James and Mary Noble
By Helen Bradley Lindsey of Newport
From the Kentucky State Historical Society Vol. 26 No. 77 May 1928
James Noble was born in Battletown, Clarke County, Virginia, December 16,
1785, the son of Dr. Thomas Noble and Elizabeth Clare Sedwick, who tradition
says was a descendant of Richard Clare. He came to Newport in 1799 with
his parents when he was 14.
His father, Dr. Thomas Noble, of Scotch descent was born in Frederick County, Virginia, June 13, 1762 and died in Bellevue February 14, 1817, His mother, Elizabeth Clare (Sedwick) Noble was born in 1764 and died in Boone County, March 12, 1830, aged 65 years, 4 months and 29 days. The children of Dr. Thomas and Elizabeth were: Benjamin Sedwick, James, Mariah, Elizabeth, Eloisa, Noah, Lazarus, Mary Ann, Amelia, Martha, Thomas George, George Thomas, Lucinda, Lavinia and Benjamin Sedwick 2d.
Dr. Noble was a son of Thomas Noble Sr. and Molly Gilbert. Thomas Sr. was born in New Mill, Banffshire, Scotland in 1704. At 18 he left the school at Keith and went to the Aberdeen Seminary where he studied for three years. In 1738 he decided to make America his home. He visited his parents at his old homestead in Glasgow, Scotland, told them of his decision and bade them farewell. He always cherished a warm affection for his parents.
Landing on the west shore of Maryland, he entered at once into a speculations in tobacco, which led to a large and successful trade. He made contracts with Scotch firms to furnish them with as many hogsheads of tobacco as they required. When Thomas Sr. visited his parents in Glasgow, he met and married Molly Gilbert. They returned to America and their children were: George, Nancy, Elizabeth and Thomas Jr.
After practicing medicine for several years, Thomas Jr. accepted a plantation of four hundred acres, adjoining Long Marsh in Virginia which was given to him by his brother George. He lived happily as a planter and slave holder until 1799, when he removed to Campbell County.
James Noble was a young law student in 1803 when he eloped to Cincinnati and married Mary Lindsey, daughter of Thomas Sr. and Rebecca Lindsey. He was admitted to the bar in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. In 1811 he removed to Brooksville, Indiana and he and Mary were some of the first settlers in that place. For some years he was a member of the Indiana Legislature and at the early age of 30 was elected U.S. Senator and served, as such, for sixteen years, until his death.
James and Mary had children: Elizabeth, Benjamin Sedwick,
James, Katherine Leitch, Rebecca Maria and Richard Southgate. He died
February 26, 1831 in Washington D.C. and was buried in the Congressional
Cemetery.