COGSWELL, JOSEPH GREEN

Cogswell, Joseph Green (1786-1871). He was born on September 27, 1786 at Ipswich, Massachusetts. He attended the Phillips Exeter Academy and then went to Harvard graduating in 1809 having studied Law. He traveled to India and on return to America practiced Law at Belfast, Maine. In 1812 he married Mary Gilman, daughter of Governor John Taylor Gilman. She died suddenly in 1813. He became a tutor at Harvard and went to Europe in 1816. He remained in Europe for four years studying at the University of Gottingen and traveling about in England. In 1820, he was appointed Professor of Geology and Mineralogy and College Librarian at Harvard. In 1823, he established Round Hill School at Northampton, Massachusetts. He was forced to close the school in 1834. It was then that his book, rare coin and medal collection was sold on February 26, 1834. The next two years he worked in a school at Raleigh, North Carolina until he was forced to leave due to ill health. He returned to New York and worked as an educator for the sons of the banker, Samuel Ward. Three of Ward’s sons had been pupils of Cogswell at Round Hill.

He died on November 26, 1871 at Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Work:

A Catalogue of Books From the Library of J. G. Cogswell, being a Rare Collection of Works on Natural History, and in Foreign, English and Miscellaneous Literature, to be Sold at the Julien Auction Room, by J. L. Cunningham, on Wednesday the 26^th of February, at 9 o’clock A.M., 1834 (Boston, 1834) : 16 pages.

Bibliography :

Bulletin of the New York Public Library, Volume 20, January to December (1916) Photo page 555 July Issue