Perhaps the most outstanding contributors to the arts from Newton were the Cobb twins, Cyrus and DARIUS COBB who lived for many years on Boylston Street, Cyrus at #1129 and DARIUS at #1137. Because of the influence of these families, the Boylston Street Hill was known as Cobb's Hill for a long time. The twins were the sons of Rev. Sylvanus Cobb, D.D. and Eunice Hale (Waite) Cobb, and were born August 6, 1834 in the old Ralph Waldo Emerson house in Malden, Massachusetts. They were educated in the Boston Schools, attended Norway (Maine) Liberal Institute and later graduated with high honors from Boston Latin School. Cyrus continued his education at Boston University and graduated from Law School in 1873. On January l, 1866 they were married by their father in a double wedding ceremony to sisters; Cyrus to Emma Lillie and Darius to Laura M. Lillie. The two girls were lineal descendants of John Alden of Pilgrim fame.

Darius was a portrait and landscape painter, poet, singer and lecturer. He was considered to be one of America's better historical painters. His paintings in that category include Washington at Dorchester Heights which was hung in the Memorial Continental Hall in Washington. The Old Drummer of the Revolution was placed in the old State House in Boston and the Boston Tea Party was hung in the hall of the Ancients and Honorables. The Death of Cuchullan was accepted and placed in Boston College. He did portraits of Phillips Brooks, Governor John A. Andrew (hung at the State House) and Rufus Choate (among others). Locally, his portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson was once the proud possession of Emerson School.

Darius and his twin brother, Cyrus, both served during the Civil War. They enlisted in the Massachusetts 44th Regiment for a 9 month term in August 1863. Most of their term of service was spent in Newbern, N.C.. They were at Little Washington when it was subjected to a siege of 17 days by the Confederacy.