The Cogswells in America - citizen hylbom blog

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sick of their impertinence, slie armed herself with a chair, and cleared the house in cpiick
time. In later life she was wont to say, •' I iu-:rr fairt-J n Tory."
There is a tradition that an indignant public determined on a coat of tar and feather> for
one I'atterson, a noted Tory. They seized him and brought him to the " Cogswell Tavern " to
execute their purjiose. But Mrs. Cogswell made show of great remonstrance, and warned them,
with a significant look, not to touch the tar down cellar nor the feathers up-stairs. This was
enough to notify them where the needed articles were; and alas for poor Patterson I he was
taken to an oak-tree near by, and the coat of tar and feathers applied with great thoroughness
and satisfaction.
As a magistrate Major Cogswell sometimes married jieople. A couple from the old
country, whom he h.td married not long before, came into his yard one day and wished to lie
Hiimariu.i. He said, " I'll do it." There stood near by a block and cleaver. " Here." he
said, "whichever of you wishes to be unmarried, put your head on this block, and I will cut
it off; that will d.. it." They stared at him, then looked at each other, and at last one of
them timidly asked, " Is there no other way ? " He said, " No." They concluded not to be
unmarried.
Corv OF THE Deed of .Sale of .\ Slave dv Willlvm Cocswell.
"Know all men by these presents, that I, William Cogswell, of New Milford, in I.itch-
field countv, do sell and convey unto Nicholas Mos>, ot