The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-08-22
The Late John Cobb.

mandod in the present instance, for the
reason that he has been conspicuous fig
ure in a large circle of acquaintances.
! He was born at Bakersfield, VT, May
| Sd, 1915, of Massachusetts, parents, and
was the youngest and survivor of six
girls and boys. His parents inmigrated
| into the town of Gerry, Chautauqua Co.,
N. Y, in 1918, with that large influx of
settlers from the Eastern States that set in
soon after the war of 1912. At that time
Gerry was comparatively a wilderness
| without roads-without schools, or any of
the advantages, possessed by the present
generation, and the settlers endured hard
ships and privations of which the people
of to-day can form no adequate conception
A densely wooded country inhabited by
wild beasts, and wild men, who had re-
Gently surrendered the title to their lands
under compulsion, were the conditions
that confronted the early settlers; condi
tons that they accepted with spirit born
of intrepidity. Under these adverse sur
roundings the subject of this notice grew
up to manhood, without educational adj
vantages, save those afforded in a log
school house two or three months in the
year. Poverty was his mother, and his
master was necessity; and under these
potent factors, was possibly evolved that
enterprising and indomitable spirit that
characterized his whole life. The desire
to better his condition manifested itself
before he had reached his majority, in the
purchase of lumber of one kind or anoth-
er, and transporting it down the navigable
arising from these transactions were never
large, and often losses resulted. But lum-
bering or clearing land for agricultural
purposes, was the only business presenting
itself to men of small means, and to these
occupations he devoted himself as best he
could, until the year 1887, when he was
married to Elsie j. Pearce. This partner
ship resulted in changing his aspirations
for wider fields of enterprise, and four
years afterward we find him in the lum-
ber woods of Pennsylvania, at the forks of
Tionesta, where now is Lower Sheffield.
He remained there but a single year, and
moved to Ridgway, on the Clarion river.
, The vast forests of timber that were then
, untouched on the Clarion waters, and
which have since contributed so largely
towards supplying the markets on the
Ohio river, were just beginning to invite
the attention of the enterprising. He en-
tered gradually into the manufacturing OF
! lumber, increasing his business from year
to year. And as his business increased,
that wonderful tact and executive talent
was developed, that enabled him to over
see and arrange the details of immense
. operations in manufacturing and getting
to market large quantities of lumber. II
was upon these waters likewise he be-
came intimately connected in business
transactions with Charles Fisher, N. A.
Lowry, Josiah Hall, Chaplin Hall and Jo-
seph s. Hyde, who were the Napoleans in
the lumber trade about that time. These
men have in like manner passed away
but have left their testimony in his favor
in numerous instances.
Such is the very brief outline of busy
life, extending over period of more thar
fifty years, and many incidents might bC
related connected with his operations tha
would be interesting. But it will not bt
through his achievements as an active
untiring business man, that he will bC
longest remembered. Those who knew
him best will revere his memory for his
goodness of heart, his kindness to his
friends. Under all circumstances, wher
disasters overlook him, when floods swep
away the accumulation of years, wher
cares and responsibilities, so great tina
they would have crushed the spirit of al
most any other person, came upon him
he was careful TO never unload his carei
upon his friends, but on the contrary la
bored to tighten their loads and cheer thei
pathway thro' III the gloom of doubt anC
uncertainty. Asinan1 hopeful and uncom
planning, never so II ppy as when making
every one around him happy, he coulC
have said in better sense what Pericle
in his last illness. "No Athenean has eve
put on mourning in consequence of any
act of mine"
If it be trNe, that the measure of our de
2 serts is the amount of happiness we hav,
conferred upon others, he certainly will
be deserving of great deal. And it Ger
tainly is true that our greatest happines
consists in the reflection of having don
some good to our neighbor and friends
Perhaps this may account for the fact tina
under all circumstances he was the sam
kind friend, the same indulgent father
the same loving husband, whose buoyan
spirits dispelled all care, whose whole ain
seemed to be to make the world happie
for his having lived IN it. Notwithstand
ing his education was limited, his stron
common sense and accurate observation
made him more than an ordinary man
He possessed more courage than polite
ness, more strength than POLISH he love
the truth for truths sake, and the righ
because it was right; he thought the bes
Christian was lie who did the most goo
to his fellows. lie died as he had lived
loving his friends, but not hating his enc
mics, and detesting SUI erstiton.
His long illness, which commenced i
1886, was born with uncomplaining fort
tude, and he lies buried with his parent
and seven of the family, in the cemeter
at Bucklen's Corners, N. Y.
['rhe above is furnished by lifelon
friend of the deceased Ed