The Cogswells in America - citizen hylbom blog

387
In 1825, at his persuasion, se\-en noted cajiitalists were induced to join liiin in
founding the Halifax Banking Company, among the partners being Samuel
CuNARD, a large ship-owner, and the future mail contractor of world-wide
celebrity. The others were Johti Clark, Joseph Allison. William Pryor, James
To/'in. Enos Collins, and Martin Gay Black. How the enterprise fared was
long a mystery to the public, but at length the truth got abroad that the
profits partook of the "fabulous," and as a consequence "the old bank " has
now many flourishing rivals. Mr. Cogswell was chosen the first President,
and that office he continued to hold until his death in 1854.
We find it recorded in Murdoch, that in 1818 Mr. Cogswell was returned
at the head of the poll as member for Halifa.x, and escaped the usual honor of
a chairing by pleading as an e.xcuse the recent loss of a child, apparently John,
the third son, who died at an early age. In 1824 he was appointed Registrar
in the Court of Chancery, which position he held until 1829. The next step
in promotion was his elevation to the rare and coveted honor of a seat in the
Legislative Council, in 1831. It was during his connection with that body that
a long-continued agitation against its constitution proved finally successful.
Mr. Cogswell continued to take a warm interest in objects of public utility,
and in particular was a prominent supporter of the scheme for constructing a
railroad from Halifax to Quebec. This great work, now long accomplislied,
was for many years regarded as all but hopeless, on account of the financial
difficulties in the way. In thinking over these it occurred to him that if the
Provinces were deficient in money, they possessed the reality of wealth in the
shape of vast tracts of ungranted land, and he proposed that five millions of
acres along the intended line should be appropriated as security for a loan.
This plan immediately took a strong hold on the public mind, but it conflicted
with rival schemes, and no progress was made with the railroad until after the
confederation of tlie Provinces, when it was completed out of the general
revenue. Put the idea survived, and has been since applied on the largest
scale in the continuation of the line to the Pacific. His views were published
in a pamphlet in 1852.
Mr. Cogswell died No\-. 9, 1S54, in his family mansion on Argyle Street.
Halifax, N. S., at the age of seventy-eight. He had been long in failing
health, having suffered much affliction from the loss of his wife and several of
his children. As his end approached he expressed a hope that he might be
spared the trial of a protracted illness, and his desire was granted. His
remains were interred in the family enclosure at the Camp Hill Cemeterv,
the site being marked bv a monument of native granite sculptured with the
emblematic scallop shells.
Mrs. Isabella (ELLisi Cogswell was the daughter of Rev. William Ellis,
Rector of Windsor, N. S. Tliis gentleman's history is one of those romances
in real life of which the annals of colonization afiford so many examples.
He was the son of a Master in Chancery in Ireland, and taking some-
offence at the division of the paternal estate among the heirs, gave up every-
thing, and resolved on emigrating as a missionary to Nova Scotia. He was