He was a civic leader and philanthropist in San Francisco, California and served as United States Minister to the Netherlands.

[7][8][9][10] Tobin joined the United States Navy Reserve for World War I, receiving a commission as a Lieutenant in December, 1917.

He served in France throughout the war, working at the U.S. embassy as the officer in charge of cable traffic between Europe and the U.S., including censoring messages to ensure that secrets were not unintentionally revealed.

Naval attaché and a member of the staff supporting the U.S. Commission which took part in negotiating the Treaty of Versailles.

[19] Tobin remained a bachelor until 1936, when he married Florence Adele Sloane Burden (1873–1960), the widow of wealthy businessman James A.