Sarah/Sally Cobb Paine

I am not sure if her name was Sarah or Sally or whether Sally was a nickname for Sarah. At any rate Sarah/Sally was born and reared in Taunton, Massachusetts. I didn’t find much information on her personally. Her father was Captain Thomas Cobb who was a prominent citizen, magistrate, and member of the legislature. In 1754 he was assigned to be commander of a Taunton company in the French and Indian War. Her mother, Lydia Leonard, was the daughter and granddaughter of men who were both called Captain James Leonard and who were prominent in earlier history of the county. Her brother was General David Cobb who served in the Revolutionary War and was an aide to General George Washington for three years.

Sarah/Sally lived and was educated about the same as other daughters from well-to-do and church-going families. She married Robert Treat Paine, grandson of Governor Robert Treat of Connecticut about 1770. The couple was blessed with eight children, four sons and four daughters. She suffered the heartbreak of losing her oldest son to death and the disappointment of her second son turning from her teachings and being driven from her home - but not from her heart. She cared for him while he was dying of consumption and welcomed his young widow and her three children into her home to live after his death.