Dee Ann Buck contributed greatly to defining the family relationships of the descendants of Anthony Cozart of Granville NC. I miss her postings. Nearly five years ago, she posted a list of about two dozen mystery Cozarts. It should be useful to resurrect the list and find out whether new information has come available. Here’s a couple from the list
Mystery Cozart #6, John L Cozart married to Mary Mooney 6 Aug 1857 Person Co. NC. He is enumerated in Person County in 1860, with his wife and son James. John L Cozart did not return from the War. His service record indicates he enlisted as a Private in Company H, 56th Infantry Regiment, North Carolina on 05 June 1862 at the age of 30, was taken POW on 13 May 1864 at Drewry's Bluff, VA and confined at Point Lookout, MD. He was paroled on 09 February 1865 at Elmira, NY, exchanged on 20 February 1865 at Boulware's Wharf, VA and died while a member of Company H, 56th Infantry Regiment North Carolina on 04 March 1865 in Richmond, VA. His widow remarried, to John Brown. In 1870, John H and Mary E Brown (age 28), James N Cozart, age 11 and Rebecca Cozart, age 8 share the dwelling of Mary’s mother Jane Mooney (age 60). For those interested in the Mooney, Gooch and allied families, you will find several excellent articles by Sue Moore Neuman in Volume III of the Person County Heritage. John L, then, was born about in 1832 Caswell Co NC and died 4 Mar 1865 Richmond VA. His county of birth is taken from the 1850 Caswell County census, where he is found in the John H Cozart household.
John H Cozart is probably more of a mystery than John L. He is head of household in Caswell Co 1840. Family listed on 1850 Caswell Co. NC census, where his county of birth is identified as Granville County. After this, he is in Wyoming County WV, living with son William Harrison Cozart in the 1860-1880 censuses.
John H Cozart and Ann Fowler received a Person County marriage bond August 6, 1824. I haven’t found them in the 1830 census, but in 1840 John H is in Caswell County with no wife-aged female in his household. The 1840 household consists of a male born between 1800-1810 (John H); female born 1820-1825 (Unknown); male born 1825-1830 (William Harrison); female born 1825-1830 (Martha A) and male born 1830-1835 (John L). In 1850, John’s household consists of Martha A (age 25), John L (age 18); Washington L (age 7) and Elizabeth (75, born in VA). According to the census, John was born in Granville Co, Martha in Person, John L in Caswell and Washington L in Person. Some have interpreted Martha’s age as 35 in this census, believing her to be the wife. For the 1860 Wyoming Co VA (later WV) census, Martha A is in the household of Harrison Cozart, and age 35. Also in the household are 57 year old John H and 3 year old John. Martha married Amos Shumate 16 Aug 1868 Wyoming Co WV, and young John (then 14) is in their 1870 census household. John Hasty Cozart, born in 1856, married Amy Gunnoe 21 Oct 1871 in Wyoming Co WV and died in a car accident in 1937.
Assuming Elizabeth was John H’s mother, who was his father? Some feel John H was the son of Jesse Cozart and Elizabeth Walker, returned from Kentucky. This is one possibility, but needs proof. There are at least two other possibilities. West Virginia family lore identifies John H as a brother of Peter Green Cozart, who had migrated to the Wyoming (then Logan) County area about 1824. The stories are quite accurate for the period spent in West Virginia, but not fully consistent from North Carolina. For instance, in West Virginia it is written that the two brothers came from England to the Tar River area of North Carolina, one a blacksmith and the other a carpenter. However, John H and Peter always indicated their place of birth as North Carolina, and the 1880 census shows their parents were born in NC as well. John’s occupation in 1860 and 1880 was basketmaker, Peter’s was farmer.
Peter Green Cozart was the son of Reuben Cozart and Elizabeth Weaver. Reuben is thought to be the son of Peter Cozart, although the association is very tentative. Dee Ann reported finding an 1818 Granville County court record that Reuben Cozart had abandoned his family and left the state for six years and that he had two sons: Peter Green (then 14) and Brodie (then 16). Reuben’s 1810 census household reflects two males under age of 10; in fact, his household was enumerated twice, the second time adding a female 10-16 years of age to the three under the age of 10. Brodie’s age in the court record is consistent with that of John H. The two Brodie Cozarts that can be tracked (one in NC; the other in TN and MS) are about 10 years younger. Reuben apparently returned, and is found in the Mt Tirzah/Moriah area of Person County in 1830 near Cozarts and Fowlers. The household consists of a man and woman in their 50s. Reuben might be in Christ Church, Charleston SC in the 1820 census. When I look at the census pages, I wonder if I’m looking at the garrison at Fort Moultrie. A lot of men without other household members.
A third possibility is a John Cozart in Person County. From Person County November 1815 Court - Book 7 page 114 (42?): “Ordered that John Cazort, an orphan now of 13 years 6th September next be bound to Daniel Meadows. Indentures accordingly entered intoâ€. In the 1810 Person County census - Elizabeth Cozart born between 1765 and 1784, with a male and a female born between 1800 and 1810 in her household. Would he be declared an orphan if his mother still lived?
Other than the John H Cozart 1850 census household listing, I haven’t found anything concerning Washington L Cozart (born about 1843). He may not have been a son of John H, given the gap between his age and that of his siblings. Ann Fowler Cozart probably died before 1840 On the other hand, two marriage bond records exist for John H Cozart; the first to Ann Fowler and the second 23 Feb 1843 in Caswell Co. NC. to Harriet Glasco. The second could be a marriage that didn’t take hold or perhaps a younger John H. There seems to be a Cozart family in the Milton area of Caswell County of unknown link to old Anthony. A 29 year old Harriet Cozart and 7 year old Catherine F are found in the 1850 Caswell Co census household of William and Nancy Glascow. No John H, but Nancy M Fowler, age 15, is also in household (Elias Fowler married Eliza Glasgow in 1834). In the 1860 Nancy Glasgoe household, 34 year old H.A. Cozart and 15 year old C.F. remain. Near by in the 1850 Caswell Co census, are Wylie and Margaret Cozart: name is spelled Kizort, he being 23 years of age, occupation blacksmith, shown to have been born in Caswell Co. They are also in Caswell County for the 1860 census. Willie Kisort enlisted at age 34 on 24 Apr 1861. Record states he was born in Orange Co, and was then residing in Caswell with an occupation of carpenter or mechanic. This is likely the Willey Casort in the 1870 Loudon Co VA census – age 42 weaver, born VA and then Wiley Cozort in 1880 Frederick Co VA Census (age 52 works in factory, born VA, parents born NC). John H Casort was bondsman for the 1847 marriage between Wylie Casort and Margaret Campbell. Dee Ann’s Mystery Cozart #3) Dicey Cozart, with two probable daughters, shares a household with Chaney Fowler and her probable daughters, in the same area as Wiley Kisort and Harriet Glasgow Cozart in 1850.
In a final Caswell County/Fowler connection, another Mystery Cozart (Dee Ann’s #18), Squire Cozart born 1815 married Maseniah Fowler in Caswell County in 1833. In 1840 they are in Person County, 1850 in Orange, and 1860 are just over the county border from John H in Raleigh County VA. Still in Raleigh County WV in 1870, but in 1880 they are in Lawrence Co KY, where the census record shows he was born in NC, but his parents were born in MD.
As a point for further research, John’s middle name is given as Haywood in the West Virginia stories. At least two other Cozart families named sons Haywood. It would be interesting to find where the name came from – Howard?
I would appreciate additional information on any of these Cozarts, and correction to any of the statements above.