Biographies and Obituaries
In loving memory
Washington Cosby
History of Daviess Counties
Goodspeed Publishing Company 1886
WASHINGTON COSBY is a representative of one of the pioneer families of Daviess County, Ind. He is commonly known as "Doc" Cosby , so called on account of being the seventh son of the family. He is of Scotch-German origin and was born February 24, 1825, son of Overton and Susannah (Hyser) Cosby. The father was born near Richmond, Va., in 1785, and the mother in what is now West Virginia in 1887. They were married in 1806 and came to Indiana about 1817, and located in Daviess County. Overton Cosby erected the first brick house in the township. It was built about one-half century ago and was only torn down in 1884. He and wife died in I859. Our subject was reared on a farm and attended the early schools. He remained at home assisting his father on the farm until twenty-one years of age, when he began farming for himself. He owns 130 acres of land and since 1850 has resided where he now lives. For some years he has given considerable attention to bee culture and owns about thirty stands. He was married in 1850, to Martha J. Thomas, a native of Daviess County, born in 1830. Of five children born to them only two survive: Ziba and Grandison T. In politics Mr. Cosby was formerly a Whig, now a stanch Republican. He became a Mason in 1859. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Contributed by: Michael L. Tedrow