tified with the public advocates of woman's rights, she counted among her warmest and most devoted friends eminent leaders of this exalted reform, and ever sympathetically interchanged views on this topic. She attended, by invitation, the first Woman's Rights Convention held in this State — at Worcester. She was greatly amused by the cliroax of an eloquent appeal of a somewhat aged colored woman, who, in the midst of a fervid harangue, cried out as only one of her race could, " Why, sisters, if I am what I am without an edicashun, what on earth would I be with one?"
Mrs. Cobb was widely known as a comforter of the sick, the dying, and the bereaved. She ever lived consciously with God, and those she visited in the hour of trial and sorrow ever felt through her his presence. Her obituary poems were the source of much solace : many were the aching hearts that were soothed by her heaven- inspired lines. There were those without num- ber who might well ask, after a consoling visit from her or a word from her pen, "0 death, where is thy sting? grave, where is thy vic- tory?" She walked with Jesus, and it would seem at times as if she must have felt his hand in hers.
Mrs. Cobb and her husband joined with Professor C. P. Bronson in founding the Ladies' Physiological Institute of Boston, the leader of all similar institutions in this country, Mr. Cobb obtaining the charter for it. Professor Bronson acted as president, by courtesy, the first year. Mrs. Cobb then became the first elected president, and served this her beloved family, as she was wont to call it, until old age compelled her to resign the leadership, still by their earnest desire continuing her official connection with them by acting as correspond- ing secretary until a short time before her death.
Probably no past president is more fondly enshrined in memory than is Mrs. Cobb in the memory of the surviving older members of the Ladies' Physiological Institute. The national eminence of this pioneer institute reflects very high honor upon the woman whose devoted life was largely influential in imparting to it so enduring a vitality.
The Masonic order hold her in honored mem- ory. In 1834, while the excitement was raging on account of the mysterious disappearance of Morgan, who, having exposed the secrets of Masonry, was suspected to have been made away with by the Masons, an attempt was made in the Massachusetts Legislature to sup- press Free Masonry in this Commonwealth. Mr. Cobb, who had consented to an election as Representative, to secure the passage of a bill for the bridge between Charlestown and Maiden, in which he met with his usual success, opposed the attack on Free Masonry with a power that ensured its. defeat, he himself being a Free Mason.
The committee of the Maiden church of which Mr. Cobb was pastor waited upon Mrs. Cobb, and urgently requested her to use her influence, which they knew to be strong with her husband, to draw him from his position in his defence of Free Masonry. "Gentlemen," she replied, "I glory in my husband's defence of Free Ma- sonry, and not one word will I utter to with- draw him from it." "But, Mrs. Cobb," re- sponded one of the committee, "yours and your children's . bread and butter may dej)end upon it." "Gentlemen," was the answer, "when it comes to that, I will go with my children into the woods and feed on nuts and acorns before I speak to him as you desire."
An old Mason informed Mrs. Cobb several years afterward that her name was inscribed on the Masonic record in such a manner as virtually to make her an honorary member of the order.
Mrs. Cobb was a prominent and active member of the order of Rechabites, a temperance association organized by women. In fact, wherever the opportunity was offered her to aid mankind through her woman's influence, there she was found performing her duty.
Five of her family served in the Civil War — four sons, Sylvanus, Jr., George Winslow, and Cyrus and Darius, and Lafayette Culver, husband of her daughter, Eunice Hale. Sylvanus, Jr., commanded at Fort Kittery, Me., and the others served in Virginia and North Carolina, George's name now standing on record at Washington for signal bravery in leading the charge as First Sergeant from "Fort Hell" to "Fort Damnation," as the Confederates named
