BIOGRAPHY: Cobb, L. A.
From the A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa, 1875

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                      L.A. COBB. 
 
      "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, 
       To throw a perfume on the violet,
       To smooth the ice, or add another hue 
       Unto the rainbow, or with taper light 
       To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, 
       Is wasteful and ridiculous excess."  
 
Among the young men who for nearly a quarter of a century have grown up 
with  and helped to make Iowa what  she is to-day, the peer of the 
Western States,may be mentioned the subject  of this sketch, L.A. Cobb, 
who is a native of Westmoreland, New Hampshire, where he was born on the 
30th  day of August, 1821, which makes him at this time fifty-four years 
of age. Although born among the beautiful granite hills, but a small 
portion even of his early life was passed in that rugged New England 
State, has his parents removed to Saratoga, New York, when he was about 
three years of age. After remaining  some seven years they again removed 
to Western, New York, where  young Cobb was educated in Arcade and 
Aurora Academies. In the Spring of 1853, like many other young men born 
and educated in the East, he became desirous of visiting the West, and 
landed on the first day of May at Maquoketa, Iowa, where, engaging in 
farming, he remained some two years and six months, when in November, 
1855, he visited Waterloo, and being favorably impressed with its 
situation and prospects, located, and has since made it his home. He was 
for a number of years extensively engaged in the brokerage  and real 
estate business, and by his liberal management and evident willingness 
and desire to help those who were most in need of assistance, he made 
many friends and did much toward developing the material resources of 
the county, although he did not amass money nearly as fast as he might, 
or others would  have done under similar circumstances. In 1868 he was 
intentionally drawn into the lumber trade, which he has since carried 
on, securing a large business by his straightforward and honorable 
manner of dealing. Since his residence in Iowa he has been engaged more 
or less in improving wild lands and managing extensive farming 
operations, by which means he has greatly aided in the development of 
the county. Generous by nature and practice, he has always encouraged 
and liberally aided every public scheme that had sufficient merit to 
claim his consideration. 
     In 1860 he was joined in marriage with Miss. H.A.Ellsworth, of 
Waterloo, which union has been blessed with three children, all of whom 
are still living.