Descendants of SOPHIA HOLBERT of Rutherford County, NC and Nelson County, GA


from the research files of Pam Wilson -- please send any additions or corrections to <wilsonpam@mindspring.com>

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Descendants of Sophia Holbert

Generation No. 1

1. SOPHIA3 HOLBERT (BENJAMIN2, JOHN HAUBERT/1)1 was born January 10, 1818 in Rutherford Co, NC (could be named Josephine, aka Sophie), and died November 12, 1870 in Nelson, GA (Bur. Bethesda Baptist Church). She married (1) STEPHEN COWART 1838-1839 in prob. Rutherford Co, NC.

Notes for SOPHIA HOLBERT: Vernon Holbert writes: "Sophia named one of her daughters Charity [after her mother]. Four of Benjamin and Charity's children made their way to Cherokee/Pickens County Ga. beginning in 1850. Sophia came first. She married Steven Cowart - half brother to Hiram Dimsdale. Her brothers Benjamin and Jacob followed. Jacob married the daughter of Hiram Dimsdale here in Ga. I believe that John (my gg grandfather) may also have come here at that time; but, returned to NC when [his wife] Rebecca died. He came to stay between 1870 & 72. Thats a brief of how we came to be in Jasper, Georgia."

"Sophia & Stephen Coward (Cowart) are listed in 1850 Federal Census at Cherokee County Georgia....her listed age is 29. I think there is a mistake in her birthdate as she didn't have her children, in 1840 and daughter Charity a few yrs later. Lewis E. born in 1846/47....this would date her birth sometime about 182[1] NOT 1816."

Vernon Holbert wrote to Nadine Christall (January 1998): "One note of interest on Benjamin and Charity. They also had a daughter named Sophia who was born Jan 10,1816(*?) married Stephen Coward (Cowart) and moved to Georgia..In the 1850 Census both are listed as 29 yrs old. Sophia died Nov 12,1870 and is buried at Bethesda Baptist Church.......Hiram Dimsdale,the future father in law of Jacob Holbert, and Stephen Coward were half brothers...Hiram had been in the Georgia area since the late 1820's. Apparantly baby brother Stephen Coward got himself a wife and came south to where Hiram was. Then around 1850 Sophia's brothers Jacob and Benjamin Jr came to be with or visit their sister. Jacob married and the rest is history."

Vernon <vrh1940@mindspring.com> also wrote: Sophia's grave marker gives her birthdate as Jan 10, 1818. She died in late 1870. In 1870 her children were listed as:

Lewis E. age 23 Mary E. age 20 Benjamin F. age 17 Louisa D. age 15 Hester A age 11

Charity Coward Whitfield age 24--married to William Whitfield--living near Sophia and Stephen.

The Cowarts were from Rutherford Co, NC and began moving to my area some time in the 1830s. Stephens brother Benjamin D. Cowart is gg grandfather.

Charity gave her birthplace as Georgia;-Lewis-Mary & Benjamin are listed as born in NC. I believe that probably the first four were born in NC before the family moved to Ga to join Stephens brothers.

My original record that Sophia was a child of Benjamin and Charity came from a lady named Ann Cannon. I believe she may be deseased by now.


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