654 
 
Oass. 
 
General David Cobb. 
 
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BRIEF MEMOIR 
 
 General David Cobb, 
 
 EEVOLXJTIONART ARMY. 
 
 
 ?3ribatfls PrtntcB. 
 

 ^^y^33S't 
 
M E M O I E. 
 
 'TPHE American Revolution — with its preliminary dis- 
 cussions of the rights of man, its long and arduous 
 struggle for independence, and its intellectual grapple with 
 conflicting theories of government, ending in the estab- 
 lishment of our Republic — was the school in which was 
 formed a race of men whose robust characters bore the 
 impress of that training, and who in turn gave to their 
 country its stamp of native vigor, its sturdy manhood, 
 and its solid and durable institutions. Such a man was 
 David Cobb, the subject of this sketch. He was born 
 in Attleborough, Mass., 14 Sept. 1748 ; died in Boston, 
 17 April, 1830; H. U. 1766. The celebrated Master 
 Marsh, of Old Braintree (now Quincy), prepared him for 
 college. After his graduation, he commenced the study 
 of medicine, under Dr. Perkins, and was engaged in suc- 
 cessful practice in his native place, when the Revolutionary 
 movement began, in which he was an early and prominent 
 actor. He was secretary of the Bristol Co. Convention in 
 1774 ; and, as a member of the General Court convened in 
 Oct. 1774, was the colleague of Robert Treat Paine, a signer 
 of the Declaration of Independence. Early in 1777 he 
 was commissioned lieut.-col. in Henry Jackson's (16th) 
 reg., in which he encountered some hard service, particu- 
 larly at Springfield, N.J. ; at Monmouth ; and at Quaker 
 
Hill, R.I., where he led what may be called a forlorn 
 hope, to delay with 20 men the progress of the Hessian 
 cavahy. His activity, talent, and high military qualities 
 attracted the attention of the Commander-in-chief, who, on 
 15 June, 1781, appointed him one of his aides, in which 
 caj)acity he participated in the capture of Cornwallis. He 
 remained in this position until 1784, having also been com. 
 lieut.-col. commanding the 5th reg. (late Rufus Putnam's) 
 7 Jan. 1783, and a brig.-gen. by brevet. 
 
 After the Commander-in-chief took leave of the army. 
 Col. Cobb passed considerable time at Mt. Vernon, as a 
 member of Gen. Washington's military family. Next to the 
 high personal regard which he entertained for the General, 
 was his great admiration of Lady Washington, whom he 
 was fond of quoting as his beau-ideal of womanly grace and 
 loveliness. It is said Gen. Washington usually retired to 
 his library from the dinner-table, where he often engaged 
 in social conversation. On one occasion, when Col. Cobb 
 was Avith him there, Gen. Washington broke the silence 
 by saying he felt a great solicitude about the prospects 
 of the people of Massachusetts. " The climate," said he, 
 " is cold and trying, the soil sterile and unproductive. 
 The best crop would be of stones : you can raise a few 
 onions, perhaps, but little else. While we in Virginia 
 are favored with a most salubrious climate, and Avith a soil 
 as rich and productive as the sun ever shone upon." Col. 
 Cobb replied : " Sir, we have our heads and our hands." 
 Gen. Washington then smiled, an unusual thing for him 
 to do. 
 
 Surely, what would New England, with its cold and in- 
 hospitable climate, and its uninviting soil, have been to- 
 day, but for the heads and hands of its early inhabitants ? 
 
 Returning to his home early in 1784, Col. Cobb resumed 
 his profession, and was in that year ajDp. to the bench of 
 
the Court of Common Pleas, where he contmued 12 j^ears, 
 and was also maj.-gen. of the 5th div. Mass. militia in 
 1786-93. 
 
 During the insurrectionary movements in ISIassachusetts 
 in 1786, when the courts of justice were threatened by 
 lawless and desperate men, determined to impede the pro- 
 cesses of the law for the collection of debts, Judge Cobb 
 resolved to support the court and the laws. " The militia 
 were ordered out. The robe of the judge was thrown 
 aside, the martial garb resumed. Court day arrived. 
 Sounds ominous and threatening arose from the mob ; but 
 when the citizen-soldiers were seen stead}^ at their posts, 
 extended in double lines from the doors of the court- 
 house, — when the resolute demeanor of the commander 
 was observed, — the tone of defiance sunk to that of re- 
 monstrance, and the general was entreated to withdraw 
 his soldiers. ' Away with jonr whining ! ' was his deter- 
 mined and memorable reply. ' I will hold this court if I 
 hold it in blood. I will sit as a Judge, or I will die as a 
 General.' In an instant all was quieted : the mob stole 
 off secretly and silently, and the laws triumphed." 
 
 A somewhat similar scene was enacted in October of the 
 same year, upon the oj)ening of the session of the Supreme 
 Court. " On one side of the village [Taunton] was posted 
 a large body of armed insurgents : on the other, the 
 supporters of government, the defenders of the laws. 
 The cannon were planted, the matches Avere lighted and 
 waving. Had the government selected for their com- 
 mander one who was either rash or timid, that peaceful 
 village might have witnessed transactions equal in atrocity 
 to the most horrible of the French Revolution. The re- 
 sponsibility was great, but the man was equal to the emer- 
 gency. He drew a line with his sword on the ground, 
 and said to the rebel leader, ' Pass that line and I fire, 
 
the blood be upon your own head.' Again the laws tri- 
 umphed : the court sat in peace, the insurgents dispersed ; 
 and from that day to this, in that county, not an arm has 
 been raised to resist the civil authority." 
 
 Elected in May, 1789, sole representative of Taunton to 
 the General Court, he was at once chosen speaker, retain- 
 ing that j)osition until 1793, when he became a member of 
 the Third Congress. In 1795 he settled with his family 
 in Maine, as agent of the " Bingham Purchase ; " and in 
 1799 was appointed agent of the proprietors of Goulds- 
 boro'. Me. 
 
 In 1802 he was made a senator from the eastern district, 
 and was immediately elected president of that body, a post 
 he held for three j^ears. He was in 1808 elected to the 
 council ; was Lieut.-Gov. of Mass. in 1809 ; was one of the 
 Board of Military Defence during the war of 1812 ; Chief 
 Justice C. C. P. for Hancock Co. in 1803-9 ; and maj.-gen. 
 of the 10th div. of the State militia in 1813. He took 
 up his final residence in Taunton in 1820. Gen. Cobb 
 received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from New 
 Jersey College in 1783, and from Brown University in 
 1790 ; was a member of the American Academy of Arts and 
 Sciences and of the Mass. Medical Society, and was Vice- 
 President of the Mass. Society of the Cincinnati in 1810. 
 
 Gen. Cobb was the parent of the flourishing academy 
 at Taunton ; and, whenever any public good was to be 
 effected, was active and efficient, contributing from his 
 own resources to the full extent of his means. As a phy- 
 sician, he was sagacious, learned, and eminently successfid. 
 As a soldier, he was fearless and intrepid, calm and collected 
 in danger, rapid and decisive in judgment, and prompt in 
 execution. To tlie courts he brought a competent knowl- 
 edge of the law. Although he was not a lawyer, his clear 
 perceptions and strong sense enabled him to detect sophis- 
 
try, and to remove the impediments ^Yitll which artifice 
 and legal ingenuity too often contrive to embarrass the 
 progress of justice. A Federalist in politics, he was dis- 
 tinguished for his love of order and his attachment to the 
 Constitution. As the presiding officer of a public body, 
 he was unrivalled. Graceful and dignified in his deport- 
 ment, he despatched the public business with ease and 
 facility, and won by his impartial performance of the duties 
 of the chair the praise even of his adversaries. His man- 
 ners and disposition were pleasing ; his wit and humor, his 
 fund of anecdote, and above all his powers of conversation, 
 his vivacity, and flow of language, made him the delight 
 of his friends, and a most acceptable guest at the social 
 board. 
 
 Hon. Joseph Williamson, of Belfast, Me., thus describes 
 the general's appearance and manners : " In stature he 
 was large, and had a full face and over-awing eye. He 
 was hasty in temper, and expressed himself with much 
 energy and a most commanding voice. I have heard him 
 order a lawyer to silence, and to his seat, with a power of 
 voice and feeling that was almost overwhelming. On a 
 certain occasion, supposing that an attorney at the bar was 
 guilty of a fraudulent act, he exclaimed with great force, 
 while on the bench, ' A dishonest lawyer ! he is worse than 
 the devil, for he violates personal confidence and a sacred 
 oath ! ' His costume was that of the Revolution. When 
 he attended court, he wore a tri-cocked hat, broad-backed 
 coat, a single-breasted jacket with pocket-flaps, breeches 
 with bands and buckled at the knee, and high white top- 
 boots. He walked with a measured gait, his military air 
 having become second nature." 
 
 His descent from Austen ^ or Augustine ^ Cobb was through 3/or- 
 gan;' b. 29 Dec. 1673, d. 30 Sept. 1755, m. 22 May, 1735, Esdier 
 Hodges; Thomas ^ (his father), who m. Lydia, eldest dau. of James 
 
8 
 
 Leonard of Taunton. Col. David m. in 176G Eleanor Bradish 
 and had — 
 
 Eleanor, 23 Mar. 1767, m. James Hodges, d. 30 Oct. 1842. 
 Betsey, 5 June, 1768, d. Apr. 1830, m. Ebenezer Smith. 
 Thomas, 29 Jan. 1772, d. Oct. 1844, m. Abby Hall. 
 AViLLiAM Gray, 10 Feb. 1773, unm., killed 4 Nov. 1791, in 
 
 battle with the Indians, being an ensign under Gen. St. Clair. 
 Eunice, 17 Nov. 1774, d. 6 June, 1826, m. 1792 Hon. S. S. 
 
 Wilde, and had nine children. 
 Mary, 26 July, 1776, d. 17 Oct. 1851, m. Col. John Black of 
 
 Ellsworth, Me. 
 David, 3 Apr. 1778, unm., killed by Indians on N. W. Coast, 
 
 24 Oct. 1794. 
 Sally, 15 Jan. 1780, d. oe. ab. 17. 
 Ebenezer Bradish, 30 Oct. 1781, d. bef. 1840. 
 Henry Jackson, 18 Dec. 1784, d. unm. July, 1848. 
 Geo. Washington, 14 Jan. 1790, m. Abby Crocker, dau. of 
 
 Hon. Samuel of Taunton. After d. of bro. David in 1794, G. W. 
 
 prefixed David to his name ; d. 27 Feb. 1832. His children 
 
 were: George Thomas; Samuel Crocker, m. 1848; Elizabeth 
 
 Baylies, m. Baylies Sanford of Boston ; Sarah, Crocker, m. 
 
 Curtis Guild of Boston.