Henry Elkanah Cobb1,2,3,4

Family Chart
ID# 16742, (1889 - 1918)
FatherJohn Joshua Cobb8,9,10 (20 Sep 1859 - 5 May 1941)
MotherElla O. Steinning5,6,7 (25 Nov 1867 - 4 Oct 1948)

Key Events:

Birth: 29 Jun 1889, Seymour, Indiana11,12,13
Death: 23 Apr 1918, Ellington Field, Harris Co., Texas14,15,16
Burial: 28 Apr 1918, Riverview Cemetery, Seymour, Indiana5,17
AncestryThe Cobbs of Pawlet, Vermont

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Henry Elkanah Cobb was born on 29 Jun 1889 in Seymour, Indiana.11,12,13
     He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Jackson Twp., Jackson Co., Indiana, in the household of his parents, John Joshua Cobb and Ella O. Steinning.8
     Henry attended Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, as a freshman in the 1907-1908 term, studying mechanical engineering.18,19 He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia, as a sophomore for the 1908-1909 term, studying mechanical engineering.20,21
     He appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Seymour, Jackson Co., Indiana, in the household of his parents, John Joshua Cobb and Ella O. Steinning.9
     Henry graduated from Hanover College, Madison, Indiana, on 7 Jun 1911 after studying there two years, with a bachelor of science degree.22,23
     After completing his college work he became a teacher at a high school in Scyamore, Illinois, where he remained three years.4 He resigned that position to become superintendent of public schools in Pawpaw, Illinois.4 He then became superintendent of athletics in the manual training department of the public schools in Elgin, Illinois.4,24
     Henry registered for the draft for World War I on 5 Jun 1917, while living at 2 Chicago St., Elgin, Illinois, reporting he was employed as head of manual training dept. for Elgin Public Schools, and that he had served four years of military service as a private in a band in Illinois.25
     He enlisted in the U.S. Army Aviation Corps 8 Nov 1917, and entered the Military School for Aeronautics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, in December. He graduated 16 Feb 1918.5
     Upon graduation, he was sent to Ellington Field, Texas, for flight training. Two weeks before he was to be commissioned as a pilot he died of pneumonia.5,26
     Henry died on 23 Apr 1918 in Ellington Field, Harris Co., Texas, at age 28.14,15,16
     A civic and military funeral was held for him at the Baptist church in Seymour on 28 Apr 1918, arranged by a committee of business men. The church was draped with national flags and the flags of the Allies. It was reportedly the largest funeral ever conducted in the city.27 He was buried on 28 Apr 1918 in Riverview Cemetery, Seymour, Indiana.5,17

Citations

  1. [S1138] John J. Cobb household, 1900 U.S. Census, Jackson Co., Indiana, shows name as Henry E. Cobb.
  2. [S1148] John J. Cobb household, 1910 U.S. Census, Jackson Co., Indiana, shows name as Henry E. Cobb.
  3. [S11631] The Annual Catalogue of Purdue Univerisity, 1907-1908, pg 228, shows name as Henry Elkannah Cobb.
  4. [S11612] Henry E. Cobb obituary, Seymour Daily Republican.
  5. [S1151] "Indiana Gold Star Honor Roll, 1914-1918," Ancestry.com, record for Henry Elkanah Cobb, Cadet Aviator.
  6. [S1138] John J. Cobb household, 1900 U.S. Census, Jackson Co., Indiana, shows him as the son of her husband, and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  7. [S1148] John J. Cobb household, 1910 U.S. Census, Jackson Co., Indiana, shows him as the son of her husband, and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  8. [S1138] John J. Cobb household, 1900 U.S. Census, Jackson Co., Indiana.
  9. [S1148] John J. Cobb household, 1910 U.S. Census, Jackson Co., Indiana.
  10. [S11614] Henry E. Cobb, Standard Certificate of Death.
  11. [S1138] John J. Cobb household, 1900 U.S. Census, Jackson Co., Indiana, shows month, year, age 10, and state.
  12. [S1148] John J. Cobb household, 1910 U.S. Census, Jackson Co., Indiana, shows age 20 and state.
  13. [S11613] Henry E Cobb, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, shows date, city, and state.
  14. [S11614] Henry E. Cobb, Standard Certificate of Death, shows date, city, as Houston, Ellington Field, county, state, and cause.
  15. [S11612] Henry E. Cobb obituary, Seymour Daily Republican, shows died Tuesday, at Elling Field, and cause.
  16. [S1151] "Indiana Gold Star Honor Roll, 1914-1918," Ancestry.com, record for Henry Elkanah Cobb, Cadet Aviator, shows date, Ellington Field, and state.
  17. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 36938391, Pvt Henry Elkanah Cobb, includes tombstone photo.
  18. [S11631] The Annual Catalogue of Purdue Univerisity, 1907-1908, pg 228.
  19. [S11612] Henry E. Cobb obituary, Seymour Daily Republican, shows attended Purdue one year.
  20. [S11616] Bulletin of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1909, pg 156.
  21. [S11612] Henry E. Cobb obituary, Seymour Daily Republican, shows attended a military academy at Blacksburg, Va. for a year.
  22. [S11615] Bulletin Hanover College, vol. 5, 1911-1912, pg 87.
  23. [S11612] Henry E. Cobb obituary, Seymour Daily Republican, shows attended he finished his collegiate course at Hanover, spending two years.
  24. [S1151] "Indiana Gold Star Honor Roll, 1914-1918," Ancestry.com, record for Henry Elkanah Cobb, Cadet Aviator, shows he was supervisor of Manual Training in the Public Schools of Elgin, Ill.
  25. [S11613] Henry E Cobb, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
  26. [S11612] Henry E. Cobb obituary, Seymour Daily Republican, shows he would have been commissioned two weeks later.
  27. [S11617] "Jackson County Soldier Expires of Pheumonia," Brownstown Banner, 1 May 1918.