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The Honorable
Amasa Cobb
Col. Amasa Cobb, 5th Wis. Inf - NARA - 527300.jpg
6th and 9th Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court
In office
1890–1892
Preceded by Manoah B. Reese
Succeeded by Samuel Maxwell
In office
1884–1886
Preceded by George B. Lake
Succeeded by Samuel Maxwell
Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court
In office
1878–1892
Preceded by Daniel Gantt
Succeeded by Alfred M. Post
5th Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska
In office
1875–1876
Preceded by Samuel W. Little
Succeeded by Robert D. Silver, Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Wisconsin's 3rd district
In office
March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1871
Preceded by A. Scott Sloan
Succeeded by J. Allen Barber
13th Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly
In office
January 9, 1861 – January 8, 1862
Preceded by William P. Lyon
Succeeded by James W. Beardsley
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 15th district
In office
January 10, 1855 – January 14, 1857
Preceded by Levi Sterling
Succeeded by Lemuel W. Joiner
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Iowa 2nd district
In office
January 11, 1860 – January 8, 1862
Preceded by Levi Sterling
Succeeded by John H. Vivian
Personal details
Born (1823-09-27)September 27, 1823
Crawford County, Illinois
Died July 5, 1905(1905-07-05) (aged 81)
Los Angeles, California
Resting place Wyuka Cemetery
Lincoln, Nebraska
Political party Republican
Spouses
  • Philadelphia Stone Moffett
  • (m. 1849; died 1896)
Children
  • Gertrude Cobb
  • (b. 1850; died 1852)
Parents
  • John Cobb (father)
  • Nancy (Briggs) Cobb (mother)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Branch/service  United States Army
Union Army
Years of service 1861–1865
Rank
Unit Army of the Potomac
Commands
  • 5th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
  • 43rd Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/wars American Civil War

Amasa Cobb (born September 27, 1823 – died July 5, 1905) was an important American politician and judge. He served as the Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court two times. He was also the Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska. Earlier in his life, he was a United States Congressman for Wisconsin for eight years. He also led the Wisconsin State Assembly as its Speaker. During the American Civil War, he was an officer in the Union Army.

Amasa Cobb's Early Life and Career

Amasa Cobb was born in Illinois in 1823. When he was 19, he moved to the Wisconsin Territory. There, he worked in lead mines. He later served as a soldier in the Mexican–American War.

After the war, he studied law and became a lawyer in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. He worked as a district attorney (a public lawyer) from 1850 to 1854. In 1855, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate, serving until 1856. During this time, he was also Wisconsin's adjutant general, a high-ranking military leader for the state. In 1860, he joined the Wisconsin State Assembly. He became its Speaker (the leader of the assembly) in 1861.

Amasa Cobb in the Civil War

When the Civil War began, Amasa Cobb joined the Union Army. On July 12, 1861, he became a Colonel of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He fought with the Army of the Potomac in many important battles.

One notable event was at the Battle of Antietam. Cobb took command of a brigade (a large group of soldiers) after another general moved to a different unit. In the fall of 1862, while still fighting, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district. His last battle with the 5th Wisconsin Infantry was the Battle of Fredericksburg.

Even though he was a Congressman, Cobb returned to military service. On September 29, 1864, he became the Colonel of the new 43rd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. His regiment was sent to Nashville, Tennessee. They guarded important supply routes and a railroad depot in Johnsonville.

On November 4, Cobb's soldiers fought off an attack by Confederate forces. This was during the Battle of Johnsonville. For the rest of the war, his regiment guarded railroads and supply lines in Tennessee. Cobb briefly led a larger group of soldiers under another general. He and his men left the army on June 24, 1865, and he returned to civilian life in Wisconsin.

After the war, on January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson honored Cobb. He was given the honorary rank of Brevet Brigadier General of volunteers. This was for his brave service in battles like Williamsburg, Golding's Farm, and Antietam. The United States Senate approved this honor.

Life in Nebraska

In 1871, Amasa Cobb moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. He started practicing law there again. He was appointed mayor of Lincoln in 1873.

Later, in 1878, he became an associate justice (a judge) of the Nebraska Supreme Court. He served in this role until 1892. For the last four years of his time on the court, from 1888 to 1892, he was the Chief Justice of Nebraska.

Amasa Cobb passed away in Los Angeles, California, on July 5, 1905. He was buried in Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Images for kids

See Also

  • List of Wisconsin State Assembly Speakers
  • List of Wisconsin State Senators
  • List of United States Congressmen from Wisconsin
  • List of Mayors of Lincoln, Nebraska
  • List of Justices of the Nebraska Supreme Court
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