He was born in Herentals, in Brabant, and from 1656 to 1677, was court messenger of Fort Orange and Beverwyck, notary public of Albany, and in 1677, became schout and secretary of Schenectady until his death.
With his son-in-law, Johannes Klein, who married his only daughter Maria, he purchased and occupied the Fourth flat on the north side of the river. This land was conveyed Sept. 26, 1683, by the Mohawk Sakemakers to Arnout Cornelise Vielè of Albany, in consideration of his many labors undertaken for the Indians, and is described as lying over against the Second flat, occupied by Jacobus Peek, and containing 16 or 17 morgens of land. (103-2) It was called by the natives, wachkeerhoha. Dec. 11, 1684, the patentees of Schenectady conveyed it, together with a lapie by it, to Ludovicus Cobes and Johannes Klein, reserving a yearly rent of one skipple of wheat per morgen. (103-3) On his death it passed to his widow and daughter Maria Klein. (103-4)
Cobes also had a house lot in the village, on the north corner of Union and Church streets, which he mortgaged in 1684 to Johannes Wendel, of Albany, for 580 gl. The house was described as a "corner house — opposite to Reyer Schermerhorn's [on the west corner], bounded west, by Symon Groot, north, by the house and lot formerly occupied by Maria, wife of Johannes Peek, and south and east, by the highway [Union and Church streets], as enclosed." (104-1)
Soon after, and before 1690, Reyer Schermerhorn bought Cobes' house and lot in the village, for his step-daughter, Tryntje Otten, prior to her marriage with Gerrit Symonse Veeder, and it remained in her family until after 1812, when it was occupied by Maj. Jelles Fonda, whose wife was a Veeder.
Notes
(103-2) Deeds, III, 199
(103-3) Deeds, V, 196.
(103-4) See Klein, also Fourth flat.
(104-1) Deeds, III, 324.