Finding Aid to the Letter to John D. Murrell from N.H. Cobbs
Text
JONES MEMORIAL LIBRARY
2311 MEMORIAL AVENUE
LYNCHBURG, VA 24501
(434) 846-0501
LETTER TO JOHN D. MURRELL FROM N(ICHOLAS) H. COBBS, 1831
The letter is from the Rev. Nicholas Hamner Cobbs, of Bedford Co., 27 Oct. 1831, to
John D. Murrell, of Lynchburg, urging Murrell in his resolve to become a Christian.
MS1461
JONES MEMORIAL LIBRARY
2311 MEMORIAL AVENUE
LYNCHBURG, VA 24501
(434) 846-0501
NICHOLAS HAMNER COBBS (1796-1861)
Nicholas Hamner Cobbs was born near Goode (Bedford Co.), VA, on 5 April 1796,
the son of John Lewis & Susan Hamner Cobbs. He was educated in a local school run by
a Scottish Presbyterian minister. By the age of 17, Cobbs was teaching in a local school.
In 1821, at the age of 26, Cobbs married his first cousin, Lucy Henry Landonia Cobbs,
the daughter of Edmund Cobbs of Bedford County. Lucy was 14 years old and a student
in Nicholas' class. They had 10 children.
At the Episcopal Convention in Staunton in 1824, Nicholas Cobbs presented himself
to Bishop Moore. He was shortly thereafter confirmed, took his first communion, and
was ordained a deacon at the same time. His ordination as a priest came on 22 May
1825. During that same year St. Stephen's and Trinity Churches were founded by him in
Bedford County. He also later saw the founding of St. John's in Liberty (Bedford) and St.
Thomas at Sedalia.
In 1826, he was elected head of the New London Academy and became Principal in
January of 1827 and served until he resigned in 1830. He also served as minister of the
church at the academy. He was made chaplain at the University of Virginia in 1835, and
for two years, continued to serve both in that capacity and as the priest of St. Stephen's
and Trinity churches. On 27 July 1839, he resigned to become the Rector of Bristol
Parish in Petersburg, VA.
He accepted the call of the St. Paul's church in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1842. Two years
later, he was elected Bishop of Alabama and was consecrated in Philadelphia on 24
October 1844.
Nicholas Hamner Cobbs then served as Bishop of Alabama until his demise on 11
January 1861.
SOURCES: duVal Radford, "Nicholas Hamner Cobbs," St. Stephen's Episcopal Church of Bedford
County, Forest, Virginia. Forest, VA: St. Stephen's Historical Records Committee, 1983. Asher, Julia.
"Cobbs Family," MS1400, Jones Memorial Library, Lynchburg, VA
MS1461
2311 MEMORIAL AVENUE
LYNCHBURG, VA 24501
(434) 846-0501
LETTER TO JOHN D. MURRELL FROM N(ICHOLAS) H. COBBS, 1831
The letter is from the Rev. Nicholas Hamner Cobbs, of Bedford Co., 27 Oct. 1831, to
John D. Murrell, of Lynchburg, urging Murrell in his resolve to become a Christian.
MS1461
JONES MEMORIAL LIBRARY
2311 MEMORIAL AVENUE
LYNCHBURG, VA 24501
(434) 846-0501
NICHOLAS HAMNER COBBS (1796-1861)
Nicholas Hamner Cobbs was born near Goode (Bedford Co.), VA, on 5 April 1796,
the son of John Lewis & Susan Hamner Cobbs. He was educated in a local school run by
a Scottish Presbyterian minister. By the age of 17, Cobbs was teaching in a local school.
In 1821, at the age of 26, Cobbs married his first cousin, Lucy Henry Landonia Cobbs,
the daughter of Edmund Cobbs of Bedford County. Lucy was 14 years old and a student
in Nicholas' class. They had 10 children.
At the Episcopal Convention in Staunton in 1824, Nicholas Cobbs presented himself
to Bishop Moore. He was shortly thereafter confirmed, took his first communion, and
was ordained a deacon at the same time. His ordination as a priest came on 22 May
1825. During that same year St. Stephen's and Trinity Churches were founded by him in
Bedford County. He also later saw the founding of St. John's in Liberty (Bedford) and St.
Thomas at Sedalia.
In 1826, he was elected head of the New London Academy and became Principal in
January of 1827 and served until he resigned in 1830. He also served as minister of the
church at the academy. He was made chaplain at the University of Virginia in 1835, and
for two years, continued to serve both in that capacity and as the priest of St. Stephen's
and Trinity churches. On 27 July 1839, he resigned to become the Rector of Bristol
Parish in Petersburg, VA.
He accepted the call of the St. Paul's church in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1842. Two years
later, he was elected Bishop of Alabama and was consecrated in Philadelphia on 24
October 1844.
Nicholas Hamner Cobbs then served as Bishop of Alabama until his demise on 11
January 1861.
SOURCES: duVal Radford, "Nicholas Hamner Cobbs," St. Stephen's Episcopal Church of Bedford
County, Forest, Virginia. Forest, VA: St. Stephen's Historical Records Committee, 1983. Asher, Julia.
"Cobbs Family," MS1400, Jones Memorial Library, Lynchburg, VA
MS1461
Dublin Core
Title
Finding Aid to the Letter to John D. Murrell from N.H. Cobbs
Subject
Finding aids
Murrell, John D.
Description
Finding aid to the Letter to John D. Murrell from N.H. Cobbs written in 1831, held at Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Creator
George M. Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Va.)
Publisher
George M. Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Va.)
Date
2023
Rights
George M. Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Va.)
Format
pdf
Language
English
Identifier
MS1461FA
Collection
Citation
George M. Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Va.), “Finding Aid to the Letter to John D. Murrell from N.H. Cobbs,” Digital Collections, accessed May 8, 2024, https://digitaljones.omeka.net/items/show/532.