Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-04-12
Death of DIR. Cobb.

DIR. Joshua Cobb, one of the most active
and able Magistrates of our County Court,
died very suddenly while attending the
quarterly session of the court on Monday
last. A heated discussion had arisen be-
tween him and Judge Tyler in relation to
the compromise of railroad suit, in which
the Doctor became intensely excited, and,
as will be seen from our report of that meet
ing, he made two speeches upon the subject.
After his second speech he sat down, breath
ing quick and hard. While the resolution
he had moved was being put to the vote, &
peculiar moaning sound was heard. DR..
Wright, who was sitting quite near, but
with his back to him, upon this turned
round and saw that he was fainting. He
approached him at the same moment with
Mr.. Charles H. Bailey, and was just in time
to prevent him falling from his chair. He
was Immediately carried into the adjoining
room, which is used the County Court
Clerks office. He breathed stertOrously
four or five times at long intervals, and
after about six minutes died. No action of
the heart could be detected either by auscul-
tation or by pulsatiOn at the wrist from the
time of the first stroke. The opinion of the
Doctor is that he died of apoplexy arising
from heart disease, but that only post NOR
TEN examination could render the cause of
death certain.
DIR. Cobb WAS very nearly seventy years
old, having been born in April, 1909, at Ed
dyville, KY, where he married Miss Julia
Mimms. By this marriage he was the father
of Mrs. F. p. Gracey, of this place, and Capt.
r. L. Cobb, of Little Rock, Ark. About the
year 1887 he removed to the Cumberland
Iron Works, where he acted as Superintend-
ent for many years. His second wife was
Mrs. Marian Dortch, whom he married in
1913. BY a former marriage she was the
mother of Mr.. VIM. I. Dortch and DR.. G. G.
Dortch, of this city. By this marriage DR..
Cobb became the father of Mrs. TapScott,
Mrs. Bryce Stewart and Mrs. r. Williams, of
this city, and Mrs. Jessop, of Pennsylvania,
and two sons, one of whom died during
childhood, the other, Edwin Cobb, was
killed in~the Confederate army during the
war. He was well known to the present
writer, having been officially employed by
him at the military hospital at Rockbridge,
Alum Springs, Va.
DR.. G. moved to GAINESVILLE in 1851, where
he was soon recognized as a man well quail
fed for offices of public trust. He was
Trustee of the GAINESVILLE Female Academy
at an early stage of its existence, and con-
tlnu6u so 10 the USy OF MS uedLAl, at WHICH
time he was Chairman of the Board. He
was twice Mayor of the city, and in 1859 was
elected County Magistrate. In this capacity
he has always been recognized as the ablest
and most active member of the County
Court, n vigilant and careful director of
county business, and the sternest opponent
of anything adverse in his Judgment to the
public interest.
He was highly educated man, a graduate
of West Point; possessed of acute penetra-
ton as a business man and a most energetic
asserter of his opinions, which, however,
were generally well grounded. In this con-
nection his one infirmity was highly iras-
chile temperament, which was a source of
trouble to him and with which he earnestly
struggled. He was a man of strong religious
convictions and recognized high standard
OF moral responsibility, though he had not
made public profession of religion at his
death.
His funeral at the Methodist Church was
largely attended, and the grand points in
his character as an honest and kind-hearted
man and n just and conscientious Magistrate
were impresSiveIy dwelt upon by the two
ministers, the Rev. r. X. Brown and w.
Mooney. The interment was in the family
allotment of the City Cemetery.