Cobb, Stephen Alonzo, lawyer and member of Congress, was born at Madison, Me., June 17, 1833. His early education was acquired in the common schools of his native state. When seventeen years of age his father removed to Minnesota, where Stephen worked at the lumber business for four years, carrying on his studies in the languages and other branches, preparation for a college course. He entered Beloit College in 1854 but was a student there only two years, when he went to Providence, R. I., and completed his course at Brown University, graduating in 1858. The following year he went west and located at Wyandotte (now Kansas City), Kan., and commenced to practice law. Mr. Cobb took an active interest in politics both in town and state. In 1862 he was mayor of Wyandotte and a member of the Kansas state senate, but gave both up to offer his services to the Union army during the Civil war. In the three years he served, Mr. Cobb was rapidly advanced, and held a commission as lieutenant-colonel when mustered out of the service in 1865. In 1868 he was again elected mayor of Wyandotte. From 1869-70 he held a seat in the state senate and was speaker of the house of representatives of Kansas in 1872. Mr. Cobb was elected representative from Kansas in 1872, but was defeated for reeëlection to Congress in 1874.