Reuben Kolb was born in 1839 in Eufaula, Barbour County, and lived a privileged life as a wealthy planter and merchant. He served in the American Civil War, commanding a Confederate artillery unit, and later transitioned to managing the Eufaula theater and becoming successful in truck farming and seed distribution. Kolb held the position of Alabama's commissioner of agriculture twice, first in 1887 and again from 1910 to 1914. He ran unsuccessfully for governor of Alabama on three occasions, representing the Democratic, Independent Democratic, and Populist parties.

Reuben Kolb's political identity is marked by a complex interplay of agricultural advocacy, evolving racial stances, and shifting political affiliations. Initially a Democrat opposing Redeemer policies, Kolb later embraced Populism to challenge industrial and planter coalitions but retreated from Black rights by 1894. His support for the 1901 Alabama Constitution, which disenfranchised many, contrasts sharply with his earlier advocacy for black political rights. Kolb's strategic pivots reveal a deeply calculated approach to regional interests, raising questions about the consistency of his ideological commitments.