William Cogswell

Born: August 23, 1838, Bradford, Massachusetts.

Died: May 22, 1895, Washington, D.C.

Burial: Harmony Grove Cemetery, Lot 1675 Grave 1 Chapel Ave.

William Cogswell’s parents were George and Abigail Parker Cogswell. His father was a surgeon, and was a founder of the Massachusetts Republican Party. He was educated at Atkinson Academy in New Hampshire, Kimball Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. He entered Dartmouth in 1855, and attended the school for a short time. He went on a voyage around the world, serving as a sailor in 1856 and 1857. When he returned to the United States in 1858, he entered Harvard Law School.

On September 8, 1860, Cogswell was admitted to the bar in Essex County, Massachusetts. He worked in the office of Attorney William D. Northend, and then opened his own office in Salem, Massachusetts in April 1861. He had begun to serve in the Second Corps of Cadets in the winter of 1860-1861.

On April 19, 1861, news reached Salem that the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment had been attacked in Baltimore on its way to defend Washington D. C. at the beginning of the Civil War. Cogswell transformed his law office into a recruiting station. In 24 hours, he had raised a full company; this was the first full company recruited for the war. This became Company C of the Second Massachusetts Volunteers. Cogswell was Captain in command. He was commissioned on May 11, 1861. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on October 23, 1862 and to Colonel on June 25, 1863. He was appointed Brevet Brigadier General of Volunteers by President Lincoln on December 12, 1864. This appointment was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 14, 1865. Cogswell served with General William Tecumseh Sherman on the march through Georgia. He was mustered out of the service on July 24, 1865. He returned to his law practice.

Cogswell served as mayor of Salem 1867-1869, and 1873-1874. He served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1870, 1871 and 1881-1883. He served in the Massachusetts State Senate in 1885 and 1886. He was a delegate to the Republican Convention in 1892.

He was elected to the 50^th United States Congress in 1886 and served four succeeding terms until his death in 1895.

On June 20, 1865, he married Emma Thorndike Proctor. They had two children, William and Emma. His wife died on April 1, 1877. Cogswell married second wife Eva M. Davis on December 12, 1881. They had no children.

Photo: Library of Congress, Washington, D.C, via Flickr.

Sources Consulted:

• American Battlefied Trust.
• Salem Links and Lore.‍
• Wikipedia.