Calvin Cobb
Encyclopedia
Calvin Cobb was born July 15, 1853, in Cleveland, Ohio
. He grew up in Chicago
and worked with his father in the Cobb Library publishing house
. During the 1880s he became involved in the livestock
trade. Because of this work he ended up traveling west and visiting Boise
for the first time in June, 1877.
After falling in love with the city, Cobb negotiated in May, 1889, to buy the Idaho Statesman
newspaper
with Joseph Perrault and R. Willman. Later, Cobb and his brother-in-law, Jack Lyon, gained controlling interest
of the Statesman.
Cobb worked actively in the newspaper business. He served a term as vice-president of the Associated Press
. Cobb became involved in national events and politics, as well as local ones. In 1896 he directed a campaign in the Idaho Statesman
against “free silver
.” He was a friend of Senator William Borah (until Borah ran on William Jennings Bryan’s “silver” ticket), and of presidents William Howard Taft
and Theodore Roosevelt
(until Roosevelt split from the Republican Party
, prompting Cobb’s famous 1912 editorial--”Teddy, you stink”).
In answering a 1928 questionnaire about the newspaper’s support of civic movements, Cobb commented:
Cobb married Fanny Howes Lyon of Chicago on February 7, 1878. They had two children: Lyon (died in 1921) and Margaret Cobb Ailshie
(later Mrs. James F. Ailshie, Jr., and successor to Cobb as Statesman publisher). Mrs. Cobb died October 11, 1917. Calvin Cobb died November 7, 1928, in Boise.
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. He grew up in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and worked with his father in the Cobb Library publishing house
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. During the 1880s he became involved in the livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
trade. Because of this work he ended up traveling west and visiting Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
for the first time in June, 1877.
After falling in love with the city, Cobb negotiated in May, 1889, to buy the Idaho Statesman
Idaho Statesman
The Idaho Statesman is a U.S. daily newspaper serving the Boise, Idaho metropolitan area. The paper has a circulation of 61,000 daily, 83,038 Sunday, and employs about 300 people. It is owned by The McClatchy Company....
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
with Joseph Perrault and R. Willman. Later, Cobb and his brother-in-law, Jack Lyon, gained controlling interest
Controlling interest
Controlling interest in a corporation means to have control of a large enough block of voting stock shares in a company such that no one stock holder or coalition of stock holders can successfully oppose a motion...
of the Statesman.
Cobb worked actively in the newspaper business. He served a term as vice-president of the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. Cobb became involved in national events and politics, as well as local ones. In 1896 he directed a campaign in the Idaho Statesman
Idaho Statesman
The Idaho Statesman is a U.S. daily newspaper serving the Boise, Idaho metropolitan area. The paper has a circulation of 61,000 daily, 83,038 Sunday, and employs about 300 people. It is owned by The McClatchy Company....
against “free silver
Free Silver
Free Silver was an important United States political policy issue in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its advocates were in favor of an inflationary monetary policy using the "free coinage of silver" as opposed to the less inflationary Gold Standard; its supporters were called...
.” He was a friend of Senator William Borah (until Borah ran on William Jennings Bryan’s “silver” ticket), and of presidents William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
and Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
(until Roosevelt split from the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, prompting Cobb’s famous 1912 editorial--”Teddy, you stink”).
In answering a 1928 questionnaire about the newspaper’s support of civic movements, Cobb commented:
“Sorry to say we supported woman’s suffrageWomen's suffrageWomen's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
and direct primaryPrimary electionA primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
. Our best work was in getting telegraph, telephoneTelephoneThe telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
and railroads into Boise, and finally the main line. We opposed free silver and had a hell of a time for six months. The Statesman started as a Republican paper and the vote here was usually 7,000 DemocratsDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to 400 or 500 Republicans.”
Cobb married Fanny Howes Lyon of Chicago on February 7, 1878. They had two children: Lyon (died in 1921) and Margaret Cobb Ailshie
Margaret Cobb Ailshie
Margaret Cobb Ailshie was a social belle, publisher, and social activist in Boise and Chicago.-Early years:...
(later Mrs. James F. Ailshie, Jr., and successor to Cobb as Statesman publisher). Mrs. Cobb died October 11, 1917. Calvin Cobb died November 7, 1928, in Boise.