The Cogswells in America - citizen hylbom blog

79
iSiOQtapffital.
William Cogswell was a trader. He resided and had a store in Boston
until just before the siege of that town in 1775, when he was compelled to
seek safety for himself and family by removal. He abandoned his business
and the new house he had lately built, on Milk Street, and removed to Marl-
boro', Mass., where he continued in trade and also carried on the manufacture
of potash. .He died at the age of seventy-three years, leaving a large family
and a good estate. This record is made of him : "Mr. Cogswell was a genial,
generous, hospitable man, and a good patriot."
William Cugswkll's mother was the daughter of Kev. John Rogers, of Ipswich, Mass.,
who was the son of Rev. John Rogers, president of Harvard College, who was the son of
Re\. Nathaniel Rogers, of Ipswich, who was the son of Re\ . John
Rogers, of Dedhani,
England, who was the grandson of John Rch.krs, who was burned at the stake, Feb. 5, 1555,
in Sniithtield, England.
.lA-.t. Al'if^'iu' t/>,ruvs) Coj^swcll was brought uj) in a home so strict in the godliness of the
times "that the children were not allowed to laugh or look out of the window on Sundav."
Williaw' D.r.ci!. ( Tluviuifi, Atiibiosfi, William'^), her father, died .Nov. 14, 1802.
William I\,w,-s. Jr.. a brother of .Mrs. Cogswell, was a distinguished patriot. His name
is as.sociated with that of Paul Revere. When I'aul Re^ele started from Charlestown for
Le-vington and Concord ,.n the night of .\pril i.S, 1775, William Dawes, Jr., left Boston bv the
road over the Neck at full speed towards Le.xington, rousing the jjeopie as he went along.
Willi.-im Dawes, Jr., was born .April 6, 1745, in .\nn Street, lloston, Mass. He was a
tanner, and his place of business was at the corner of Sudbiuy and Friend .Streets. He mar-
ried. May 3, 176S, Mehitablc May, at the age of seventeen, daughter of Samuel and Catharine
(Mears) May, of Boston. They lived for seven or eight years at 64 .Ann Street. They were
both members of the Old South Church. They had six children. He fought at Bunker Hill.
In later life they lived in Marlboro', Mass., where he died Feb. 25, 1799.
_/(!//« ,-/(/r;«;j- said to Samuel .Adams that they had seen "four noble families rise up in
Boston, the Craftses, Gores, Dawescs, and .Austins."
William C\'s^rcll, being engaged in trade, was accustomed to go to New York and I'hil-
adelphia for goods. Some time during the svar it is said, "he made a journey to Philadel-
phia and returned on horseback, bringing his saddlebags full of nutmegs, which he sold for
one dollar a|)iece." The descendants of Mr. Cogswell still live in Marlboro'. His daughter
Ruth occupied the old homestead till her death. William Gibbon, of Marlboro', and John
Brown, a merchant in Ctmcord, Mass., were his grandsons.
'A CR.vNDD.M-i-.HTER of William and Abigail (Dawes) Cogswell gives a graphic account
of the hcgira of the family from Boston, in 1775. She says, "I have often heard my grand-
mother relate the manner of their moving. The crowds of people who were eager to leave
the town made it extremely ditiicult to get a vehicle for their goods, or conveyance for themselves.
.After a good deal of trouble, howc\cr, they succeeded in getting a one-horse wagon,
with a colored man, who was servant in the f.miily of a relative, for a driver, and into this
wagon they put all the goods they could take with them. .Another vehicle on two wheels, a
sort of chaise without a top, was to convey the women and children. The second wife of
Grandfather Dawes, Mrs. Hannah (Jackson) Dawes, had her two children, afterwards Mrs.
Tidd and Mrs. Hammond, then nine and ten years of age. These children had shawls tied
round their waists, attached to Grandmother Dawes's arms, to hold them in. The good lady
was also to hold Grandmother Cogswell's baby, while grandmother drove. This was very
likely her first attempt at driving, and she was not very skilful, as subsequent events proved.