US Congressman. He was born in Rhea County, Tennessee, and his family moved to Bellefonte, Alabama in 1809, where his father owned a cotton plantation. Cobb became a merchant, later acquired his own Bellefonte plantation, and served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1845 to 1847. In 1846 he was elected to the US House of Representatives as a Democrat and was reelected six times, serving from March, 1847 to January, 1861, when he withdrew in anticipation of Alabama's secession from the Union. While in Congress Cobb worked for compromises to avert a civil war, and was Chairman of the House Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business for three terms and the Committee on Public Lands for one. In 1861 he was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Confederate House of Representatives. He won a seat in 1863, but did not appear for his swearing in. His loyalty to the Confederacy now in question, he was expelled without ever having served. Cobb was killed at his plantation by a shot from his own pistol, which presumably discharged accidentally while he was erecting a fence. In 2004 several Cobb family descendants and other volunteers restored Cobb's grave marker. Also in 2004, documents discovered in the basement of the Jackson County Courthouse, including an unredeemed January, 1863 payment voucher indicate that Lincoln intended to name Cobb Alabama's provisional Governor once the federal government reasserted control over the state.
US Congressman. He was born in Rhea County, Tennessee, and his family moved to Bellefonte, Alabama in 1809, where his father owned a cotton plantation. Cobb became a merchant, later acquired his own Bellefonte plantation, and served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1845 to 1847. In 1846 he was elected to the US House of Representatives as a Democrat and was reelected six times, serving from March, 1847 to January, 1861, when he withdrew in anticipation of Alabama's secession from the Union. While in Congress Cobb worked for compromises to avert a civil war, and was Chairman of the House Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business for three terms and the Committee on Public Lands for one. In 1861 he was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Confederate House of Representatives. He won a seat in 1863, but did not appear for his swearing in. His loyalty to the Confederacy now in question, he was expelled without ever having served. Cobb was killed at his plantation by a shot from his own pistol, which presumably discharged accidentally while he was erecting a fence. In 2004 several Cobb family descendants and other volunteers restored Cobb's grave marker. Also in 2004, documents discovered in the basement of the Jackson County Courthouse, including an unredeemed January, 1863 payment voucher indicate that Lincoln intended to name Cobb Alabama's provisional Governor once the federal government reasserted control over the state.
Bio by: Bill McKern
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Cobb memorials in:
Advertisement
