Cosby was born on October 2, 1867, in
Baltimore, Maryland, the son of naval officer Frank Carvill Cosby (April 10, 1840 – February 8, 1905) and his wife Charlotte Malvina Spencer (March 10, 1841 – March 5, 1927). He had two younger brothers. His father served in the Union Navy during the
American Civil War and retired as a rear admiral on April 10, 1902. Cosby was appointed as a military cadet in the
United States Military Academy in June 1887 and graduated first in his class four years later, as an officer in the
United States Army Corps of Engineers. He received an
honorable discharge from the
US Volunteers on December 31, 1898, at the rank of major. In March 1909, he was placed in charge of public buildings and grounds for the District of Columbia, with the temporary rank of colonel. Cosby managed the design and construction of new
White House executive offices and the
Oval Office. In 1912, he supervised the planting of
Japanese cherry trees at the
United States Capitol. On August 7, 1913, he was assigned duty as the
military attaché at the
Embassy of the United States in Paris, France. Cosby was made an officer of the
Legion of Honour by France. After the war, Cosby served as district engineer in
Galveston, Texas from January 1919 to May 1920. Reduced in rank back to lieutenant colonel on October 6, 1919, his permanent rank was increased to colonel on February 16, 1920. He served as Division Engineer, Southeastern Division in
Savannah, Georgia from May 1920 to August 1922 and Division Engineer, Lakes Division in
Cleveland, Ohio from September 1922 to June 1928. Cosby died at his home in
Washington, D.C., on March 26, 1962, at age 94. He was buried in
Arlington National Cemetery. ==Notes==