Albert Cobo

Albert Cobo
Mayor of Detroit
In office
January 3, 1950 – September 12, 1957
Preceded by Eugene Van Antwerp
Succeeded by Louis Miriani
Personal details
Born October 2, 1893
Detroit, Michigan
Died September 12, 1957
Detroit, Michigan

Albert Eugene Cobo (October 2, 1893 – September 12, 1957) was an American politician who served as Mayor of Detroit from 1950-1957. He was the next to last Republican to hold that office.

Biography

Albert Cobo was born in Detroit[1] on October 2, 1893.[2] He married his childhood sweetheart, Ethel; the couple had two daughters, Jean and Elaine.[1][3]

Cobo opened and ran two candy stores in Detroit, while attending night school to study business administration and accounting at the Detroit Business Institute.[1] After completing his studies, he sold his stores and went to work for Burroughs Corporation, working his way up to an executive position.[1] In 1933, the city of Detroit was in a financial crisis, and Burroughs "loaned" Cobo to the city.[1] However, he never returned to work for Burroughs, and ran for and was elected Detroit City Treasurer in 1935.[1]

Albert Cobo served as City Treasurer of Detroit for seven terms before first running for the mayor's office in 1949.[4] He won the mayor's race, and was elected twice more (the third time for four years).[1] He declined to seek a fourth term.[1]

Cobo served as president of the American Municipal Association and a trustee of the United States Conference of Mayors.[3]

Cobo ran on the Republican ticket in 1956 for governor of Michigan, but was handily beaten by G. Mennen Williams, his first loss after ten successful city-wide campaigns.[5]

Cobo died of a heart attack on September 12, 1957, just months before his last term in office would have ended.[6] Cobo Center (formerly Cobo Hall) is named in his honor.[2] He is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery.[7]

Political offices
Preceded by
Eugene Van Antwerp		 Mayor of Detroit
January 3, 1950 – September 12, 1957		 Succeeded by
Louis Miriani

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Mayor Cobo Dies at 63". The Windsor Daily Star. Sep 13, 1957. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pSU_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=FFAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5525,2191561&dq=cobo&hl=en. 
  2. ^ a b "Cobo Hall". Detroit1701.org. November 2008. http://detroit1701.org/Cobo%20Hall.html. Retrieved November 13, 2010. ; note image of plaque.
  3. ^ a b "Detoit's Mayor Cobo, 63, Dies of Heart Attack". http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OqwwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UzwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6633,481344&dq=cobo&hl=en. 
  4. ^ "Hot Fight in Detroit". Reading Eagle Date = Nov 8, 1949. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hrMhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o5wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5226,2624049&dq=albert-cobo&hl=en. 
  5. ^ "Michigan's Governor Matches Ike's Victory". Ottawa Citizen. Nov 7, 1956. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iUolAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uuMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4775,1575321&dq=albert-cobo&hl=en. 
  6. ^ "ALBERT COBO DIES; DETROIT MAYOR, 63; Gubernatorial Candidate for G.O.P. Last Year Helped Build City Expressway Returned to Duties Planned to Call Loan". New York Times. September 13, 1957. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70911FE355F11738DDDAA0994D1405B8789F1D3. 
  7. ^ "Detroit City Employees Pay Respect to Cobo". The Owosso Argus-Press. Sep 16, 1957. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P581AAAAIBAJ&sjid=4qsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5195,6409453&dq=albert-cobo&hl=en. 

External links