Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/326

 COGSWELL

COGSWELL

COGSWELL, Joseph Green, librarian, was bom in Ipswich, Mass., Sept. 27. 1786; son of Francis and Anstice (Manning) Cogswell, and a descendant of John Cogswell, wlio immigrated to America from England in 1635. He was fitted for college at Phillips Exeter academy, and was graduated at Harvard in 1806 receiving his A.B. degree in 1807 and an honorary A. B. from Yale the same year. He made a voy- age to India as super- cargo and then prac- tised law in Belfast, Maine. He was tutor in Harvard 1814—15, studied at the Uni- versity of Gottingen, ^ ' \,^ ^ ' 181(5-17, and investi-

J;^ Y- -W^^-**^'^-*^ gated educational

methods and bibli- ography in the European capitals, 1818-19. He was professor of mineralogy and geology and col- lege librarian at Harvard, 1821-23, and during his professorship he greatly enriched the college with gifts of rare mineral and botanical speci- mens. In 1823 with George Bancroft he estab- lished Round Hill school, at Northampton, Mass. , and continued with the school until 1836, when he took charge of a like institution in Raleigh, N.C., but soon left the south to assume the edi- torship of the l^ew York Heviev:, which he con- ducted until 1842, when its publication ceased. In New York he made the acquaintance of John Jacob Astor and with Washington Irving and Fitz Green Halleck, arranged the plan of the Astor library, being appointed a trustee of the library fund. Washington Irving secured for him the appointment of secretary of legation to Madrid, Spain, in 1842 but Mr. Astor j^revented his acceptance by appointing him superintendent ■of the projiosed library and he went abroad after Mr. Astor's death in 1848 and .selected a large number of the books for its shelves. He prepared an alijhabetical and analytical catalogue of the books in the library which was published in eight large volumes, and he gave to the library his own valuable series of bibliographical works. He re- tired from the super intendency in 1861 on account ■of his advanced age, and in 1864 took up his resi- dence in Cambridge, Mass., resigning his office as trustee of the library. He left, of his moderate fortune, §4000 to a school in Ipswich, and was buried there, his Round Hill pupils erecting over his grave a handsome monument. He received the degree of A.M. from Harvard in 1814; that of Ph.D. from Gottingen in 1819; and that of XiL.D. from Trinity College (Conn.) in 1842 and

from Harvard in 1863. He was a fellow of the American academy of arts and sciences of Bos ton. See " Life of Josei)h Green Cogswell, as Sketched in His Letters, ' a memorial volume, b}' Anna E. Ticknor (1874). He died in Cam- bridge. Mass., Nov. 26, 1871.

COGSWELL, Mason Fitch, physician, was born in Canterbuiy Conn., Sept. 28, 1761. He was the adopted son of Samuel Huntington, presi- dent of the Continental congress, and was gradu- ated at Yale in 1780 as valedictorian, the youngest member of his class. He gained his medical training under the direction of his brother. Dr. James Cogswell, at the Soldiers' hospital in New York city. He successfully removed a cataract from the eye and tied the carotid artery in 1803, the earliest date recorded in the United States for the accomplishment of either operation. He was married to Mary Austin Ledyard and settled in New Haven. Their daughter, Alice, was ren- dered deaf and dumb through the effect of a severe illness, and this aflliction, and the father's efforts to instruct the child, led him to establish m New Haven in 1820 the first asylum for the care and education of the deaf and dumb in America. He also founded the retreat for the insane in Hart- ford. He presided over the Connecticut medi- cal society for ten years. He died in Hartford, Conn., Dec. 10, 1830.

COGSWELL, Parsons Brainard, journalist, was born at Henniker, N.H., Jan. 22, 1828. He was educated in the public schools, and in 1847 removed to Concord, N.H., where he entered the office of the Independent Democrat to learn the printing business. Later he changed to the Xew Hampshire Patriot, with wliich paper he remained until 1852. In 1864 he founded and became editor of the Daily Monitor. He was prominent in affairs of local importance, and was a member of the Concord board of education for thirty-six years. In 1872 and 1873 he was a representative in the New Hampshire legislature, and was pub- lic printer. 1881-85. He served two terms as mayor of the city, and was president of the State historical society. In 1888 President Harrison appointed him U.S. immigrant inspector. Dart- mouth c;ollege conferred upon him the honorary degree of A.M. in 1885. He is the author of Glints from over the Water (1880). He died in Concord, N.H., Oct. 28, 1895.

COGSWELL, William, educator, was born in Atkinson, N.H., June 5, 1787. He was gradu- ated at Dartmouth in 1811. He was a teacher for two years, then studied theology and was ordained in 1815 and installed as i^astor of the South church, Dedham, Mass. He resigned his pastorate in 1829 to become general agent of the American education society, and from 1832 to 1842 was its secretary and director. He was a trustee of