver to Don Pedro Surget "being unable to make payment" with his sons Richard
and Prosper as sureties" for the sum ... [McBee, Book B, p. 64]. Four days
earlier, "sundry horses belonging to the partnership of Richard King and John
Pickens, deceased" were sold to various buyers, including
"Cady Raby" [McBee, Natchez Court Records,
Book D, p. 142]. |
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Map of
the Natchez District as it may have looked between 1779 and 1799. |
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Richard owned 103 arpents of land on St, Catherine's Creek which he sold to
James Boles and John Roberts. It was part of land that was granted to him,
No. 499, and bordered land belonging to Frederick Calvit and
Jeptha Higdon, both sons of
Mary Calvit Higdon [McBee, Book D, p. 156]. |
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The family of Richard's wife may have been from KY, because on Apr 29, 1790,
a John Coburn came to Natchez on a flatboat from Kentucky, "returning to home"
and with a Charles Todd, an employee who was "remaining to settle"
[MS Dept of Archives & History, website]. |
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In a letter dated Mar 2, 1790, from
Carlos de Grand-Pré, Natchez to
Governor Don Estavan Miro, the amount of tobacco produced in 1790 was reported
by growers of Natchez. "Richard King" reported producing 10,000 pounds of tobacco
that year. Tobacco was produced on other plantations owned by Caleb and Justin
King [MS Dept of Archives & History, website]. |
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On May 20, 1791, father "Justus King and sons" were buyers of 3 of the 83 slaves
imported on the Schooner Governor Miro from Jamaica for which they paid
$1,633 [McBee, Book B, p. 83]. |
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After marrying, Richard and Esther moved to a plantation on the east side of Natchez
near St. Catherine's Creek. In 1792 they moved to the Pine Ridge area about
seven miles NE of Natchez. This plantation was known as "Springfield" and is where
they died and are buried. In 1795, Richard was responsible for the building of
Fleetwood Racetrack near Natchez. |
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In 1793 brother Prosper received Spanish grants of 500 acres (400 arpents) on Bayou
Pierre (Tabor's Fork in Claiborne Co.), 40 miles N.E. of the Fort, and 200 acres
on te south bank of Big Black River, 70 miles N.E. of the Fort. [McBee, Book B,
p. 390]. |
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On Jul 20, 1794, brother Prosper King petitioned the "that he desires
to build a house in the New City of Natchez", asking for Lot 3 Square No. 33.
On Jul 20, 1795, father Justus King petitioned the "Spanish Govt. that he desires
to build a house in Natchez", asking for Lot 2 Square No. 33. Both petitions
were granted Jul 21, 1796, by
Gayoso, to "Justus Cobun King"
[McBee, Book D, p. 453]. |
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On Jan 18, 1798 brother Prosper sold to Richard Lot 3, Square 33 in Natchez
for $50. On the same day, Richard bought Lot 4, Square 33 from John Boles for
the same price. Before, on Jul 29, 1794, Boles had petitioned that "having
material to build a house and no land" asks the Spanish Govt. for that lot,
which was granted by Gayoso on Aug 8, 1796.
So, Richard owned Lots 2, 3 and 4, all in Square 33, each with a building by Jan
18, 1798. [McBee, Book D, p. 453]. |
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A "George Wiley", who reportedly died in 1874, is said to have arrived in Natchez
in 1788 and after 1860 wrote that what was "at one time kept as a tavern by a man
named King" was "probably the oldest house now existing in Natchez" [Claiborne,
p. 529]. |
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King's Tavern is located on Lot 3 in Square 33 in Natchez. On Aug 5, 1799 according
to the Minutes of the Adams Co. Court, Richard King was "licensed to operate a
public house" (tavern) [Minutes of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace,
p. 78]. |
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King's Tavern at 613 Jefferson St. in Natchez operated as a
restaurant in 2023
was for sale in 2024
as a one bedroom, 3 bath house. Photos of
side of building facing
the Mississippi River, and
inside. |
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On Jul 8, 1798 Richard and "his wife, Esther" sold an 800 acre tract in the
"District of Feliciana, Prov. of La." [McBee, p, 360]. |
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Governor Gayoso died in Jul 1799.
On Aug 10, 1799 his widow Margaret Watts Gayoso sold a "tract of land known by
the name of Concord" which was one-half league from
the Fort of Natchez, to Daniel Clark Jr. Esq. for $5000 [McBee, Book A, p. 405]. |
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In 1802 Claiborne Co. was formed just north of Jefferson Co.
(see present day map)
for location). |
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On Mar 28, 1804 son Caleb claimed land by virtue of a warrant in 1776 of 300 acres
in Adams Co., "the sd Caleb being the head of a family" and "cultivated the said
land on 27 Oct., 1795 [McBee, p. 549]. In 1792, Caleb was head of a household of
7 persons in the Homochitto section of the district. |
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In Mar 1807, Richard was the assignee of a Joseph Ford for a grant of 640 acres
situated on "River Homochitto" that was claimed through occupancy by "Joseph Ford"
[likely the son born in 1773 to Joseph Ford
who died in 1804], according to the Mar 1807
certificate record
(see line for Vol. 4, Page 248) [American State Papers, vol. 1,
register B, p. 894]. Also in Mar 1807, Richard recorded grants of 600f [arpents] and 400f both on "River Mississippi" (see lines for Vol. 4, Pages 262/3 of the certificate record) [American State Papers, vol. 1, register B, p. 895]. |
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In 1814, Richard's mother died leaving "Oakwood" plantation to him. Richard
never fully recovered from his service in the War of 1812 and he and his wife
soon both died. They were both buried at their home on Springfield Plantation in
Adams Co. MS. The markers no longer exist [find-a-grave, website]. |
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In the 1816 Adams Co. MS Census, page 17,
line 23, there was the household headed by son Caleb King with: 3 males over 20 [Caleb and brothers Samuel & ?], 1 male under 20, 1 female over 20, and 1 slave [MDAH, Adams Co. 1816 Census]. In 1818, son Samuel King was the only adult male heading the household with 2 more adult females, three female children, and 7 slaves [MDAH, Adams Co. 1816 Census]. |
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On Oct 12, 1820 son Jacob married Jane Eliza Gormly (1805-1884) in Adams Co. MS
[Scott, "Swayze Descendancy Chart"]. They moved north to the Yazoo area. |
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Sources: Adams Co. Mississippi Genealogy & History Network, "1792 Census for Natchez District (under Spanish Government control)", 2009, 1792 Census. American State Papers, Documents, ... of the Congress of the Unitied States, ... 1789-1809, vol. 1, Gales and Seaton, Washington DC, 1832, register B, pp. 894, 895. Claiborne, John Francis Ha, Mississippi as a Province, Territory, and State, Volume 1, BiblioBazaar, 2008, p. 529. Farrell Family History, "GRAND-PRE to MIRO, May 16, 13 Translation No. 6 AT THE FORT OF NATCHEZ, May 16, 1782" entry, website. "George W. Humphreys Bible", Claiborne MS Bibles, photostat of original bible, recorded 1957 by May Wilson McBee, in Mississippi Genealogy Trails, website. MS Dept. Archives & Hist., Will Book Vol. 1, Adams Co. Courthouse, Natchez MS, microfilm, Apr 1816. MDAH, Adams Co. MS 1816 Census, Territorial Census 1801-1816 website, microfilm. McBee, May Wilson, comp., "Land Claims", in Natchez Court Records, 1767-1805, p. 189, Book B, p. 390, Book D, pp. 156, 453, 546, 549. McBee, May Wilson, comp., Natchez Court Records, 1767-1805, Book B, pp. 64, 83, Book D, pp. 141-2, p. 360, pp. 27, 108-9. MS Dept. of Archives & History (MDAH), Jackson MS, rootsweb, Early Mississippians in Spanish Natchez. Natchez Gazette, Obituary of Richard King, Apr 5, 1815, from find-a-grave website. Scott, Polly, compiler, "Swayze Descendancy Chart", Chart D-8, website. Wells, Carol, Natchez Postscripts 1781-1798, Heritage Books, pp. 101, 144-5, 151. |
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