She was a native of Massachusetts.95 96 After her mother died, her father moved to New Bern, North Carolina, leaving his two daughters, Nancy and Lydia, in Massachusetts with Deacon Abram Moody to be educated. The Deacon thought that girls ought not to be taught to write because they might write love letters. Lydia later untook the long journey to New Bern, North Carolina where her father was living. She sent letters to her sister Nancy who would not come to North Carolina. 103 In New Berne she met and married Richard Cogdill and they had 10 children, 5 of whom lived to maturity.96

Lydia’s birthdate is listed as both 27 March 1730 102 and 30 March 1730 103

He was the eldest of 14 children. 96 He remaind in Beaufort until 1748. He was an Ensign in the militia during the Spanish invasion of Beaufort in 1747 and a Deputy sherrif of Carteret County in 1748. He then moved to Johnston County where he opened a mercantile business. In 1756 he moved to New Bern to continue the mercantile trade and operate an ordinary from 1757 to 1763. He served on the side of the Colonies during the Revolution.96 He was on the "Council of Safety” for the New Bern District from 1775 to 1777.103