Amasa Cobb

Amasa Cobb (September 27, 1823 – July 5, 1905) was an American politician and judge. He was the 6th and 9th chief justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court and the 5th mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska. Earlier in his life, he served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district from 1863 to 1871. He also served several years in the Wisconsin Legislature, and was the 13th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly. He also served as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War.

Biography

Born in Crawford County, Illinois, near Palestine, Illinois, Cobb was the son of Nancy (Briggs) and John Cobb. He moved to the Wisconsin Territory in 1842 and mined for lead. He served in the Mexican–American War as a private. After the war he studied law, passed the bar and set up practice in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. He was a district attorney from 1850 to 1854, then was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 1855, serving until 1856. During his term, he was also the adjutant general of Wisconsin from 1855 to 1858. He became a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1860 and served as speaker in 1861.

At the outset of the Civil War, on July 12, 1861, After the war, Cobb became a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

In 1871, Cobb moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he started to practice law again. He was appointed mayor of Lincoln in 1873, and then became associate justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court in 1878 to 1892. The last four years, from 1888 to 1892, he served as Nebraska's chief justice.

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