Rufus W. Cobb

Biography

Rufus W. Cobb was born in 1829 and rose from a rural Alabama upbringing to become a respected lawyer and public servant; as governor from 1878 to 1882 he focused on stabilizing the state after Reconstruction, promoting railroads, and strengthening public education.

After leaving office he returned to his law practice and continued to serve on boards and in civic organizations, offering guidance forged from decades of experience, and when he died in 1913 his honesty and statesmanship remained models for the state.