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'''Osro Cobb''' (May 28, 1904 – January 18, 1996) was a [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[lawyer]] who worked to establish the two-party system in the U.S. state of  [[Arkansas]]. He was the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas during the Little Rock Crisis of 1957-1958. He also served a year on the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1966 as a temporary appointee of [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Governor]] [[Orval E. Faubus]].

'''Osro Cobb''' (May 28, 1904 – January 18, 1996) was a [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[lawyer]] who worked to establish the two-party system in the U.S. state of  [[Arkansas]]. He was the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas during the Little Rock Crisis of 1957-1958. He also served a year on the Arkansas Supreme Court in 1966 as a temporary appointee of [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Governor]] [[Orval E. Faubus]].

   

   

==Background==

==Background==

Cobb was born near Hatton in Polk County in western Arkansas, to the lumberman Philander Cobb (born 1869), who in 1916 was a vocal supporter of the Republican nominee, [[Charles Evans Hughes]], who narrowly lost the election to [[U.S. President]] [[Woodrow Wilson]]. Cobb's mother was the former Ida Sublette, a songwriter, playwright, poet, and the author of four books.<ref>Osro Cobb, ''Osro Cobb of Arkansas:  Memoirs of Historical Significance'', Carol Griffee, ed., ([[Little Rock]], [[Arkansas]]: Rose Publishing Company, 1989), pp. 3, 6.</ref> In his memoirs, Cobb recalls that his mother "always made me feel that I was destined to do great things and make a meaningful contribution to my state and country of which she would be proud. She instilled in me the belief that by doing my very best, almost any objective I might seek would be within my grasp. She was right."<ref>Cobb, p. 7.</ref>   

Cobb was born near Hatton in Polk County in western Arkansas, to the lumberman Philander Cobb (born 1869), who in 1916 was a vocal supporter of the Republican nominee, [[Charles Evans Hughes]], who narrowly lost the election to [[U.S. President]] [[Woodrow Wilson]]. Cobb's mother was the former Ida Sublette, a songwriter, playwright, poet, and the author of four books.<ref>Osro Cobb, ''Osro Cobb of Arkansas:  Memoirs of Historical Significance'', Carol Griffee, ed., ([[Little Rock]], [[Arkansas]]: Rose Publishing Company, 1989), pp. 3, 6.</ref> In his memoirs, Cobb recalls that his mother "always made me feel that I was destined to do great things and make a meaningful contribution to my state and country of which she would be proud. She instilled in me the belief that by doing my very best, almost any objective I might seek would be within my grasp. She was right."<ref>Cobb, p. 7.</ref>   

    

    

Reared mostly in Caddo Gap in Montgomery County, Arkansas, Cobb as a child often accompanied his father to work and hence developed an interest in the family business and later in the law as well.<ref>Cobb, p. 9.</ref>

Reared mostly in Caddo Gap in Montgomery County, Arkansas, Cobb as a child often accompanied his father to work and hence developed an interest in the family business and later in the law as well.<ref>Cobb, p. 9.</ref>

==College years==

==College years==

Because Cobb graduated from high school at the age of sixteen, he enrolled in 1920 at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, formerly known as Arkadelphia Methodist College or as Henderson Brown College. Cobb refers to  Henderson as "a small [[Methodist]] college ideally suited to my needs. It took only a short time for me to establish my identity and to make numberous friends among my fellow students and with faculty members." He lettered in baseball and was a member of the debate team and reports that he was falsely accused of [[plagiarism]] by an English professor regarding an article he wrote about moonshiners in Montgomery County.<ref>Cobb, pp. 10-12.</ref>

Because Cobb graduated from high school at the age of sixteen, he enrolled in 1920 at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, formerly known as Arkadelphia Methodist College or as Henderson Brown College. Cobb refers to  Henderson as "a small [[Methodist]] college ideally suited to my needs. It took only a short time for me to establish my identity and to make numberous friends among my fellow students and with faculty members." He lettered in baseball and was a member of the debate team and reports that he was falsely accused of [[plagiarism]] by an English professor regarding an article he wrote about moonshiners in Montgomery County.<ref>Cobb, pp. 10-12.</ref>

   

   

    

    

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

 

the comparative annual ratings of the various states in education [and] per capita income ... and noted to my dismay that Arkansas and Mississippi always seemed to be the last two states. I also observed that most of the outstanding graduates of our colleges were leaving Arkansas for greater opportunities; Arkansas was at a standstill. It became my obsession to help Arkansas throw off its shackles.<br>  

the comparative annual ratings of the various states in education [and] per capita income ... and noted to my dismay that Arkansas and Mississippi always seemed to be the last two states. I also observed that most of the outstanding graduates of our colleges were leaving Arkansas for greater opportunities; Arkansas was at a standstill. It became my obsession to help Arkansas throw off its shackles.<br>  

   

   

...Brownell had stuck by his guns for the hard line on the integration dispute. His advice had been followed. The government was committed with no easy way to extricate itself. Many people on both sides of the controversy were becoming increasingly unhappy. I am inclined to believe that while Mr. Brownell was genuinely pleased with the policy, he was grievously disappointed that it had not achieved better results. The impass with Governor Orval Faubus may have contributed substantially to his decision to retire. ...<ref>Cobb, p. 251.</ref></blockquote>  

...Brownell had stuck by his guns for the hard line on the integration dispute. His advice had been followed. The government was committed with no easy way to extricate itself. Many people on both sides of the controversy were becoming increasingly unhappy. I am inclined to believe that while Mr. Brownell was genuinely pleased with the policy, he was grievously disappointed that it had not achieved better results. The impass with Governor Orval Faubus may have contributed substantially to his decision to retire. ...<ref>Cobb, p. 251.</ref></blockquote>  

==Faubus and Rockefeller==

==Faubus and Rockefeller==

   

   

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==