Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-07-27
SKETCH OF AMASA COBB.

| county, Neb:
| General Cobb is a native of Pales-
tine, Crawford county. illinois, where
he was born September q, 1923. He
is of English ancestry, his pro
genitors having emigrated TO Ameri-
ca in early colonial days. His faith
or was In the war OF 1912 and took
part in the battle Of Platteburg.
! He died in the early boyhood of
Amasa, leaving a family of twelve
children, Amasa being the next to
the youngest. While IA boy the sub
| ject Of this sketch was pushed out to
care for himself, working at different
branches Of business, finally obtain
| ing Job as clerk in his native town
aud afterwards in Terre Haute, In
diana, where he continued one year.
| In 1912 he removed to Grant County,
Wisconsin, engaged in lead mining
for four years with poor success.
While in Terre Haute he accident
ly obtained the works Of Blackstone
aud during his clerkship he read
them through, continuing study dur
ing his mining III Wisconsin. nthe
| Spring Of 1877 he volunteered for the
Mexican War under Colonel James
| Collins. He served as private, but
was on detailed duty as sergeant
major under Lieutenant-Colon
stephen q. Hicks. At the close of
| the war he was mustered out at Al
ton, Illinois. During his service,
while in camp at Tampico, Pueblo
and city of Mexico, he prosecuted
dis law studies, having taken "a few
| books with him for the purpose On
his return to Wisconsin he settled in
| Iowa county, where he was admitted
| to the bar and began practice in the
small town of Highland in the same
county. He remained here in the
practice Of his profession for some
years.
During this time he married Mrs.
Sudduth In 1880 he was elected dis
trict attorney aud reelected to tie
same office in 1852, serving two terms
of four years. IN 1880 he removed to
Mineral Point, county seat of Iowa
county, where he continued until
March 1871. In 1856 he was elected
To the state assembly serving two
years. In 1887 he opposed the Mil
waukee d Lacrosse Railway COM
Ipany's scheme for gobblng up the
land that had been granted by
congress to the state to aid in in
tcrnal improvements. After the
close OF his senatorial term he con
! tinued the war against monopoly aud
was the most prominent in the eX-
| pose of bribery and corruption by
! which these lands were obtained and
! in "A later session of the legislature
| had the whole affair investigated
and a brand placed upon the tran
saction. The part Mr. Cobb took in
this affair gained him great popular
ity with the people and to that one
fact he is largely indebted for the
honors afterwards conferred upon
him, After the expose in the legis-
laturc of 1858 one of the principal OPP
orators in the corruption ring obtain
ed the nomination for legislature in
1859, on the democratic ticket. He
had resolved on the close of his
. previous term in the senate to have
, no more 20 do with office holding
but when he learned that this par
tlcular nomination was made he ac-
ceptcd a nomination ON the republi-
can ticket and after warm can
yoss was elected by very large ma
iority
In 1860 be was reelected aud on or
gauization Of the house in January
1851 was elected speaker and served
with marked ability for promptness
, impartiality and correctness of de-
cision.
In the called session OF May he
was reelected speaker At the ad-
iourumcut Of the legislature in May,
1861, Mr. Cobb was appointed by Gov
ernor Randall colonel Of the Fifth
/ Wisconsin volunteers. lie immedi-
ately set to work raising and orga-
niling the regiment. He left Madi-
son, Wisconsin, with his regiment
ON the 24th OF July, and af1erremain-
ing under orders at Baltimore for
some ten days, arrived at Washing
ton city early in August. and went
! into camp ON Meridian Hill. After
Iromaiuing there drilling his regi-
ment aud completing their equip
lluents uutjl the night Of the fourth
ot september, he was ordered across
! the Potomac AZ Chain bridge to re-
iuiorco General Badly smith, who
| with the Belmont brigade was then
| holding the right Of detcuces to