AUTHOR: Patrika Cos
My grandfather, Joe Cosby, was born into enslavement in 1852 in North Carolina. He was born to Joe Cosby. [The name of his mother is unknown.] Joe Cosby was only 13 years old when the Civil War was over. He was eventually appointed as one of Penelope Cox’s (daughter of the owner of the Cool Springs plantation in Rocky Mount, N.C.) farm operators with several farm hands under him. He was mentioned in the 1920 census as married to Nannie (Shields) and living with their 2 sons, Joseph and James (my father).
By 1930, he was still with Nannie, James (my father), Joseph, and also Mary. He had moved to the town of Rocky Mount, N.C., and was working for the ACL railroad company. But he still continued to farm. He passed away in April 1932 from tuberculosis and was buried at Cosby’s place.
