Changes

| term_end=1930

| term_end=1930

| office2=State Chairman of the<br>Arkansas [[Republican Party]]

| office2=State Chairman of the<br>Arkansas [[Republican Party]]

| term_start2 =1932  

| term_start2=1932  

| term_end2   =1955

| term_end2=1955

| preceded2   =Andrew J. Russell

| preceded2=Andrew J. Russell

| succeeded2   =Ben C. Henley

| succeeded2=[[Ben C. Henley]]

| office3=Arkansas Republican gubernatorial nominee (1936)

| office3=Arkansas Republican gubernatorial nominee (1936)

| preceded3=George Ledbetter

| preceded3=George Ledbetter

==U.S. attorney==

==U.S. attorney==

In 1952, Cobb was challenged for the chairmanship at the state convention by Vern Tindall of Stuttgart but again prevailed.<ref>Cobb, p. 106</ref> As a delegate to the 1952 Republican National Convention in [[Chicago]], Cobb and the Arkansas delegation voted for U.S. Senator [[Robert A. Taft]] of Ohio but quickly joined with the majority to endorse [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]. Invited to meet with Eisenhower after the nomination, Cobb advised him not to concede a single southern state to the Democratic nominee, then Governor [[Adlai Stevenson]], of [[Illinois]]. Cobb writes in his memoirs that Eisenhower "did not need to be sold on campaigning in the South because he already was convinced that it would be successful."<ref>Cobb, p. 122.</ref>

In 1952, Cobb was challenged for the chairmanship at the state convention by Vern Tindall of Stuttgart in Arkansas County but again prevailed.<ref>Cobb, p. 106</ref> As a delegate to the 1952 Republican National Convention in [[Chicago]], Cobb and the Arkansas delegation voted for U.S. Senator [[Robert A. Taft]] of Ohio but quickly joined with the majority to endorse [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]. Invited to meet with Eisenhower after the nomination, Cobb advised him not to concede a single southern state to the Democratic nominee, then Governor [[Adlai Stevenson]], of [[Illinois]]. Cobb writes in his memoirs that Eisenhower "did not need to be sold on campaigning in the South because he already was convinced that it would be successful."<ref>Cobb, p. 122.</ref>

    

    

In 1954, Eisenhower appointed Cobb as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, a highly visible position during the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock. In the fall of 1957, Cobb was in communication with the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], the [[United States Department of Justice]], and the [[White House]] regarding late-breaking developments. With [[United States Attorney General]] [[Herbert Brownell]], Cobb represented in federal court the U. S. government's case against Governor Faubus, who attempted without success to thwart desegregation. Cobb reached the conclusion that Faubus had exaggerated the likelihood that segregationists would engage in violence in a vain bid to block desegregation.<ref name=bio/>

In 1954, Eisenhower appointed Cobb as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, a highly visible position during the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock. In the fall of 1957, Cobb was in communication with the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], the [[United States Department of Justice]], and the [[White House]] regarding late-breaking developments. With [[United States Attorney General]] [[Herbert Brownell]], Cobb represented in federal court the U. S. government's case against Governor Faubus, who attempted without success to thwart desegregation. Cobb reached the conclusion that Faubus had exaggerated the likelihood that segregationists would engage in violence in a vain bid to block desegregation.<ref name=bio/>

==Faubus and Rockefeller==

==Faubus and Rockefeller==

Late in 1965, Faubus asked Cobb to fill a vacancy on the Arkansas Supreme Court after Justice Sam Robinson retired. On January 11, 1966, Cobb took the position and served for the remainder of the year.<ref name=bio/> Politically, Cobb's Republican activities paralleled the career of Wallace Townsend, an [[Iowa]] native who served as Arkansas's Republican national committeeman from 1928 to 1961.  

Late in 1965, Faubus asked Cobb to fill a vacancy on the Arkansas Supreme Court after Justice Sam Robinson retired. On January 11, 1966, Cobb took the position and served for the remainder of the year.<ref name=bio/> Politically, Cobb's Republican activities paralleled the career of [[Wallace Townsend]], an [[Iowa]] native who served as Arkansas's Republican national committeeman from 1928 to 1961.  

In 1964, Cobb refused to support Republican [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] for governor and instead endorsed Faubus who won his sixth and final two-year term. At the time, Cobb said that Rockefeller, a businessman originally from [[New York]], had ignored the traditional Republican base in Arkansas. In his memoirs, Cobb reported that "A stranger passing through Arkansas at this time and seeing Mr. Rockefeller's advertising on billboards would not know whether Mr. Rockefeller belonged to any political party. Certainly the fact that he is the Republican nominee has not been included. The evidence simply is unanswerable that Mr. Rockefeller is working for his own personal interest to the exclusion of all other considerations, which leaves the Republican Party in Arkansas hanging precariously at the whims of one individual."<ref>Cobb, pp. 141-143.</ref>

In 1964, Cobb refused to support Republican [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] for governor and instead endorsed Faubus who won his sixth and final two-year term. At the time, Cobb said that Rockefeller, a businessman originally from [[New York]], had ignored the traditional Republican base in Arkansas. In his memoirs, Cobb reported that "A stranger passing through Arkansas at this time and seeing Mr. Rockefeller's advertising on billboards would not know whether Mr. Rockefeller belonged to any political party. Certainly the fact that he is the Republican nominee has not been included. The evidence simply is unanswerable that Mr. Rockefeller is working for his own personal interest to the exclusion of all other considerations, which leaves the Republican Party in Arkansas hanging precariously at the whims of one individual."<ref>Cobb, pp. 141-143.</ref>

   

   

However, in 1966, Cobb endorsed Rockefeller as Faubus' successor, and the Republican defeated the Democrat James D. Johnson of Conway, a former member of the Arkansas Supreme Court who had previously been identified with the segregationists in the Little Rock Crisis. Cobb writes  of the changed scenario in his memoirs, "Arkansas Republicans were eager to work with Wintrhop Rockefeller on another race for governor if he could be led to run as a true Republican to help build the party in the state. I liked him personally. He showed me many courtesies, and I still thought [despite feelings in 1964] that he would make a good governor and could be elected on the Republican ticket. ... He had learned a lesson. And he won his next two races for governor.... His service contributed greatly to the enormous benefits of two-party government in Arkansas."<ref>Cobb, pp.143-144.</ref>

However, in 1966, Cobb endorsed Rockefeller as Faubus' successor, and the Republican defeated the Democrat [[James D. Johnson]] of Conway, a former member of the Arkansas Supreme Court who had previously been identified with the segregationists in the Little Rock Crisis. Cobb writes  of the changed scenario in his memoirs, "Arkansas Republicans were eager to work with Wintrhop Rockefeller on another race for governor if he could be led to run as a true Republican to help build the party in the state. I liked him personally. He showed me many courtesies, and I still thought [despite feelings in 1964] that he would make a good governor and could be elected on the Republican ticket. ... He had learned a lesson. And he won his next two races for governor.... His service contributed greatly to the enormous benefits of two-party government in Arkansas."<ref>Cobb, pp.143-144.</ref>

==Personal life==

==Personal life==

From the late 1960s until his retirement, Cobb focused on his petroleum and timber interests. In 1938, Cobb married the oil heiress Audrey Umsted, whom he had met while golfing. Her father, Sydney Albert Umsted, had in 1924 drilled the Discovery oil well in the Smackover field but was subsequently mortally injured in a train accident in [[Mississippi]] and died in a hospital in [[Memphis]], Tennessee.<ref>Cobb, pp. 77-78</ref> The Cobbs adopted one son, John Cobb. Audrey Cobb died in 1976. The next year he married his neighbor, Martha Jane Rebsamen,<ref name=bio/> the widow of Raymond Rebsamen, a prominent Little Rock industrialist and philanthropist.<ref>Cobb, p. 157</ref> Shortly before the second marriage, two armed robbers wearing masks broke into Martha Jane's home and locked her, Cobb, and her housekeeper in a closet. The intruders left with Cobb's Cadillac but called police to tell them of the three people trapped in the closet.<ref>Cobb, p. 159.</ref>

From the late 1960s until his retirement, Cobb focused on his petroleum and timber interests. In 1938, Cobb married the oil heiress Audrey Umsted, whom he had met while golfing. Her father, Sydney Albert Umsted, had in 1924 drilled the Discovery oil well in the Smackover field but was subsequently mortally injured in a train accident in [[Mississippi]] and died in a hospital in [[Memphis]], Tennessee.<ref>Cobb, pp. 77-78.</ref> The Cobbs adopted one son, John Cobb. Audrey Cobb died in 1976. The next year he married his neighbor, Martha Jane Rebsamen,<ref name=bio/> the widow of Raymond Rebsamen, a prominent Little Rock industrialist and philanthropist.<ref>Cobb, p. 157</ref> Shortly before the second marriage, two armed robbers wearing masks broke into Martha Jane's home and locked her, Cobb, and her housekeeper in a closet. The intruders left with Cobb's Cadillac but called police to tell them of the three people trapped in the closet.<ref>Cobb, p. 159.</ref>

In 1989 and 1990, with the help of the late journalist-editor [[Carol Griffee]], then of Little Rock, Cobb published two editions of his autobiography entitled ''Osro Cobb of Arkansas: Memoirs of Historical Significance''. He died in Little Rock at the age of ninety-one. His papers were deposited in Special Collections of the Torreyson Library of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.<ref name=bio/>

In 1989 and 1990, with the help of the late journalist-editor [[Carol Griffee]], then of Little Rock, Cobb published two editions of his autobiography entitled ''Osro Cobb of Arkansas: Memoirs of Historical Significance''. He died in Little Rock at the age of ninety-one. His papers were deposited in Special Collections of the Torreyson Library of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.<ref name=bio/>