Leland Elmer Cobain

From his Find A Grave page:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=111637659

Beloved grandfather of Kurt Cobain. A lifelong resident of Montesano.

When he was a teenager, he lived above the county jail with his father, Art, who was a deputy and the jailer. Leland knew all the deputies, including Carlton Stearns. Sheriff Jeff Bartell kept 2 baby alligators in a glass case in the office, a deputy name of Joe Cartell used to get 15 year old Leland down on the floor and hold one of these alligators up to his ear to chew on it. One time Leland got tired of it and punched Joe out in the alley. He was sometimes allowed to lock up the huge old rolling door of the jail.

His father was tragically killed, there were no records of him being in the sheriff's dept. He and another fallen officer were forgotten about for 73 years until it was brought to light again. The present day sheriff presented a letter of recognition to Leland for his father's service.

Leland married Iris in Montesano on August 26, 1944. He was in the U S MARINE CORPS in WWII. He was also in the Aberdeen Fire Dept.