Dr. Robert Linah Cobb Jr.

Narrative:

     Dr. Robert Linah Cobb Jr. was born on 27 Apr 1882 in Little Rock, Pulaski Co., Arkansas.^6,7,8
     Robert apparently moved to San Antonio, Texas, in the fall of 1885 with his mother, who went there for her health.^19,20,21
     His mother died on 17 May 1886, when Robert was 4 years old.^22,23

Living with Relatives at Age 4 --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     After his mother died he was taken to live with his aunt, Elizabeth Mariah Tuck, and her husband.^24,25
     His father died on 2 Jun 1895, when Robert was 13 years old.^26,27,28
     After the death of his father his uncle Thomas Herbert Elliott, husband of his mother's sister, became his legal guardian. A total of $19,000 was deposited with Thomas between 30 Aug and 15 Oct 1895. With interest earned of $8,217.30, less expenses of $8,223.98, Robert received $18,993.32 when he achieved age 21 on 27 Apr 1903.^29,25 In addition to board and tuition, his guardian disbursed cash to him regularly, typically two to five dollars a month at age 13 and growing to ten dollars and often more as he approached age 21. He also had accounts with various merchants, with charges averaging over ten dollars a month, growing as he grew older. But he was not wasteful – in May 1896 he paid 50¢ to have his gum boots repaired.²⁹

Off to Boarding School and College --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     His early schooling was at Vanderbilt Training School, Elkton, Kentucky. Family lore has him attending there at a young age. The school opened in 1892, and earliest records of his guardian include payments for tuition to that school as well as for board in 1895, though he may have attended earlier. For the 1895-96 term a Prof. Graham received $15 a month for board, and after that a Mrs. Briston received $12 a month. Tuition was $35.00 per term, dropped to $32.50 starting in fall 1898. He graduated in 1901.^30,31,32
     No details of the school's program have been found, but 1922 catalog of the Morton-Elliott Junior College, the successor to Vanderbilt Training School, is probably illustrative. The college included a four-year academy which was the equivalent of a high school, and was no doubt similar to Vanderbilt Training School at the time that Robert attended. Its focus reflected the sponsorship by the Methodist Church. In addition to the expected courses in English, algebra, Latin, science, and history, four years of Bible study was offered, with at least one year required for graduation. Students were required to attend chapel daily, to attend Sunday services at a church of their parents' choosing in town, and Sunday afternoon vesper service at the school. Students were expected to apply themselves: "If a son has never done anything but loaf, don't send him to us, for he will not be tolerated."³³
     Robert apparently returned home with his aunt and uncle over the Christmas holiday, and for the summer months.³⁴ He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Christian Co., Kentucky, in the household of Thomas Herbert Elliott and Elizabeth Mariah Tuck, his late mother's sister and her husband, his legal guardian.³⁵
     It appears that he traveled during the summers. He seems to have spent the summer of 1897 in Memphis; attended "Dewey Day" parades in 1899 celebrating Admiral Dewey's arrival in New York after his success in the Spanish-American War; gone to the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, in Jul 1901 (before President McKinley was fatally shot there on 6 Sep); and traveled to Texas in Jun 1902.^36,37,38
     Robert married first Mary Louisa Logan, daughter of Benjamin Harrison Logan and Sallie Watson Barker, on 28 Dec 1903 in Montgomery Co., Tennessee, with Rev. Robert Lord Cave officiating.^9,10,11
     Robert attended in Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, Tennessee, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He graduated in 1906.³⁹ After graduation, he practiced medicine and farmed in Trenton, Kentucky, remaining there until 1929.^40,41,42

Living in Trenton, Kentucky --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Robert and Mary appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Trenton, Todd Co., Kentucky, enumerated 27 Apr 1910, reporting that the family owned its farm, mortgage free. Their children Virginia, Ledley and Martha were listed as living with them.⁴³
     His wife died on 3 Jul 1913 in Trenton, Todd Co., Kentucky.^44,45
     Robert married second the sister of his first wife, Ledley Lena Logan, daughter of Benjamin Harrison Logan and Sallie Watson Barker, on 7 Apr 1915 in Trenton, Todd Co., Kentucky.^12,13,14
     The Cobb home was described in a 1991 article by Mary Charity (Smith) Alley, recalling her first visit to the Cobb home in 1916 at age 6. Her family had just moved to Trenton, and they went calling on their nearest neighbors. Her first impression was the cleared lane to the house, as contrasted to the overgrown "main road," where a hanging limb had snatched her grandmother's gold brooch, leaving it lost forever. The house was white frame, with a veranda on the front and continuing around the north side. Mrs. Cobb had her sewing machine on the north veranda, making a dress. Six-week-old Will was in a bassinet covered with mosquito netting. Six-year-old Martha and four-year-old Robert came around a corner in a wagon pulled by two Black children. Older sisters Virginia and Ledley were upstairs in school with their governess, Miss Maggie Neblett. Outside Dr. and Miss Ledley's bedroom on the south side was a flower garden with a Silver Moon rosebush. At the back of the flower garden was Dr. Cobb's office – all doctors practiced at their home at the time. Dr. Cobb had a telephone, the only one in the neighborhood. They did not become common in homes until about 1939.
     There was a place for the wash kettle, which was also used to make soap, and for rendering the lard at "hog killing time." Behind all this stood the "garden house," a coal house, to hold coal for the grates, kitchen range, and a "Home Comfort" stove. Near the kitchen was the big farm bell to ring for the field hands to come for dinner. There was also a "buggy shed," an ice house where they cut the ice off the pond in winter and stored it in sawdust for use in the summer, a stable for the mules, and a milk shed for the cows. At the back of the stable was the stock pond for watering the livestock. To the delight of children, it was full of perch, which made good fishing and eating, and an island where the Canada geese nested. Spring seemed to be "busting out all over" and there was even a croquet court set up waiting for a game.⁴⁶
     Robert registered for the draft for World War I on 12 Sep 1918, while living at Trenton, Todd Co., Kentucky, reporting he was self-employed as a farmer.⁴⁷
     Robert and Ledley appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of outside of Trenton, Todd Co., Kentucky, enumerated 13 Jan 1920, reporting that they owned their home, which was mortgaged. Their son William, and his children by his fist wife, Virginia, Martha and Ledley, was listed as living with them.⁴⁸

Taking up Public Health --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     After taking a special course at Vanderbilt to train for the position, Robert joined the Tennessee Department of Public Health.⁴⁰
     Robert and Ledley moved to Bolivar, Tennessee on 1 Jan 1930, where he established the first health unit in Hardeman Co.⁴⁰ His work was received with scant respect at first but he has been described as a man dedicated and determined. He loved and understood children and felt every child should have the opportunity of a healthy and happy future. He threw himself wholeheartedly and enthusiastically into a program of early and continual preventive medicine and health education in all the schools throughout the county. He battled constantly for improved sanitary conditions, drainage of mosquito infested territories, proper diet to prevent pellagra, rabies control, and recognition of the importance of vital statistics. He made every effort to educate all the public to provide the means with which the county was nearly completely rid of malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis, diphtheria, venereal disease, polio and other communicable diseases.
     His compassion led him to seek throughout the county those who were crippled or sick and had special needs. There were few people in Hardeman County Dr. Cobb could not call by name or road too rough or narrow for his car. His design for a portable dental chair to be used in rural schools and the bed which would permit an arthritic patient to be raised to a standing position were never patented, but the children did have dental care and arthritic sufferers made more comfortable.^40,49,50
     Robert and Ledley appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Bolivar, Hardeman Co., Tennessee, at 218 Main, enumerated 5 Apr 1930, shown as renting, for $20 per month, space from James and Jessie Doyle, who lived at the same address. The Cobbs owned a radio set. Their children William and Bettie were listed as living with them.⁵¹
     Robert and Ledley appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Bolivar, Hardeman Co., Tennessee, at Jefferson, enumerated 20 Apr 1940, reporting that they were renting their home, for $18 per month, and had lived in the same town in 1935. Their daughter Bettie was listed as living with them.⁵²
     In 1940 he reported he had worked 75 hours the last week of March, and had worked 52 weeks the previous year, earning $3,000.⁵²
     His second wife died on 1 Oct 1954 in Bolivar, Hardeman Co., Tennessee.^53,54
     He enjoyed hunting and fishing, all high school sports, and probably most of all he enjoyed conversation. He was a member of the Tennessee Medical Association and the American Medical Association. He was a member of the Bolivar Methodist Church and taught the Men's Sunday School class for over eighteen years. In March, 1959, a new Health Center was completed in Bolivar and named the "R. L. Cobb Health Center" in his honor.⁵⁵
     Robert died on 16 Nov 1960 in Gallatin, Sumner Co., Tennessee, at age 78.^15,16,17 He was buried on 18 Nov 1960 in Greenwood Cemetery, Clarksville, Tennessee, in the family lot.^18,1