Dr Eli Stanford Cobb

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Dr Eli Stanford Cobb

Birthdate:
Birthplace: Pensacola, Escambia County, FL, United States
Death: March 17, 1977 (87)
Pensacola, Escambia County, FL, United States
Occupation: MD Owner of Pensacola Seagulls/ Secretary for Negro Southern League 1949
Managed by: Private User
Last Updated:

About Dr Eli Stanford Cobb

Find A Grave# 96948950 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/96948950/eli-s-cobb

https://www.pensapedia.com/wiki/Eli_Sanford_Cobb

Eli Sanford Cobb Jump to navigationJump to search Eli Sanford Cobb Born September 2, 1889 Pensacola, Florida Died March 17, 1977 Pensacola, Florida Occupation Physician Spouse Cora Lee (Herald) Cobb Parents Ludy Cobb Children Georgette Cobb Jones Eli Sanford Cobb was one of the first black physicians to practice in Pensacola. He is the namesake of the E. S. Cobb Community Center.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Professional career 3 Community involvement 4 Death 5 References Early life Born in Pensacola, Cobb's father died when he was just six months old, leaving his mother to raise him and his sister Ophelia on only her income as a domestic servant. Cobb began earning his own money at a young age, working along Pensacola's waterfront at night while going to school during the day, and was reportedly successful enough that he built his mother a house at age 17. After graduating from the Pensacola Normal Industrial School, Cobb attended Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, graduating in 1915.[1]

Professional career

Cobb's 1918 World War I Draft Registration Card Cobb began practicing medicine in Pensacola in January 1916, becoming one of just seven black doctors then working in the city.[1]

Shortly after returning to Pensacola, Cobb was arrested in July 1916 for violating the city's "Jim Crow" law segregating streetcars. A conductor on the Bayshore Line asked a group of black riders to vacate seats for white passengers, and Cobb allegedly either didn't oblige the request or was slow to move.[2]

In March 1918, Cobb entered the U.S. Army and was sent to France just before World War I ended. While in France, Cobb attended classes at the University of Leon and interned at the Hospital Dieur, in addition to providing healthcare to ten small French villages and four companies of soldiers. Cobb was discharged from the Army in April 1919 and resumed his practice in Pensacola. Cobb aspired to become a surgeon, but was not allowed to join the all-white staff of Pensacola Hospital.[1]

Cobb retired in 1965 after practicing medicine for 49 years.[1]

Community involvement A baseball fan, Cobb became frustrated in the 1940s when the local baseball club didn't allow black players on the team, and instead organized and financed his own semi-professional team, the Pensacola Sea Gulls. Three players from the team later made it to the major leagues.[1]

Cobb was also active in advocating for more opportunities for Pensacola's black citizens, serving as a member of the City of Pensacola Recreation Board's Negro Advisory Committee as well as the City Council's "Biracial Committee." Cobb long pushed for a community center to be built in the largely black Eastside neighborhood; the city council voted in 1966 to build the center and name it in Cobb's honor.[1] The center was completed and opened in 1967.[3]

Cobb was also a charter member of the Hanniton Watts American Legion Post 193 and a longtime member of St. Paul United Methodist Church.[4]

Death Cobb died in Pensacola on March 17, 1977 at the age of 87. He was buried at Resthaven Garden Cemetery north of Pensacola in the Brent area.[5]

References

"Prescription for Harmony." Pensacola Journal. 13 March 1966.
"Allege Violation of 'Jim Crow' Law." Pensacola Journal. 5 July 1916.
"Cobb Community Center Dedicated." Pensacola Journal. 13 February 1967.
Cobb Obituary. Pensacola Journal. 21 March 1977.
Find A Grave entry Bio-icon.png	 This biographical article is a stub. You can help Pensapedia by expanding it. Print

Eli S Cobb

in the U.S., Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Board for Military Duty, 1917–1918

ViewU.S., Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Board for Military Duty, 1917–1918 Name: Eli S Cobb Gender: Male Entrainment Date: 18 Nov 1918 Entrainment Camp: Camp Sheridan Local Board: Escambia, Florida, USA Residence Year: Abt 1918 Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Board for Military Duty in the District of Columbia; NAI Number: 1159403; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System (World War I), 1917-1939; Record Group Number: 163

Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Board for Military Duty, 1917–1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Original data:

War Department, Office of the Provost Marshal General, Selective Service System, 1917– 07/15/1919. Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Board for Military Service, 1917–1918. NAI: 578684.Textual records. Records of the Selective Service System (World War I), Record Group 163. National Archives at College Park. College Park, Maryland. U.S.A.

War Department, Office of the Provost Marshal General, Selective Service System, 1917– 07/15/1919. Lists of Men Ordered to Report to Local Board for Military Duty in the District of Columbia, 1917–1918. NAI: 1159403.Textual records. Records of the Selective Service System (World War I), Record Group 163. National Archives at Atlanta. Atlanta, Georgia. U.S.A.

Description Did your ancestor win the WWI draft lottery? If he lived in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee, these records will tell you whether he was called up to serve and when and where he reported for camp (or not). Learn more...

Eli S Cobb

in the U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918

ViewU.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 Tip: View blank forms Name: Eli S Cobb Race: Black Marital status: Single Birth Date: 2 Sep 1889 Birth Place: Florida Residence Date: 1917-1918 Street Address: 2016 N. Hayne Residence Place: Escambia County, Florida, USA Physical Build: Slender Height: Medium Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Brown Source Citation Registration State: Florida; Registration County: Escambia County

Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.

Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

Description This database contains an index and images of World War I draft registration cards completed by approximately 24 million men living in the U.S. in 1917 and 1918. Information that may be found for an individual includes: name, place of residence, date and place of birth, race, country of citizenship, occupation, and employer. Learn more...

Eli S Cobbs in the 1920 United States Federal Census

View1920 United States Federal Census Name: Eli S Cobbs Age: 29 Birth Year: abt 1891 Birthplace: Florida Home in 1920: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida Street: N Hayne Residence Date: 1920 Race: Mulatto Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Son Marital Status: Single Mother's Name: Loda Cobbs Occupation: Doctor Industry: Est Practice Employment Field: Own Account Able to read: Yes Able to Write: Yes Neighbors: View others on page Household Members Age Relationship Loda Cobbs 53 Head Eli S Cobbs 29 Son

Eli S Cobb in the 1930 United States Federal Census

View1930 United States Federal Census Name: Eli S Cobb Birth Year: abt 1892 Gender: Male Race: Negro (Black) [Black] Age in 1930: 38 Birthplace: Florida Marital Status: Married Relation to Head of House: Head Home in 1930: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida, USA Map of Home: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida House Number: 1821 Dwelling Number: 203 Family Number: 213 Home Owned or Rented: Owned Home Value: 4000 Radio Set: Yes Lives on Farm: No Age at First Marriage: 32 Attended School: No Able to Read and Write: Yes Father's Birthplace: Florida Mother's Birthplace: Florida Able to Speak English: Yes Occupation: Doctor Industry: Physician Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker Employment: Yes Veteran: Yes War: WW Household Members Age Relationship Eli S Cobb 38 Head Cora Cobb 33 Wife Georgette Cobb 5 Daughter Thomas Herald 55 Father-in-law Neighbors: View others on page

in the 1940 United States Federal Census

View1940 United States Federal Census Name: Eli S Cabb [Eli S Cobb] [Eli S Cobb] Age: 50 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890 Gender: Male Race: Negro (Black) Birthplace: Florida Marital Status: Married Relation to Head of House: Head Home in 1940: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida Map of Home in 1940: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida Street: Hayner House Number: 1821 Farm: No Inferred Residence in 1935: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida Residence in 1935: Pensacola Sheet Number: 3B Number of Household in Order of Visitation: 64 Occupation: Medical Doctor House Owned or Rented: Owned Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented: 3000 Attended School or College: No Highest Grade Completed: College, 4th year Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 48 Class of Worker: Working on own account Weeks Worked in 1939: 51 Income: 0 Income Other Sources: Yes Neighbors: View others on page Household Members Age Relationship Eli S Cabb 50 Head Pora L Cabb 55 Wife Georgetto E Cabb 15 Daughter Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; Roll: m-t0627-00585; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 17-23

Source Information Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

Description The 1940 United States Federal Census is the largest census released to date and the most recent census available for public access. The census gives us a glimpse into the lives of Americans in 1940, with details about a household’s occupants that include birthplaces, occupations, education, citizenship, and income. Learn more...

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Dr Eli Stanford Cobb's Timeline

1889
September 2, 1889
Pensacola, Escambia County, FL, United States
1977
March 17, 1977
Age 87
Pensacola, Escambia County, FL, United States