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FATHER and DAUGHTER 
 
 A Collection of Cogswell 
 
 Family Letters and Diaries 
 
 & 
 
 (1772-1830) 
 
 Edited by 
 GRACE COGSWELL ROOT 
 
 Printed at 
 
 The American School for the Deaf 
 
 West Hartford, Conn. 
 
Foreword 
 Most of the following letters were given to me by Miss 
 Mary Weld of Chestnut Hill and have since been turned 
 over to the Library of Yale University. The remainder 
 and the M. F. C. Hartford-New York diary were already 
 in the Library. 
 
 August, 1924. G. C. R. 
 
"And ye Angel Gabriel being yh at ancer at Peminaquid (1) was 
 burst in pieces & cast away in ye storme & most of the cattell & other 
 goodes with one seaman & 3 or 4 passengers did also perish therin, besides 
 two of ye passengers yt died bty ye way, ye rest having yr lives given ym 
 for a prey." Thus the Reverend Richard Mather tells in his journal (2) 
 why John Cogswell was permitted to land on the shore of the Americas 
 on August 15, 1635. But unfortunately he does not tell us why John and 
 his wife, Elizabeth, had seen fit in Trinity Term, 1635, (3) to sell for 
 £40 their cottages, gardens, orchards, barn and pastures in Westbury 
 and Westbury Leigh, in the County of Wilts, England, and set out for the 
 New World. It may be said here that between 1625 and 1630 the busi- 
 ness of weaving had suffered a very serious decline in England. (4) 
 Whether or no this was the reason for the emigration of the Cogswells 
 is conjectural. So probably the most satisfying way is for each of their 
 descendants to answer the question for himself, according as he inter- 
 prets the John and Elizabeth still stirring in his own blood. 
 
 John's English inheritance had been "the Mylls called Ripond, 
 situated within the Parish of Frome, Selwood" and so he had naturally 
 followed the family trade of manufacturing woolens, (5) while his wife 
 Elizabeth, had borne him nine children. 
 
 Such was the history of the Cogswells up to the time when they 
 found themselves wet and shivering on the rockbound coast of our home- 
 land in midsummer, 1635. Besides his family, John had saved one other 
 possession from the wreck of the Gabriel, a large tent, which, pitched 
 on the shore of the Province of Maine, provided the "First Home of the 
 Cogswells* in America." John soon busied himself in going to Boston 
 and finding there a small ship, fetched his family in it to Ipswich in the 
 Colony of Massachusetts Bay. The tract of land between the Kennebec 
 and Piscataqua Rivers had been anglicanized by Sir Ferdinando Gorges 
 while Dover and Exeter were infected with antinomians. So it is prob- 
 able that a blue Puritanical wind kept the Cogswell's little barque sailing 
 southward until it could head inland up the Agawam, which was an Or- 
 thodox River in those days. Here at "the further Chebokoe," in 1636, a 
 grant of 308 acres of land was made to John Cogswell. 
 
 Once rooted in New England the Cogswells appear to have done their 
 duty in conforming to the Puritan practice of auto-multiplication. But 
 for the purposes of these pages we pass by another John and two Samuels, 
 stopping at James, born in Saybrook, Connecticut, 1720. At the age of 
 fifteen he "experienced religion" and his active ministry in the Congrega- 
 tional Church lasted sixty years. One deep rift in it was caused by his 
 drinking a cup of tea. In the critical year, 1775, after the death of his 
 adopted daughter, Miss Betsy Devotion, the Reverend James was so over- 
 
 (1) Peminaquid is on the eastern shore of Muscongus Bay, Maine. 
 
 (2) "Journal of Richard Mather, 1635" Boston. Printed and published by David 
 Clapp over 184 Washington Street, 1850. 
 
 (3) In the Public Record Office, London, appears the following conveyance: — "In 
 Charles First, Trinity Term, 1635. Anthony Selfe & Henry Allyn, Plaintiff & John 
 Cogswell & Elizabeth, his wife, Defendants . . . ." 
 
 (4) "Founding of New England" by James Truslow Adams. 
 
 (6) There are factories occupying much the same locations and still owned today 
 by Cogswells. "The Cogswells in America" by Jameson, published 1834. 
 
 [5] 
 
come by shock that he was persuaded by sympathizing friends to indulge 
 in the soothing stimulus of a panniekin of tea. This delinquency having 
 been reported to the Committee of Inspection, the Dominie, always ner- 
 vously sensitive to public opinion, was able to exculpate himself only by 
 producing a certificate from his physician to the effect that the cup of 
 tea had been prescribed. But amongst the general public, manv 
 aggrieved patriots continued to express their resentment by staying at 
 home from church service. Doubtless his name and offence would have 
 been published in the "Norwich Packet" and in the "New England Gazette" 
 had not the news of the Battle of Lexington come just then and been 
 found sufficiently absorbing to sweep into forgetfuiness even the heinous 
 sin of Tory tea drinking by the cloth. 
 
 James was graduated from Yale with the class of 1742. He studied 
 theology, after graduation with the Reverend Solomon Williams. In 1744 
 he was recommended to the Church in Canterbury, Connecticut, by the 
 Windham (Old Light) Consociation and also by a special New Light 
 Council as a fit candidate for settlement. He was voted a call to settle 
 in September, in consequence of which the major part of the church 
 seceded and set up "separate" worship. The consociation met in Decem- 
 ber, 1744, as an ordaining council, and having decided that the separat- , 
 ing majority had by voting to reject the Saybrook for the Cambridge 
 platform made themselves into another church, proceeded to ordain the 
 Rev. Cogswell. 
 
 James Cogswell married Alice Fitch in 1745. 
 
 The preceding lines have served as a foreword to the account of 
 the life of their fourth child, Mason Fitch Cogswell, born September, 
 1761, at Canterbury, while his father was resident minister. 
 * * * 
 
 The name Mason had come into the family by the front door, the 
 mother of the Rev. James being : Mrs. Ann Dennison, nee Mason, grand- 
 daughter of Captain John Mason, Major of the Colonial forces and 
 historian of the Pequot War. History books are fond of acclaiming this 
 Captain Mason as the Puritans' own St. George. Certainly it would 
 have been more appetizing had he roasted a dragon alive instead of 
 seven hundred Indian men, women and children. At the time he calmly 
 notes that "by the Providence of God there were one hundred and fifty 
 more savages than usual in the village that night" (1), This pious 
 expression goes to show that the Puritans preferred to keep their Bible 
 open at the Old Testament. 
 
 Like many ministers of his day, the Reverend James was accustom- 
 ed to receive pupils into his family, fitting young men for college and 
 the ministry. Naphthalia Daggett, afterwards president of Yale Col- 
 lege, enjoyed for half a year "the faithful grammar instruction of Mr. 
 Cogswell." A later pupil was one Benedict Arnold of Norwich, then 
 a bright little fellow, full of play and pranks, a recipient of many 
 letters of counsel and warning from his excellent mother. (2) 
 
 When our little hero, whom we will call, M. F. C, was eleven 
 years old his mother died. That same year his father, the Reverend 
 
 (1) "Founding of New England" by James Truslow Adams. 
 
 (2) "The History of Windham County" by Ellen D. Lamed. 
 
 [6] 
 
James, moved about eight miles to Windham, Connecticut. Here he 
 became minister in the New Scotland Parish on a settlement of sixty- 
 pounds and an annual salary of eighty pounds. Within a few months 
 he took to himself a new devotion, in the guise of a wife, by name 
 Martha Lathrop, widow of his predecessor the Reverend Ebenezer Devo- 
 tion, and the bridegroom promptly "settled into heir pleasant home- 
 stead." Whether she had been the reason for his resigning his pastor- 
 ate in Canterbury or whether upon arrival at Windham he had discover- 
 ed she would make a good "Curate's Assistant" is not recorded. It must 
 have been professional help the Dominie craved, for of his five children, 
 one was married, two had died in childhood, one was attending Yale Col- 
 lege (1) and only one, little Mason remained at home to be looked after. 
 It appears that coincidently with the arrival of the step-mother this last 
 remaining child left the paternal roof. First, it was to live near Wind- 
 ham in the family of the Honorable Samuel Huntington. Little Mason 
 appears to have had Devotion women to the right and left of him, for the 
 wife of this Huntington was none other than the daughter of Maspn's new 
 step-mother. Very probably that was one of the reasons for sending 
 Mason to live with the Huntington family, and another, most likely, 
 was that there was a young Huntington, Samuel by name, the adopted 
 nephew, with whom Mason could study preparatory to entering Yale. 
 Here we happen first on the tri-partite alliance which held fast between 
 the Huntington-Devotion-Cogswell families through the seventy years 
 of M. F. C.'s life. Anyway, the background presented by the Hunting- 
 ton family and young Samuel, his comrade-at-arms, must have appeared 
 very sympathetic to an eleven year old boy keen for playing at Indian 
 skirmishes and Red-Coat routs. The Honorable Samuel Huntington 
 was at all hours a striking Continental figure, but never more so than in 
 these particular days when political reverberations were already begin- 
 ning to sound through New and Old England. 
 
 Huntington had been born in 1731, and while apprenticed at the age 
 of sixteen to a cooper, had aspired to the law and had devoted all his spare 
 moments to its study. By 1761 he had established himself as a lawyer 
 in Norwich, and was married to Martha Devotion, daughter of the Rev- 
 erend Ebenezer Devotion of Windham. Having no children of their own 
 Samuel Huntington and his wife early adopted a niece and nephew, 
 Hannah and Samuel, children of the Reverend Joseph Huntington, of 
 Coventry, Connecticut. Any reading of Norwich in these pre-revolu- 
 tionary days shows the Huntington home to have been the political and 
 social focus of that region. 
 
 "A number of young men studied law with Mr. Huntington (2) and 
 
 (1) The Reverend James Cogswell himself was thought of by some of the alumni 
 as a candidate for President Clap's place at Yale in 1766. 
 
 (2) Samuel Huntington's public life began in 1764 as a Representative to the 
 General Assembly. In 1773 he was elected a member of the Upper House; in 1774, 
 Associate Judge of the Supreme Court of Connecticut; and in 1775, a member of 
 Congress. He continued in Congress till 1780. He was elected a member of the 
 Marine Court, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, served 
 as President of Congress from 1779-1781, and as then obliged to resign on account 
 of ill-health. On retiring from Congress he resumed his office of Judge of the 
 Supreme Court. In 1782 & 1783 he was again elected to Congress but resigned the 
 office in the latter year. In 1784 he was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme 
 Court; in 1785, Lieut. Governor; in 1786, Governor, which office he held till he died 
 from "dropsy of the chest" in 1796. 
 
 [7] 
 
were constantly at the house. This youthful element and the warm 
 hospitality of Governor and Mrs. Huntington made their home a center 
 of attraction for all the young people of the Town, and it is said, that 
 after games in the parlor, the young guests would often return to the 
 kitchen and dance away until the curfew rang at nine o'clock . . Mrs. 
 Huntington is described as dressing 'very simply, often in a white short 
 gown and stuff petticoat with stiffly-starched cap and clean muslin 
 apron/ In the journal of the Marquis de Chastellux, who dined with 
 Gov. Huntington in Philadelphia in 1780 while Mr. Huntington was Pres- 
 ident of Congress, he describes Mrs. Huntington as 'a good-looking lusty 
 woman, but not young* who 'did the honors of the table, that is to say, 
 helped everybody, without saying a word/ Governor Huntington was 
 of middle size, with a 'swarthy' complexion and a 'vivid' and 'penetrat- 
 ing' eye; 'considering comfort and convenience' more than splendour 
 in his domestic arrangements, 'modern and circumspect in all his move- 
 ments, never frivolous' but always 'practical' in his conversation. He 
 was 'a constant attendant at public worship and at conference meetings, 
 in the absence of the minister, often led the services.' (1) 
 
 There is a letter extant from a J. Huntington to Dr. James Cogswell. 
 I print it here because of the insight it affords into Puritanical faith 
 when face to face with sorrow, because it reflects the friendliness between 
 the Huntingtons and Cogswells, and most of all, because it contains 
 the first written mention of our hero, Mason Fitch Cogswell, albeit as 
 a little fever-blistered victim. 
 
 "To the Revd James Cogswell, Scotland Parish, Windham, 
 
 Very dear & Hond Sir, 
 
 I do not expect you will take the trouble of answering all the letters 
 I write to you, though every line from you is very precious to me; but 
 as my heart is always with you it is natural for me to write. It almost 
 kills me to think of my "blasted hopes and snort withering days/' I 
 once fondly expected to spend this summer in the sweet enjoyment of 
 everything my heart could wish for in this world. Ah! how differently 
 must I drag through the gloomy season if life is' continued. Dear Sir, 
 I don't forget you while I mourn for myself; my heart bleeds for you 
 every day, if my prayers are heard God Almighty will be near to you 
 in this day of uncommon trial. You have seen me, Sir, in every dis- 
 covery of weakness which the excess of love, hope, fear and anguish 
 could produce, and if you can still own me as your child and most duti- 
 ful friend, your candour will appear very great. 
 
 I have been exceedingly depressed of late; in the beginning of this 
 week I rode as far as Windham hoping that riding and conversation 
 would help me, which indeed it did; though before I got there, I once 
 or twice almost determined to turn homeward; I often ride abroad if 
 I am able; I design, if providence permit, to go to Norwich the be- 
 ginning of next week with my little son; must go by the way of 
 Lebanon as it is bad passing the River of Windham. 
 
 (1) "Old Houiea of the Ancient Town of Norwich, 1660-1800," by Mary E. Perkins. 
 
 [8] 
 
Wm Woolcott Esqre, a valuable friend of mine, who has repeatedly 
 written to me in my affliction, will make me a visit the beginning of 
 the week after next, des volenti; and if it should please God that the 
 state of your family might permit you to do me the like favour I should 
 receive it with great thankfulness. Sir, you are nearer my heart than 
 SS °™ er va | U£ t ble |riend. I was grieved to hear at Windham that 
 little Mason had a fever sore on his arm. God grant a speedy case 
 Why is it that a merciful God has laid his hand so heavy upon you and 
 your dear family? But he is holy; "He giveth not account of any of 
 His matters. 'Man was not made to question; but adore." 
 
 As to the dreadful, the distressing share I have in the affliction 
 of your family, my own sins easily account for it. My soul centered too 
 much in that dear object whose sweet, lovely image can never be erased 
 from it He that made her so charming and desireable knows the 
 strength of my temptation. I hope for his pardon for every deviation 
 of my affection from their proper channels. Oh, how happy if I might 
 always as sensibly love a present God as I have done some of his creatures ! 
 
 I beg to be remembered to your children as one that has a tender lcve 
 and pity for them ; may they choose a parent, a friend who is far above 
 all the claims of mortality. 
 
 "The Lord liveth, and blessed be our Rock, and may the God of our 
 Salvation be glorified." 
 
 Sir, I subscribe, with tears, your most 
 dutiful, Obedient 
 Servant 
 Coventry, 28 May 1772 J. Huntington 
 
 Revd Mr. Cogswell" 
 
 By his first wife, Alice Fitch, James Cogswell had had a daughter 
 named after her mother. This daughter died May 9th 1772. So from 
 this letter one quite naturally supposes the bereaved J. Huntington 
 to have been paying her his addresses. 
 
 * ♦ ♦ 
 
 In 1776 M. F. C. must have entered Yale. The story goes that his 
 entrance examination was given him on the knee of President Daggett, 
 tt seems natural he should have sought an education at this particular col- 
 lege. His father had done so before him, and geographically it was near 
 at hand. Then too, Yale represented the more orthodox expression of 
 religion in education. It has even been said to have been started in 
 protest against the more liberal and more wicked ways of Harvard. This 
 point of view would have found sympathy in the Congregational breast o,f 
 Dominie James, the father. 
 
 It is said (1) that Governor Samuel Huntington adopted and sent 
 to Yale both his nephew, Samuel Huntington, and M. F. C. Anyway, in 
 1780, M. F. C. aetat 19, graduated as valedictorian and youngest man 
 in his class. A class of 27 men which included such able ones as [Matthew 
 and Roger Griswold. There is extant only one letter about M. F. C.'s 
 undergraduate days. 
 
 (1) "Yale University Biography. Memorials of Eminent Yale Men" by Anson 
 Phelps Stokes. 
 
 [9] 
 
"To Mason Fitch Cogswell 
 
 In Stamford Windham, August 3, 1779. 
 
 Handed by Mr. Ripley 
 
 My dear child, 
 
 I have been very anxious for you in This Time (1) of great Dis- 
 tress and Danger which has been near you and all round you. I had no 
 reason to think any other but that you were at New Haven when The 
 Enemy was there and heard once that they had killed some Scholars 
 and taken off most of the Rest. Think how I felt. I should indeed 
 have been uncomfortable had I have given full credit to the Report. 
 But the next Day was relieved of that anxiety by seeing Bain as he came 
 Home from New Haven. What Reason have you to bless God for his 
 protecting goodness. 
 
 I doubt not you will follow your studies to as good advantage as 
 you can and if College gets together should be very desirous you should 
 be there if you can for tho' I am greatly obliged to Mr. Davenport (2) 
 for his kind care in intrusting you as well assured of his abilities as I 
 shpuld be in those of any man, I suppose the advantages of a public 
 education are greater than of a private one if you can Enjoy it. How- 
 ever I have no Doubt your Brother will do what appears best in this 
 Regard. 
 
 I am as ever your affectionate father, 
 
 James Cogswell 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell; my Son." 
 
 * * * 
 
 We have no records to tell us what young Cogswell did with 
 himself during the war years of strain and stress. The next date 
 which is noted in black and white is March 5th, 1781, when M. C. F. 
 wrote from Stamford to his 1 father at Scotland Parish, Windham, filling 
 the letter with a fulsomeness of duty and apology. 
 
 "To the Reverend James Cogswell 
 Windham 
 
 Stamford, March 5th, 1781 
 Dear & Hond Sir, 
 
 The letter which you handed me when I was at home is before me — 
 the lengthy reproof which it contains is a sufficient punishment to deter 
 me from being guilty of the like neglect in future where it is in my power 
 to avoid it. It has ever given me painful feelings when my conduct has 
 been expressive to the least ingratitude towards a Friend who has con- 
 
 (1) Early on Monday Morning, July 5, in 1779, from 2 to 3000 British troops under 
 General Tryon landed in the suburbs of New Haven and proceeded to plunder the 
 town during the Rest of the day. A company of Yale students, about seventy in 
 number, commanded by George Wells of the Senior Class, assisted in checking t/he 
 British advance. The college buildings were not damaged, for which exemption 
 Edmund Fanning (Yale 1757) a member of General Tryon's official family after- 
 wards claimed the credit. 
 
 At the approach of the enemy, President Stiles dismissed the students until 
 further orders. A private commencement for the conferring of degrees, was held 
 on September 8, but no attempt was made to assemble the College for study until 
 the usual time of beginning the fall term (Oct. 22) "Dexter's Yale Biographies 
 & Annals" 
 
 (2) Probably the father of Elizabeth Davenport who was then the wife of James 
 Cogswell, M. D. 
 
 [10] 
 
ferred upon me the most inconsiderable favor. It is not strange then 
 that my feelings should be still more painful when tax'd with this crime 
 by a fond Parent whose prayers Fve ever had for my happiness & whose 
 approbation has ever given me the most sensible satisfaction. Since I 
 have been capable of the least reflection I have felt a sweet pride in 
 gladdening my Parents by a conformity to all their commands. My 
 feelings are still the same — and 'tis my desire they never may be chang'd — 
 Do not, Dear Sir, impute my neglect of writing to wilfulness. IN or give 
 it so harsh a name as Ingratitude. Neither have I forgotten that I have 
 friends in that quarter as you and my Mamma seem almost ready to con- 
 clude. That would indeed be Ingratitude. My late visit I fancy has 
 removed every suspicion of that nature — neither the distance there is be- 
 tween us nor the variety of Objects — however many and pleasing — that 
 surround me — can ever efface the remembrance of my dearest friends — 
 nor in the least diminish my affections. 
 
 This week is in some measure a week of rejoicing — last Sunday came 
 into the family a fine Daughter. Mrs. Davenport is very comfortable 
 and in a fair way for recovery — But the enjoyments of life are (not) set 
 down without a mixture of grief — Whilst the Major and his wife are pleas- 
 ed with the charming Daughter — Jammy and Nabby are mourning the 
 loss of a darling son. It was born a fortnight since and died yesterday of a 
 pleurisy. Thus wither' d the one promising infant and blasted the expected 
 happiness of its Parents — their expectations were highly raised and the 
 disappointment consequently very great — How uncertain are life's com- 
 forts and how often do our dreams of Joy terminate in real sorrow. 
 
 Our situation in this quarter with regard to the Enemy is much as 
 it has been for these several months past — We are still fearful of losing 
 our cattle—but our fears are not so great as they have been, as some of 
 the most noted villians have lately been taken — Since I came from the 
 Eastward my Brother has reed letters from Sammy (1) in which he men- 
 tions his designs of visiting us as soon as he can leave the army conven- 
 iently and should he come as far as Stamford he will undoubtedly lengthen 
 out his journey to Scotland — He mentions particularly that he is well. My 
 brother calls and I must obey — With compliments to friends 
 
 I am, Dear Sir, with filial affection, 
 Your Dutiful Son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 P. S. I intended to have written to my Mamma & 'tis really a disappoi t- 
 ment to me that I have not time. Sargeant McNutt now waits upon me 
 for this letter. Miy respects particularly to Mrs. Devotion and family. 
 My duty to mjy Mamma— tell her I will write the next opportunity and 
 that I am most affectionately her obliged son 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 Revd. James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 (1) Samuel Cogswell had graduated from Yale in the class of 1777. On July 1, 
 1777, he received a commission as 1st Lieutenant in Col. H. Jackson's "additional, ' 
 afterwards Sixteenth and Ninth Massachusetts Continental Regiment, which 
 wintered at and near Valley Forge in 1777-1778. In July, 1781, Samuel Cogswell 
 appears as Adjutant of detached companies at West Point and by McDougalPs 
 garrison orders of Sept. 4 he was oppointed a Brigade-Major of a Temporary 
 brigade under Col. H. Jackson. Late in the following year, Nov. 12, 1782, he was 
 appointed Deputy Judge-Advocate and held the office for several months. 
 
 "Yale in the Revolution" by Johnson 
 
 [ii] 
 
M. F. C. had a brother James, fifteen years older than himself, 
 who was at this time living in Stamford, acting as Examining Surgeon 
 of Volunteers for the Army. (1) James was married to Elizabeth Hunt- 
 ington Davenport of Stamford. M. F. C. either lived with his brother 
 or with the Davenports, and this must have been the time when he decid- 
 ed upon the profession of medicine. A clipping from an undated Hart- 
 ford newspaper says that M. F. C. studied surgery and medicine with 
 his brother and for several years after being admitted to practice was 
 located in Stamford. Brother James always seems to be spoken of in 
 tones of admiring awe ; while Sammy, the other brother, but seven years 
 older than Mason, appears to be regarded as loveable and teaseable. 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Baltimore, Nov. 1st, 1781. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir— 
 
 I should consider myself as wanting in filial duty did I fail of using 
 every method in my power of acquainting you with my circumstances — 
 especially as I know the satisfaction it gives you to hear from any of your 
 sons, let them be where they will — And the circumstance likewise of my 
 being far distant I am sensible will not lessen but rather add to the sat- 
 isfaction — in this view of matters I think I should be inexcusable in not 
 writing, allowing the probability of your ever knowing it (as it really is) 
 to be very small. A letter that arrived safe from Windham to Stamford 
 or from Stamford to Windham is a vara avis. What then must be one 
 that goes from Baltimore to Windham? Somebody must be better ac- 
 qainted with Horace than I am to give it a good name — I have heard that 
 whatever is far fetched is fine — This then may be considered another 
 inducement that it may be said I have written one fine letter. 
 
 I wrote you just before I left Stamford and if you have ever reed the 
 letter you may remember that I informed you of my intentions of going 
 a journey southward. I am thus far on my way and expect to set out 
 for Virginia. Mr. Sutton, the young gentleman who is with me (or 
 rather with whom I am) truly deserves the compassion of every friend 
 to humanity and the more so as it was his true earnest desire to be service- 
 able to his Country that reduced him to his present pitiable condition. 
 It's nearer twelve months since he has been declining and I cannot per- 
 ceive that he is any better than when he left home. I eagerly wish and 
 impatiently wait for his recovery with all the anxiety of a near friend. 
 It would give me the highest satisfaction if I could return him again to 
 the embraces of his dear relatives. Nothing I am sensible is impossible 
 to Him who has the disposal of all events. Our desires cannot avail — 
 His will and not ours be done. 
 
 Whenever I return, if I have my health, I shall visit you immediately. 
 I want very much to see my Mamma. My regards to her and the Doctor 
 
 (1) In 1779 while the war was still going on, the town voted James Cogswell 
 liberty "to set up a smallpox hospital at the house of Capt. Reuben Scofield, and 
 at such other houses not within one mile of the heart of the town, after liberty 
 first obtained of the neigborhood; and all such hospitals to be under the inspection 
 of the selectmen." 
 
 "The History of Stamford, Conn." by Rev. E. S. Huntington, A. M. 
 
 [12] 
 
and compliments to my other friends. I must refer you to Mr. Devotion 
 for politicks and assure you that I am, with growing affection 
 
 Your dutiful son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 One would hazard a guess from this letter that M. F. C. was already 
 apprenticing in medicine and that Mr. Sutton having lost his health in the 
 Service had come under the eye of the examining surgeon, Brother James, 
 and been sent south in the care of M. F. C. However, it is disappointing 
 that M. F. C. did not consider it easier to placate his Reverend Father in 
 Windham by descriptions of the war conditions in the country through 
 which he passed than by the use of self-conscious phrases of affection. 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Stamford, August 8th, 1782. 
 Dear & Hond Sir, 
 
 I have this moment reed my Brothers letter from Colonel Cusie. 
 He is absent and I have taken the liberty of opening it.. We are all 
 well, hoping peace. The |Marquise Vandruiell (if I spell it right Mr. 
 Devn can tell) has arrived at the hook with thirteen heavy line of 
 battleships, three Frigates and Sloop of War and two American Brigs. 
 This I believe is true. They publish it in New York. There is likewise 
 an acct in Revingbon's Gazette of a Declaration of Independence on 
 condition that friendly Americans should have the losses they have 
 sustained by the war made up. I rejoice to hear that you are better, 
 that you are more at leisure and that Rockwell is desirous of remaining 
 where he now is. If in New York my Brother may be of service in 
 getting him out — I will tell what I am doing in my next letter — till then 
 as I ever have been, I shall be as I now am 
 
 With increasing affection 
 Your dutiful son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 Tlo the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 To jMr. Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 Stamford Windham, January 29th, 1783. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I have for sometime past with some impatience hoped for at least a 
 line from you. If you considered how much satisfaction your letters 
 give me I believe you would write oftener. Its much easier for you to 
 write to me than for me to write to you as you are young and- sprightly 
 and have good eyes. Besides you have not got a variety of affairs to 
 attend to nor so many Avocations. I observe your late letters are short 
 because you had little previous notice, or your bearer is waiting, etc. 
 You may prevent that inconvenience by taking a leisure opportunity 'and 
 have Time Enough, and embrace your next opportunity of sending. I 
 received a bit of Letter from the Doctor dated the 16th of December 
 and one from Samuel dated the 22nd. In Samuel's letter he informs 
 me he hopes to see me towards Spring at the Doctor's Wedding. If it 
 was designed to be so soon I believe the Doctor would have informed 
 
 [13] 
 
me of it before now: but I hope it will be deferred until the Weather 
 will be pleasant and the Riding good in the Spring as it will be difficult 
 for me to attend before and I should be glad to see my Children together 
 Especially on so agreeable an occasion. I have no News of any 
 Importance but what you will doubtless have before this reaches you. 
 Your Mamma and I are about as well as usual and all our friends well 
 as far as I know. Indeed it is a very unusual Time of Health which 
 is Reason of great Thankfulness; and that the Ravages of War have 
 ceased and there appears an increasing prospect of Peace is especially 
 to Stamford and the Towns adjacent an additional Reason of peculiar 
 Gratitude to the Great Disposer of all Events. I have no advice to 
 give you with regard to your Temporal Concerns, thanks to a kind 
 providence that you have generous patrons capable and willing to take 
 better Care of you in those respects than I can. But it belongs to a 
 parent to give advice in Matters of Religion. A faithful and tender 
 parent cannot avoid it. I have no suspicion that you indulge yourself 
 in any Vicious Practices. I rejoice in the good Character that you 
 sustain and that your Temper and Conduct are not only irreproachable 
 but amiable in the view of your acquaintance in General as well as your 
 particular Friends. But my Son you are young and Youth is exposed 
 to many Temptations — many besides to those of the grosser Kind. There 
 are sweet and hidden Dangers, more refined as well as grosser pleasures 
 which may alienate the Heart from God and Christ and Religion and 
 consequently ruin the soul. Beware of all These; make sure of the 
 Favor of God and an Interest in Christ as your first great Care. To 
 vou especially, to those to your age (I mean,) is that important Direc- 
 tion given, my Son give me thine Heart. Let no Business divert you 
 from just Duties. Let the word of God be your favorite Book — medi- 
 tate on it & pray over it every Day — look to God for the sacred, ef- 
 fectual Influences of the Divine Spirit to form you to ye Love & prac- 
 tice of real Religion; never leave seeking until you obtain satisfactory 
 Evidence that you are born of God — in Heart & Lip a disciple of Christ, 
 until you dare and will give your Heart, Name & Life to his Service. — 
 Never Never be ashamed to profess, practice and vindicate the Religion 
 of ye Gospel tho' in a Skeptical, Degenerate and Dissolute Age. I hope 
 you have Dispositions this way but I would wish you to be and appear 
 to be not a superstitious and singular but a serious and devout Man. 
 I have been so lengthy in writing to you that I have not Time now to 
 write to the Doctr. Give my Hearty Love to him and his little Daugh- 
 ter. Your Mamma joins in Cordial Love to you, him and all Friends. 
 I am 'as ever, your affectionate Father 
 
 James Cogswell 
 
 My son; Mason F. Cogswell" 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Stamford, April 1st, 1783. 
 
 Dear & Hond Parent, 
 
 I reed your letter a few days since by way of Mr. Fitch dated the 
 29th of January and am rejoiced to hear not only that you and family 
 are well, but that Health is so universally prevalent. I believe it is not 
 less so here than with you. Very few are ailing and very few whose 
 
 [14] 
 
countenances are not brightened with unusual Gladness. Health even 
 in time of War and Slavery is a blessing but when accompanied with 
 Peace Liberty and Independence it is doubly so and such is our Situation 
 at present. With a contest of only seven years we have secured to us 
 by Treaty the Blessings we have fought for, and a much greater extent 
 of territory than we had any reason to expect. It is our own fault 
 if we are not a happy people. Peace is what we have been long wishing 
 for and we have it at length established — Accept my very best com- 
 pliments with gratulations acceptable to Mr. Devotion. The news is 
 great and I am sure must have affected him very sensibly — Perhaps it 
 is only a report with you as yet, but you may rely on it as a fact. 
 I was at West Point last Friday, His Excellency had it in a letter from 
 the Minister of Foreign Affairs and likewise from the Minister of 
 France. It has since been published in general orders. A person 
 must be very unbelieving indeed to doubt the truth of it in the least. 
 Sammy left the Point since I did and confirms everything that we have 
 heard. Mr. and Mrs. Davenport both desire to be remembered to you 
 and my mamma to whom I beg to be remembered most dutifully and 
 most affectionately. I hope shortly to make you a visit. With com- 
 pliments to all friends, I am., with affection 
 
 Your dutiful son 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Stamford, Oct. 30th, 1783. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir, 
 
 Since Peace, opportunities for sending letters have been much less 
 frequent than before. I have several times heard of Dr. Hough's being 
 in town but he has never been so good as to call and let me know it till 
 too late. Captain Dorrance conveys this as far as Norwich. I have 
 desired him to leave it at Mr. Huntington's from whence I suppose it 
 will find its way to Scotland almost any day in the week. From what 
 I told you in the spring I conclude you have been expecting Sammy and 
 myself to visit you for some weeks past and we have both of us as long 
 been expecting and endeavoring to do so but we have not been able and 
 nothing more or less than the want of a sufficiency of that necessary 
 matter which would make the mare go as far as Scotland has prevented 
 our being able. Such has been the situation of this part of the country 
 since Peace that not a man, woman or child but was as moneyless as a 
 Beggar. No person however wealthy or however large the pocketbook 
 could hire forty dollars on any emergency whatsoever. I have tried 
 dunning in the first place and in the next borrowing but all to no 
 purpose, there was none to be had for Love nor Money. But I never 
 yet met with a: disappointment that it was not in some way or other (if 
 I wish to make it so) productive of good or at least that gave me no cause 
 for rejoicing. Mr. and Mrs. Davenport have been ill for better than a 
 fortnight. Mrs. Davenport in particular has been exceedingly sick. 
 Her disorder is a kind of remitting Fever which has prevailed very much 
 of late in this part of the State. Few people however have died with it. 
 Mr. Davenport has had the same disorder but is getting better. In 
 this situation of the family it would have mortified me to have been 
 
 [15] 
 
absent even if any other person could have done as well as myself I 
 would not on any account have given up the opportunity of being a 
 Friend indeed because a friend was needed and they have both been un- 
 commonly generous to me and I would eagerly employ every means in my 
 power of returning them some reward. Consequently, I rejoice that I 
 could not get any money, that I could not see my father, my other 
 friends, etc, though at the time I confess I was a little chagrined. With 
 my duty to my Mamma and love and compliments to Friends, I am, as 
 ever, 
 
 Your dutiful and affectionate son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Stamford, February 7th, 1784. 
 
 Very dear and Hond Sir: 
 
 In the last letter which you wrote to my brother you were pleased 
 to express yourself more warmly in my favor that I had ever heard you 
 before. Pardon me my honored Parent if my proud heart swelled to a 
 degree that cast a glow on my cheek which was repeated throughout the 
 day as often as I recollected your favorable opinion. I think it is an 
 observation of Sir Charles Grandison "that a man did not merit com- 
 mendation who was not fond of being praised by the worthy." Let it 
 be whose it will, the observation is a good one and I should in some 
 measure forfeit your good wishes did I not cheerfully consent to its truth. 
 
 I most sincerely lament that I have not been able to visit you before 
 this. I hope in the spring or sometime in the summer to put in ex- 
 ecution the plan I have been long laying. I expect soon to go into New 
 York with my brother (1). I should have mentioned it to you before 
 now but I have as yet been entirely passive, directed by my brother in 
 every particular. I conclude he has written to you on the subject. It 
 will be painful to leave my friends here and to go farther from you, but 
 I shall there have something to do and here I have very little. I feel 
 more uneasy on Sammy's account than on my own. I hope, however, 
 that we can find out some business* which would be agreeable to him and 
 then it will be to us. I am sensible there will be more temptation to 
 particular vices than perhaps I have ever met with in any situation. But 
 you and my Brother's frequent cautions will I hope prevent my taking 
 measures which would give pain to you both. My Mamma has a great 
 share in my dutiful love. I want very much to see her. Bespeak her 
 good graces for me. Once more I ask for a parental blessing on your 
 dutiful and affectionate son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 (1) On December 19th, 1783, James Cogswell, M. D. had written to his father; — 
 "I am going to New York soon, and if I can purchase medicine and get a store, 
 shall move in." To New York his brother Mason followed him (James Cogswell) 
 in the summer of 1784 and after further training in surgery in the Soldier's 
 Hospital, he seems to have been taken intto business with his brother in the summer 
 of 1787. "Biographical Sketches of Yale College." 
 
 [16] 
 
"Mr. M. F. C. Norwich, Dec. 3, 1784. 
 
 Queen Street No. 219 (1) Off Beekman Slip— New York. 
 Dear Mason — 
 
 Thanksgiving with a multitude of good eating and good drinking 
 is gonp. Yesterday was the festival and today the puddings with all 
 their dimensions have disappeared. What a glorious thing it is, my 
 dear boy, once a year to eat and to drink and to be crammed to bursting — 
 to be six months at least in preparing our stomachs to swell, that a 
 profusion may be loaded into them and then be six months in getting rid 
 of the heartburn and indigestion occasioned by it — charming — charming. 
 Then six months more in terrors for the severity of a fast, in contracting 
 the stomach and dislodging the obstacles in the guts that they may grow 
 into contact merely for want of something to dilate them. Good God ! 
 What a sight of pigs and geese and turkies and geese and gowls and 
 sheep must be slaughtered to gratify the voraciousness of a single day. 
 The whole world becomes a butcher's stall, that the hungry may be filled 
 and the full, crammed to death. 
 
 Next Spring I promise myself the pleasure of seeing you among 
 other friends who love and value you too. 
 
 Your friends, among whom I include my brothers and our family, 
 would be glad to see and shake you with real cordiality, 
 
 I am, Dear Mason 
 
 Very affectionately, 
 
 Shubael Breed" 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir— New York, Jan. 16th, 1785. 
 
 One would suppose that in a place like this where a variety of in- 
 cidents of a public and private nature are daily taking place, a person 
 of common observation could not be at a loss what to say in almost any 
 situation but the tfiruth of the case is this as it respects myself. I am 
 mostly at home and have very little opportunity of knowing what passes 
 out of the particular niche in which I am conversant. Public matters 
 in particular which are transacted here I don't know half as much about 
 as I did when I lived forty miles from the place. Congress I know are 
 sitting here, but I know nothing that they have been doing, indeed I be- 
 lieve they hardly know themselves as yet. And on the whole I believe I 
 may as well mind my own business and let Congress and everybody else 
 alone. I shall profit more I believe by attending to Electuaries than by 
 endeavoring to find out what Congress or any other set of men are about. 
 
 A few days since I had a charming letter from Sammy. It was 
 as full of fraternal love as yours always are of paternal affection. What 
 a happiness it is to have s'uch a parent and such a brother both so af- 
 fectionate and both so able and willing to give advice! Whatever I 
 ought to be I know that I ami your affectionate and I hope in most 
 respects. Your dutiful son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 (1) In the Directory of New York City — 1786 — is found "Cogswell James Mason, 
 surgeon and apothecary — 219 Queen Street" so we may infer that M. F. C. lived 
 with his brother. Queen Street has become Pearl, anid Beekman Slip is Fulton 
 from Pearl Street to the East River. 
 
 [17] 
 
'"To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham New York, June 9th, 1785. 
 
 My very dear parent — 
 
 I cannot bear the thoughts of being much longer separated from my 
 affectionate Parent. Two long years have elapsed since I have seen you, 
 and three, since I have paid you a visit. Half the time would be much 
 top long, but it shall not be much longer before my designs shall be put 
 in execution^ That is, if my health be spared, I don't believe my brother 
 Sammy is more strongly attached towards Windham than I am to 
 Scotland, In thinking of you I often run over my whole tour with a 
 great degree of satisfaction. I set sail from here, with a fine wind and 
 agreeable company, on board of the Lady Washington (which is the name 
 of Culver's boat) and in a little more than a day I arrive at the Landing 
 where I am glad to see many friends and mapy friends are glad to see me. 
 Then I call at Norwich and am much rejoiced to see Mr. and Mrs. Hunt- 
 ington and family, but my imagination will not suffer me to make a long 
 stay here. I am hurried on with the utmost impatience until I get to 
 Scotland. I dismount unito the front door and meeft you in the entry nor 
 do I know where I am till the tears of pleasure while I am hanging on 
 your neck awaken me from my revery, and convinces me tihat I am not 
 an inch nigher to you than when I first set sail with Culver and thus do 
 most of our schemes of happiness fall to the ground, before we are ready 
 to put them into execution. But I have no objection to this kind of fore- 
 taste. I receive no pain from the demolition of the castle aind a con- 
 siderable degree of satisfaction while it is building, but I am not content 
 with this idea of happiness. There is too much selfishness in it, for no 
 one partakes of the pleasure but myself. Whereas in the reality my 
 Vanity persuades me that many will be as much rejoiced to see me, as I 
 shall be to see them. At any rate I will believe it to be so, until I know 
 it to be the contrary. 
 
 The young gentleman who lives with us is at present in the country 
 on a visit and I am confined very much. He will be back, however, soon 
 and then I shall be more at leisure. Whether I shall come with Culver 
 the next trip or the next but one or the next after that I cannot determine 
 but I will say no more about it. 
 
 I hope my Mamma still loves me or if she have almost forgot me, I 
 hope her affection will be renewed when she sees me. She has my most 
 dutiful love but she has not more than constantly exists towards you in the 
 breast of 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 P. S. Sammy has just arrived in town from New City. (1) He is too 
 busy as yet to write, but I suppose he will do so in a few days. 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 (1) Samuel Cogswell was prospecting by this time in Lansingburgh, New York, 
 then called "New City." Thus by approximately fifty years he prefaced the later 
 inundation by Cogswells of the banks of the Hudson River. 
 
 [18] 
 
"To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham New York, Oct. 14th, 1785 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir, 
 
 I was pleased with my late visit in every way but one, it was too 
 short, and so I suppose it would have been, had I tarried till this time, 
 but I really had not time to pay those visits which I ought to have paid. 
 I was particularly disappointed in not having it in my power to visit Mr. 
 Ripley. She says that she considers me partly in the light of a son, 
 since the death of David. She really has an affection for me or she is 
 a hypocrite, and that I almost know she is not. I believe I wronged my 
 own feelings in not going to see her as much as I did her's, for I really 
 esteem and love her. If I can get time before Sammy goes I will write 
 her a billet and excuse myself ; >if not I wish she may know what my feel- 
 ings are on the subject. 
 
 My Mamma's excellent cheese arrived in due season. I thank her 
 for my past portions which are not inconsiderable for I am very much 
 aware it surpasses even Gloucester or Cheshire. It really is far better 
 than either of them. 
 
 As ever I am, 
 
 Your dutiful son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 'To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham New York, Nov. 27th, 1785. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir, 
 
 Your affectionate epistle by Mr. Tracy, as usual, afforded me satis- 
 faction. The kind admonitions which it contained though few, were 
 most acceptable. I hope they will not be altogether without effect. I 
 was well satisfied with your brevity, sensible that had it been consistent 
 with your health and feelings, you would have written more. My brother 
 (the Doctor) has been so busy among his patients (who grow more num- 
 erous) that he could not write ty> anyone, not even to a Parent. Sammy 
 too, from his being sometime absent, has had as much business as he 
 could attend to since his return, besides nursing his wife who is very well ; 
 (1) she Was inoculated immediately on her arrival here, and in about nine 
 or ten days broke out She is now well, and will never be able to convince 
 those who will not take her word for it that she has had the smallpox. 
 She has not been very sick at any time. Both my Brothers and Sisters 
 join me in filial remembrance to yourself and my Mamma. 
 
 Alice sends her dutiful love, (2) and your charming little grandson 
 (3) comes to me and gives me four kisses, and in the best manner he can, 
 lisps* out his duty to his Grandpapa. I would write more were I not in 
 reality as much crowded for time as perhaps either of my Brothers, but 
 
 (1) Samuel Cogswell married Mary Backus of Windham in 1784. She came 
 dowered with the smallpox. 
 
 (2) 'Ali)ce was the \daugh.t0r of James' first wife and would at this time have 
 been aged 8. 
 
 (3) James Lloyd Cogswell, born April 26, 1784, the first grandson in the family, 
 and son of James Cogswell M. D. and his second wife Abigail Lloyd of Stamford. 
 
 [19] 
 
1 do not mean to take to myself, by saying so, more credit than either of 
 them deserve. They are I suppose more excusable in epistolary omis- 
 sion than I should be. One has his wife to nurse, and the other his pa- 
 tients. I have neither of these, and should be inexcusable in not writing 
 when I can. I wish to be believed 
 
 Your dutiful and affectionate son, 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 'To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham New York, Feb. 10th, 1786. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir, 
 
 Before this you have undoubtedly been informed that my Sister has a 
 Daughter. (1) They are both, mother and child, very finely. I had a 
 letter from Sammy, (2) yesterday. He is well. His partner, Mr. Sel- 
 den, (3) is married very lately to a Miss Abbie Jones of Hartford. My 
 brother (the Doctor) has gone up to Lloyd's Neck to see John Lloyd, Jr., 
 who is very ill. 
 
 Mr. Peartree Smith, (4) a few days since, charged me to be very 
 particular in making his most affectionate regards acceptable to you. He 
 was well pleased to hear that you were living. 
 
 As I ever wish to continue I am 
 
 Your dutiful and affectionate son, 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 'To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham New York, July 4th, 1788. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir, 
 
 Wh^le almost every one in the city is busy in celebrating the thir- 
 teenth Anniversary of American Independence, I retire from the active 
 crowd and instead of eating and drinking and singing and attending to the 
 noise of cannon and musketry, I seek myself in my shop to converse for a 
 few moments with a Parent whose single approbation I should prefer to 
 all the applause which is in their power to bestow. We have had much 
 music today, of cannon, musketry, drums and fifes, with a variety of other 
 instruments "of war-like sound" and a great number of troops in uniform 
 performing the different military manoeuvres usual on such occasions. 
 All this was animating. But still the real satisfaction was far inferior 
 to what I have just now enjoyed in re-perusing your affectionate epistle 
 which I received but a few days since. The former kept my passions 
 
 (1) Sarah Lloyd Cogswell, born January 6, 17C6, daughter of James Cogswell 
 M. D. and Sarah Woolsey Lloyd. 
 
 (2) Samuel Cogswell was in a mercantile business which apparently operated 
 between Lansingburgh and New York. He makes chance remarks about riding to 
 Fort Edward and about importations of wheat and flaxseed arriving in New York. 
 
 (3) Charles Seldom after his war career went into business with Samuel Cogswell 
 at Lansingburgh. The firm name was "Cogswell and Selden." In 1803 Selden 
 was appointed one of the Regents of the University of the State of New York. 
 Later he went into the Assembly and from 1808-1811 sat in the State Senate. 
 
 (4) A classmate of James Cogswell's, Yale 1742. 
 
 [20] 
 
constantly in a hurry and disposed them rather for admiration than en- 
 joyment, whilst the latter has softened every one of my harsh feelings 
 into affection, and prepared my heart with the reception of such social 
 sentiments and dutiful impressions, as I wish ever to encourage when 
 writing to a parent who has always been peculiarly indulgent. The ad- 
 visory part of your letter I shall read over often with particular attention. 
 I hope I may be benefited by it. 
 
 With respect to my southern tour, I shall not think of it without in 
 the first place attaining your approbation. I am too young to settle in 
 a place like this where there are so many old, established practitioners 
 already. An old practitioner will always be preferred to a young one, 
 on account of his age, if for no other reason. This being the case I think 
 it best to imigrate, but I shall not do it in opposition to your wishes. 
 
 With the warmest filial attachment, I am, 
 Your dutiful son, 
 
 Tto the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham New York, August 6th, 1788. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir, 
 
 I have the satisfaction of forwarding with this I presume a long let- 
 ter from Sammy, which will I hope render mine more welcome and in 
 some measure compensate for my laconism. In the magazine which I 
 send you, you will find likewise an Epistle of Sammy's which I think a 
 good imitation of Sterne's style. 
 
 I beg leave to congratulate you on the success which the eloquence, 
 abilities and perseverance of our Federal members from this City have 
 had in Convention. You have undoubtedly heard before this that our 
 State has adopted the Constitution by a majority of five votes. As the 
 whole city is Federal (a very few excepted), on the arrival of the news 
 from Poughkeepsie the Inhabitants were perfectly inebriated with joy 
 and their transports have hardly subsided as yet. Our Procession here 
 in testimony of our approbation was perhaps the most splendid that 
 America has ever seen. I send you a paper containing an account of it, 
 but no description can do it justice. The mild conduct of the people 
 was astonishing. Notwithstanding the amazing concourse of ten to 
 twelve or perhaps fifteen thousand people collected together, not a single 
 accident intervened to interupt our satisfaction, and but one man in- 
 toxicated with strong drink through the whole day and he was with Shays 
 in the Insurrection. He was kicked from the field and not allowed to 
 return. If you have an inclination to know where your son walked in 
 the Procession, I am pleased to tell you that I made one of the Penological 
 Society. It is the first institution of the kind ever established in America. 
 I hope we may do honor to ourselves and be of benefit to others. The 
 attempt I am sure is laudible, however unsuccessful we may be in the 
 prosecution of our designs. With duty and compliments as usual, I am, 
 
 Your dutiful and affectionate son, 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 [21] 
 
During November and December 1788, M. F. C. took a trip through 
 the New England States. He kept a casual diary of social happenings 
 on this trip and through coincidence it was first read aloud to the Histor- 
 ical Society of New Haven, Connecticut, by Dr. Leonard Bacon in March, 
 1880. For during the Civil War and after the capture of Richmond one 
 of Dr. Bacon's sons in the Union Army was instrumental in returning to 
 Mr. Brock, a Southerner, a certain book which was desired. In the 
 course of the acknowledgments of the courtesy, in the shape of news- 
 papers, historical pamphlets, etc., sent to Dr. Bacon, there appeared a 
 soiled and torn manuscript, which it was suggested might be of "local 
 interest to Connecticut people." The strangest part of the story is that 
 the diary was found among the papers of an old Presbyterian Divine, the 
 Reverend John D. Blair, who preached for years in Richmond. He was 
 a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian minister, born and educated in Western Penn- 
 sylvania, who had lived for thirty odd years in Virginia. How the diary 
 came to Virginia is a mys+ery, for Mr. Blair was in no way related to 
 Connecticut or to New England. In fact there is testimony that he 
 never came further north than New Jersey. How the diary happened to 
 remain undisturbed for many years is another mystery. 
 
 Extracts from this diary (1) have been edited by Ellen Strong Bart- 
 lett and printed in » the Connecticut Magazine for October, November 
 and December, 1899. But to fill in all possible gaps in the life of 
 M. F. C. they are re-printed in these pages. 
 
 The first leaf (if no more) is missing. So there is no name on the 
 diary to tell its author and it was only because of Dr. Bacon's exceptional 
 knowledge of Connecticut State history that he was able to solve the 
 riddle. 
 
 At the top of what we suppose to have been the third page we find the 
 diarist recording that he "went to bed and slept luxuriously after supping 
 plenteously on sweetmeats and cream ptfmpion pie and bridal kisses." 
 Then comes a date, 'Friday, 14th* with no mention of the month or year, 
 but with the record "slept late in the morning on account of the wedding, 
 made several morning calls — wished the bride more joy — got my horse 
 shod and set out for Norwalk, where I made a cousinly visit and ate, 
 drank and slept for nothing. In the evening called on Miss C — n, who 
 treated me with friendly attention, unaffected smiles and sprightly wine— 
 the last she gave with a good will. Rode to Greenfield and breakfasted 
 with Mr. Dwight." This was the Rev. Timothy Dwight of Greenfield. 
 Conn., who was a grandson of Jonathan Edwards and who Was from 1795 
 to 1817 the light and the pride of New Haven. "Staid much longer than 
 I intended to. I however forgave myself very readily when I considered 
 the cause of the detention." 
 
 Dr. Bacon explains that "the pastor of Greenfield Hill was like Cole- 
 ridge's Ancient Mariner in the power of fascinating even a wedding guest 
 and holding him fast." 
 
 Our wedding guest escaped in time to dine at Stratford where he 
 seems to have had friends, but found nobody at home, and thence he push- 
 ed on to New Haven. He makes no mention of the ferry across the Hous- 
 atonic, but evidently the day was far spent before he was on the Milford 
 
 (1) It appears impossible to lay hands on the diary itself. It was eriven to Mrs. 
 Catherine Ledynid Ccgeuell Ven Fensjelaer by I)r. Leonard Badbn and last 
 known of was in the Stone Cottage of her home at Burlington, New Jersey. 
 
 [22] 
 
side of the river. "The last part of the ride," he says, "was solitary, as 
 it was in the evening, but it was better calculated for reflection, I was 
 drawing nigh to the seat of my former pleasures, the recollection of a 
 thousand happy circumstances crowded round my heart and awakened 
 some of its choicest emotions. In this way was the gloom of the evening 
 forgotten, and the tediousness of ten long miles entirely lost." In this 
 sentimental mood he arrives at New Haven, an hour perhaps after the 
 Saturday sunset. "Unwilling to sit down and spend the remainder of 
 the evening with strangers, grog-bruisers, etc.," he says, "I immediately 
 went in pursuit of my old friend Leander, but he was, unfortunately for 
 me, out of town on a tour of duty. Not satisfied with a single attempt, 
 
 I repa ; red to Mr. H s, and the very friendly reception I met with 
 
 from everyone secured me as a guest- My portmanteau was sent for and 
 I was made as happy as I wished to be. After answering all the questions 
 that were asked me in as satisfactory a manner as I could, I retired to my 
 couch and slept in peace." 
 
 Dr. Bacon failed to find a clue for "Leander," (1) but he feels sure 
 
 that ,Mr. H s was "Captain" James Hil r house, then living at the head 
 
 of Temple Street. Though still a young man, he was already eminent 
 among his fellows citizens, and his house was always a center of hospital- 
 ity. It was there, we may believe, that our traveler was sleeping that 
 Saturday night. 
 
 "Sunday 30th, Attended Divine service in the afternoon at the Brick, 
 and heard a solid discourse from Dr. Dana ; in the afternoon, my old place 
 of worship, the Chapel, was honored with my presence, where I was highly 
 entertained with a sermon from Dr. Jonathan Edwards,, from these words : 
 'In the day thou eatest therof thou shalt surely die.' The discourse 
 
 was accompanied with good music." Thus far the diary has given us no 
 mention of the month in which it was written, but looking forward for 
 dates, we find that "Sunday, 30th" is followed by "[Monday, Dec. 1st" 
 Dr. Bacon took the trouble to examine the diary of President Stiles in the 
 College Library, and was rewarded by finding therm that on Nov. 16, 
 1788, Mr. Morse, who had been called to the church in Charlestown, Mass., 
 preached in the forenoon in the College Chapel, and that in the afternoon 
 Dr. Edwards, pastor of the White Haven Church in the Blue Meeting- 
 house exchanging pulpits with Dr. Wales, Professor of Divinity in Yale 
 College, preached in the afternoon from Gen. 11, 17, 'In the day that thou 
 eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.' 
 
 So the question of month and year is settled and a search in the town 
 records of Stamford shows that on the thirteenth of November, 1788, 
 David Holley and Martha Coggeshall were married by Col. Abraham 
 Davenport (2) ; and thus the imagination may supply the missing begin- 
 ning of the diary. Dr. Bacon goes on with the account : "Our traveler 
 spent the evening at Dr. Stales'," whose house (his official residence) was 
 on the spot now covered by the CoPege Street Church. He had a pleasant 
 time that Sunday evening. His r ecord is, 'The ladies are the same as 
 
 (1) Through Jameson's "Cogswells in America," see page 243, I believe "Leander" 
 was the Rev. Ebenezer Fitch, see footnote (1) on page 51 of this monograph. For 
 the purpose of reference here, let me say he was tutor at Yale College and licensed 
 to preach there in 1787. 
 
 (2) We may remember that James Cogswell, M. D., had married into the Abraham 
 Davenport family in Stamford. 
 
 [23] 
 
when I was last at New Haven, Amelia somewhat indisposed and conse- 
 quently deprived of a part of her volubility. She was quite as agreeable, 
 however, as she used to be. The circumstance of meeting Messrs. Fitch 
 and Morse added considerably to the pleasures of the evening." 
 
 This "Mr. Morse" was no other than the "Father of American Geo- 
 graphy," Jedidiah Morse, the father also of the inventor of the telegraph 
 and "Mr. Fitch" (1) was then one of the college tutors, and was after- 
 wards the first president of Williams College. 
 
 The diary goes on : "In the evening joined a party of about twenty 
 couples at Mr. Mix's and danced till about twelve." 
 
 Dr. Bacon explains, That was on Elm Street, next below the first 
 Methodist Church. Devout old ladies have told me how they have danced 
 in the ballroom there, which was at the eastern side of the house, on the 
 second floor/ 
 
 Again the diary : "I was never in a room before with so many good 
 
 dancers, not an indifferent dancer in the room. Miss S s, B s, 
 
 B w, and E s were alternately honored with my hand. I did 
 
 my best to persuade them that I was a good partner. I retired to my couch 
 with comfortable reflections and a good appetfte for sleep." 
 
 Miss S s is evidently Miss Stiles, a daughter of the president. 
 
 Miss B s is probably Miss Beers, but I cannot identify her. Miss 
 
 B w was perhaps a stranger. Miss E s is Miss Edwards. 
 
 She was jMrs. Johnson of Stratford, the elder sister of the late venerable 
 Mrs. Whitney. Herself a grand-daughter of the world-famous theologian, 
 Jonathan Edwards, who died president of a Presbyterian college at Prince- 
 ton, her husband was a grandson of Samuel Johnson, the founder of the 
 Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and president of King's (now Columbia) 
 College in New York. Herself the daughter of the brilliant lawyer, 
 Pierpont Edwards, her husband was the son of a more illustrious lawyer, 
 William Samuel Johnson. 
 
 "The next day, Tuesday, 18th', our traveler records that he "break- 
 fasted with Samuel Broome, was treated with hospitality by the whole 
 family, and set out to Hartford with him." 
 
 The Triennial Catalogue of Yale College shows that Samuel Piatt 
 Broome graduated A. B. in the class of 1786; that he was admitted to the 
 same degree in the college at Princeton the same year, and that he died in 
 1811. At the date then, of the journal before us, he Was a graduate of 
 two years standing ; and we may be sure that there was not in New Haven 
 a young man whose prospects in relation to wealth were so brilliant as 
 his. For a considerable period, the firm of Broome and Piatt was more 
 conspicious in the commerce of New Haven than any other. The two 
 partners lived near each other in what we call East Water Street, where 
 ^ne of their dwellings remains to this day, and in those two houses there 
 was probably more of the luxury and display of wealth, more of Mash' 
 and 'fashion' than anywhere else this side of New York. There was be- 
 tween the two families some alliance by marriage, and Mrs. Piatt, whether 
 daughter or sister of Mr. Broome, was celebrated for her beauty. 
 
 The road in those days for the two travelers was by Cedar Hill to 
 North Haven and thence to Wallingford, where they halted for the night. 
 Neither the 'Hartford turnpike', through Meriden, nor the 'iMiddletown 
 
 (1) See footnote (1) Page 23, also footnote (1), Page 51. 
 
 [24] 
 
turnpike* through Northford, had come into existence. The next day 
 they breakfasted at Durham, dined at Middletown, and about sunset ar- 
 rived at Hartford. 
 
 "As soon as our horses were attended to we repaired to Col. Wads- 
 worth's, (1) Broome with his compliments, and I with my letters/' 
 
 Col. Wadsworth's house was oni the spot where the Wadsworth 
 Athenaeum now stands. It was the house in which he was born, and in 
 which his father had lived and died — the Rev. Daniel Wadsworth who 
 was pastor of the first church in Hartford, from 1732 to 1747. In his 
 boyhood, he was apprenticed by his widowed mother, to Matthew Talcott, 
 of Middletown, who was her brother, and to whom she felt that she could 
 safely entrust the bringing up of her only son to the business of a mer- 
 chant. Young Jeremiah Wadsworth learned that business well. He 
 became a prosperous merchant in Middletown, trading largely with the 
 West India Islands. Living with his uncle, whose wife was a daughter 
 of Rev. William Russell and a grand-daughter of Rev. James Pierpont, 
 he married the younger sister of Mrs. Talcott, Mehitable, (otherwise 
 called Mabel Russell) and Middletown continued to be his home till after 
 the beginning of the war for Independence. In 1777, he removed his 
 family to the old homestead, and in that house in which his children were 
 born his children were brought up. 
 
 By reason of his extraordinary ability as a business man, he became 
 Commissary-General of the Continental Army, and afterwards Com- 
 missary-General, in effect of the French Auxiliary army. In the last 
 mentioned employment he continued till the end of the war; and thus 
 instead of being beggared, as so many Revolutionary officers were 
 by the bankruptcy of the Continental treasury, he found himself wealthy, 
 perhaps the wealthiest man in Connecticut for, as having been the pur- 
 chaser of supplies, he had accounts to settle with a government that could 
 pay. 
 
 The relation of Colonel Wadsworth to those armies made his house 
 on one occasion the scene of a memorable interview. In the summer of 
 1780, Washington, whose headquarters were on the Hudson, proposed to 
 the Count de Rochambeau, then at Newport in command of the recently 
 arrived French army, an attack on New York. Letters were sent to the 
 French Admiral in the West Indies with a request for naval assistance 
 from that quarter. 
 
 Meanwhile a conference between Washington and the commanders 
 of the welcome but as yet useless French fleet and army was necessary. 
 Just then it was that Benedict Arnold, who had been entrusted with the 
 command of the fortress at West Point, attempted to consummate his 
 crime. On Thursday, the fourteenth of September, 1780, Washington 
 wrote from his headquarters to Arnold at West Point, "I shall be at Peek- 
 skill on Sunday evening, on my way to Hartford to meet the French 
 Admiral and General. You will be pleased to send down a guard of a 
 captain and fifty men at that time and direct the quartermaster to have 
 a night's forage for about forty horses. You will keep this to yourself 
 as I wish to make my journey a secret." Arnold was already in corre- 
 spondence with Sir Henry Clinton at New York and he saw that the 
 
 (1) Dr. Leonard Bacon had married Miss Catherine Terry, daughter of the Cath- 
 erine Wadsworth (afterwards Mrs. Terry) who appears in the diary as the good- 
 hearted younger sister. 
 
 [25] 
 
time had come to attempt the execution of his design. Washington 
 began his journey on Monday, Sept. 18, and in his company were La~ 
 Fayette, Knox and Hamilton. They could hardly have arrived at Hart- 
 ford before Wednesday, September 20. On their arrival in Hartford, 
 they were received with military honors, the Governors' Guards and 
 a company of artillery being on duty. Governor Trumbull, Colonel 
 Wadsworth and other distinguished men met the great commander-in- 
 chief and conducted him to the house of Col. Wadsworth. The French 
 General, Count de Rochambeau and the French Admiral, the Chevalier 
 de Ternay with their suits, arrived soon afterwards and were received 
 with appropriate honors at their landing, and then the consultation was 
 held at the house of Col. Wadsworth. It was from that house, after 
 a day of anxious conference that Washington set out on his return to 
 the Highlands, where during his brief absence, Arnold's treason had 
 been exposed and baffled. 
 
 On with the diary: "We," says our friend, "were rather in our 
 dishabilles, but 'twas no matter, we were travelers, and they were none 
 of them in the habit of regarding a powdered head and a pretty coat 
 as the standard of excellency — their tastes are formed upon better prin- 
 ciples. After delivering our compliments and letters, we were about 
 leaving them, but were prevented by their importunities to stay and 
 spend the evening. We needed but little coaxing, we laid aside our hats 
 and our whips and resolved to stay as long as they wanted us. The 
 
 beautiful Miss H ns, (Hopkins) the handsome Miss S r, 
 
 (Seymour) and the pretty Miss B — 11, (Bull), were of our party. Music, 
 dancing and sociality constituted our amusements. Miss B — 11 sang 
 The Hermit' sweetly. I wished to accompany her with a flute, but I 
 dared not tell them so. The bell rung much earlier than I wished and 
 I left them when I would willingly have staid longer." 
 
 The bell referred to was the nine o'clock be'L the old New England 
 curfew, after which it was hardly good manners to prolong an evening 
 call. 
 
 "Under date of Thursday, 20th\ the diarist records that, after 
 breakfast at his lodgings, he 'sat half an hour under the hands of the 
 frisieur' before going out to deliver his letters. He 'called on Mr. Strong 
 and was much disappointed in not seeing Mrs. Strong. My feelings were 
 prepared to meet an old friend, and to have them so suddenly checked 
 by the information that she was so indisposed as to render her recovery 
 doubtful was painful. " In November, 1788, Nathan Strong, (afterwards 
 Dr. Strong) had been for nearly fifteen years pastor of the First Church 
 in Hartford, and was already one of the first men in Connecticut — the 
 peer of Dr. Dwight, as he had been his college classmate. His ministry 
 of forty-one years was terminated by his death, Dec. 25, 1818. Mrs. 
 Strong was Anna McCurdy of Lyme. She had been married less than 
 two years, and her life (as the diary intimates) was then coming to its 
 close. Mr. Strong's house was the next door to Col. Wadsworth's, and 
 there it seems our traveler had been invited to dine. 
 
 "We were soon seated at the table; our company consisted of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Wadsworth, Miss St. John, Misses Harriet and Caty, Messrs. 
 D. Wadsworth, Samuel Broome, and myself. We were all cheerful; how 
 could we be otherwise when the heads of the table were peculiarly so — 
 her countenance as placid as a summer eve, and his full of benignity, 
 
 [26] 
 
equally expressive of the goodness of his heart and the greatness of his 
 spul. After dinner, the ladies retired to dress for a visit to Miss Bull, 
 
 except Miss St. John, who was indisposed with a toothache. W , 
 
 R , and myself, amused ourselves in the parlor with music until 
 
 tea-time, when we followed the ladies. I was pleased with Miss Bull 
 yesterday, but more so to-day. I trow she is a good girl. Immediately 
 after tea we returned to Cplonel Wadsworth's and spent the evening in 
 a manner that was to me delightfully instructive. A circle of only five, 
 we did not wish it enlarged. Not a single individual interrupted our 
 converse until ten o'clock. Our subjects of conversation were various; 
 we ran counter to all the rules of modern politeness; we did not, to my 
 recollection, say a word about fashions or plays and such like matters, 
 nor did we scandalize a single character through the whole course of 
 the evening, but we acted in direct agreement with our feelings. Harriet 
 has read a good deal and has reflected a good deal on what she has read. 
 Hence she has many observations of her own, not eccentric, but pleasing- 
 ly original. She has one of the happiest tempers in the world, and de- 
 lights in making those happy who are around her. She speaks highly 
 of many and ill of none. Add to these a happy talent of adapting her 
 conversation to the company she is in, and it is not strange that she should 
 be thought an agreeable girl. Although she is not a beauty, yet her 
 countenance is beautifully expressive." 
 
 Among the Trumbull pictures in the Yale School of Fine Arts, there 
 are five miniatures of ladies in one frame, No. 22. The date is 1791, 
 three years later than the date of this journal. The first of the five is 
 Harriet Wadsworth, and the painter has made her countenance beauti- 
 fully expressive. Perhaps affection added something of poetry to the 
 likeness, for the family tradition is that the painter was her lover. A 
 monument in the parish church-yard of St. George, on the Island of 
 Bermuda, bears this inscription: 
 
 To The 
 
 Memory 
 
 of 
 
 Harriet Wadsworth 
 
 of Hartford, Conn., U. S. A. 
 
 Who died in this Island, 
 
 Of a Consumption, 
 
 April 10, 1793, 
 
 Aged 24 
 
 Years. 
 
 "Caty is her younger sister, with a face as indicative of a good heart 
 as a lamb's is of its meekness. She seems to possess all the virtues of 
 her sister, but they are of a younger growth. She wants a little of that 
 grace which enables Harriet to do everything to advantage; and a few 
 more years will probably add to the list of her agreeables." 
 
 Catherine Wadsworth was at that time not quite fifteen years old. 
 Her miniature is one of the five which I have mentioned, being directly 
 under her sister's; and it shows that when she was in her eighteenth 
 year, her face, still indicative of a good heart was in the full bloom of 
 beauty; and on the wall of an apartment in my house is her portrait 
 copied from the original by Sully. 
 
 [27] 
 
"As for Daniel, he is a strange youth. With his pockets full of 
 money, he had rather, at any time, sit down at home betwixt his two 
 sisters and by some new act of tenderness call forth their affection to- 
 ward him, than to be in the best and most fashionable company (best 
 and fashionable underscored as 'wrote sarkastic') at the gaming table 
 or in any place where he can spend his money in an honorable and polite 
 way. (Honorable and polite again ' wrote sarkastic'). 'Tis true as it 
 is strange; and furthermore he is warmly attached to the principles of 
 virtue and morality, and really he is not ashamed of his God." 
 
 This 'strange youth' was so eccentric through a long life, and his 
 family affections though he was childless, were so strong that in his old 
 age he took the lead in building upon the site of what had been his 
 father's and grandfather's home, the Wadsworth Atheneum, devoted to 
 public uses, one part of it to the Connecticut Historical Society, another 
 part to the Hartford Young Men's Institute, and another part to a Gallery 
 of Paintings. Nor can I refuse to say of that 'strange youth' who loved 
 his home so well, that the tender affection for his sister which is por- 
 trayed in what I have just been telling, lived in him to the last. Though 
 he survived for more than fifty years that elder sister whose decay and 
 death he watched in lone Bermuda, he never seemed to lose the freshness 
 of his grief. Colonel Wadsworth, having served as Representative in 
 Congress for three successive terms, from the organization of the gov- 
 ernment in 1789, died in 1804 of permature decay, the result of hardships 
 and exposures in the war for independence. Madame Wadsworth lived 
 to extreme old age and died in 1817. I saw her buried by the side of 
 her husband, her grave being the last save one (or possibly two), that 
 was made in the old burial-ground behind the Center Church. 
 
 The diarist describes Samuel Broome as "a lad of good sense but 
 rather trifling at times. He possesses a talent at punning, and by oc- 
 casionally throwing in a remark he prevented us from becoming too 
 seriously sentimental." At a reasonable hour the diarist repaired to 
 his lodgings, but did not resign himself to sleep till he had read from 
 "Elegant Extracts," several pathetic and descriptive pieces which the 
 ladies had commended to his notice, and on which his critical judgment 
 coincided with theirs. 
 
 'The next morning, 'Friday, 21st' he set his face westward with 
 letters and whatever else he had *for the name of Talcott.' He went 
 out to the Talcott 'family mansion on the hill' beyond where the American 
 Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb now is. Approaching the house he was 
 met by a 'venerable old gentleman' to whom he introduced himself as 
 bringing 'letters from New York,' which, by the way, is the first intima- 
 tion we have had of where he came from." 
 
 The 'family mansion' was at that time held by a son of Gov. Talcott* 
 Chief Magistrate of his Majesty's Colony of Connecticut from 1724 to 
 his death in 1741, a period of seventeen years. A sister of his was the 
 mother of Col. Wadsworth. In the conversation which ensues after our 
 traveler has entered the house and in which there is a hardly perceptible 
 flavor of the medical profession, it comes out that his name is Cogswell 
 and at last we know beyond a peradventure who he is. 
 
 "Saturday, 22nd, he was ferried across the Connecticut at an early 
 hour and arrived at his father's house in the evening, where he had 
 journeyed to spend Thanksgiving. 
 
 [28] 
 
"Sunday, 23rd, attended divine service and was delighted both with 
 the preaching and the music. My feelings before I entered the house, 
 were attuned to harmony and the music which was uncommonly good, 
 striking upon the already vibrating cords, prepared me in the best 
 possible manner for the ensuing discourse from 'My son keep thyself 
 pure." 
 
 "Monday was a stormy day; and our traveler was all day at home. 
 Tuesday he visited some old friends. Wednesday was stormy again and 
 cold; and he spent most of the day with his father who was indisposed. 
 But 'in the evening as a prelude to Thanksgiving' — so the journal tells 
 us — *I went up and drank a mug of flip with Esq. Devotion and ate 
 pompion pie with his wife/ How cold it grows! I am too dull to write 
 in my journal — Perhaps the flip has run round my intellects, or, what 
 is worse, the pompion pie." 
 
 "Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, 27th. His father, being too ill to 
 officiate in the Thanksgiving service, devolved on him the duty of reading 
 to the congregation and appropriate discourse or as he called it, 'preach- 
 ing.' His desire to please a 'beloved parent' overcame his diffidence; and 
 at the appointed hour, with the psalm book in his pocket and his printed 
 or written sermon in his hand, he presented himself at church and told 
 the elders what their pastor had commissioned him to do. His offer 
 was thankfully acknowledged and he seated himself in the minister's pew. 
 But 'a venerable sage' got up and led him into the deacon's seat. He 
 was invited to go up higher, but the thought, 'Humble thyself and thou 
 shall be exalted' kept him out of the too lofty pulpit. 
 
 "He perceived that nothing would be done without him and being 
 requested to proceed he pulled out his psalm book and his hand trembled 
 but very little. T«et us sing' said he, 'the 97th Psalm', and he read it 
 with a very audible voice. The music was fine ; it had entirely dissipated 
 his timidities and as soon as it ceased, he arose and if he had had one on, 
 he would probably have stroked his band ; but as he had none, he wiped 
 his face with his pocket handkerchief, named his text and went on. Some 
 people would have called it reading; but really, he acted the preacher to 
 admiration, as he was afterwards told by numbers of the congregation. 
 The exercises were closed with an anthem from Isaiah, 'Sing ye heavens, 
 etc.', which was most enchantingly sung. After church he repaired to 
 his friend Devotion's and was treated with quite as much respect and 
 attention as he desired. He drank flip, ate turkeys, pigs, pompion pies, 
 apple pies, tarts, etc., etc., until he was perfectly satisfied. After supper 
 he went home, gave thanks with his father, smoked a pipe for company's 
 sake, bade the old folks good night, went into the kitchen, sung a number 
 of songs to Polly and Betsey (his step-sisters) , ate apples and nuts with 
 them, and went to bed well satisfied with the transactions of the day." 
 
 "On Friday 28th our friend rides to Windham — dines at Maj. Backus's, 
 where he finds 'pompion pies again in abundance' — then sets out for 
 Lebanon in search of a friend whom he has already mentioned more than 
 once under the apparently fictitious name of 'Orlando', but whom I cannot 
 identify. He finds him— just where he wished to find him— at Mr. 
 Porter's. There he had a delightful evening with Emily and Sophy, the 
 daughters of Mr. Porter, and charming sister of 'Orlando' named Eliza. 
 That Mr. Porter had been Gov. Trumbull's confidential secretary through 
 all the war and therefore we are not surprised to find our friend saying, 
 
 [29] 
 
'Miss Trumbull made us happy an hour or so with her company. Her 
 person is elegant, though small; her countenance agreeably expressive 
 and what is generally called handsome. Her first appearance is much 
 in her favor. I will wait until I see her again before I say anything more 
 about her." 
 
 Miss Trumbull was grand-daughter of the old war governor who 
 had died three years before, and daughter of the second Jonathan who 
 became governor ten years later. 
 
 "Saturday, 29th, we Walked, or rather, waded over to Col. Trumbull's 
 and sat and chatted an hour with him; Mrs. Trumbull and Faithy all 
 agreeable, the former peculiarly so — and the appearance of the latter, tho* 
 reserved, such as inspires you with a desire erf becoming intimately ac- 
 quainted." 
 
 "Our traveler was hindered by the rain from proceeding to Norwich 
 that day, as he had intended to, but at an early hour the next morning, 
 (Sunday, Nov. 30th) he made the short ride. 'About half -past eight* 
 he says, 'I arrived at Governor Huntington's, my former home, and the 
 manner in which I was welcomed made it as much so as ever. Had I 
 been an own brother Mrs. Huntington (1) could not have treated me with 
 more tenderness and affection, and I never before saw the Governor so 
 social and conversable." 
 
 "Our traveler's ten miles ride ttoat Sunday morning was not re- 
 garded as an excuse for absence from public worship. He attended divine 
 service both A.M. and P.M., and heard two metaphysical discourses from 
 Mr. King, and on the whole was well pleased with them — thought, however, 
 he was a little out of his latitude." 
 
 Rev. Walter King was pastor of the Second Church in Norwich at 
 the Landing from 1787 to 1811. He was contemporary in college with 
 Dr. Mason F. Cogswell, though in a later class, 1782. 
 
 "In the evening, the Sabbath having ended at sunset, our friend made 
 a call at Mr. Woodbridge's, where Clara and Hannah were as glad to see 
 him as he was to see them, and 'paid more attention to him than to ail 
 the other gentlemen in the room.' But, in recording the fact, he checks 
 the temptation to vanity by the consideration, 'they see me once in three 
 years, and them they see every day.' Returning to his lodgings at the 
 decorous hour of nine, he had time to 'converse an hour with the Governor 
 and his lady* before retiring to rest. He remained in Norwich four days 
 longer, visiting old friends with great enjoyment. On Monday, he re- 
 cords that though it was a dull and disagreeable day, 'twas sunshinje 
 in the house' ." 
 
 "Refusied several invitations to dine out, that I might eat turkey 
 with the Governor. Thanksgiving not gone yet, for we had flip and 
 pompion pies both. Drank several glasses of port, and was much pleaded 
 with several musical* anecdotes from the Governor. 
 
 "After visiting several old friends with much pleasure and drink- 
 ing tea with 'Clara and Hannah,' he returned about eight and the last of 
 the evening was equal to the first, Sammy and Fanny, so runs the record, 
 'have improved exceedingly since I last saw them, both in mind and 
 manners'." 
 
 (1) As before noted, the daughter of M. F. C.'s step-mother, Devotion. 
 ♦Note. The word "musical" here was evidently used to mean amusing. 
 
 [30] 
 
He was not aware of Sammy, of whom, a college graduate of three 
 years standing, he made mention so familiarly, was to be, not many years 
 later, Chief Justice and then Governor of Ohio — a state which in that 
 year, 1788, had no existence even as a territory under territorial govern- 
 ment, in which the earliest permanent settlement had just been made by 
 a pioneer emigration from New England and which in 1802 was received 
 into the Union, the first-born of the Ordinance of 1787. 
 
 The Convention about which our friend had a chat with the Governor 
 was doubtless that which in the January preceding had given the ratifica- 
 tion of Connecticut to the Constitution of the United States. Of thai 
 convention, Governor Huntington was a conspicuous member. 
 
 "Tuesday our friend 'breakfasted with Gov. Huntington; dines at 
 Dr. Lathrop's; drank tea at Mr. Andrew Huntington's; and suppered 
 with William Leffingwell,' returned to lodge at the Governor's." 
 
 "Wednesday dined at William Leffingwell's. Mr. L. was my class- 
 mate at New Haven. We chatted about old matters with much pleasure. 
 Joa, sister to William, is a smart girl, or I am much out of my conjectures. 
 She has a pleasing countenance, an expressive eye, and possesses good 
 manners,. Sam'l Huntington and Dan Lathrop were likewise of our 
 party. A full grown turkey, and more pompion pie, etc., everything in 
 nice order." 
 
 Old people remember the time when Mr. Leffingwell, residing in the 
 old fashioned but stately mansion on Chapel Street at the corner of 
 Temple, with a terraced garden which extended half way up to College 
 street, was regarded as the richest citizen of New Haven. The last 
 survivor of his immediate family was Dr. Edward H. Leffingwell. One 
 of his daughters, Caroline Mary, was the wife of Augustus Russell Street ; 
 and the memory of her public spirit, as well as his, is perpetuated in the 
 edifice and the endowments of the School of the Fine Arts, in Yale 
 University. 
 
 A grand-daughter of William Leffingwell, Caroline Augustus Street, 
 was the wife of Admiral Foote ; and thus the old mansion, built by Jared 
 Ingersoll before the Revolution, and in later times, the resident of Admiral 
 Foote, came to be known by the name of the gallant admiral. 
 
 Mrs. Leffingwell was the daughter of the famed New Haven book- 
 seller, Isaac Beers, and from her early girlhood conspicuous among the 
 ladies of the college town, Joanna Leffingwell married Charles Lathrop. 
 
 The next day (Thursday) was like the other days at Norwich; break- 
 fast with his "old friend and good friend Shubael;" "dinner with the 
 Governor and his family" at Mr. Breed's, where Shubael and his wife 
 were also present, and where the inevitable "Pompion pie" suggested the 
 thought of how sioon he should be beyond the reach of that New England 
 dainty; an after-dinner call at Mr. Colt's; tea at Mr. [Moore's; and the 
 evening at Mr. Leffingwell's again "in a circle of no lessi than sixteen 
 ladies, besides many other supernumeraries." To the record of all this, 
 he adds, "About nine, went to my lodgings, proposed a plan to the Gov- 
 ernor, and received his approbation, ate supper, smoked the calumet for 
 the last time, and bade them, all a good night." 
 
 On Friday, Dec. 5th, our traveler, having taken leave of Norwich 
 friends, journeyed toward his father's home, by the somewhat meander 
 
 [31] 
 
ing way for all his "uncles and aunts in Lisbon, Preston, and Canter- 
 bury;" and those uncles and aunts, with all the cousins, seem to have 
 been the most loving and amiable people in the world. Arriving at 
 Scotland parsonage again on Saturday, he was detained there by a storm 
 which gave him time for reading and writing, and for "receiving lessons 
 of divine instruction from the lips of "his affectionate parent." Wed- 
 nesday, Dec. 19th, the weather having become propitious, he went to Mans- 
 field for the sake of visiting two more cousins, whose amiable qualities 
 he sums up by saying. "In short they are two Fitches, which is sufficiently 
 explanatory to myself." 
 
 From Mansfield, the next day's travel brought him to Lebanon again. 
 At Mrs- Tisdale's. in Lebanon, he had another "charming evening with all 
 the ladies" and yet he +ook time for a call at "Col. Trumbull's" where he 
 renewed h*s acquaintance with Daniel and Harriet Wadsworth who had 
 fust srHvpd from Hartford. The next morning (Friday, Dee. 12th) h«* 
 walked over to Col. Trumbull's where he had promised "to call for letters." 
 After an hour of talk with "the ladies and with Daniel" and "some time 
 with the eolor»el." and much delisrht in the "paintings of his brother" whom 
 we call Col. Trumbull, he set his face toward Hartford at about eleven 
 o'clock, "in company," he says, "with a Mr. Pitkin from Farmington, with 
 whom T was so much pleased in the davtime, that I went and tarried with 
 him at his uncle's in East Hartford, Federal to a button very civil and 
 verv hospitable. Crossed the ferry in the morning, and dined at Mr. 
 Perkins' with Mr. Pitkin. After dinner, called and delivered letters from 
 Harriet and Daniel, and engaged to return and drink tea with smiling 
 Cate and so I did and was made very welcome and very happy." 
 
 The next day being Sunday, our traveler "attended divine service at 
 the North Meeting" and was much impressed with the sermons, especially 
 with the afternoon discourse from a text which he remembered as that 
 from which the sermon was preached at his own mother's funeral, "I was 
 dumb. I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it." Mr. Strong was 
 then passing through one of the sorrows of his domestic life. Already 
 he had been once a widower, and his second wife Anna McCurdy, was 
 then wasting with the disease of which she died three months later, at the 
 age of twenty-nine. Naturally the sermon from such a text and in such 
 circumstances, "flowed from the heart and reached the hear*, esoeciallv 
 of [Mason F. Cogswell, to whom Anna McCurdy had been "an old friend." 
 As evening came on, he recollected his "engagement to Mr. Wadsworth 
 and Caty," and had a pleasant hour with them. 
 
 On Monday, he was occupied through the morning with "how-do-you- 
 do visits and some matters of business," but after dinner, we find h*im 
 paying his respects to Dr. Hopkins, and then "chatting physic with him 
 an hour or so," then "galloping out to the hill" and rejoicing to find the 
 invalids there (of the Talcott family) all better than when he saw them 
 last. He "gallops back again and drinks tea with Mr. and Mrs. Wolcott,- 
 a charming couple" whose happiness moves him to write, "I wish I was 
 as well married, and anybody and everybody could say as much of me." 
 The Dr. Hopkins with whom he talked on professional subjects, was in 
 his day the foremost man of the medical profession not only in Hartford 
 but, if I mistake not, in Connecticut, also one of "the Hartford wits," if 
 not the most famous of them- 
 
 [32] 
 
We may conjecture that Dr. Cogswell, a young man not yet settled 
 in life, had in his thoughts, while talking with Dr. Hopkins, the "plan" 
 on which he had taken the advice of Gov. Huntington before leaving Nor- 
 wich; and that his "plan" was to establish himself in his profession 
 there in Hartford. The Mr. Wolcott whose domestic felicity he so admir- 
 ed, was Oliver Wolcott, afterwards secretary of the treasury under John 
 Adams, and in his later years, governor of Connecticut. 
 
 Just here the manuscript begins to be again imperfect. Some enter- 
 prising mouse seems to have meddled with it, and what remains of the 
 last few pages is interpersed with many a hiatus valde defendus. I can 
 make out that after tea with Mr. and Mrs. Wolcott the diarist "spent a 
 
 social hour with and Julia Seymour, certainly a pretty girl, and 
 
 a good one too," that he "called and took leave of at Col. 
 
 Wads worth's, that he was lodged that night at Mr. Strong's where he 
 "attended particularly to jMrs. Strong's case and had a long and friendly 
 conversation with her husband, pondering meanwhile (we may conjec- 
 ture) the question of making his abode in Hartford, I find him proceed- 
 ing on the next day to Haddam, and there "welcomed very sincerely by 
 Theodore and Parson May and family" — thence, after a day's detention 
 by storm, he comes to New Haven again, and finds the same hospitality 
 which he had found four weeks before. 
 
 The last date on these torn leaves is Saturday, Dec. 19th. On that 
 day, after "several morning visits" — additional to all the visits of the 
 preceding day, he rode to Greenfield via Stratford, Victory, etc. It was 
 seven o'clock in the evening, when he arrived at the house of the pastor, 
 who was also the poet of "Greenfield Hill." He found himself "In the 
 midst of a smiling circle;" and the talk by the winter evening fireside was 
 cheerful and instructive. I can make out concerning the "four young 
 ladies under Mr. Dwight's tuition" that "the expression of each was un- 
 commonly fine — a loveliness of disposition, a benevolence of heart, and 
 a sprightliness of thought were clearly discernible in every eye." Here we 
 
 come to a ragged edge. The The last words are "If I can judge 
 
 account given of them by Mrs. Dwight. and my own- 
 
 they are lovely girls, and on the high road to make husbands happy." 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Hartford, December 16th, 1788. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir 
 
 You may be surprised to find my stay in the City so long, but I have 
 the present object of my pursuit so much at heart, that I wish to do 
 everything in my power to pave the way for the completion of my wishes 
 in the Spring. I am now at Mr. Strong's. He has treated me with par- 
 ticular friendship, and has set before me the difficulties I should have to 
 encounter and the probable prospects of success; and on the whole has 
 given it as his opinion, that with application, attention to my business, and 
 upright character, patience, etc., I may succeed. His situation, however, 
 respecting the Physicians of this place are such that he does not wish to 
 have it known. The candor with which he has treated the subject and 
 the goodness which he seems to discover on all occasions has warmly at- 
 
 [33] 
 
tached me to him. But I can say no more about him at present. I hope 
 matters may so terminate that I shall ere long be more intimately ac- 
 quainted with his wishes. Mrs. Strong is still very low, but there is 
 evidently an alteration, and I really think for the better. Should you 
 have an opportunity I should be pleased that you would thank Mr. Strong 
 for his friendly attention. 
 
 Colonel Wadsworth is in New York, possibly I may see him there or 
 on the road. Daniel I saw in Lebanon- His friendship would do all in 
 his power for me. Still I must not determine until I get to New York. 
 I cannot. I shall write as soon as I get home. My thanks and my duty 
 fco my mamma. 
 
 I am your affectionate and dutiful son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To Reverend James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 M. F. C. does not give the reason this especial city was choosen, but 
 why not because Hartford lay near to Norwich and he was the remaining 
 unmarried son to Ipok after his father. Hartford had neither the tumul- 
 tuousness of New York, nor a group of practitioneers already established. 
 Hartford must have represented a very engaging face to one so fond of 
 quiet social pleasures as M. F. C. It was at this time a city with a popu- 
 lation of 4,000 people, the capital of the State and vying with New Haven 
 as Connecticut's metropolis. Between the two cities ran two stages a week 
 leaving Wednesday and Saturday. Each city had a weekly newspaper. 
 In comparing the two cities one is led to believe that Hartford's atmos- 
 phere was more literary and less commercial than that of New Haven. 
 Perhaps some of this tendency came from the more frequent communica- 
 tion with the outside world that Hartford had through its natural position 
 as a stopping place on the road from New York to Boston. 
 
 But most probably it was due to that group of writers so long known 
 collectively as "The Hartford Wits" — John Trumbull, its satirist after 
 the fashion of Pope, and a lawyer in Hartford; Timothy Dwight, Yale's 
 renowned President from 1795-1817, and author of "Travels in New 
 England and New York 1798" ; David Humphreys, then in the legislature 
 at Hartford but earlier secretary to the commission of Jefferson, Frank- 
 lin, and Adams, for making commercial treaties with the nations of 
 Europe; Lemuel Hopkins, a practicing physician at Hartford and one of 
 the founders of the Connecticut Medical Society; Richard Alsop, from 
 Middletown, who was then keeping a book store at Hartford; Theodore 
 Dwight, brother to Timothy and brother-in-law to Alsop, and later the 
 secretary and historian of the famous Harford Convention of 1814 which 
 came near to carrying New England into secession ; and Dr. Elihu Smi+h, 
 author of our first poetic miscellany printed in Litchfield in 1793. 
 
 In fact these men had banded themselves together in the eighties and 
 nineties as young graduates of Yale and while some of them were still 
 tutor.s in the College or in residence for their Master's degree. They 
 bad three definite aims: — 
 
 (1) To liberalize and modernize the rigidly scholastic curriculum 
 of the College by the introduction of more elegant studies; the 
 belles lettres, the literae humaniores. 
 
 [34] 
 
(2) To supply the new Republic with a body of poetry on a scale 
 commensurate with the bigness of American scenery and the vast 
 destinies of the nation. 
 
 (3) To combat with the weapon of satire, the influences toward 
 lawlessness and separatism which were delaying the adoption of 
 the Constitution. 
 
 These men formed a sort of literary club with weekly meetings. They 
 contributed to local papers such as the New Haven Gazette and the 
 Connecticut Courant a series of political lapoons: "The Anarchiad", 
 "The Echo" and "The Political Greenhouse." These "Pleiades of Con- 
 necticut" were staunch Federalists, friends of a close union and a strong 
 central government; and used their pens to ridicule Jefferson and the 
 Democrats in this time of great confusion and unrest. 
 
 All this is described at full length because these men were part oi 
 M.F.C/s background, and occasionally of his foreground, in Hartford. In 
 fact we read in "Yale University Biographies" that M. F. C. was one of 
 "The Hartford Wits" and always wore silk stockings and knee-breeches 
 saying that they were the only proper dress for a gentleman. The state- 
 ment as to his sartorial preferences is corroborated by the portrait by 
 R. Earle in possession of Ledyard Cogswell of Albany, but it is ques- 
 tionable if the one to the effect that he was an official member of "The 
 Hartford Wits" has any corroborating testimony. 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Hartford, May 18th, 1789. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir 
 
 I arrived here on Tuesday evening and was not a little disappoint- 
 ed in not meeting you. I was concerned about your health until I saw 
 the Governor (1) who informed me of your being at his house the 
 morning before he came away. I rejoice that you are still well. 
 
 I have determined at length to attempt an establishment in Hart- 
 ford, and shall probably return there in about six weeks or two months. 
 How I shall succeed, Time must determine. If an attention to busi- 
 ness and study, if the most sedulous endeavors to please, and an up- 
 right deportment can secure the affection and employment of the people 
 I hope (at least) to be able to support myself with decency. 
 
 I wrote you about three weeks since of my determination of being 
 in Hartford at Election, but like so many of my letters it must have 
 miscarried. The twelve pound note I shall much want, if consistent 
 with your feelings and circumstances. I will write you more parti- 
 cularly when I arrive at New York. 
 
 I am, your dutiful and affectionate son 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * «► 
 
 (1) Samuel Huntington, Governor of Connecticut, 1786-1796, see footnote on page 7. 
 
 [35] 
 
"To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Hartford, January 2nd, 1790. 
 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 I am unwilling to suffer any direct opportunity of writing to escape, 
 although I have but a few minutes to improve. I know it to be my duty 
 to inform you particularly of every step of my advancement towards 
 the so much wished for establishment and I feel it to my inclination. It 
 will be four weeks this evening since my arrival in town during which time 
 I have made myself known to most of the best Inhabitants, and they ha\e 
 treated me with more civility than I had reason to expect. I have already 
 had several patients, which I am sure is several more than I had any rea- 
 son to expect, however, this may be accidental. I will not flatter my- 
 self with too sudden success. My principal business, this winter, I pre- 
 sume, will consist in making myself known to the best people in this place 
 and with my neighboring brother Practitioners within ten and twenty 
 miles of here. 
 
 I have been fortunate enough to obtain lodgings in a very respectable 
 family, in a central situation and where every individual of it are daily 
 exerting themselves to make me comfortable and happy. I hope I shall 
 give them no cause to repent of their endeavor to please. It is at Capt. 
 Jno. Chenevard's where you may in future direct your letters. (1) 
 
 The keeping of a horse is considerably expensive here in the winter, 
 and I think I can hire one whenever I want, for a trifle, and on that 
 account I am not very anxious about procuring one this winter. I 
 heard from Sammy (2) a few days since. Polly, the little ones and him- 
 self are very well. There are frequent opportunities from Windham to 
 Hartford if any careful hand could be found to take charge of letters. 
 
 With much affection, I am, 
 
 Your dutiful son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 There is extant one recommendation for M. F. C. Inasmuch as it is 
 not dated it may be put in here because the most probable guess is that 
 it was was in his pocket when he left New York to set up shop in Hart- 
 ford- 
 
 "I hereby certify that I have known the Bearer Doctr. Mason Cogswell 
 as a Practitioner of Physick and Surgry, with his brother in New York 
 for some years past, and from my observations, am of Opinion that he 
 is a young Gentleman of professional Information and Judgement and 
 
 (1) Until now letters had been addressed him "To the care of Mr. Frederrick Bull, 
 Keeper of the City Coffee House, Hartford." 
 
 (2) Sammy may have been well but his letter show him oppressed by his poverty. 
 In 1787 he had written to M. F. C. for his Greek Testament & Lexicon, his Virgil, & 
 his Goldsmith's "Deserted Village." With these he had taught in a school at Lansing- 
 burgh and when there long nights in winter he had even gathered together pupils 
 and taught singing. 
 
 [36] 
 
conceive myself justifiable in recommendating him to ye Confidence of 
 those who may require his Assistance in the line of his Profession. 
 
 Chas. McKnight 
 Prof, of Anaty. and Sury." 
 Charles McKnight was Professor of Anatomy and Surgery at Columbia 
 College, New York City in 1785. This may mean that M. F. C. studied at 
 the College of Physicians and Surgeons, but it is impossible to tell since 
 during the war years no records were kept of the students' names. 
 Stephen Williams says that during the war there were no public lectures 
 for medicine, except at Philadephia, and these were naturally much in- 
 terrupted by the events of the Revolution (1). 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Hartford, August 31st, 1790. 
 
 iMy dear and Hond parent — 
 
 In what manner shall I relate an event which has called for more 
 resolution and resignation on my part than I have ever before had oc- 
 casion to exercise ; and which, when told, must ring your aged bosom with 
 the keenest anguish? I would willingly do it in the gentlest manner 
 possible, but your Religion and Fortitude I well know, will enable you 
 to endure any trials, however, to which you may be called. Your duti- 
 ful son Samuel, and my beloved brother, is no more. 
 
 My heart is too full for utterance and I can hardly see to write 
 through the vale of tears which I try in vain to wipe from my eyes. The 
 circumstances, as far as I know, I will try to relate. A young gentleman 
 by the name of Dickinson, an attorney, who boarded with him, and one 
 or two other gentlemen went out with him a-gunning. As they were 
 returning home through a footpath, their guns on their shoulders and 
 Sammy in front, Mr. Dickinson following next, the latter stumbled and 
 by some fatal accident discharged the contents of his musket into my 
 brother's neck and head, and he lived but about half an hour after, with- 
 out speaking a word. Such is the lawful Dispensation of Heaven, which 
 has deprived us in an hour of one of the most dutiful Sons, and of one 
 of the kindest and most affectionate Brothers. 
 
 My sister had been abed but three days. The shock threw her into 
 convulsions and she remained in them when the messenger came away 
 after Dr. Dickinson, father to the young man who shot him, and who 
 resides at Middletown. Dr. Dickinson told me the information this 
 morning. It was done on Tuesday last. I cannot proceed. My duty 
 will call me to your arms the next week, if permitted by Him who orders 
 everything in infinite wisdom. That we may all bow to His supreme 
 will with a childlike submission is the prayer of 
 
 Your dutiful and affectionate son 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 (1) "American Medical Biography" by Stephen Williams, Published at Green- 
 field, 1845. 
 
 [37] 
 
A Journal, and a Letter. 
 
 (In the Yale University Library at New Haven, Connecticut, and present- 
 ed by The pVEisses Tully (1), 1896) 
 
 Hartford, Jan. 31, 1791. 
 
 Embarked in the stage this morning about 8 o'clock for New York. 
 A few sighs of gratitude escaped me when leaving a place, in which I had 
 received more civility, from the kindness, attention and friendship of 
 its inhabitants, than in any other place where I had previously resided. 
 A train of sober reflections occupied my mind for the first 6 or 10 miles ; 
 they were soon dissipated however, by the peculiar pleasantry and fac- 
 tiousness of my fellow passengers; they were 6 in number, and if they 
 were not all of them positively agreeable, they were at least negatively, 
 so. Judge Lov T eJ gave the tone to our conversation, and whether Divin- 
 ity, Physics, Law, Philosophy, or the Belles Lettres were the subjects of 
 conversation he alike evidenced the gentleman and the scholar. His 
 knowledge seems to be wholly of the useful kind, and as he is very com- 
 municative, and intersperses thro' his conversation a variety of well 
 choosen anecdotes, he is a most agreeable companion. Miss Seymour was 
 the only lady who accompanied us. She seemed rather to take pleasure 
 in hearing than in being heard; the pertinence of her remarks however, 
 when did she speak, invariably pleased. Her presence cast a respect and 
 a delicacy over all our manners, which rendered us more agreeable both 
 to ourselves and to others, than we would have been without her. Her 
 brother Harry gave us pleasure by a friendly, attentive and polite behav- 
 iour. Mr. Woolsey gratified us by reading Ossian, the Lusiad, (2) mak- 
 ing his own remarks and attending to those of others. A sea Captain 
 said but little, but when he did speak, what he said, generally produced a 
 laugh and Mr. Somebody (a merchant, I believe), did nothing to render 
 himself disagreeable— With these persons I travailed until I reached New 
 Haven, where we were joined by Mr. Leavenworth, a well read sensible 
 attorney. Mr. Woolsey left us at Fairfield and his room in the stage was 
 taken up by a woman, and Morris Miller, a sprightly agreeable little fel- 
 low — the former left us at Stamford, the rest of us reached New York 
 together. 
 
 The journey was as agreeable as the circumstances of cold weather 
 and being much crowded in the stage would admit of — No singular oc- 
 curences, worthy of remark, took place the whole way. I saw most of my 
 friends at New Haven and Stamford, and found them well. 
 
 On the second day of February I arrived at our former place of resi- 
 dence. After bidding Miss Seymour, the Judge and Harry adieu and wish- 
 ing them a pleasant journey, I repaired to my brother's (3). I had been 
 absent from him more than a twelve month, during which time our only 
 
 (1) William Tully graduated from Yale College in 1806. The following year he 
 began the study of medicine with M. F. C. at Hartforkl. In 1826, Tully moved to 
 Albany, N. Y. where he formed a partnership with Dr. Alden March. Later Tully 
 became Professor of Materia & Therapeutics at Yale College. "Yale Biographies 
 & Annals," by Dexter. 
 
 (2) Probably "The Lousiad" by Peter Pinder (William Wolcott) 1786. 
 
 (3) James Cogswell. 
 
 [38] 
 
brother (1) has been snatched forever from us, and he is now my only one. 
 These reflections, added to the caresses of my affectionate sister (2) and 
 her lovely children excited a gush of tenderness which I could not resist. 
 James, Sally and John by their endearing actions clung around my heart, 
 and kept my affections constantly on the rally — How shall I feel if I 
 ever have chldren of my own! I dare not indulge the anticipation. I 
 just called at Mr. Watson's and Mrs. Vandervort's, received their wel- 
 comes, bid Julia and iMary another adieu, returned home, kissed the little 
 ones once more and went to bed. 
 
 February 3rd arose betimes, and putting myself in order for the day, 
 which was mostly taken up in delivering Letters, Money, bills of exchange 
 which were entrusted to my care. I could not however omit calling on a 
 few particulars, from all of whom I rec'd the most friendly greetings. 
 Dined at my brother's. Paid a few more visits, and returned home to 
 tea in company with Sir John and Lady Temple, (3) Augusta and my 
 old friend Debby — the former was tolerably sociable; the latter said but 
 little, sigh'd often, and evidenced a heart touched by sorrow. Misfortune 
 has lain her hand heavily upon her, and she sometimes feels it keenly. I 
 gallanted her home, called and spent an hour with Mrs. Smith and her 
 lovely daughters with much satisfaction, returned home, visited a patient 
 with my brother, chatted on hour with my sister, and retired to rest. 
 
 Friday 4th Breakfasted with |Mr- Rogers. The first course at table 
 was a dish of smiles and good humour. After breakfast I made several 
 visits to those whom I love ; among the rest I sat an hour with Mr. Flint 
 and gave him as patient an account of his brother as I could with which 
 he seem'd much delighted; and as 'twas a favorite subject I dwelt upon 
 it with peculiar pleasure. Came home, wrote an hour in my journal and 
 repaired to Sir John's where I had previously engaged to dine. Our 
 company consisted of Sr. Jno, Lady Temple, Mr. Seers, Augusta, Messr. 
 Lloyd, Jarvis, Col. Cary and myself. We had a plain but elegant dinner 
 and were all in fine spirits. Sr. Jno is the most sociable deaf man I 
 ever knew — after dinner, Augusta charmed us with her music and the 
 
 (1) Samuel Cogswell. 
 
 (2) Mrs. James Cogswell, nee Abigail Lioyd. 
 
 (3) Until 1792 the English government had no envoy in America but only a consul- 
 general, Sir John Temple. His father was Captain Robert Temple of the English 
 army who came to New England in 1717 married Mehitable Nelson of Boston, and 
 at his death left three sons. John was born in Boston in 1732, he became Surveyor- 
 general of the customs and lieutenant-governor of New Hampshire. Just before the 
 oreaking out of the Revolutionary War he was recalled because of his sympathy with 
 the colonists. He married a daughter of Governor Bowdoin and in 1786 succeeded a 
 distant kinsman in the ancient baronetcy of his family . In the Annals of New York 
 City for 1786 we find a notice which shows us the unsettling effect of his elevation to 
 the baronetcy: 
 
 "February 13: The large elegant 3 story house in Queen Street opposite Beek- 
 man slip, now occupied by John Temple Esquire is to be let. It has 12 fireplaces, 
 spacious cellars, a coach house and stables, sufficiently large to contain 2 carriages 
 and 5 horses, under which is a cellar and icehouse." 
 
 Sir John died in 1798 and was buried in St. Paul's Church on Broadway. He 
 left four children. The second of these, Elizabeth, married Thomas L. Winthrop of 
 Boston. Her son, Robert C. Winthrop, and H. M. Sage of Albany have portraits of 
 Sir John and Lady Temple presumably by Gilbert Stuart. 
 
 [39] 
 
engagingness of her manners and conversation. Just at evening I made 
 my bows and left them. Drank tea with Mr. and Mrs. Dunlap, called 
 at Mrs. Browne's and Mrs. Vandevort's and at eight came home and 
 spent the remainder of the evening with my brother, Sister and their 
 children. Health is one of the first blessings and I enjoy it perfectly 
 except that I have the Rheumatism in my right arm and shoulder, and 
 it will remain until I shake hands less frequently, or with less cordiality. 
 My lips too were very sore yesterday morning, but New York lip salve 
 agrees with them so perfectly that they are now entirely well. 
 
 Saturday 5th. A stormy disagreeable day. My engagements not- 
 withstanding must be fulfilled. Breakfasted with Mrs. Taylor and was 
 most hospitably entertained. Called on Dr. Kissam (1), and had an 
 instructive conversation with himself, his brother and Dr. Moon. 
 We related our several experiences since we had been separated, 
 and recognized our former pursuits with much satisfaction. Dined 
 with Mr. Watson who had invited a number of particular friends to par- 
 ticipate and promote the festivity of the afternoon. Our time was indeed 
 snatched from us insensibly and the shadows of the evening were spread 
 over us before we were aware of it. How much am I indebted to this 
 hospitable family for their kindness, their attention, and numerous civili- 
 ties! Eliza is the same mild tempered, contented, cheerful girl as ever. 
 I wish her happy with all my heart, and doubt not but she will be. Left 
 them about seven, spent the evening and supped at Mr. Broome's, came 
 home at ten, sit an hour with my sister and went to bed. 
 
 Sunday 6th Breakfasted at home and accompanied my sister to 
 Church and heard one of Dr. Eoger's (2) old sermons. Dined at Mr. 
 Moses Roger's in company with my friends Woolsey, Lloyd, Hopson, and 
 Morewood, a charming family: Betsey has increased exceedingly in love- 
 liness and Hester has grown where Betsy was when I left them; and 
 Julia Ann is just such a child as I hope one day to have myself. Attend- 
 ed my sister again to church and heard an excellent sermon from Mr. 
 McKnight (3) and was pleased with all but the singing. Drank tea 
 with the Miss Grenobles who in spite of accumulated misfortune still 
 preserve the sweetness of their tempers and smile at the hard hand of 
 poverty; but the God who protects the widow and the orphan seems at 
 last to be extending to them the hand of relief and opening to them 
 brighter prospects. Called and sat an hour with Mrs. Stewart and min- 
 gled my sorrows with her own. The last of the evening I spent with 
 my amiable friends, the iMiss Londons, and although our pleasure was 
 of the melancholy kind still there was a luxury in indulging it. For 
 several years past they have drank deeply of the cup of affliction, and 
 although it has mellowed their affections it has not in the least embittered 
 their dispositions; they are the same daughters of cheerfulness still 
 
 (1) Benjamin Kissam, M. D. was professor of the "Institutes of Medicine" at 
 Columbia College, 1789. 
 
 (2) Rev. John Rodgers. The church was probably the Brick Presbyterian on the 
 corner of Beekman & Nassau Streets. This church had been built "in the fields" in 
 1768 and was considered as one body with its parent the First Presbyterian Church 
 in Wall Street, having the same ministers, elders and trustees. 
 
 (3) Rev. John McKnight who was colleague pastor with Rev. John Rotigers. 
 
 [40] 
 
and can light up in the hearts of their friends the genuine glow of com- 
 placency. I left there at half past ten without reluctance, came home 
 and laid myself down with comfortable reflections. 
 
 iMonday 7th Arose early, wrote in my journal an»d read till eight. 
 Breakfasted with friend Woolsey. The weather is still stormy and dis- 
 agreeable. Made as many visits, however, as I could, and attended to 
 some business. Dined with my good friend Dr. Post, who was so obliging 
 as to invite Dr. Mitchell on my account- The former is the same friend 
 he always professed to be. Matrimony sits easy upon him, and his wife 
 seems calculated to make him happy. They have everything around them 
 to make them so, and why should they not be? The latter was far mpre 
 agreeable then he formerly was. The wings of his vanity have been so 
 often clip'd that he does not now attempt to soar beyond the sphere of 
 ordinary capacities. His information (of which he certainly has a 
 large share) seems to be much more of the useful kind, than that which 
 he was formerly accustomed to bear about him. I was so well pleas- 
 ed, entertained and instructed by their conversation that I tarried till 
 seven o'clock in the evening. On my return home I called and spent an 
 hour very pleasantly at Effingham Lawrence's. He is agreeable him- 
 self and his wife is not less so. All around them seems to be in the 
 high light of domestic happiness. That is as it can be in this bustling 
 city. Came home fatigued and went to bed. 
 
 Tuesday 8th Awoke early and should have arisen if I had felt as I 
 always do in Hartford, but the hurry, bustle, and fatigue oif this noisy 
 city threw my head upon my pillow and kept it there an hour longer. I 
 was obliged however to get up and attend to my breakfast where I had 
 engaged to get it. They are all a proud, conceited family. I cared noth- 
 ing about them, and left there as soon as possible. Attended most of the 
 forenoon to business. Excused myself from dining out that I might at- 
 tend to Dr. Green, who has just married one of my good cousins. From 
 what I have seen and heard of him, he seems to possess a considerable 
 share of modest merit. I have no objections to the acquirement of such 
 cousins-in-law. Miss Jane Ferris lives in a humble shed 'tis true, but in 
 my opinion she possesses more rea 1 worth than many who are covered by 
 Palaces. I spent an hour with her with much pleasure and made her 
 promise to return the visit. Called and said how do ye at Parson Beecks, 
 rec'd a very friendly invitation to come again, and walked over and drank 
 tea with Mrs- Smith and her excellent daughter. Old times were 
 strongly revived. We sung, read Hieroglyphicks, and did a thousand 
 other things just as we used to do. At seven I left them for the less 
 gratifying, but more substantial pleasures of the Medical Society (1) 
 The respect and cordiality with which they all rec'd me, gave me a degree 
 of satisfaction which I cannot easily describe. Party spirit, tho' still 
 remaining, is evidently on the decline. At ten we all dispersed to our 
 several homes. I sat an hour with my brother and sister and went 
 to bed well-satisfied with the transactions of the day. 
 
 (1) In the New York Directory & Register for the year 1790 we find that M. F. C, 
 James Cogswell, Charles McKnight and Benjamin Kissam were all members of the 
 New York Medical Society. 
 
 [41] 
 
Wednesday 9th Too stormy to breakfast out. Consequently sent my 
 apology and staid at home. For the first time in my life had the Custom 
 House officer after me. Soon satisfied him however. Another rap! 
 Another Custom House officer perhaps — "Sir, your most obediently hum- 
 ble servant (explain'd a purse proud pettit martin, as I opened the door) 
 I am extremely glad to see you. 1 hope you have been well this age. 
 How could you keep yourself so long away from the delights of this 
 splendid metropolis? How long do you intend to tarry with us and 
 happify us with your company?" And twenty other questions all in a 
 breath, without waiting for me to answer one of them. He went on, "I 
 have invited a set of hearty lads to dine with me tomorrow and you must 
 do me the honor to make one of our party, as 'twas solely on acc't that 
 I have made the entertainment, Will you, my dear Sir? I am engaged 
 until next Wednesday evening and on Thursday morning I leave town. 
 I am really the most unfortunate dog in the world; I am compelled to 
 bid a good morning." And in this instance, I am the most fortunate in 
 getting quit of you so easily. I expected to have been plagued with you 
 an hour at least. I had much rather be as poor as I am, than s proud as 
 you are. 
 
 Dr. Rogers you are welcome after the unprincipled creature who 
 is just gone. I will dine with you any day after Sunday that you will 
 please to invite me. Called on a number of my friends and dined with 
 Mr. Woolsey and his Excellent Mamma. Noble youth! may the rewards 
 of a dutiful child be yours. The reflection of having provided a home for 
 so good and so kind a parent must afford you such pleasures as crowns 
 and sceptres cannot purchase. After dinner, called in at Mrs. Eliot's, 
 to administer some consolation to the widow and the fatherless. I found 
 herself and daughter with melancholy countenances, lamenting the loss 
 of a husband and father. The former said but little ; the latter convers'd 
 with freedom and evidenced a degree of information much beyond her 
 advantages. She has a beautiful countenance which seems to indicate 
 a very good heart. I left them, promised to call again, returned home to 
 tea with Mrs. Broome, Mr. Lloyd, a family party and had a most lux- 
 urious tete a tete about Hartford. Called at Mrs. Wheaton's and supped 
 with Sanford and Phelps, returned home at 10. Sat till 12 with my 
 brother and sister and went to bed. 
 
 Thursday 10th Breakfasted at home and in spite of everybody at- 
 tended to business all the forenoon. Dined at my friend, Blakeley's in 
 company with the landlady, a* comely pleasant woman, a full-blooded Ma- 
 deira man, two Nova Scotians, and a New Yorker. Dear Hartford was 
 again the subject They could all bear to hear its praises better than the 
 New Yorker. He was afraid that dear New York would be eclipsed. 
 Made several calls of ceremony and accompanied Mrs. Broome and my 
 sister to Mrs- Smith's, and drank tea with her and her sprightly daugh- 
 ters- And here I had to answer a thousand enquiries about Hartford 
 again, and everybody in it which I did in the best manner I possibly 
 could. About 7, I gallanted jMrs. Wm. Smith home, left, her after prom- 
 ising to call again when I had taken care of Mrs. Broome and my sis- 
 ter. And so I did and spend the remainder of the evening with her, 
 Belinda (Mrs. Clarkson, I mean) and Peggy. Mr. Clarkson just came 
 
 [42] 
 
in and went out again, so that I can say nothing about him. Mrs. Clark- 
 son and Peggy are sprightly, sensible and good humour'd as ever. Mrs. 
 Smith seems to be a placid, mild-tempered good woman. And Jessey is 
 as musical as ever. We sung, chatted and fluted after 10, when I sup- 
 ped and wished them a good night. Came home and went immediately 
 to my couch. 
 
 Friday 11th Arose at 7 and wrote till 9. Breakfasted and at- 
 tended part of the A. M- to business. Called on Dr. Rogers and was 
 treated by him with much affection and tenderness. Sit an hour with 
 him and left him after promising to dine with him on Monday. Called 
 and heard the debates of the Representatives and found a number of 
 friends and Rec'd many invitations to dine, breakfast and sup with them. 
 I promised to as many as I thought I could perform. 
 
 Dined with friend Sam'l Broome (1) and very much my friend he 
 is. I wish I could say as much of his brother. However, I would sooner 
 forfeit the good will of any man, especially one I deem a rascal, than 
 sacrifice a title at the shrine of truth. Sam'l talk'd much of his wife 
 and child, inquired much about Hartford, my prospects, etc. and treat- 
 ed me in every respect with kindness and civility. After dinner sit 
 an hour with Mrs, Broome and her daughters. Polly has entirely re- 
 covered her health during my absence and Sally is a lovely girl. I was 
 particularly gratified witji her paintings and poetic productions. Her 
 mind tho' young is elegant and matured in knowledge. I bade them 
 adieu, called at >Mr. London's, walked with Peggy to Mr. Farley's, left 
 them and promis'd to return to tea "but there is many a slip between 
 the cup and the lip." |Mr. Blakeley, Mr. Penfield, and Mr. Colton were 
 just stepping into a sleigh as I turned the corner to pay one of them a 
 visit, and the sleigh is sometimes as good place to visit in as any other. 
 I g;ot in with them to ride about town and in a very short time we were 
 whirled to the Five Mile House where with drinking mull'd wine, coffee, 
 etc., and being very much on a frolic, we were so long detain'd that we 
 did not return till 8 o'clock. I then repaired to Mr. Finley's with my 
 mouth full of apologies, obtained a pardon for being run away with, 
 and spent an hour with them most agreeably in rational conversation, 
 music, etc. At half past 9 walked home with Peggy, sit till 1-, came 
 home, chatted an hour with my sister in my brother's absence and re- 
 tired to me bed and slept soberly the whole night. 
 
 Saturday 12th Made a bad promise and broke it. And I am the 
 more reconciled to it from having heard an observation fall from the lips 
 of a charming woman but a short time since to the effect "that the one 
 who never err'd would only be admired; but that the one who err'd and 
 ingenuously acknowledged the fault would always be beloved." Break- 
 fasted with (Mr. Watson with Mr. & Mrs. Jas. Davenport, and spent most 
 of the forenoon with the latter, walking from one street to another, pur- 
 chasing what we severally wanted. Dined at |Mr. Moses Prosper's, with 
 him, Mr. Lloyd, W. Cunningham, and my friend Woolsey — amused myself 
 after dinner with the children in the nursery. Betsey gave us a number 
 of tunes with her voice and Harpsicord and evidenced a great deal of im- 
 provement since I last saw her. Drank tea and spent an hour afterward 
 
 (1) See pape (24;. 
 
 [43] 
 
very pleasantly with Mrs. Wetmore and her brother. Prospers taste 
 is as good as ever, as appear 'd from a number of pictures he had late- 
 ly purchased. Spent an hour with him at the Post Office and the re- 
 mainder of the evening at Dunlap's with his wife and brother William. 
 His literary budget was opened and I was pleased with his poetical produc- 
 tions since I left town. He has a bold imagination, a sprightly fancy and 
 a mind well stored with historical facts and enriched by reflections. And 
 this is much more than can be said with truth of many of the young gentle- 
 men of New York. Came home, drank part of a bottle of Porter, eat 
 some bread and cheese, talked and laughed, read and wrote a little, and 
 went to bed at 12. 
 
 Sunday 13th Arose early and employed myself in reading and writing 
 till breakfast time. Walked to church with my sister, and was entertained 
 by Dr. McKnight. Dined at Mr. Broome's in company with Sam Broome 
 Woolsey, etc, etc. — accompanied Mr. Broome to the Church in Wall Street 
 (1) in the afternoon and heard the same sermon from Dr. Mc Knight which 
 I had heard in the morning. I was not mortified however as it would 
 bear repeating. Had he more animation he would be an excellent 
 preacher. We had a pew full of music. Mrs. Broome set them the ex- 
 ample and all her children attunded their voices to the praises of their 
 Maker. After church I called at Mrs. Vandervort's to enquire how they all 
 did and found them much better. Came home and sit till sunset. Walk- 
 ed to Mrs. Smith's, drank tea with the ladies, and engaged myself for the 
 morrow evening. Left them at 8 and called at Mr. Watson's and suped. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Davenport added to the agreeableness of our circle and a 
 very agreeable two hours we had. I left them all at 10, came home, sit 
 an hour with my brother and sister and went to bed. 
 
 Monday 14th Arose at 7 and wrote till 9. Breakfasted and attend- 
 ed to some matters of business until 11 o'clock. Called and sit half an 
 hour with Lady Temple and Augusta, another with Judge Hobart, Par- 
 son Backus, and then repaired to Dr. Rogers where I was engaged to 
 dine. Our company consisted of the Rev'd Doctor and his Lady, the 
 Medical Doctor and his Lady, a very pretty woman Mrs. Bayard, the Dr's 
 daughter, and Miss Ledyard. (2) The Dr. treated me with much af- 
 fection and tenderness. He has long been in the habits of friendship 
 with my father and always considers me as the son of his friend. I con- 
 sider him as a good man and his smiles of approbation are worth secur- 
 ing. 1 was most pleased with the behaviour of the whole family. The 
 young Doctor and |Mrs. Rogers are a charming couple, and seem to be 
 formed for each other. I wish them as happy as a union of hearts and 
 hands can make them. Mrs. Bayard seems a sensible woman and she 
 certainly is a well bred woman, and everybody who knows Miss Ledyard 
 will say the same of her. My time in short was happily spent until 
 4 o'clock when I left them to rig myself for the evening, and at 6 o'clock 
 I placed myself before Miss Sally Smith as her humble servant for the 
 evening. After tea a coach was called and we were soon whirled to the 
 
 (1) Probably the parent church, the 1st Presbyterian, rebuilt in 1748 and "standing 
 with cupola and bell in the upper end of Wall Street, the north side of the street, 
 near the Broadway." 
 
 (2) Very probably the future Mrs. M. F. C. 
 
 [44] 
 
Assembly room, to make a small part of Mr. Picking's public; and verily 
 a public it was ;, for there was a quantum sufficit of Hairdressers. Mil- 
 liners, Ladies of the town, good bad and indifferent, great and small, 
 Merchants, Lawyers, and Doctors in mixed abundance. Nothing but 
 confusion the whole evening. If I had not been blessed with one of the 
 very best partners in the room it wouM have been intolerable. But as 
 it was I spent the evening very pleasantly. With the bow dance I was 
 much delighted which was performed by twenty-four scholars with ele- 
 gance. At 1 o'clock I attended my partner and her sister home, repair- 
 ed to my own and deposited the fatigues of the day and night on my 
 pillow. 
 
 Tuesday 15th Slept till 9 and was called up to breakfast. As I was 
 not so fit for society as I sometimes am I devoted most of the forenoon 
 to business. At the coffee house I found a few who were glad to see me 
 and many who were ostensibly so, but who really cared nothing about rue. 
 Dined with my friend Flint, who had invited Blakeley because he had 
 invited me. Soon after dinner Mr. Blakeley left us and then we had 
 a conversation about old times and neiv ones worth an engagement I 
 had made to drink tea with the Ladies. However, "better late than 
 never" is always true. I left one friend and found several at Prosper 's. 
 The Miss London's, Prosper, Caty, Brothers, Sisters, etc. I was very 
 happy while with them. At 6 walked home with Peggy. I wish she 
 had a good husband for I really think she deserves one. I had engaged 
 to sup with Dr. Port and could not sit down with Peggy and Hannah. I 
 found the Dr. with his sweet little wife enjoying themselves in the true 
 stile of domestic happiness. "Derby and Joan" said the Doctor (as I 
 entered, ay, thot I, when shall I find my Joan wfth whom I can be thus 
 happy). And it was not strange that a pretty deep sigh escaped me as 
 the thought took hold of my mind. I tarried with them till 11, and I 
 would have tarried till 12 if I had not been afraid of finding all our folks 
 in bed. I left them, came home, and slept quietly the whole night. 
 
 Friday 18th And not a word have I written since Tuesday night. 
 So incessantly have I been employed that I really have not had time. 
 Many incidents have occurred, which, if well told, would embellish a 
 journalist's page. But I have not time, even to try. I am out of patience 
 with this confused place. I cannot even see those I love and the longer 
 I stay the worse it is. Give me dear Hartford I say. On Wednesday I 
 breakfasted at Mr. Penfield's, dined at home, from a particular invitation 
 drank tea at Mrs. Smith's and spent the evening at a family) party at Mrs. 
 Broome's and was most agreeably surprised. On Thursday breakfasted 
 with Sir John Temple. Dined with friend Effingham Lawrence, and 
 drank tea with Mrs. Rogers. After tea I gallanted her and Miss Bogart 
 to the City Assembly. The evening was intensely cold but agreeable 
 notwithstanding. Not equal however in my estimation to Hartford in 
 several respects. Danced till 12:30. On Friday I lay in bed late and 
 broke my fast at home. Dined with Mr. Penfield in company with Judge 
 Smith, Col. Ward and Mr. Blakeley. Drank tea at Col. Wm. Smith's 
 and I spent the evening promiscuously. Came home at 11 and went to bed. 
 
 Saturday 19th A very stormy day. Remembered my engagement 
 however, which I would not have done if it had not been to a very g*ood 
 friend. I accordingly breakfasted with |Mr. Flint, finished the conver- 
 
 [45] 
 
sation begun on Tuesday last, and left him to finish my business. Dined 
 at my friend William Woolsey's in company with Judge Lowell, our old 
 Stage companion, who had arrived the evening before from Philadelphia 
 from whom we rec'd an agreeable account from our friends in Phila. 
 Drank tea with Woolsey, with Miss London, her sister still indisposed. 
 Made several good-bye visits and returned home to my brother, sister 
 and their lovely children. Sat with them till 10 and went to bed. 
 
 Sunday 20th As I had spent so little time at my brother's since I 
 had been in tpwn and as it was the Sabbath I determined not to go out. 
 My cold prevented my attendance at Church in the morning. In the 
 P.M. I attended with my sister at the old place and listened with pleasure 
 to the Rev. Dr. McKnight. After Church I called and bid a number of 
 my friends adieu, drank tea with Mrs. Stewart in company with (Miss 
 London and her brother, Sam , l, who had just returned from; sea. Soon 
 after called and rec'd the adieu of Mrs. Broome and family, Penfield's, 
 Watson's Woolsey's, Mrs. Rogers', etc., and spent the remainder of the 
 evening at my brother's. At 11 I left them with miy best wishes, rec'd 
 theirs and set my face towards the stage house. I went to bed about 
 half past 11. But on account of frequent disturbances I slept but very 
 little, and on 
 
 Monday 21st was called up at 5 o'clock to jump into the stage with 
 eight other passengers (viz) Miss Ledyard of Hartford, an old lady 
 belonging to New Rochel, Judge Lowell, his friend Mr. Jackson from 
 Boston, Mr. Clark a Canadian, jMr. Wales, Mr. Fitch, and a French 
 gentleman. The old Lady left us at New Rochel, and her place was 
 supplied by the facetious Col. Barton and Col. Somebody else. Our time 
 passed away very agreeably without any very singular adventures or 
 common stage incidents and arrived safe in the evening at Stamford, 
 the end of our journey for the day, where Miss Ledyard and myself had 
 determined to spend a few days. We found our friend very well, very 
 happy and very glad to see us. I ran around, shook hands with some 
 and kissed others, returned to Maj. Davenport's, (1) jumped into a 
 warm bed and slept luxuriously until I was summoned to breakfast in 
 the morning about 9 o'clock. 
 
 Tuesday 22nd As soon as we were washed and combed, Mrs, Daven- 
 port, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Holly, Mr. Smith and myself put ourselves into 
 a sleigh and in about two hours found ourselves in Greenfield. The 
 good Dooctor (2) and Lady were from home. We helped oulrelves to 
 what we wanted, drank tea at Dr. Rogers' and spent part of the evening 
 at Mr. Bradley's, where the Dr. on his return found us. The remainder 
 of the evening we spent delightfully and instructively. The pleasure of 
 the afternoon was much heightened by the circumstances of meeting 
 
 with Miss C n from Norwalk. She is socially a sweet girl. I hope 
 
 from the bottom of my heart her wishes may be gratified. He is an 
 amiable character and every way calculated to make her happy. 
 N.B. This Journal is in Doctor Cogswell's own handwriting. 
 
 * * * 
 
 (1) Probably Abraham Davenport, the father of James Cogswell's wifo. 
 
 (2) Rev. Timothy Dwight — see Page 22. In fact Dwight wrote a partly idyllic 
 an<i partly moral didactic piece, intitled, "Greenfield Hill." It emanated from this 
 country parish, 3 miles from the Sound in the town of Fairfield, Connecticut, where 
 Dwight was pastor from 1783 till 1795 when he became President of Yale College. 
 
 [46] 
 
EPISTLE TO A LADY 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham, Conn. Hartford, March 10, 1791. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir — 
 
 For about two months before I set out for New York, I was con- 
 stantly endeavoring to find a time when I could visit you consistently 
 with my duty to myself and my patients, during which time we had a 
 fire in Hartford, at which several persons were badly hurt, I had at 
 the same time a child in East Hartford which was terribly scalded and 
 required much of my Time and Attention. Indeed I had not time to 
 write or to look out for opportunities to send. On the last of January 
 I set out for New York, and returned but a week since on Saturday night. 
 Some account of myself while absent will now very naturally follow; 
 and in the first place I have never traveled in the stage when the Com- 
 pany, both going and coming, and where it depended wholly on accident, 
 was so very agreeable. The sleighing was likewise good both ways, 
 which not only took off the fatigue of traveling, but rendered it delightful. 
 
 I found my Brother, Sister and their children, which are very lovely, 
 all well. Colonel Broome and family were likewise very well. Polly 
 had regained her health surprisingly. Indeed my friends in New York 
 were all well, and treated me with great kindness and hospitality. I 
 dined once with Dr. Rogers who was peculiarly tender and affectionate 
 in his behavior and requested of me to make mention of him to you with 
 his best respects. Indeed I was obliged to breakfast, dine and sup out 
 so often with my friends, that before I could get away I sighed for those 
 tranquil scenes to which I had ever been accustomed in Hartford. I had 
 no time for reflection; and if I could have had, my mind was not in a 
 situation to profit by indulging in it. I could not but agree with the poet 
 who said "The death of reflections, the birth of all woe. ,, 
 
 I feel more and more rejoiced that I am away from that noisy tu- 
 multuous City. I find even here temptations sufficient to invite one from 
 the time of their duty. But there they are crowded upon you from every 
 quarter and in every possible shape. I say again, I heartily rejoice that I 
 am removed to such a distance from them. 
 
 I do not mean by this to consider myself as secure in Hartford. 
 I well know that I am always surrounded by temptations let me be 
 where I will, and that I am constantly in need of the advice of my friends, 
 and the influences of restraining Grace to preserve that temper of mind 
 which is peculiarly necessary for my well being here and hereafter. 
 The advice in your last letter came to my feelings with impressive force. 
 I have often felt myself in danger, from the same quarter which has 
 excited your apprehensions, and I believe I have as often endeavored to 
 
 [47] 
 
be on my guard. Wherever I go I well know I am treated with uncom- 
 mon attention and kindness; especially by those who are distinguished 
 for their talents and their goodness; I have especially experienced this 
 treatment in Hartford; beyond my deserts I am certain. 
 
 My dutiful love to my (Mamma, if to be assured of my affection can 
 be any compensation for all her kindness to me, she has it without 
 reserve. And believe me with fervent affection, 
 
 Your dutiful son 
 
 \ Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham, Conn. Hartford, Oct. 24, 1791. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir— 
 
 Your letter by Mr. Huntington was safely handed me. 
 
 Mr. Rudd I accidentally came across yesterday, negotiating the 
 business of the Bell. I rejoice that you are in a fair way to have a 
 good one in Scotland. It certainly is a very fine Bell, as far as we can 
 judge by ringing it on the ground, and Mr. Rudd is determined to get 
 it to its destined place without cracking it. He says he should have no 
 doubts on the subject, if so many attempts had not already been made 
 and failed. 
 
 You desire me in your last to give you some account to the 
 Sickness in New York. (1) From My Brother I have heard nothing; 
 for he writes me no oftener than he does you, but from one of my 
 medical correspondents there I have received some account of it though 
 not a very particular one. The disease which has prevailed there has 
 been of the putrid kind, but not so mortal as had generally been reported 
 in the Country. Some days, however, there were as many as a hundred 
 and thirty persons died. It is now very much abated. I have repeatedly 
 heard from my Brother while it has been raging, by our merchants who 
 have been in with their fall goods. They all speak in highest terms of his 
 reputation. They say that he had as many patients as he could possible 
 attend to, and that among those who had the epidemic he had not lost 
 one. I can hardly believe it, although numbers have told me the same 
 story. His business is constantly growing better, and his reputation in- 
 creases with his business. 
 
 My own business has been very considerable for several months 
 past: particularly since I saw you. We have had a Fever of that bilious 
 kind prevailing here this Fall but in general it may be called a healthy 
 season. The late explosion at the Powder mill has given me one patient 
 which has employed much of my time and attention for three weeks. 
 More than half of my time was taken up with him. My other patients 
 crowding at the same time have prevented my writing to any person, 
 
 (1) There was an epidemic of yellow fever in the United States 1792-1805. 
 
 [48] 
 
even to a Father. Still I have lost but one patient since last February. 
 The means which I have been led to use have been remarkably blessed. 
 In that respect with a great many others since I came to Hartford, I 
 have every possible reason of Thankfulness. Not a day passes but I 
 have most abundant cause for rejoicing. It affects me much at the time 
 and I hope I shall never be insensible to such benefits. 
 
 Remember me, I pray you, my kind Parent, in your prayers at the 
 throne of grace and believe me, most affectionately, 
 
 To Reverend James Cogswell' 
 
 Your affectionate son, 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 "To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham, Conn. Hartford, December 28th, 1791. 
 
 Dear & Hond Sir — 
 
 Mr. Flint sets out for Windham this morning, and I cannot but write 
 a few lines by him, although I can write but a few. 
 
 When the circuit court set in the town, Mr. Baldwin, an attorney 
 in New Haven, showed me an account against me, which was put into 
 his hands for collection by the Steward of New Haven College. The 
 account is upwards of seven pounds and I can hardly believe that I owe 
 it. Have you not a receipt in full from him? It appears strange to 
 me that he has not demanded it before. I wish you, Sir, to write me all 
 you can recollect on the subject. 
 
 I heard from my Brother this day, by a person who saw him. He 
 seldom or never writes me. |My sister lately broke her collar bone but 
 is doing well. I hope you will write me a few lines by Mr. Flint. 
 
 Mr. Earle is now in Hartford. Should you be willing that he should 
 come to Scotland and remain there a week or so until he could partly 
 take your; portrait and then finish it in Hartford? (1) I wish you 
 to let me know. I can write no more than this, with my duty to my 
 Mamma. I am in haste. 
 
 Your dutiful and affectionate son, 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Rev'd James Cogswell" 
 
 There is a portrait of James Cogswell as the unmistakable Dominie, 
 owned by (Miss Weld of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. No signature can 
 he found on the canvas. As to Earle himself, M. F. C. later describes 
 him as "a mighty plain peaceable man." Beyond that we know R. Earle 
 painted portraits in Connecticut in 1775 and in Charleston, S. C, in 
 1795 ; his full length portraits of Dr. Dwight and his wife are in Copley's 
 manner, with black shadows. Earle was among the Governor's military 
 guard, marched to Cambridge and Lexington, made drawings of the 
 scenery in both places and outlined, perhaps the first historical com- 
 
 (1) The original suggestion had come from James Cogswell, M. D. who in October, 
 1791. had written from New York to M. F. C. in Hartfiord: — 
 
 "I wish you could prevail on Earle to take my father's likeness." 
 
 [49] 
 
positions in America; they were engraved by his comrade-at-arms, Doo- 
 little. Earle studied with West, and returned to America in 1786. He 
 painted many portraits in New York and more in Connecticut. Ac- 
 cording to Dunlap, he had "facility of handling" and caught likenesses 
 well. He painted Mrs. Alexander Hamilton in 1787. Earle being 
 in difficulty and imprisoned for debt, General Hamilton induced his 
 wife and others ladies to sit to him in prison, and thereby secured his re- 
 lease. 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To the Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham, Conn. Hartford, March 15th, 1792. 
 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 My last visit though short was a very satisfactory one. To be left 
 in the full possession of your Cheerfulness and to enjoy so good a state 
 of Health at so advanced a period of life, especially when we remember 
 the portion of Headache with which you have been so long afflicted, must 
 be considered as a very great Blessing. My heart, while reflecting on the 
 subject, swells with affection, and if ever it is moved with gratitude tc 
 its Creator, it is then. The state of my Mother's health to as being much 
 better than in last winter gave me much satisfaction, and it is my ear- 
 nest Prayer, that you may both preserve that serenity which you now 
 enjoy, until, resting from your labor on Earth, you may fall asleep in the 
 arms of Jesus and awake in the bosom of your God. 
 
 Our friends in Hartford anticipate much satisfaction from your visit 
 in June or July. I hardly think you can make so long a visit as I think 
 you ought without spending one Sabbath. If you do not wish to preach, 
 it will not be insisted on. At least, I presume it will not. Besides Mr. 
 Earle cannot complete the Portrait in three or four days, which will be 
 all you can spend if you do not tarry over the Sabbath. I wish you to 
 very much. I promise so many visits for you in and around Hartford, 
 that it will be impossible for you to finish the whole in any time, much 
 short of a fortnight. 
 
 I heard but a few days since from the Doctor and his family who are 
 all well. I have heard likewise from Polly since her arrival at Lan- 
 singburgh. She had made her friends very happy! by visiting them. 
 She intends returning by the way of New York as soon as the approach- 
 ing Spring shall open the river. 
 
 My dutiful love to my Mamma and a suitable remembrance to my 
 other Friends. With much affection I am 
 
 Your dutiful son 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 To the Revd James Cogswell' ' 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To the Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Hartford, April 23rd, 1792. 
 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 To convince you that I have not been wholly unmindful of you I en- 
 close a letter which I wrote about six weeks since, I believe. I put it with 
 the one to Major Backus, which I will thank you to forward as soon as 
 
 [50] 
 
possible to Mr. Keyes at West Division. He went his journey and for- 
 got the letters, and I have but just got them again. I now send them by 
 the way of Norwich, as I know of no direct conveyance to Scotland and 
 perhaps might not in a month. 
 
 I have lately received a letter from Ebenezer Fitch, (1) acknowl- 
 edging an attachment for Polly and requesting my approbation which I 
 have most cheerfully given. I cannot but consider it as a most providen- 
 tial provision for Polly, especially at this time. 
 
 I heard, this day, that my Brother and Family were well, a few days 
 since, not by letter, but by message. He is not, I am told, even remotely 
 injured by the numberless failures which have lately happened in New 
 York. (2) In haste and with the warmest affection, I am, 
 
 Your dutiful son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd Jamles Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To the Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Hartford, July 15th, 1792. 
 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 Last evening your favor of the 11th instant was handed me, (Mr. 
 Swift is in town and has just told me he is going to Windham in the 
 morning. I will improve a few minutes which I have in writing to a 
 Parent who deserves more from me than I shall ever be able to bestow. 
 
 June and July are generally the healthiest months in the year and 
 I intended if could not come to Hartford to have gone myself to Scotland, 
 and if Mr. Earle had been at leisure, to have taken him with me. But 
 although the season has by no means been a sickly one yet I have been 
 more engaged than during any preceding period since my arrival in 
 Hartford. Several cases of importance, mostly in surgery, around and 
 in town, have employed my whole time and attention. I do not think 
 it probable that I shall be able to leave homte now until sometime in 
 the fall, after the sickly months are over. 
 
 Mr. Earle has lately been engaged at Windsor in taking Mr. and 
 Mrs. Ellsworth. Possibly I may bring him with me. How should you 
 like it? He is a mighty plain peaceable man. 
 
 I cannot thank you sufficiently for your parental advice and good 
 wishes; I read over your letters often and dwell upon them with delight. 
 
 (1) Mrs. Mary Backus Cogswell, so persistently mentioned as Polly, married in 
 May, 1792, the Reverend Ebenezer Fitch, the son of Jabez and Lydia Huntington 
 Fitch, and the cousin, early playmate, and college classmate of Polly's first husband, 
 Samuel Cogswell, who had died in 1790. The tradition is that Mr. Fitch made the 
 offer of marriage to the beautiful Mary Backus about the same time that she received 
 a like proposal from Mr. Cogswell, neither being aware of the other's intentions. She 
 chose Mr. Cogswell, but being bereft of him, she accepted Mr. Fitch who later became 
 the distinguished president of Williams College and incidentally had a son called 
 Mason Cogswell Fitch. 
 
 (2) About this same time James Cogswell, M. D. was writing from N. Y. to his 
 father in Wirddham: — "We are all in confusion in the city. A few persons by 
 endeavoring to monopolize bank stock at six percent have occasioned an almost 
 Mniversal bankruptcy amongst the dealers in stocks. The evil will be felt a long 
 time here, and extend its influence throughout the continent." 
 
 [51] 
 
I know it to be my duty to marry as soon as I can, and my inclina- 
 tion, in this instance at least, urges me to a compliance with my duty. 
 But this is a business the success of which, differing from most others, 
 does not depend even upon the most unremitting exertions of industry. 
 Tis my most anxious wish to present you with an amiable and lovely 
 daughter; and you may rest assured that no exertions of mine shall be 
 wanting to accomplish so desirable a purpose. 
 
 The subjects upon which you congratulate me are of great impor- 
 tance; more especially the last. The abolishing the slave trade in Eng- 
 land, must I conceive pave the way for a general abolition throughout 
 Europe. The light of knowledge and the Gospel seems to be spreading 
 over the whole habitable globe. God grant that its progress may be 
 wonderfully accelerated, and that the sweet season of Peace so em- 
 phatically spoken of in the History of Truth may approach on the swift 
 swing of time, and shed its sacred influence from the rising to the setting 
 sun. 
 
 I am sorry that my Mamma is still not well. You say she is stomach- 
 less. Perhaps she is tanning the bark. If no I would suggest the pro- 
 priety of it in some form or other, especially during the warm months. 
 I think it must be of service to her. My dutifull love accompanies my 
 advice. 
 
 With much affection, I am 
 Your dutiful son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To the Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Hartford,, September 20th, 1792. 
 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 I have just been writing to my Brother, though I hardly think he 
 deserves a letter, as I have written him several without receiving any 
 answer. He always was lazy about writing to his friends, and now that 
 he is very busy he is still more so. In my letter to him, I made a pro- 
 posal which I very much wish he may comply with, as I am very sure 
 you would be particularly gratified by it. The proposal was this — that 
 my Sister (1) should accompany Mr. Chenevard, who is now in New 
 York, to Hartford, and I will then carry her to Scotland, etc. But I 
 much doubt whether she will come. She will not like at present to 
 leave her Family so long as she must do in order to make the necessary 
 visits in her absence. At any rate I intend to come myself but how long 
 it will be for, I cannot determine. Time and circumstance must deter- 
 mine. I intend coming, if I am not disappointed, in about a fortnight 
 or three weeks, when I shall if I can spare time, make a short visit to 
 my Norwich friends- 
 
 I enclose you an oration of my friend Theodore (2) spoken, as you 
 
 (1) Elizabeth Davenport, wife of the Doctor brother, James Cogswell. 
 
 (2) Theodore Dwight was by profession a lawyer, but spent most of his life editing 
 newspapers in Hartford, Albany and New York. While practicing his profession 
 he was always busy writing different satires in prose or verse. 
 
 [52] 
 
will see, the Fourth of last July, rt is a hasty production, (every word 
 of it being written between ten o'clock and nine o'clock the next morn- 
 ing) still the genius and disposition of the man are, I think, pretty 
 clearly discerned. He was married to a Miss Alsop (1) of Middletown 
 a fortnight since last evening, and is now on a visit to his friend3 in 
 New York and Greenfield. This I consider as a very broad hint to 
 myself, especially as he is reminding me of my duty every day or two. 
 And this is not the only good example that is set me. They are con- 
 stantly marrying and giving in marriage all around me. My eyes are 
 open to the subject and I really will take all lawful means in my power 
 to obtain for you a good daughter-in-law. (My brothers before me have 
 presented you such good ones, that I should be mortified to furnish one 
 which I thought inferior to theirs. Therefore I pray that a little longer 
 time be granted, and if I do not obtain a good one ultimately, I will get 
 as good a one as I can. 
 
 My duty to my Mamma and Polly. I hope to see both of them 
 shortly. And in the meantime, I am 
 
 Your dutiful and affectionate son, 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 "To the Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham New York, December 15th, 1792. 
 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 Your very consolatory letter of the 3rd instant by (Mr. Lathrop I 
 have received and it has given me more satisfaction than I can express. I 
 cannot now reply to it particularly. I will do it when I arrive at Hart- 
 ford. At present I have only time to let you know that I am very soon 
 to return to Hartford. I was in no danger of ever wishing to reside in 
 New York, before I received your letter. But if I had determined to come 
 here, your letter would have altered my determination. I am now the 
 only prop of your declining years and I cannot think it my duty to place 
 myself in a situation, where to comfort and support you, will be almost 
 out of my power. This is all I can say at present about ft. 
 
 jMy sister (2) bears the shock with as much fortitude as any woman 
 can. Her reliance is on Heaven. Her friends have done everything they 
 
 (1) Theodore D wight and Abigail Alsop were married September 9th, 1792. 
 ^2) James Cogswell, M. D. died in New York of yellow fever contracted while per- 
 forming the duties of his profession. 
 
 His tombstone in the church yard of Christ Church, Manhasset, L. I., bears the 
 following inscription: 
 
 "Here repose the mortal remains of Dr. James Cogswell, who died the 20th of 
 November, 1792 in the forty-eighth year of his age. 
 
 He was a Patriot, actively engaged as a member of the Staff of Washington ; n 
 the great struggle for Independence. 
 
 A Philanthropist deeply interested in all the benevolent movement of hia *ime 
 One of the principal originators of the New York Dispensary Syste 
 Society for the Relief of Distressed Debtors, and of the First African School os'ab' 
 ed in New York. 
 
 He was a devoted Christian exemplifying the religion he professod by a cm si 
 
 life." 
 
 [53] 
 
could for her, and it is impossible I should be treated with more tenderness 
 than I have been. My heart has been torn with a thousand distressing re- 
 flections. Pray for me my kind Parent, that this afflicted dispensation 
 of God's Providence may be sanctified to me for my spiritual and ever- 
 lasting good- 
 Mrs, Oogswell will write you as soon as she can. She desires to be 
 most affectionately and dutifully remembered to you. The children are 
 very well and desire a remembrance. In haste and with more tenderness 
 than ever, with my most dutiful love to my Mamma, I am, 
 
 Your dutiful, affectionate, and only son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 Hartford, January 26th, 1793. 
 
 "To the Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham, 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 When I left New York, my Sister was as much composed and recon- 
 ciled to her situation as anyone who was under her pressure of afflictions 
 could be. Since then her cup of sorrow has been again filled, and she has 
 been obliged to drink it. Her brother, John Lloyd, Jr., the principal Pro- 
 prietor of the Neck, died very suddenly about three weeks or a month 
 since. I have not heard the particulars of his death; nor have I heard 
 how she supports this second afflictive dispensation of Heaven. She has 
 however a mind that is disposed to acquiesce in the government of God, 
 and believes that the judge of all the Earth cannot but do right. She has 
 all the consolation that the sympathy of a very numerous circle of friends 
 can afford her ; and this not merely in expressions of kindness, but in acts 
 of the most disinterested friendship. Dr. Nichols, as soon as he was dead, 
 went home and wrote a letter to my Sister and told her, if it would allevi- 
 ate her sorrow in the least, or could in any degree attribute towards 
 lightening her cares, he would take her youngest son, John, and adopt him 
 as his own, and that if James should ever choose the profession of his 
 father, he would take him at a proper age, and give him his education. 
 Mrs. Broome will probably take Harriet who was named after the one 
 she lost about two years since, and Sally, she will wish to keep with her 
 wherever she may be. James, I shall take myself and do the best 1 can by 
 him. I have prevailed on Mrs. Coll to take him into her family which is 
 a very suitable one for him. I shall write this evening for him to be sent 
 up to me immediately. Alice, you know, Sir, is provided for in her Grand- 
 father's will. Besides she has two excellent uncles at Stamford. Im- 
 mediately after my Brother's death there was a subscription opened for 
 the children and several subscribed very liberally. How it has issued I 
 know not. Thus does God provide for the Widowed and the Fatherless, 
 and in this way heals the wounds which in his Providence he has seen fit 
 to inflict. 
 
 'Tis conjected by my Sister's friends that Mrs. Lloyd will return to 
 Danbury to her mother, who lives there, and that my Sister will go to the 
 Neck and keep house for her Father. I think it highly probable, as he is 
 old and quite infirm. She will then have a home and I think will be as 
 contented as she would be in New York- 
 
 [54] 
 
Mr. Lathrop, when I saw him in New York, told me that you preached 
 a funeral Sermon the Sunday after you heard of my Brother's death. I 
 wish much to see it. If you have no objections, I will thank you to enclose 
 it to me the first opportunity you have and after perusing it, I will send 
 it back. 
 
 My Mamma always shares in my dutiful love but my affections late- 
 ly have been so strongly exercised that she now has a double portion of it. 
 I intended to have written much more than I have done, but patients 
 coming in have prevented me until the mail is almost closed. So that I 
 can only say that with all the ardour of affection, I am, 
 
 Your dutiful son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To the Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Hartford, April 4, 1793. 
 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 A considerable time has elapsed since I have heard from you either 
 verbally or by letter. Perhaps you may have expected to see me and have 
 omitted writing on that account ; I fully intended it before now ; but since 
 my return from New York, the traveling has been such, and my business 
 has been such, that it has been almost impossible for m;e to leave Home 
 and as my business npw is and probably will be, I do not think 
 I shall be able to come before the General Election, when I hope to have 
 a visit of some length from you. I was averse from having you visit 
 me the last Election, but that was on supposition that you would return 
 the same week. I have now a different plan in view, which I hope you 
 will not object to. You have a number of friends in this part of the 
 country who wish to see you, and have requested me to visit them with 
 you the n-ext time you visit me. Now my plan is this; that you come 
 prepared to spend one Sabbath with me, it will be optional with you 
 whether you preach or not; though I confess it would gratify me very 
 much Lo hear you. Mr. Strong and Mr. Flint both wish it very much; 
 Mr. Marsh of Wethersfield likewise, and many others. I cannot but 
 repeat it and hope you will not object to the plan. 
 
 About a fortnight since, my Brother's eldest son James, whom I 
 have adopted, arrived here from New York. I feel the importance of 
 the charge, and hope I shall be directed to do what is right in, super- 
 intending his education. He is a very fine boy and if his faculties are 
 well directed I doubt not but what he will make a fine man. 
 
 I had a letter a few days since from Mr. Fitch; who informs me 
 that a few days before he wrote, Polly presented him a fine Son, (1) 
 and that she was very comfortable. A most affectionate and dutiful 
 remembrance to my Mamma and Polly concludes me, 
 
 Your dutiful and only child 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 (1) Ebenezer Fitch. 
 
 [55] 
 
*To Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Windham Hartford, December 2nd, 1793. 
 
 Dear and Hond Sir— 
 
 Your letter of the 21st of October I duly received containing a very 
 gentle reproof for not writing you oftener, at the same time assigning 
 apology for my remissness- Indeed I have been very busy for four 
 months past; it has been much more sickly than usual here and in 
 Wethersfield, in the latter, especially. The fever which has commenced 
 with inflamatory and terminated in Putrid symptoms has proved mor- 
 tal in many instances in Wethersfield, but in few here. It has abated 
 now and I have less to do. This however has not been my only reason 
 for not writing. The stopping of the stages from this to Norwich ren- 
 ders opportunities there as seldom as to Scotland. I have begun one 
 letter to you and conveyance failed me. I have had no other chance of 
 sending till now, and this I espouse with eagerness. Mrs. Jones is 
 going as far as Canterbury and will bring back a line for me if left where 
 he will leave this. I fear it will not be in my power to visit you very 
 soon; I expect to be obliged to visit New York on account of the settle- 
 ment of my Brother's estate; if so, I cannot be in Scotland till sometime 
 in the winter. 
 
 I will thank you to present my affectionate regards to John Devotion 
 and inform him that I have submitted his Elegy, which was lent me by 
 Fanny Huntington to the inspection of the Poetical Club in and around 
 Hartford, and it has universally met their approbation. It is certainly 
 a production of too much merit to be read only by a few. The editor of 
 the American Poems wishes to obtain his permission to publish it in his 
 Second Volume, and I hope his modesty will not induce him, to withhold 
 his consent. If he wishes to inspect it before publication and has not an 
 accurate copy by him, I will enclose this copy which I have, to him, at any 
 time. 
 
 Tomorrow we shall probably know who are the successful candidates 
 for Congress as the Governor and Council are now at Middletown count- 
 ing the votes. From the remissness of the Freemen (1) in this and the 
 western part of the State in attending Freemen's meetings we very much 
 fear here that Swift will go at last. However, if he should, I believe the 
 kindly chastisement he has received will do him some good and make him 
 a better member than he would have been without it. When he was last 
 in town, at the sitting of the Circuit Court, he spent an evening at Mr. 
 D wight's and expressed great sorrow for having treated me as he had 
 done* and from what he said, I conclude he intended to have spoken to 
 me on the subject; but the attorneys roasted him in such a manner that he 
 was obliged to leave town in about forty-eight hours from the time he 
 came in. He said he could stand it no longer. 
 
 I have lately heard from both my Sisters, they and their little ones 
 are well. James finds his duty. I enclose a sample of his writing. I 
 think he has improved very fast. I hope you will write a line by Mr. 
 Jones. With the warmest affection, I am, 
 
 Your dutiful and only son, 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 (1) Voters with Rights of Citizenship. 
 
 [56] 
 
To the Rev'd James Cogswell, DD 
 
 Windham Hartford, January 29th, 1794. 
 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 I returned last evening from a very cold ride of about ten miles 
 which I had been to perform an operation on a child in a very critical 
 situation, and happily succeeded. I should have not gone in the present 
 state of my practice if it had not been a case of life and death, and there 
 was no one around here .who would perform the operation. On my re- 
 turn I find your two letters brought by Mr. Dorrance, whom I met in the 
 street before I got home. He told me he should go out of town immedi- 
 ately or in the morning. Soon after I met Dr. Backus who told me he 
 should not go till very early in the morning. Last evening I was almost 
 sick for want of rest. Now I have risen with the day to write until Dr. 
 Backus calls. 
 
 True, my kind Parent, I gave you encouragement that I would come 
 and see you soon and I fully intended to long before now. But I can- 
 not resist the decrees of Providence. It's very singular that immedi- 
 ately after the Governor left Hartford I performed an operation which 
 involved the most serious and alarming consequences. For twelve 
 or fourteen nights in succession I slept in the room with the patient with- 
 out once plucking off my clothes. That case was succeeded by one 
 accident and that by another and another in such quick succession that 
 it has been impossible for me to leave town a single day unless in direct 
 opposition to the most positive calls of duty. I have felt extremely 
 anxious on account of Betsey Breed and nothing short of the circum- 
 stances I have stated would have prevented my visiting her before. I 
 certainly shall leave home as soon as possible, and hope I may be an 
 instrument in the hands of Providence of doing her some good. 
 
 In answer to your first letter, I hardly know what to say, I wish 
 my heart was a more yielding one than it is. I find it sometimes so 
 unwilling to do as it ought to that I cannot believe but that it must be a 
 very bad one. On this subject I hope to converse with you soon. 
 
 I thank my Mamma for her affectionate remembrances. Her love 
 for me is not unfelt, or unreturned by her dutiful and affectionate and 
 your only son, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Reyd James Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 'To Dr. M. F. Cogswell 
 
 Hartford, Conn. New Haven, Aug. 29, 1794. 
 
 My dear Sir: — 
 
 I this moment rec'd your friendly letter of the 20th inst and cheer- 
 fully comply with your request. That we have a malignant putrid dis- 
 ease existing amjong us is a fact, that it has in the greatest number of 
 instances where it has happened, proved fatal is also a fact. That it is 
 a contagion specifically different from the epidemic that for months past 
 has prevailed is acknowledged I think by every physician in New Haven 
 but one. But we do not unanimously agree from whence it has origin- 
 
 [57] 
 
ated. Like the Phyladelphia Physicians we split upon this one question 
 whether it has been imported or not. I think whenever we have been 
 requested to attend the meeting of the Authority and the question has 
 been asked— Is it imported, or not, we have been divided about equally. 
 I confess my opinion has been invariably given that it was not Imported, 
 but it appears to me of little or no consequence. The material ques- 
 tions are how shall we prevent its further spread and relieve those al- 
 ready infected. As to the rest we are taking every precaution as you 
 have doubtless in part learnt by a hand bill published the 13th Inst. We 
 have in addition to that hired a set of nurses who are to live by them- 
 selves when not on duty and who are not to have intercourse with the 
 Inhabitants at large. As to the second, we have I believe used too much 
 one invariable mode of treating the patient. We are forming a Coalition 
 among the Younger Practitioners that is all that I care anything about, 
 and we intend to risque our reputation upon what appears to us a ration- 
 al practice. We have begun to exercise the lancet and have I think in 
 several instances seen good effects result from it. 
 
 I thank you for your skeleton. I could only borrow it and that only 
 for a few minutes. I have not tryed him enough either to approve or 
 condemn. I will remit you agreeable to orders and depend upon punc- 
 tual payment. 
 
 I am, my Dear Cogswell, 
 
 Yours with cordiality, 
 Jno Backus" 
 
 "Bilious remitting yellow fever" had such a strong hold in Philadel- 
 phia that Trenton, Baltimore and New York posted handbills forbidding 
 communication with the plague-infested city. However, "the malignant, 
 putrid disease" spread widely. Since the medical men lacked any exact 
 knowledge of it, every conceivable thing- was tried as a cure. One day, 
 garlic would be put in the shoes, another, a great bag of camphor would 
 be hung around the neck, on another, believing in the efficacy of gun- 
 powder, everyone who could buy or borrow a gun loaded and fired it from 
 morning till night. There was a mania for blood letting. Often enough 
 the sufferer would be bled as many as five times a day and there is record 
 of one case where 72 ounces of blood were taken in as many hours from 
 a patient. 
 
 "To the Revd James Cogswell 
 
 Hartford, December 14th, 1794. 
 Dear and Hond Sir — 
 
 On returning to my office the day before yesterday, one of my Ap- 
 prentices presented me a letter, left about an hour before by Dr. Gager. 
 The well-known hand awakened all my filial tenderness, and prepared 
 me for the satisfaction which I always experience from possessing 
 your letters. I seated myself and broke the seal without a check to my 
 feelings ; but when you informed me you had received no letters from, me 
 since your return from Hartford, my heart sunk within me, to think 
 that you should suppose me capable of neglecting you so long. I know 
 
 [58] 
 
not now by whom I wrote; probably by someone who, accused of keeping 
 the letters so long:, has destroyed them, or carried them so far that you 
 will never hear of them. Indeed it is very difficult to find any person who 
 is going nigh Scotland. When the Governor and Fanny were in town 
 on their return from Norwich to Middletown, although they came in 
 town on Saturday afternoon, I did not know it till Monday morning, when 
 meeting Fanny in the street I promised to call and see her and the Gover- 
 nor. But immediately after, I was called out of town, where I was con- 
 fined with a patient in a very critical situation, till they left town; and 
 so it is with me half of the time. My sickness confined me about a week. 
 I was pretty severely attacked but by plentiful evacuations and the as- 
 sistance of a kind Providence, I was soon restored to health, and enabled 
 to enjoy my happiness as usual. 
 
 You very tenderly urged me to procure a partner for life. I feel the 
 importance of such a step and wish for its accomplishment^ with as 
 much fervency as any one can. I should then have many more incite- 
 ments to do good, and less temptation to do evil. I know not how far dis- 
 tant the period m|ay be, but my constant prayer is, that you may live to 
 see it accomplished; for I should consider your benediction, at so critical 
 a period of my life, as of more importance to me, than the good wishes of 
 all mankind besides. 
 
 We have had so much sickness here this fall that I have not even* 
 thought of paying any other visits than professional ones. But we are 
 now much more healthy and I think every day of visiting you. My pres- 
 ent plan is, to take a pony the first sleighing, take in James With me and 
 away to Scotland. If the snow should not come, I shall come alone. 
 
 I enclose you a sermon of Dr. D wight's just published. I think it 
 must have a tendency to do good. The arguments appear to me wholly 
 conclusive. 
 
 It is shooting at random to prescribe for a patient without seeing 
 them or going into a treatise beyond the limits of a letter. A strong 
 syrup made of hoarhound, Coltsfoot and Spikenard, with spirit enough 
 to preserve it, miay be safely used and is sometimes very efficacious. 
 The toddy at bedtime may be very proper. If I could find her pulse, I 
 could tell better, and with my best love, assure her that I will do it as soon 
 as possible. 
 
 jMy dutiful love to my Mamma. If she can do without bleeding till 
 I come, 1 shall have in my pocket a very sharp lancet. 
 
 Captain and Mrs. Chenevard and all the household desire very af- 
 fectionate remembrance, 
 
 As ever, I am, 
 
 Your dutiful son, 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To the Revd James Cogswell" 
 
 [59] 
 
in August, 1799, the Reverend James in Norwich received a letter 
 from M. F. C. announcing that he was engaged to marry (Miss Ledyard of 
 whom we have already heard. (1) We have also the bit of gossip that he 
 fell in love with her when they met at a ball in Hartford. She was wear- 
 ing a white dress, which she herself had trimmed with cherry blossoms. 
 Whether this was before or after the New York meeting we do not 
 know. 
 
 In the year following M.F.C. wrote his father that the marriage 
 day had been set and hoped that he would be present. To which James 
 Cogswell replied: "The Day which you have prefixed for your mar- 
 riage is the same Day on which the Governor has appointed the Fast and 
 I fear the people would Dislike if I should be absent on the Fast and 
 Sa'e both as I might be if I agree to your proposal. Would it suit you 
 and your Lady to change?" But apparently it wouldn't for on April 24, 
 1800, James writes again to M. F. C, "However by the newspaper to-day 
 I see you are married to your Mary, as you call her a little impolitely." 
 
 Through the faithful Jameson we find that Mary's grandfather was 
 John Ledyard, who came over from Bristol, England, and is first known 
 of as a Teacher of a Latin School in Southhold, Long Island. However 
 the Revolutionary* hero in the Ledyard family appears to have been 
 Colonel William, an half uncle of this Mary Austin's. He it was who in 
 1781, after a brave and hopeless defense of Fort Griswold against superior 
 numbers, was slain by Major Bromfield the commanding British Officer, 
 who thrust back into Ledyard' s heart the sword he was tendering in 
 surrender. 
 
 William Ledyard, the traveller, was also of this family. In the year 
 1771, when he was nineteen, he had floated down the Connecticut River 
 all the way from Hanover, New Hampshire, one hundred and twenty 
 miles, in a canoe which, with Indian help, he had burnt out of a large 
 tree. This particular feat was in rebellion against studying for the 
 ministry at Dartmouth College. He went through life trying to rid 
 himself of all shackles of responsibility and conventionality so by the 
 winter of 1787 was sufficiently freed to accomplish the stunt of walking 
 around from Stockholm to St. Petersburg all the way on the ice. 
 
 * * * 
 
 Before we gather up the thread in M. F. C.'s next letter of 1809 to 
 his wife, we must post ourselves on the rising generation. M. F. C. was 
 by this time the {father of four children, Mary Austin born in 1801 
 Elizabeth born in 1803, Alice born in 1805, and |Mason born in 1807. 
 "To Mrs. Mary A. Cogswell, 
 
 Stamford Hartford, Oct, 12th, 1809. 
 
 My dearest Mary: — 
 
 Both your letters I have received and they were both a cordial to me. 
 Although I fully believed what would be the effect of the journey, yet 
 it was delightful to me to have the assurance from your pen. I did 
 not intend a mail should go without a line at least from me, but the day 
 before yesterday was one of my horrible days. I had an awful operation 
 to perform which took up the whole of the forenoon, broke my back, 
 
 (1) See Page 44. 
 
 [60] 
 
and prevented me from doing- almost anything else. The night after 
 ;Mrs. Watson, who has a fine son and Mrs. Bennett, who has a fine daugh- 
 ter prevented me from sleeping-. And last night I was almost exhausted. 
 I slept well last night and am fresh again this mlorning. 
 
 Sally White is now the only remaining obstacle to my setting out. 
 The poor woman heard I was going away and came down to Fanny, in 
 trepidation tfc) hear the worst of it. I called to see her yesterday and 
 promised not to leave her. She cannot hold out long. She has already 
 some intimations. Should she dismiss me I shall set out on Tuesday 
 next, attend the convention at New Haven on Wednesday and Thursday, 
 and be at Stamford on Friday. I shall let you know every mail. 
 
 (Mr. and Mrs. Radcliff arrived at Mr. Hudson's on Friday last and 
 left us on Monday. Henry and Nelson came here on Saturday, and set 
 out yesterday morning. Mr. and Mrs. Silliman arrived last evening and 
 go to-morrow. 
 
 Now then for ourselves. We are all well except Mr. Mercury; he 
 has a blood spitting but is better. The blood specimens are elegantly 
 preserved. 
 
 Old Mose, Lydia's (1) mother, has just sent five dozen and a half of 
 very fine peppers. All domestic matters seem to be going on very well 
 without you. Lydia says I must tell you to say you are getting well, and 
 that you must not send for me to make you worse. Nanny and Ruthy 
 manage charmingly and the children are all properly taken care of. 
 
 Alice has not refused to go to school once since you left us, and [Mason 
 trots about quite independently. He scolds a little now and then but on 
 the whole is a nice boy. 
 
 I shall write again. My love to all who love me, and believe me most 
 affectionately, 
 
 Your husband, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 In 1807 James Cogswell had died in the home of his son jM. F. C. His 
 last years at New Scotland Parish had not been happy ones. In 1795, his 
 second wife, Martha Devotion, had died of paralysis. Once again he mar- 
 ried, this time a Mrs. Hibbard. Dr. Cogswell was settled in his pastorate 
 for life and that seemed to make his parishioners a trifle uneasy. He got 
 so he could not preach to the acceptance of the congregation. The people 
 refused to pay for what they did not like and the pastor declined to re- 
 nounce his legal dues. Doubtless, there was obstinacy and ill temper on 
 both sides. The people were very willing to release their poor old pastor 
 from his official duties, but declined to make provision for his support in 
 that case, or to procure an assistant. So with failing voice and faculties 
 the Rev. James continued to preach to a remnant of the congregation till 
 
 (1) Lydia, sometimes called "Lyd" or "Old Purchase" was the daughter of a reign- 
 ing negro chieftain in Africa. She had been stolen from her home when she was 
 young and made a slave in America. Apparently her mother had been brought, too. 
 Upon being given her freedom, Lydia worked at Capt. Chenevard's boarding-house 
 where M. F. C. first lived upon coming to Hartford. He cured her of lockjaw after 
 several doctors had given her up. So when M. F. C. was married she offered her 
 services and lived in his family for 30 years. At her death, she Mt to M. F. C.'s 
 children the money which she had accumulated, as well as her heavy silver watch-chain. 
 
 [61] 
 
his ministerial friends "in their conern and tenderness for their aged and 
 much loved father in the Gospel " addressed a letter to |M. F. C. recommend- 
 ing him "to gratify his father's desire of spending- his last days with his 
 only surviving- child, taking such measures to obtain compensation from his 
 people as he might judge expedient." M. F. C. complied with this sug- 
 gestion and in 1804 removed his father to his comfortable home in Hart- 
 ford and "as the Scotland Society was clearly undder obligation to sup- 
 port the minister who had worn himself out in their service" he brought 
 a suit for a recovery of damages but there is no way of telling its result. 
 
 Stephen Williams has published in his American Medical Biography 
 (1) a sketch of M. F. C. : 
 
 "Altho' he had not those opportunities of acquiring a knowledge of 
 anatomy which most students enjoy, yet he is known to have pursued the 
 study of anatomy by dissection and suffered in consequence of it a sereve 
 attack of Erythema Anatomicum. In this way he obtained such an ac- 
 quaintance with surgical anatomy as enabled him to perform with skill 
 every necessary operation. Mr. Cogswell possessed in a greater degree 
 than any surgeon whom I have ever known, that happy dexterity in the 
 use of instruments which gave him the power of operating with great ac- 
 curacy, neatness and rapidity. I have been told that he amputated a 
 thigh in 40 seconds. He first introduced in the region where he prac- 
 ticed, the most important operations on the eye. In the performance 
 of them, especially for cataract, he was ■ peculiarly successful. The 
 operation which he performed was that of extraction. 
 
 He was the first person in this country who secured the carotid 
 artery by a ligature. The necessity for this arose during the remioval of 
 a schirrous tumor from the neck, which enveloped the artery. The lig- 
 ature came off from the artery on the 14th day. The patient lived till 
 the 20th day. and then sunk in consequence of a slight hemorrhage from 
 a small vessel near the angle of the jaw, acting upon a system enfee- 
 bled by a long standing disease. This was in November, 1803. A year 
 or two before, the artery had been secured under similiar circumstances 
 on the continent of Europe, and by Mr. Abernethy in London. There 
 is, however, no reason to believe that Dr. Cogswell was acquainted with 
 these facts; and he is fully entitled to the credit of having originated 
 the operation. At the present day, when operations upon the arteries 
 are so frequent, it is difficult to estimate rightly the boldness and 
 judgment necessary to place a ligature upon so large and important 
 an artery as the carotid. 
 
 In one branch of his profession, obstetrics, he was nearly unrivaled. 
 The delicacy and kindness of his attention to parturient patients in a 
 time of great anxiety and distress, both mental and bodily; his aban- 
 donment of many customs formerly prevalent by which the sensitive 
 feelings of females were often wounded, as well as his great profession- 
 al skill, gained him at once confidence and esteem. It is questionable 
 whether any person ever practised this branch of medicine more skill- 
 
 (1) Published at Greenfield in 1845. 
 
 [62] 
 
fully and acceptable or more extensively in proportion to the population 
 of the place where he lived. 
 
 He was an assiduous and successful cultivator of polite literature, 
 especially of poetry. In these pursuits he was the companion and the 
 compeer of Dr. Hopkins, Judge Trumbull, Rev. Dr. Strong, JMr. Richard 
 Alsop, Mr. Theodore Dwight, and others of a kindred spirit. 
 
 In Music he was a proficient (1). It is said that while residing in 
 Stamford, he instructed the choir in that place not only in the comrnon 
 psalm tunes, but also in an anthem or other piece of set music for every 
 Sabbath in the year.. He was the active friend and supporter of the 
 Retreat for the Insane in Hartford. He was one of the original members 
 of the Connecticut Medical Society, and was successively its Secretary, 
 Vice President, and for ten years, President. 
 
 I may here remark that few men have ever lived in habits of more 
 free and friendly intercourse with the members of their own profession 
 than he did, or enjoyed such intercourse more highly. And although 
 he did not escape the censure of those with whose notions he could not 
 agree, when during the prevalence of a severe epidemic disease the 
 opinions of medical men were much divided, and feelings arose which 
 threatened, and to a certain extent accomplished, the destruction of the 
 harmony which ought to exist among them; yet here, the amenity of 
 his manners, his gentlemanly deportment, and the uniform mildness of 
 his conduct, disarmed even professional hostility of the weapons of its 
 warfare. 
 
 As an instructor Dr. Cogswell was much resorted to by young men 
 for pursuing the study of medicine (2). For this business he was well 
 qualified. He was himself a scholar, continuing his habits of study 
 during his life. It was his custom to spend several hours in the eve- 
 ning, after the labors of the day were over, and usually after his fam- 
 ily had retired, in reading, principally professional books. His library 
 was one of the best in the State. By directing his students to the best 
 authors, by studying with them such subjects as were not well known 
 to him, such as chemistry and botany, by allowing them to witness his 
 practice, and by exciting them to diligence, he probably rendered them 
 more lasting service than if he had devoted more than he did to oral 
 instruction. 
 
 It was thought highly desirable by those who were engaged in the 
 establishment of the Medical Institution at Yale College, that some 
 gentleman of established reputation and known experience should be 
 placed in the chair of surgery. There was no one in this place or neigh- 
 borhood who was sufficiently prominent, in these respects, to occupy 
 that situation. Application was made to Dr. Cogswell who had long 
 been known as one of the most accomplished and skillful surgeons in 
 New England, to lend his assistance in this department. After much 
 hesitation on account of the difficulty which would attend the delivery 
 of a course of lectures here, while residing in Hartford, and his un- 
 ci) In 1790 Josiah Blakely refers to M. F. C. as "The Flutist." 
 
 (2) Willliam Tully was in M. F. C.'s office in 1807. Theodore Dexter Before 1814, S. 
 W. Brown in 1819^ and Henry Burnham in 1826. M. F. C. speaks of them as his 
 "apprentices." 
 
 [63] 
 
willingness to leave permanently a situation so desirable as that which 
 he occupied there, he consented to make such arrangements as would 
 afford the institution the benefit of his learning and experience. When, 
 however, it was soon after ascertained that Dr. Nathan Smith, then 
 Professor of Physic and Surgery in Dartmouth College, would consent 
 to remove here if invited, he willingly relinquished to him a situation 
 which he had reluctantly consented to occupy: so that although regular- 
 ly appointed a Professor in the Institution, he did not join it in that 
 capacity." 
 
 An honorary degree of M. D. was conferred on Iff. F. C. by the 
 Connecticut Medical Society in 1810. and by Yale College in 1818. 
 
 From various letters of inquiry to him one would suppose M. F. C.'s 
 specialty to have been "the removal of a film or an opaque tumor from 
 the eyes." Even as early as 1793 a Miss Williams inquires from Brook- 
 lyn, N. Y.. and then on through the years came requests for operation 
 or treatment from Providence. Northampton, Mass.. Albany and Goshen, 
 N. Y.. Canaan, Penn.. Lebanon Pool and so on. 
 
 In these times the minister the judge and the doctor were the im- 
 portant personages of a community. The medical practitioner was 
 present at every birth, he sat with the minister at every death-bed, 
 and put his name with the lawyer to every will. Unless he had the 
 good fortune to attend one of the two medical colleges in the country, the 
 young man must pick up his professional education while serving an ap- 
 prenticeship to some noted practitioner in Boston or New York as M.F.C. 
 had done with his brother. James. 
 
 It was only by begging the dead bodies of criminals from the Gov- 
 ernor or by filching from grave-yards that it was possible to procure 
 anatomical subjects. The physician combined the duties both of the 
 doctor and the apothecary. He pounded his own drugs, made his own 
 tinctures, prepared his own infusions and put up his own prescriptions. 
 His saddle-bag was the only drug store within forty miles. But from 
 this he prescribed lavishly for it is not too much to say that more medi- 
 cine was then taken every year by the well than is now taken in the 
 same space of time by the *ick. The damsel who swooned was bled 
 profusely. Water was denied the patient tormented with fever, and in 
 its stead he was given small quantities of clam juice. The only cure 
 for malarial diseases was "the bark" made of powdered cinchonia, but 
 the amount required to restore the patient was so great and the supply 
 so small that it seldom effected a cure. 
 
 While M.C.F. had a distinguished record aa citizen, surgeon and 
 physician of Hartford, yet upon inquiry one discovers that the New 
 England of his time knew him rather as the father of Alice Cogswell, 
 the little deaf mute, born in 1805. 
 
 No particular mention is made of this small daughter until 1807, 
 when she suffered from a severe attack of cerebrospinal-meningitis (at 
 that time called spotted fever) and recovered from the illness, a deaf 
 mute. To the eyes of the world this must have been the first sorrow 
 to stalk into the family circle. It must have been especially hard for 
 
 [64] 
 
the father who had been able to liberate so many other children from 
 their illnesses to have to ind watch his own daughter grow up 
 
 the victim of a sickness which left her completely unrelated to the world 
 in which they lived. The mother and father must have suffered cruel 
 heart burnings and much wonderment in their Puritanical mrn d 
 to what they had done to deserve such condemnation from their Creator, 
 particularly as Alice tried hard to break through the prison wall= \m 
 order to understand and be understood by her parents in the same man- 
 ner as her sisters. Had her illness come a few years later, after die 
 had learned the rudimentary methods of interpreting herself to the 
 world, it might have left her removed from modi but yet comprehend- 
 ing enough to go on philosophically in her own tiny corner. But to be- 
 
 e deaf and dumb at the age of two meant that hardly a side of her 
 nature could develop normally. In the phrase of the early eighteen hund- 
 reds Alice had a "strong and noble mind." When we come to see later 
 her social instinct and her interest in all kinds of objective happenings 
 it will be possible to comprehend some of the different forces which were 
 fighting for expression in what 0k Twentieth Century would term a 
 "vigorous personality." 
 
 But apparently M. F. C. was not a father merely to sft by and 
 deplore as had all other good American fathers before him. Just 
 how he contrived to interest others in his daughter's affliction we 
 shall never know, nor shall we know the relative importance of the parts 
 played by her two teachers Miss Huntley (1) and the Reverend GaDaodet 
 in bringing her into our world of speech and hearing. It would be in- 
 teresting to say definitely how this exciting game was played. There is 
 a story that one day while Alice was romping in the garden of her 
 father's house in Prospect Street (2) a young neighbor T. Q. Gallaudet, 
 happened by and becoming interested in the little girl actually succeeded 
 in teaching her the word HAT before she left the garden. She after- 
 wards learned other words and sentences both from Gallaudet and Miss 
 Huntley. 
 
 AH this must have brought a great flood of hope to Alice's parents. 
 For Mm F. C. again reached out, this time towards ascertaining if in 
 Europe there were anv teaching for the deaf and dumb. He found a 
 French pamphlet which told him of the work in Paris that had been 
 started in 1755 by 1'Abbe de TEpee and was being continued by his 
 successor :'A %; :e Sicard. Hr-^r^:\:rr to rr.ee: witli two farf Hota, '.'Abbe 
 de 1'Epee had begun the task of instructing them. His success was so 
 great that he soon had a school of sixty pupils supported entirely by 
 himself. Later this evolved into the "Institution Nationale des Sourds- 
 Muets a Par:-' which was founded by the National Assembly in 1791. 
 and which represented the I immortal effort to restore deaf mutes 
 
 to their deserved place in society. 
 
 M. F. C. deliberated about sending Alice to this school, far off as 
 Paris was then. But first he made an effort to interest the commun- 
 
 (1) Mis? Lydia Huntley of Norwich married in 1819 Charles Sigourney. a rich mer- 
 - of Hartford. She first had a school in Norwich, then later ra 
 
 ley School in Hartford. Being a poetess of some sentiment she was often called "The 
 
 American Hemans". 
 
 Where the building of the Hartford Medical Society now stands. A brick 
 
 house on the east side of Prospect and almost opposite to the Hartford 
 
 [65] 
 
ities throughout Connecticut in deaf-mute education. While in the midst 
 of this, he came across a paragraph in a Washington paper called "The 
 National Intelligence." This told of the arrival in America of a certain 
 John Braidwood who had come with the design of establishing an insti- 
 tution for the instruction of the deaf and dumb. Colonel William Boiling 
 of Virginia was responsible for young Braidwood's coming as Boiling 
 had three deaf children and also a brother and sister who had been taught 
 some years before in Edinburgh, in the school established by Thomas 
 Braidwood, the grandfather, and carried on there by the Braidwood 
 family. 
 
 City of Hartford, Conn. 
 April 20, 1812. 
 
 Mr. Jn Braidwood — 
 Sir: 
 
 You may be surprised to receive the address of a stranger, 
 who has no other knowledge of you except what he obtained from a 
 paragraph in the National Intelligence which he read for the first time 
 last evening. But you, Sir, will know how to appreciate the motive 
 which influences my conduct, when I inform you that I have a daughter, 
 who belongs to the class of unfortunate beings, which has claimed so 
 much of your solicitude and attention. The feelings of a Parent, I pre- 
 sume, you must often have witnessed on similar occasions, and I doubt 
 not but you will readily forgive the intrusion, while I express an anxious 
 wish, to know something respecting your future plans, on this interesting 
 subject. My daughter is between 6 and 7 years old and if I may be 
 allowed to express my opinion respecting her, possesses talent which may 
 be cultivated to advantage and a desire to learn. Since her sickness 
 which occasioned her deafness and which happened when she was about 
 2 years of age and after she had begun to talk, I have felt the importance 
 of establishing a school for the instruction of the D & Dij and I am now 
 associated with a Doctor Gilbert, a respectable attorney in this vicinity 
 for the accomplishment of so desireable an object. He has five children 
 as unfortunate as mine. We have taken measures to ascertain the num- 
 ber of deaf and dumb in this State. This information we shall receive 
 the next June (1), when we intend to apply to the legislature of the State 
 for pecuniary aid., to promote the completion of our design; and it is 
 the opinion of the best informed gentlemen with whom I have conversed, 
 that a sufficient appropriation may be obtained from a school fund, al- 
 ready established, and in operation, and under Legislative control to 
 support an Instructor, until the Institution would support itself. Our 
 wishes may make us too sanguine on the subject, but I cannot entertain 
 a doubt that a few years would amply reward a competent Instructor, 
 for whatever pains he might bestow on a plan of such extensive bene- 
 diction and utility. Allow me, Sir, to inquire if you have determined on 
 the favoured spot which shall be the theater of your future labours? Or 
 whether you intend visiting the various States, before you fix upon any 
 place in which to continence your benevolent work? Will you not deem 
 me impertinent if I inquire still further whether an Institution of this 
 kind can be as eligibly established in the large cities as in the smaller 
 
 (1) Probably when tJie General Association of Clergymen was to meet at Sharon. 
 
 [66] 
 
ones? The Honorable C. Goodrich to whose care this letter is intrusted, 
 is acquainted with my family. I refer you to him for whatever infor- 
 mation you may wish respecting me and mine. 
 
 Should you, at any time, visit the New England States you will almost 
 of course pass thro' this place and while I anticipate the event, you will 
 permit me likewise to anticipate the pleasure of your becoming one of 
 my family for a few days at least. 
 
 That you may be prospered in your benevolent undertaking is the 
 sincere wish of 
 
 Your friend and Serv^t 
 Mason F. Cogswell, M.D. 
 Mr. John Braidwood 
 Washington" 
 
 There is no answer from Braidwood to be found, and the only sequel 
 we know to M.F.C. 's letter is that Colonel Boiling advanced funds to aid 
 in the organization of a permanent school in Baltimore. But young 
 Braidwood, though possessed of skill and ability as a teacher, squandered 
 the funds intrusted to him in an irregular manner of life. 
 
 M.F.C. thought of mjaking inquiries among the Congxegationalist 
 Clergymen whose General Association met at Sharon in June, 1812. It 
 was revealed that eighty-four deaf and dumb persons were then living 
 in Connecticut. Affairs now began to turn more encouragingly. jM.F.C. 
 succeeded in arousing interest in the matter amongst his influential 
 friends. Several Hartford men were asked to meet at Dr. Cogswell's 
 house on Prospect Street on the evening of April 13th, 1813, to discuss 
 the question of sending someone abroad to study methods and obtain tha 
 necessary knowledge to found a school for the deaf and dumb in America. 
 As a result of this meeting, M.F.C. and Ward Woodbridge were appoint- 
 ed a committee to collect the funds and so stirred did Hartford become 
 overnight that in one day enough was subscribed — $2,133. 
 
 In searching for someone to send to Europe as a student of deaf 
 and dumb instruction it was quite natural that the choice of the citizens 
 of Hartford should fall on the young Gallaudet who had been the first to 
 work with Alice Cogswell. Gallaudet had just graduated from the An- 
 dover Theological Seminary and was about to assume charge of a church 
 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Coming of a Huguenot family, which 
 had fled from France on the Ee vocation of the Edict of Nantes, Gallaudet 
 himself had graduated from Yale, read law and had some business train- 
 ing before studying for the ministry. This career of varied occupation 
 fitted him for the work that the citizens of Hartford now offered him. 
 He accepted and sailed for England on May 27th, 1815. 
 
 His reception at the London Asylum was not satisfactory but while 
 there he had the good fortune to meet l'Abbe Sicard from "L* Institution 
 Nationale des Sourds-Muets a Paris." Sicard was in London with two 
 star pupils, Massieu and Clerc, giving exhibitions ofthe sign language 
 he had been able to teach them and greatly astounding the general 
 public. But the real reason why he had chosen to absent himself from 
 France at this particular time was because he had Bourbon leanings and 
 having received the Legion of Honor from Louis XVIII feared lest 
 
 [67] 
 
Napoleon would deprive him of the honor. It was a stroke of good 
 fortune for America that Gallaudet chanced to meet Sicard in London, 
 for the Frenchman gave him a warm invitation to visit the Institution 
 in Paris. 
 
 Yet Gallaudet made one mpre try on the British Isles, going to Edin- 
 burgh. But here a new obstacle arose in the form of an obligation which, 
 with true Scotch precaution, had been imposed upon the institution in 
 that city not to instruct teachers in the art for a term of years. 
 
 After these disappointments Gallaudet left for France, the land of 
 his own extraction. There in Paris at "L* Institution Nationale des 
 Sourds-Muets" he was more than rewarded for his previous lack of suc- 
 cess. For Sicard took him in nlost cordially and Gallaudet was soon 
 attending all classes in the instruction of the sign language. He was 
 especially interested in the teaching of young Laurent Clerc, who himself 
 deaf from childhood and consequently dumb, was one of the most suc- 
 cessful instructors in the Institution. In timie Gallaudet received private 
 lessons from Clerc This enabled Gallaudet to realize how valuable Gere's 
 teaching would be to the cause of America so he asked him to return with 
 him. This happened in the teacher's meagre hall bedroom where the 
 lessons were given. Clerc immediately agreed to take what must then 
 have seemed to be a long leap in the dark. Certainly his physical handi- 
 cap had not left him a victim of timidity. 
 
 So Gallaudet and Clerc set sail together and reached New York in 
 August, 1816. Continuing on to Hartford, Clerc describes the arrival 
 in his autobiography: — 
 
 "The next day, it being very pleasant, we took the stage to Hartford, 
 where we alighted at jMr. Cogswell's on Prospect Street. We found Mrs. 
 Cogswell alone at home with all her daughters, excepting Alice, who was 
 at school under Miss Lydia Huntley (now Mrs. Sigourney, our lovely 
 poetess) . She was immediately sent for, and when she made her appear- 
 ance I beheld a very interesting little girl. She had one of the most 
 intelligent countenances I ever saw. I was much pleased with her. We 
 conversed by signs, and we understood each other very well; so true is 
 it, as I have often mentioned before, that the language of signs is univer- 
 sal and as simple as nature. I had left many persons and objects in 
 France endeared to me by association, and America, at first, seemed 
 uninteresting and monotonous, and I sometimes regretted leaving my 
 native land; but on seeing Alice, I had only to recur to the object which 
 had induced me to seek these shores; to comtemplate the good we were 
 going to do, and sadness was subdued by an approving conscience." (1) 
 
 (1) Clerc transplanted so successfully that he lived in America the rest of his 
 life and came to be one of Hartford's beloved and respected citizens. He never laid 
 down his banner and was responsible for much of the interest shown in America for 
 the education of the deaf and dumb. In 1819, Clerc married Eliza Boardman of Co- 
 noes Falls, N. Y. She had been one of his first pupils at, the American Asylum. 
 The inscription on the Clerc Memorial which stands to-day in the grounds of the 
 American School for the D^af, at West Hartford, Connecticut reads: "Laurent Clerc, 
 the Apostle of the Deaf-Mute of the New World. Born in La Balme, France, De- 
 cember 26, 1785. Landed at New York, August 9, 1816. Died at Hartford, July 18, 
 1869." 
 
 [68] 
 
"To Dr. M. F. Cogswell 
 
 Hartford, Conn. Havre, January 17th, 1816. 
 
 My dear Sir:— 
 
 To-morrow I expect to sail from these parts in the Mary Augusta 
 with Captain Hall, for New York, in company with Mr. S. V. S. Wilder, 
 (1) Mr. Upson's particular friend, and a tMr. Clerc whom perhaps you 
 may have heard of or seen his name mentioned in some of the papers. 
 He is a Frenchman born near Lyons, and ever since one year of age has 
 labored under the same difficulty with Alice. The Abbe Sicard has 
 had him under his care for these fifteen years past, during eight of 
 which he had charge of one of the classes in the institution. He is the 
 identical Clerc who with Massieu made such a figure among the nobil- 
 ity in London last summer. (2) He goes with me somewhat in the 
 character of an assistant in our intended establishment and as I do not 
 like to have anything uncertain when it can be made sure, after hav- 
 ing obtained the Abbe's consent, I have entered into actual stipulations 
 with Mr. Clerc by which he is bounyi to remain with me for three years 
 for a certain sum, which I will not mention at present, but which if the 
 good folks, my fellow citizens, do not choose to pay — I will quite take 
 off their hands. But I ami ironical when I ought to be very serious. 
 Yes, my dear friend, Providence, has most kindly provided for my study 
 and successful return by furnishing me with the most accomplished pu- 
 pil of the Abbe Sicard and one, too, who is not less recomjmended by the 
 probity and sweetness of his character, so far as I have been able to as- 
 certain it, than by his rare talents. He already understands a good deal 
 of English. We shall work together on the passage so that he may ac- 
 quire more. A few months in America will quite make him master of it. 
 The train of events which has thus led to my very unexpected departure 
 I have not even time to tell you. I should have written you before but 
 the affair was not entirely finished till within a few days past, and I did not 
 like to write while there was any fear of disappointment. 
 
 A few weeks will I hope conduct me to you. I look to God for his 
 protection and blessing. To Him be all the glory if our undertaking is 
 at last crowned with success. I had a letter from you lately but it was 
 an old date, February 4th. 
 
 I hope you are all well. I write in great haste. My best love to 
 Mrs. C. and the children. Remember me to the rest of the family and 
 friends. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 T. H. Gallaudet" 
 
 (1) S. V. S. Wilder was a successful American merchant living in Paris. Since 
 the authorized ambassdor was sick alt the time, it was Wilder who was chosen to rep>- 
 resent the United States at Napoleon's marriage to Marie Louise and the three- 
 cornered hat worn at this State occasion is still preserved by Wilder's great-grand- 
 children. But one hears often of Wilder's philanthropic intent. He was President of 
 the American Tract Society and was fond of broadcasting Bibles throughout France. 
 
 (2) An exhibition of sign language given before the Duchess of Wellington, the 
 Duke of Orleans (later Louis Philippe) and the members of both Houses of Par- 
 liament. 
 
 [69] 
 
"To Dr. jM. F. Cogswell, 
 
 Hartford New York, Thursday afternoon 
 
 My dear Sir: — 
 
 Mr. Wilder will deliver this letter, my fellow passenger in the Mary 
 Augusta, and one to whom we are all very much indebted for the interest 
 which he took in our undertaking while I was in Paris, where he has resid- 
 ed for several years. He very much contributed to my acquaintance with 
 Clerc, to my arrangements with him, and in fine to all that related to the 
 object of my mission. He has been connected in trade with your friend 
 Upson from whom I received a letter of introduction to him. I recom- 
 mend him to your warmest friendship as a man of very generous feel- 
 ings and I trust a sincere Christian. 
 
 I received your favor of Sunday last. Clerc has read the letter 
 with no little enthusiasm: We both long to be with you, but a few days 
 must yet separate us. We have not even yet got all our things from the 
 ship and we are both both a little indisposed by the sudden transition from 
 cool weather to hot, so that we are quite overcome with lassitude and the 
 effects of a summer epidemic which is just now quite prevalent here. 
 We have yet many letters to write to our European friends. This and 
 our other necessary arrangements, to say nothing of the wish I have to 
 enjoy for a few days the society of my father's family, rendered more 
 dear to me by the loss which they have felt during my absence, will 
 probably detain us here till Wednesday of next week, so that you must 
 not expect to see us till Friday or Saturday. 
 
 We have been visited by and we have seen a great many persons. 
 All take a great interest in Clerc. He is so modest and easy in his man- 
 ners and converses with such charm and propriety with all that it is a 
 matter of general admiration. We have much to do to get our establish- 
 ment on an eligible footing. Many here speak of the necessity of a 
 similar establishment in New York. A great deal is said about (Mr. Gard 
 of Bordeaux. Setting aside all personal feeling, I do think it will be not 
 a little discreditabe to our country if some local and State feelings cannot 
 be laid aside in the commencement of a project like ours. But we will 
 talk through all this when I see you. 
 
 Clerc joins me in his best love to Mrs. C. and the family. My kind 
 remembrance to all friends. Don't wonder at my scrawl for I write you 
 In a state of great debility and have hardly resolution enough to put my 
 pen to the paper. 
 
 Yours most affectionately, 
 
 T. H. Gallaudet" 
 
 * * • 
 
 While Gallaudet was pursuing his inquiries abroad, the friends of the 
 cause at home were preparing the way for the prosecution on his return. 
 In May, 1816, they procured an act of incorporation from the Legislature 
 of Connecticut. This act was passed in accordance with the petition of 
 Bixty-three individuals, citizens of Hartford, who with their associates 
 were by it "formed into, constituted and made a body politic and corporate 
 by the name of the Connecticut Asylum for the education and instruction 
 of the deaf and dumb persons." 
 
 [70] 
 
The first meeting of the Asylum as required by fts charter, was held 
 at the State House in Hartford on the 2nd Monday of June, 1816. The 
 Asylum being then legally constituted only awaited the return of its 
 agent from Europe to proceed to the collection of pupils and the com- 
 mencement of instruction. 
 
 After Gallaudet and Clerc reached this country in August, 1816, they 
 spent the following six or seven months chiefly in attempts to interest 
 the public in the practical side of teaching the deaf mutes. 
 
 The Asylum was opened for pupils on April 15, 1817. The little 
 school during the first week numbered 7 pupils and in the course of 
 the year 33. It was held in the south part of the building which in 1852 
 formed a portion of the City* Hotel. On the first Sunday evening after 
 the opening" of the Asylum, a great crowd assembled in the Center 
 Church to hear Mr. Gallaudet preach from the text: "Then the eyes 
 of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped." The 
 seven unhearing pupils were there, little knowing that hopes were fixed 
 on their new opportunity for progress and undoubtedly trying to make 
 good use of their eyes in wondering why they had suddenly become the 
 center of observation. 
 
 At the beginning of the second year the school was moved to rooms 
 at 15 Prospect Street. These and the old quarters continued to be used 
 for the purposes of the institution till its means permitted the erection 
 of the principal building of the permanent Asylum. 
 
 A clear gift of $5,000 from the State Legislature did much to help 
 the project in the autumn of 1816. 
 
 By 1818 a world-ambition seems to have overtaken the promoters 
 of the project ; for it was urged that as the Asylum had been established 
 on the plan of a general institution and as it had already received pupils 
 from ten different States there was sufficient reason to consider that it 
 should be the one and only institution of its kind in America. The 
 opinion that one institution for the deaf and dumb would be sufficient 
 for the whole country seems now almost ludicrous. But at that time 
 no census of the deaf and dumb had been taken in the United States, and 
 none was known to have been taken in Europe. 
 
 In view of these various considerations, the directors on January 25, 
 1819, voted "That the Honorable Nathaniel Terry and the Honorable 
 Thomas S. Williams be authorized and requested to present a petition 
 either jointly or severally, to the Congress of the United States, praying 
 for a grant of money or lands, for the benefit of this institution." It 
 was this act which led to the appropriation on the part of the national 
 legislature, of a township of wild land, consisting of more than 23,000 
 acres in Alabama. 
 
 Though from the nature of the case no pecuniary benefit could be 
 immediately derived from the grant of lands, still the sure prospect of 
 such a result removed all the embarrassments which the poverty of the 
 institution had previously thrown around it. Its credit was now estab- 
 lished and its permanence felt to be assured. The board proceeded 
 within a week from this time to take measures for the construction of 
 suitable buildings on the new Scarborough Estate they had purchased 
 half a mile west of the centre of the city of Hartford. 
 
 [71] 
 
V 
 
 During the session of the General Assembly of the State held at 
 Hartford in May, 1819, the name of the institution was changed as 
 follows: — "Resolved, by this Assembly, that) the name and styje of said 
 corporation be and the same is herely changed, and that hereafter it be 
 known and called by the name and style of The American Asylum at 
 Hartford, for the education and instruction of the Deaf and Dumb ; any- 
 thing in the original act of incorporation to be contrary notwithstanding." 
 
 In the autumn of tyhis year a class of twenty pupils, selected and 
 provided for by jMassachusetts, was received by the institution, on terms 
 as favorable as could then be made, and t,hus a precedent was established, 
 which has since been followed by the other States of New England, and 
 two Southern States. 
 
 * « * 
 
 This long tale takes us through the precarious first years of the 
 history of the American Asylum. Each year the number of pupils in- 
 creased till in 1830 (when M.F.C. died) there were 154. Then, too, a 
 greater number of States were constantly represented amongst this num- 
 ber. (1) 
 
 * * * 
 
 But what of Alice Cogswell all this time? It appears from Mr3. 
 Sigourney's following sketch that some method of communication had 
 been evolved for her even before the opening of the Asylum by her father 
 and Mr. Gallaudet. 
 
 'The language of signs as now exhibited in its wonderful copiousness 
 and power, had not then crossed the ocean to this western world, to bind 
 to society and its privileges such multitudes of silent people. The rapid 
 manual alphabet now in use had not reached us; and the tardy represen- 
 tation with both hands of each letter constituting a word, and the few 
 signs that we were able to invent, founded principally on visible resem- 
 blance, were, save the utterance of the eye, our only means of communi- 
 cation. Having no guide in this species of instruction, I earnestly labor- 
 ed to enlarge the numjber of signs, in which I was aided by Alice's school- 
 mates. I arranged alphabetically a vocabulary of her scholastic glean- 
 ings statedly adding to it each new attainment and ever when her associ- 
 ates had completed their weekly review of studies, she came joyfully, by 
 the aid of this simple lexicon, to pass her own. 
 
 One of her earliest literary efforts touched the rather ambitious sub- 
 ject of the illumination, on the return of peace in the winter of 1815. 
 
 'The world — all peace — now am I glad — many candles in windows — 
 shine bright on snow — Houses most beautiful — Mr. G — gone to Paris — 
 Come back with Mr. Clerc — teach deaf and dumb new words — new signs— 
 oh, beautif ull — I very afraid wind blow hard on Ocean — turn over ship — 
 Alice very afraid for Mr. G. — Will pray God to keep, not drown — Wind 
 blow right way Alice trust.' " 
 
 (1) Thtfs account of the early years of the institution is drawn almost word for 
 word from Lewis Weid's article on "The American Asylum" which is to be found in 
 "A Tribute to Gallaudet" Published in Hartford, 1852, by Brocket and Hutchinson. 
 
 [72] 
 
Going over the history of the teaching for the deaf and dumb we 
 find that the custom of the Greeks and Romans demanded the death of all 
 those incapable of helping themselves, so the deaf and dumb were ordered 
 thrown into the river. This mandate was always carried out without 
 a word of comment or question. 
 
 In the 16th century, a Spaniard, Juan Pablo Bonet, successfully in- 
 structed a brother of his master, the Constable of Castile, who had lost 
 his hearing at the age of two years. Bonet's method corresponded in a 
 great measure to that which is now called the combined system, for in 
 the work which he wrote, he showed how the deaf could be taught to 
 speak by reducing the letters to their phonetic values and also urged that 
 finger spelling and writing should be used. 
 
 In the 18th century Abbe de TEpee in France observed some of the 
 deaf communicate by gestures and so conceived the natural idea of de- 
 veloping a definite sign language for their use. It was his successor, Si- 
 card, who matured and brought to a high degree of improvement this sy- 
 stem of signs, first for two hands and then for one. 
 
 This was the French system which Clerc and Gallaudet brought to 
 America. It was an ideographic and pantomimic language admirably 
 suited to interpretation by Latin minds and fingers. Except in the case 
 of a few arbitrary signs they all represented some distinctive suggestion 
 of the action, shape or characteristic of the object or idea they intended 
 to signify. Many signs were modified, however, until they appeared more 
 or less arbitrary and lost their original connection. In fact the whole sign 
 language has received so many additions and changes and modifications 
 under the influence of a national development and under different con- 
 ditions of use that it is now materially different in America from what 
 is at present used in France. 
 
 The mastery of the sign language consisted not so much in the num- 
 ber of signs one might know as in the cleverness with which those he knew 
 were used. Many different ideas could be expressed with a few signs 
 coupled with natural gestures. The manner and emphasis had much to 
 do with the significance of a sign. The degree of a quality was thus 
 often indicated as well as the mood and feeling of the speaker. 
 
 On the other hand, the English System, as interpreted by Btraid- 
 wood of Edinburgh adopted articulate speech, teaching the deaf to under- 
 stand the speech they could not hear, by reading the lips and also 
 teaching them to speak by imitation of the miuscular movements used in 
 vocalization. 
 
 There is a round robin letter sent home one day to Alice when she 
 was sick. It is written by her teacher and classmates in the Ellis-Hunt- 
 ley School and shows their tender compassion towards her. 
 
 "Hartford, Thursday, Feb. 9th 
 My dear little Alice, 
 
 We are all going to write you a letter, because we love you, and are 
 sorry you are sick. There is a map on my table, where I write, and I see 
 
 [73] 
 
Newfoundland on it, where you tell me they catch many fishes. The 
 young ladies are studying their dictionaries very good, and I love them all 
 and we all love you, very much. 
 
 Your affectionate friend, 
 Lydia Huntley. 
 
 My dear little Alice, 
 
 I love you because you are good. I want to see you very much. I 
 hope you will be well enough to come to School tomorrow, we have been 
 reciting Geography, if you had been here you could have told iMiss Hunt- 
 ley that it was cold in Greenland, and hot in Africa, the Lions live in 
 Africa. When you come to School you must answer this, if you love me. 
 good bye, 
 
 Your dear friend 
 E. Hall 
 
 Dear little Alice 
 
 Your little rose that I gave you is killed by the cold, it is cold in Green- 
 land and warm in Africa. How is Mason? You told Miss Huntley he 
 was a little sick boy. I am with affection, yours, 
 
 H. W. Terry 
 
 My dear Alice, 
 
 I wrote you a very short letter yesterday but it was not because I did 
 not love you for you know I love you very much. 
 
 When you get better you must write me a letter, and I will say Alice 
 you are beautiful. I hope you will get well soon & come to school. 
 
 Have you forgot what the seasons are? Spring. Summer, Autumn, 
 & Winter. If it was Spring I would send you some beautiful roses, if 
 it was Summer I would give you some cool drink, if it was Autumn I 
 would send you some apples and grapes. But it is cold Winter & all I 
 can send you is a kiss and a letter & my best love. 
 
 Who do you think will be Saturday Monitress? I wish my dear little 
 Alice was going to wear that pretty drown, it is very late and I cannot 
 write any more but did you good night. 
 
 Yours, Caroline Chester. 
 
 Dear Little Alice — 
 
 We hava been reciting in geography this afternoon, we should have 
 attended to your examination if you had been here, some of your signs 
 are very pleasing. Imagination I like, I love to hear you say Beautiful. 
 I hope you will be able to attend school soon. The Asp you say killed 
 Cleopathra she was beautiful. Yours with affection, 
 
 Lara S. Cooke. 
 
 My dear Alice, 
 
 It grows dark, for the sun has gone to his bed; — but the snow on 
 the roofs of the houses, gives me light to write to you. School is out, and the 
 fire is out, the little girls are all gone home, but Elizabeth & Harriet 
 Terry, and ( Margaret Bull. It will soon be very dark, bnt God looks through 
 
 [74] 
 
the darkness & takes care of the good, and will not let any evil come to 
 them while they sleep. Good Night. I love you. 
 
 L. Huntley." 
 Again from Mrs. Sigourney we quote a description of Alice in 
 school. 
 
 "Friday afternoon was the reivew day of the work. Then also, my 
 dear little silent disciple, Alice Cogswell the loved of all, had her pleasant 
 privilege of examination. Coming over to my side, if she saw me a 
 moment disengaged, with har sweet supplication, 'Please teach Alice 
 something. ,, The words or historical facts thus explained by signs were 
 alphabetically arranged in a small manuscript book for her to recapitulate 
 and familiarize. Great was her delight when called forth to take her 
 part. Fragments from the annals of all nations, with the significations 
 of a multitude of words, had been taught by little and little, unjtil her 
 lexicon had become comprehensive ; and as her companions from love had 
 possessed themselves of the manual alphabet and much of the sign 
 language, they affectionately proposed that the examination should be 
 possessed themselves of the manual alphabet and much of the sign 
 language, they affectionately propoed that the examination should be 
 by themselves, and that she might be permitted to conduct it. Here was 
 a new pleasure, the result of their thoughtful kindness. Eminently happy 
 was she made, while each in rotation answered with the lips her ques- 
 tion given by the hand, I alternately officiating as interpreter to her 
 or critic to them, if an expression of intelligence, erroneous. Never 
 can I forget the varied expression of intelligence, naivete, irony or love 
 that would radiate from her beautiful hazel eyes on these occasions." 
 
 The following morbidly interesting effusion written by Alice on 
 the death of Sarah Colt also remains. Unfortunately it is without date 
 so we cannot tell during what state of Alice's development or school- 
 ing it was written. 
 
 "On the death of Sarah Colt — 
 
 O! it is such a sweet young lady that couM calmly drink the cup of 
 Death herself ! Perchance her own hope of death, had at once been over- 
 whelming upon her mind — Why could she put an end to her early ex- 
 istance? Perchance the love of death, had, at once, been stronger to her 
 than life — Why could she prepare for the poison of Arsenic, which she 
 unresistingly swallowed up? The way of divine Providence might have 
 directed her to do what I above mentioned — how could the unseen hand 
 teach her mind? You know that her mother, and two or three of her 
 sisters are in the graves,* — but they are all in Heaven, and her bright- 
 est hope of seeing them in Heaven, ever kindled in her mind on Earth, 
 and at last her sweetest rapture of failing into the arms of her Redeemer 
 and Friend, Christ, and of meeting her mother and sisters, who welcome 
 Sarah Colt to Heaven ! 
 
 In my memory she moved like a blithe bird. She was full of life 
 and buoyancy. All that saw her admired her, and all that knew, loved 
 her. She was like a "bright but of promise," but fading in the grave, 
 & will "bloom out in righteousness" in Heaven, forever and forever. 
 
 My memory is now afresh, that her sunny ringlets always plated 
 before my eyes, and they wont perhaps be the less shining in the cold 
 
 [75] 
 
bed of Death. They may be the emblem of Eternity, which ever curl, 
 and curl without end." 
 
 Alice was twelve years old when the Connecticut Asylum opened and 
 her name headed its list of pupils for the first seven years. At the same 
 time iM. F. C. was physician in charge at the Asylum. 
 * ♦ » 
 
 "To Miss Mary A. Cogswell, Norwich, Conn. 
 
 Hartford, June 14, 1814. 
 My dear Mary, 
 
 I received your letter by Mrs. Perkins who delivered a verbal mes- 
 sage from you. Whether she remembered all, or whether I shall, is not 
 certain. However, we will send you all which we can think of, and next 
 time you must write. In your letter you begin on a kind of school jour- 
 nal with which we are much pleased. Continue it, my Dear, with every 
 possible endeavor to improve and you most certainly will, under your pres- 
 ent instructress. Does Mrs. Hooker either see or hear your remarks on 
 History? Let me know in your next. Tell me everything that relates to 
 you of any consequence and do not retain even that for which you think 
 I should reprove, if there should be such. A walk you mention to the 
 Falls. I am glad to know you have been there. Tis a delightful spot, 
 but take care, my Dear, and not encourage that walking disposition of 
 yours. Keep it with all other extravagances, under good subjection. 
 
 Do you sew at school? You must let me know before you are out 
 of work, that I may send more. Sally and Betsey Norris are going to 
 Norwich to-morrow. I shall request them to call and see you, and you 
 can send them by a bundle if you wish. Moore's geography, Dubold's 
 arithemtic and Smiths Grammar, if it is to be found in town, with two 
 or three articles of clothing, which I shall send with this letter. You 
 had better finish the gloves which I send immediately as you may want 
 them. A slate and pencil you had better purchase there. 
 
 We all remain much as when you left us, the children have this mo- 
 ment returnie from school, all in high glee. Ctharine goes like a 
 good girl every day. Elizabeth send love and wishes you to write to 
 her. Mason's love to you, and all the boys. Harriet (1) joined Mr. 
 Strong's Church the last Sabbath, also your young acquaintance ^Mrs. 
 Hall ... Do not forget, my dear, and remember your morning 
 chapter. 
 
 Be a good girl and believe me Your 
 
 Affectionate mother 
 
 Mary A. Cogswell 
 N. B. (My affectionate regards to Mr. & Mrs. Goddard and children. 
 (2) Smith's grammar cannot be found. Alice sees me writing, spells 
 "sorry," says she shall kiss you when you when you come home." 
 
 (i) Probably Harriet Wadsworth, see page 26. 
 
 (2) Judge Goddard was a friend of M. F. C. 's and the two families were much to- 
 gether. 
 
 [76] 
 
"To Mrs. Mary Cogswell, 
 
 Hartford Aug. 10th, 1814 
 
 My dear Mother, — 
 
 You cannot think how much I am obliged to you for your kind 
 letters ; for I will acknowledge that I did feel a little homesick till I re- 
 ceived them; tyiey brighten me up so much, that although I wish to go 
 home every much, yet I do not feel so much like homesickness. 
 
 I am very glad that Alice can hear so well as to hear the bell ring. 
 You mentioned it in your letter from Guilford. I would give anything 
 to see her and all my dear friends in Hartford. You mention in one of 
 your letters something about that you was sorry that the Governor could 
 not have deferred his business for your accomodation. I do not under- 
 stand it. I wish you would explain it to me in your next letter. 
 
 I hope indeed that I have improved as much as you think I have in 
 letter writing, but I very much fear that you will not think that I im- 
 prove in my hanjfl writing for I am in a hurry. You ask me about the 
 state of my clothes. It being a rainy day (Monday we stayed home from 
 school and I mended all of them which had got out of order. My shoes 
 you ask me about. My calfskin shoes are in a sad state, they are rip- 
 ped. My shoes and nightcaps seem to be the only deficient articles 
 among my clothes. 
 
 I went with Alice and Julia to visit Mrs. Williams, she that was 
 Miss Nancy Breed. We spent a very pleasant afternoon. After tea we 
 walked by the side of Shetucket River (1) where we had a very fine 
 prospect. 
 
 The day after I wrote you last as we were at dinner, a procession 
 walked by Mrs. Goddard's. It was the funeral of a female Indian who 
 was to be buried in the Indian burying ground back of Mrs. Goddard's. 
 All the family went out to see her buried. There was a prayer made 
 over the grave by the Baptist clergyman. 
 
 I have studied through Europe, Asia and Africa. I am now study- 
 ing American and I flatter myself that I shall come home somewhat im- 
 proved with respect to geography. 
 
 Papa's and Mason's collars are and have been done this great while, 
 but I don't know how I shall send them. We were very much alarmed 
 last night by the firing of alarm guns about one o'clock. (1) It proved 
 to be that the British were at Stonington and firing rockets into the 
 town. We fear thatj they are to have a battle in New London. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Goddard set out on their journey. They intended to go through 
 Stonington but went no farther than the landing hearing that they were 
 firing rockets into the town. 
 
 My duty to Papa. I cannot be particular and must beg you to give 
 love and respects to whom you ttunk proper. The children must share 
 
 (1) Norwich is situated at the point where Yantic (which expands in "The Cove") 
 and Shetucket Rivers join and form the Thames. 
 
 (2) Probably at "The President" with which Decatur had at tjhat exact moment 
 succeeded in running the blockade but which was eventually captured by the 
 British. 
 
 [77] 
 
a great deal. I am, 
 
 Your affectionate daughter, 
 Mary 
 P. S. I am afraid you will have to use yoia spectacles." 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To Mrs. Mary A. Cogswell, 
 
 Guilford. Hartford, August 24, 1814. 
 
 My dearest Friend, 
 
 I was much gratified on the return of Mr. Jones (1) to hear how 
 well you have succeeded in your new establishment. I calculate that you 
 should prove a worthy brother of that best of sisters, you must be highly 
 gratified with his society. Indeed I think you may be materially advan- 
 tageous to each other. You can repay his civilities, by your kindness to 
 his wife, and that you know, is the best possible way of paying a debt, 
 to a good husband. Present my respects to him, if you please, and tell 
 him, if your modesty will permit, that I can recommend you as an 
 excellent travailing Doctress and should Mrs. Edwards' complaints be 
 such as are commonly benefitted by salt-water, air, salt-water food, and 
 so forth, your own experience will be of more value to her, than the 
 advice of a dozen Doctors. Besides, having lived to long with Doctors, it 
 is very natural to suppose that a kind of medical influence should attach 
 itself to you and that a sort of Physical Halo, or atmosphere, should 
 surround you wherever you go. To be serious, however, I cannot but 
 hope that y*>u will contribute much to the comfort of Mrs. E. and that 
 Mrs. E. will contribute much to yours. 
 
 Not a word, all this time about Elizabeth and Alice. How do the 
 dear Children? Tell them, and yourself too, that my heart beats so hard, 
 while thinking of you all that it almost aches. Only think of my solitary 
 situation the day after you left us : , at dinner only Mason and Cate. I 
 hardly knew which side of the table to approach, and indeed I could not 
 be satisfied until Susan was called to help us. It is a little better now 
 since Mr. Jones has got home but still it looks and feels as if it was not 
 right. 
 
 Mason remembers your permission to play with Adrian (2). He 
 yesterday rode out with (Mrs. Terry and dined there after his return. 
 He says I must give his love to Mama and Sifters and ask them if they 
 have any more shells and crayfish for him. Catharine is as talkative 
 and amusing as ever. Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth returned last evening. 
 They have both grown almost fat. They saw Mary at Norwich. She is 
 still doing remarkably well. 
 
 I expect Mr. Goddard here on Tuesday to meet the Governor and 
 Council. Mr. Colt and |Mr. J. R. Woodbridge are both dead. No one 
 remains to stop me now, unless Mrs. S. or Mrs. D. should put in their 
 veto which I think they will not. 
 
 (1) Probably one of the many* medical students who lived with M. F. C. from time 
 to time. James Cogswell, his father, had had a houseful of young, divines and Hunt- 
 ington, young lawyers. This must have been the way post-graduate courses were 
 then given. 
 
 (2) Probably the son of General Terry, a friend and neighbor on Prospect Street. 
 Mrs. Terry was a sister of Daniel Wadsworth, see footnote (1) on page 25. 
 
 [78] 
 
This will be handed you by Mr. Caldwell, who will deliver you Alice's 
 
 ear trumpets and tjie book on botany, if I can find it. Mjr. Jones join^ 
 
 the rest in love and respects. As you say in youur letter, it is ten o'clock 
 
 and I can see to write no more. This you will believe from the writing. 
 
 Believe me, dear Mary, most affectionately your husband, 
 
 iMason F. Cogswell" 
 • * * 
 
 When Gallaudet was in Edinburgh, he received the following letter 
 from Alice Cogswell: 
 
 "Hartford 
 October 11, 1815. 
 My dear Sir: — 
 
 I remember story Miss Huntley was tell me. Old many years Mr. 
 Colt little boy name man Peter Colt very much curls little boy hair Oh! 
 very beautiful mama lap little boy comb curl love to see beautiful. 
 Morning long man preacher coat black come bow ask mama give little 
 boy hair make wigs very beautiful preacher give, mama no preacher yes 
 oh yes talk long man say come back little boy scissors cut hair white 
 curls all in heap make wig preacher am very much glad proud little — 
 little boy head very cold mama tie hand kerchief warm> tears no more 
 mama very sorry. I hope my hair never cut make wigs. 
 
 Your affectionate, 
 
 Alice Cogswell." 
 
 In a letter from M.F.C., of the same date, Alice's letter is explained 
 as follows: 
 
 "As soon as I knew of Mr. Upton's sailing I proposed to Alice to 
 write you by him. She readily consented, but said she was at a loss 
 what to write. I told her to write the story |Miss Huntley related to her 
 from jMr. Colt. The circumstances I will relate, that you may the better 
 understand it. — Mr. Peter Colt, from Patterson, was lately here on a 
 visit; he told her (Miss Huntley) what happened to him, when he was 
 a little boy. It seems he had a very thick head of white curled hair; a 
 clergyman who was visiting his mama, took a fancy to it, for the purpose 
 of making himself a wig; his Mama, at first, refused, but after a little 
 urging, "talk long", as Alice calls it, she consented, and the hair was cut 
 off and the wig made. You will observe that the conversation between 
 his mama and the preacher is somewhat in the form of a dialogue. 
 
 Yours affectionately 
 M. F. Cogswell" 
 *- * . # 
 
 "To (Mrs. Mary A. Cogswell, 
 
 Hartford, Conn. Boston, September 7th, 1816. 
 
 My dear Mary — 
 
 Here I am in Ben Boswell's office, in the midst of newspapers and 
 types, etc. To save time I have begged a pen, ink and paper here, rather 
 than go home to my lodgings, which are some distance off, and through 
 one of your Boston crooked ways. 
 
 [79] 
 
We arrived here about half past twelve, the night after we left 
 Hartford. We were conducted up into the fourth gallery of a little 
 world called the Exchange, which we were very glad to leave the next 
 day for a more peaceful and quiet lodging at Mrs. Jones' in Pearl Street 
 where we are comfortably lodged and fed. That is whenever we are at 
 home, which is but a small part of our time. Since our arrival, we have 
 been incessantly engaged in delivering our letters, feeling the pulses of 
 the sick, and contriving the best possible way of picking their pockets 
 gentely. 
 
 Matters, we think, are working up towards a favorable issue. (1) 
 Whatever impiression Mr. Gallaudet and myself have made, Clerc is 
 doing wonders. He makes them all stare and exclaim at the different 
 Insurance Offices, at private parties, at our lodgings, and even in the 
 genteely. 
 
 We have not begun with our subscription paper yet; but everything 
 as far as we can judge goes well. 
 
 Mr. Gallaudet and Clerc join me in an affectionate remembrance to 
 yourself and all of the Children. 
 
 Your ever affectionate husband, 
 |Mason F. Cogswell 
 "To Mrs. M. A. Cogswell" 
 
 "To Mrs. M. A, Cogswell 
 
 Hartford New Haven, Oct. 30th, 1816. 
 
 Dear Mary — 
 
 Your letter with its enclosure arrived in season, but it did no good. 
 Nothing short of an immediate revelation would touch the hearts of 
 obdurate Democrats, and ignorant and selfish Federalists. The House in 
 the abundance of their liberality granted §5,000.00. The Council sent the 
 bill back to them with $10,000.00. The House refused to concur and the 
 bill falls to the ground between them. Thus all our hopes from the Legis- 
 lature, for the present, are blasted. Whether it will be best to apply to 
 them in future, time and future circumstances imist determine. Tell 
 Mr. Jones he must not laugh. I acknowledge I have realized his appre- 
 hensions in full. 
 
 We shall leave here either this evening or in the morning for New 
 York; but I confess, with a heavy heart. 
 
 Dr. iMicthell has again got up his project for sending for Gard. We 
 hasten on to try and stop it. You shall hear from me soon after I get 
 there. I do not despair; the work is in God's hands, and He can make 
 it prosper. 
 
 Do not fail to write me in a few days, if it should only be to inform 
 me that you are all well. That will be a cordial to me. My best love to 
 all our household. Do not let our dear little Alice know but what her 
 cause prospers. 
 
 (1) Doubtless the campaign toward turning the Connecticut Asylum for the Deaf & 
 Dumb into the American Asylum. 
 
 [80] 
 
Jack and the girls, Nathan and his, likewise share in my love. A 
 suitable remembrance to all others who remember me. 
 
 Believe me, my dearest wife, 
 Yours truly, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To Mrs. Cogswell" 
 
 * * » 
 
 "To Mrs. Mary A. Cogswell, 
 
 Hartford, Conn. New York, November 4th, 1816. 
 
 Dear Mary, 
 
 We arrived here safe and sound on Thursday evening last, after 
 a most delightful passage on the steamboat, without the slightest accident. 
 On our arrival we found there had been a meeting of about a dozen 
 gentlemen with Dr. Mitchell at their head, pricked on with Consul Lee, (1) 
 for the purpose of taking int<o consideration the propriety of addressing 
 their Legislature on the subject of erecting a rival institution here. 
 They had already had two meetings, a Committee appointed to prepare 
 a testimonial, constitution,, etc. Our business has been to visit this 
 Committee separately and converse with them; freely on the subject. 
 Most of them seemed surprised at the conduct of Mitchell, who had 
 brought forward this subject without giving them all the information 
 he possessed respecting our Institution, not having even informed them, 
 that he had received a letter from me. Their third meeting will be held 
 this afternoon at four o'clock, as you may have seen by the papers, and 
 we have been requested to attend. What the result will be, time alone 
 can determine. To-morrow we shall probably know what course will be 
 best to pursue. 
 
 We intend going to Albany and I rather think we shall go up this 
 week, that we may catch the rich and great men while the Legislature 
 are in session. 
 
 Where is Mr. D wight? (2) Has he been in Hartford or is he coming 
 there? I presume he will be home while the Legislature are sitting. 1 
 should never get over it if I did not find him at home. Do write me 
 immediately and let me know about it. 
 
 General Stephens and family (3) have treated us with every possible 
 kindness and civility. We dined there yesterday. I have just learned 
 that the mail does not close till evening. I shall leave my letter open 
 until after the meeting. 
 
 I have just returned from the meeting where nothing decisive has 
 been done. Dr. Mitchell opened the meeting with one of his long winded 
 
 (1) In 1816 William Lee who had previously been the United States Consul at 
 Bordeaux returned from that city to New York and was the bearer of a circular 
 letter from Mr. Gard a teacher of the Deaf and Dumb at Bordeaux. Grrd was 
 himself a deaf mute from birth, and now offered his services to come to this country 
 as a teacher in such school as might exist or be established for teaching Deaf Mutes. 
 
 (2) See page 52, footnote (2). 
 
 (3) Austin Ledy»rd, father of Mary Austin Ledyard Cogswell, had a sister 
 Lucretia. First she married Richardson Sands of Long Island, then later she married 
 Ebenezer Stevens of New York. He was Lieut-Colonel of the Revolutionary Army, 
 commanding Artillery of Northern Department, and Major-General of New York 
 State Militia. . „ 
 
 [81] 
 
speeches* and, as he thought, a very scientific one, but really amounting 
 to nothing. He was followed by several others, some good and some 
 bad, and finally an adjournment tpok place for one month. So we are at 
 loose ends, not knowing what to do. We shall have a consultation in 
 the morning and if possible take the best course. I shall let you know 
 our determination as soon as it is made. 
 
 Mrs. Radcliffe and Mrs. Boardman desire their love to you. My love 
 to all who love me. 
 
 Most affectionately, I am, 
 Your husband, 
 To Mrs. Cogswell" Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To iMrs. Mary A. Cogswell, 
 Hartford New York, November 6th, 1816. 
 
 Dear Mary, 
 
 I received your letter yesterday which cheered my heart and enabled 
 me to run about much lighter than I have done. To know that you were 
 all well and still blessed with the smiles of that kind Providence, which 
 has hitherto protected us, afforded me real satisfaction, and calls for 
 renewed expressions of gratitude. 
 
 As we have nothing to do here at present, as it may be colder soon, 
 we think it best to go immediately to Albany. We shall start this 
 evening at five o'clock. 
 
 I received a letter from. Mr. Dwight at the same time I did yours, 
 informing me that he intended leaving Albany sometime this week. I 
 very much fear I shall miss seeing him. However we must do the best we 
 can, and trust Providence for the result. 
 
 Mrs. Radcliff "s much better. I dined to-day with Mr. Boorman. I 
 hear Sue Woolsey and Sally Hillhouse are there, on their way to New 
 Haven. What a pity it is that I have not the talents of J. Hillhouse (1) 
 to manage the Legislature! I might then make the deaf to hear and 
 the dumb to speak. 
 
 You will probably receive before my return by Captain Stewart six 
 barrels of Newton Pippmsl, and one bushel of the Carolina sweet potatoes 
 of the very first quality. Perhaps you had better have them put in dry 
 land. 
 
 If Clerc should write to Alice, have her answer it, that he may 
 receive it on our return here. Tell her clear pappa loves her very much 
 and wants to see her. Our other dear ones, too, all encircle my heart at 
 once ; the pressure is almost painful, and a delicious relief is only obtained, 
 by its overflowing at my eyes. You know my weakness, and will readily 
 believe all I say to you on the subject. Tell them all if you can how I love 
 them. 
 
 Adieu, dear Mary, and believe me, truly yours, 
 
 M. F. Cogswell 
 To Mrs. Cogswell" 
 
 (1) James Hillhouse of New Haven served as Federalist Senator from Connecticut 
 for 16 years. He also set out with his own hands many of the trees which now make 
 New Haven known as "The Elm City." 
 
 [82] 
 
"To Mrs. Mary A. Cogswell, 
 
 Hartford, Conn. Albany, November 10th, 1816. 
 
 My dear Mary, 
 
 It's past ten o'clock but I must write a few lines just to inform y,ou 
 what we have done and what we expect to do. We left New York at five 
 on Wednesday evening and arrived here about six the day following. 
 Friday was spent in calling on citizens of distinction and officers of the 
 Legislature. DeWitt Clinton (1), to whom we introduced ourselves, re- 
 ceived us with great kindness, entered immediately into our plans, and 
 approved of our design of having but one Institution, and of having it 
 located at Hartford. He went with us to the Mayor's (2) and then to the 
 Lieutenant Governor's (3) where we all dined. Clerc displayed himself to 
 great advantage and much to the gratification of all present. It was 
 a fortunate visit, as the governor (4) had invited mpst of the Senators 
 to dine with him, and all were of one opinion that there should be but 
 one Institution, and that at Hartford. Indeed that is the universal 
 sentiment here. 
 
 We dined the next day with Chancellor Kent (5), who had invited 
 Judge Piatt (6) to dine with us; and in the evening we had a splendid 
 meeting at the Capitol in the Representatives!' Chamber, which is a noble 
 room, and in which were collected almost all the members of the Legisla- 
 ture, and a large number of the most respectable citizens of Albany and 
 Strangers from all parts of the State. You will see a better account of 
 it in Mr. Dwight's paper (7) than I have time to give you. After our 
 reception in New York, it was comforting indeed, to be so cordially 
 welcomed, as we were here. Then the abortive attempts of Mitchell and 
 Lee palsied the feelings of almost every individual towards us. Here 
 we were received with a warmth bordering on enthusiasm. Mr. Chester 
 (8) unites into our plans with more ardor I think than anyone else. His 
 address previous to submitting his resolution was passionate and eloquent, 
 and his prayer for us this morning from the desk was full, comprehensive, 
 interesting and affecting. (Mr. Callaudet preached for him and better 
 than he ever preached before and so charmed were they with him, that 
 they insisted upon his preaching again in the evening and to a very full 
 
 (1) Then Governor-Elect of New York. 
 
 (2) Col. Elisha Jenkins. 
 
 (3) John Tayler of Albany. 
 
 (4) Daniel Tompkins. 
 
 (5) James Kent, Chancellor, or head of the Court of Chancery of the State of 
 New York, 1814-1F23. and author of "Commentaries on American Law" which has 
 assumed in the United States the position which Blackstone has long filled in 
 England. Having Federalist leanings it was by Hamilton's counsel that the young 
 lawyer was directed to study the doctrines of the civil law and the treatises of 
 the jurists of continental Europe. Kent held also the positions of State Legislator, 
 Professor of Law at Columbia College and Judge of the Supreme Court of New 
 York. 
 
 (6) Charles Piatt, 1744-1827, jurist and one of the four brothers who were the 
 original settlers and proprietors of Plattsburgh, New York. He studied medicine in 
 Paris and for many years after the founding of Plattsburgh was its one physician. 
 He was the first judge of Clinton County. 
 
 (7) The Daily Advertiser. 
 
 (8) John Chester, whose mother had been a Miss Huntington of Norwich. At 
 this time he was minister in the Second Presbyterian Church at Albany. 
 
 [83] 
 
house. The effect will be highly beneficial throughout the State. The 
 Legislature are impressed with a high idea of him as a Scholar, a Divine. 
 Clerc also has excited all their compassion & esteem. (1) My tongue has 
 been kept busy in their praise. I hardly know which I can eulogize with 
 the most sincerity. And yet, after all, we shall not collect miuch here 
 at present. The want of mpney is more sensibly felt here than anywhere 
 else and the inhabitants really regret that they cannot give us more. 
 What they do give, however, will be given with good will. I shall begin 
 my begging tour in the morning. Even should we get but very little, I 
 shall think our visit here will be amply repaid by the impression that 
 is made on the Legislature. 
 
 After all this my friend (2) is absent. When I arrived and found 
 that he was gone my heart sunk within me. So far he has not gotten 
 back yet. 
 
 My companions join me in love tp yourself and all our dear dear 
 dear ones. (/ must come home soon) . Forget not to let our neighbours 
 know that I remember and love them. Mr. Jones I remember with 
 affectipn and as for yourself, 
 
 I am yours alone, 
 iM. F. Cogswell 
 To Mrs. Cogswell" 
 
 • • • 
 
 "To Mrs. Mary A. Cogswell, 
 
 Hartford, Conn. Albany, November 17th, 1816. 
 
 My dear Mary, 
 
 I wrote you by the mail the beginning of last week informing you 
 of the progress we had then made; since then my labors have been 
 incessant and not without a reward. The reward is $1882.00, upwards 
 of $1100.00 in cash, and the remainder to be paid on or before the first 
 of May. Tell Mr. Wadsworth not to despair; we will all yet live in 
 Hartford. Providence must occasionally frown upon us when we forget 
 our dependence upon Him, that we may be brought back to our duty 
 and learn not to trust too much to arms of flesh. Means must be used 
 and such as will not cost so much labor and (fatigue ; but if these are used, 
 with a humble dependence on His gracious guidance, I cannot doubt of 
 our ultimate success. The cause in which we are engaged is unquestion- 
 ably the cause of truth and benevolence, and if we use the means which 
 our Heavenly Father has put into our hands with honest hearts and 
 industrious hands He will "most assuredly bestow His /blessing upon 
 our efforts. 
 
 Twelve o'clock. I have just returned from hearing Mr. Gallaudet. 
 He preached this morning for Dr. Bradford (3) and as usual excellently; 
 
 (1) From a letter of Nathaniel Moore's dated August, 1817: "Mr. Clerc dfces not 
 speak except by signs, by means of which we saw him and Mr. Gallaudet ctommuni- 
 cate with each other as expeditiously, almost, {as we do by words. With strangers 
 he converses by writing." 
 
 (2) Probably Theodore D wight. 
 
 (3) John 'Merlancthon Bradford, minister of the Two-Steeple Dutch Reformed 
 Church 1805-1830, a distinguished orator of the day, & a man of striking physical 
 beauty. It was his daughter, Lydia, who married Mason Fitch Cogswell, Jr., when ht 
 came to live in Albany. 
 
 [84] 
 
a genuine Connecticut sermon "in doctrine pure." As I have not Cowper 
 at hand I cannot give you the whole quotation which I would gladly do, as 
 I think we should both of us acknowledge and justness of the application. 
 He is certainly a beautiful little Cowper, and he resembles him in more 
 respects than one. 
 
 This afternoon I intend to hear Mr. Chester. Last evening I heard 
 Dr. Nott (1) of Schenectady and was not as much pleased as I had 
 expected to be. Perhaps my expectations were top much excited, to have 
 been reasonably gratified, however, I might have been, unreasonably 
 disappointed. 
 
 Clerc has written to Alice that we were to leave yesterday morning ; 
 and that was, our intention and I went so far as! to secure our passage. 
 But on inquiry we found that the Cot of Neptune in which we were 
 going was the poorest boat of three that sail or rather paddle from here 
 to New York. Another circumstance which determined us not to go in 
 her was that she would probably encroach on the Sabbath, as she is much 
 more tardy in movements than the others, especially the Richmond in 
 which we shall go to-morrow morning. On Tuesday morning we shall 
 probably be in New York, and the last of the week I do most sincerely 
 hope to be once more seated in the midst of that dear domestic circle 
 which constitutes almost all the happiness I enjoy. True I am happy 
 elsewhere but I am inconceivably more happy at home. Besides I really 
 want rest for the soles of my feet have had more than a little work 
 since I left you. 
 
 Impress the kiss of love upon the lips of all our dear ones, from Mary 
 to Catherine; tell Mir. Jones to hold fast in the faith; and to Lovinia and 
 Lydia and James that I have not forgotten them. May the fortunes of 
 a kind Providence not desert you until you emlbrace, your ever affec- 
 tionate husband, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To Mrs. Cogswell" 
 
 * • • 
 
 "To Alice Cogswell 
 
 New York, Nov. 20th, 1816 
 My very very dear Alice, 
 
 As soon as I came here from Albany I went to the Post Office and 
 there I found your very good letter and it did my heart good; it went 
 pit pat, pit pat, as yours does sometimes, when you are very glad, until 
 I got through reading it. I thank you, my very dear little Daughter, for 
 thinking of your Papa in his absence and of writing to him as you have 
 done. I shall love you, if possible, the better for it. 
 
 I intend to start out for Hartford in a day or two and shall be with 
 you on Saturday or Monday. How I long te come home and kiss ! you 
 
 (2) Eliphalet Nott as a Presbyterian minister holding pastorates in Cherry Valley 
 and Albany. His most famous sermon was the one on duelling delivered after 
 Alexander Hamilton's death. In 1804. Nott became President of Union College 
 which he did much to rehabilitate by securing funds through a lottery permitted 
 by an act of the State Legislature. Nott also invented the first stove for burning 
 anthracite coal and obtained various patents on heating apparatus, through which 
 means he amassed a large fortune. 
 
 [85] 
 
and love you all! You must pray for me, morning and evening, that 
 God will preserve us both in health until we see each other. 
 
 Adieu my dear and dutiful Daughter. Kiss the children for me 
 and Mamma and Miss 1 Huntley and Amelia and Harriet. 
 
 I am, my dear Daughter, 
 
 Your affectionate father 
 
 jMason F. Cogswell 
 To Miss Alice Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 'To Dr. M. F. Cogswell 
 
 Hartford, Conn. New York, Jan. 14, 1817. 
 
 Y.ou doubtless; know, my dear Friend, that the adjourned and last 
 meeting for the purpose of deciding upon the policy of having one only 
 or two Institutions in the United States will take place this afternoon 
 at 4 o'clock. Well! I shall suspend my letter till this evening to wait 
 the issue of their decision and to communicate it to you. Mr. Gallaudet 
 and I shall not attend the assembly; two reasons imppse this conduct 
 upon us; the first is we wish they may deliberate freely and without 
 any influence on our part; the second is 1 if they vote against us, we shall 
 not be exposed to their looks of triumph; and themselves not seeing us, 
 they will be mortified by our disdain of witnessing their unwise decision ; 
 but we shall take great care to invite our friends to be present there. 
 
 P.S.— to letter 
 
 At 7 o'clock in the evening 
 
 Ah! my worthy friend, Man proposes and God disposes; the meeting 
 of this afternoon has decided in favour of another Institution here; I 
 had expected this; the number of the deaf and dumb who have been 
 enumerated amounting to 47, a part of whom are susceptible to instruc- 
 tion, has been one of the principal causes for the decision. The Assembly 
 was composed of gentlemen whom. I had never known-— Mr. DeWitt 
 Clinton, Judge Livingston, General Clarkson, General Stevens, the Rever- 
 end Dr. Romeyn, Dr. Mitchell, Mr. Radcliff, and our other friends, I cannot 
 conceive why were not present, so that our party was not enough sup- 
 ported to get the majority of votes. They have thought of another 
 Institution and appointed a committee of nine members to form a constitu- 
 tion and to petition the Legislature of New York and the corporation of 
 the City. 
 
 Laurent Clerc" 
 
 • * * 
 "To |Mrs. Mary Austin Cogswell 
 
 Hartford, Conn. Albany, Friday Jan. 8th, 1818. 
 
 At last, my dear mother, after all my railings against dancing, etc., 
 I have indeed been to an Assembly and actually joined in "heeling it and 
 toeing it" as high as anybody there. But I am more convinced of the 
 truth of Mr. Valm's assertion when he said "Indeed, Miss, your taste 
 cannot never be for the dances"! I enjoyed myself however tolerably 
 well for I had so many acquaintances there that I did not feel exactly 
 among strangers. I danced quite as much as I wished (for I found it 
 extremely awkward to refuse every time) and once with the Hon. Mr. 
 
 [86] 
 
Duer the very best partner in the room. We returned by general con- 
 sent at a little after eleven o'clock and went to bed quite as early as 1 
 usual. Mary was considered the second lady in the room, being still 
 ranked something of a bride and was led to her place by the young 
 Patroon (1) with his chapeau under his arm. For you must know that 
 to be very genteel and quite a la Francais the gentlemen carry a cocked 
 hat under her arms', which I assure you appears absolutely ridiculous. 
 The ladies dress a great deal and whether old or young, beautiful or 
 deformed, all display their figures and expose their person more than I 
 should think delicate for our Catherine. One lady, a very genteel and 
 sensible woman, between forty-five and fifty, wasi there who left ten 
 little children at home and was dressed in white satin with lace over 
 short sleeves and long kid gloves. Her dress loaded with trimmings and 
 her head with feathers. This lady is quite a belle because she dances 
 with so much more life and spirit than the young ladies. I could not but 
 look at her as she was slipping around and imagine what would be my 
 feelings at seeing you in such a situation and dress. 
 
 You asjk me if I have succeeded in getting a hat. Miss Charlotte 
 Chester went out with me and gave directions for one which I like very 
 well. I do wish you could see some of the hats which are worn here. 
 Mrs. Clinton wears one with a wide front which flares rather backwards 
 than forwards and does not cover half her head which is not very small. 
 The hat then is surmounted by five enormous black plumes, the crown 
 falling so far back that it has a most ludicrous effect. 
 
 There was the other day an exhibition of the deaf and dumb from 
 .New York held at the Lancasterian School. (2) We of course attended 
 it and I must say it was rather shabby. The regulations were miserable 
 for the little dirty children belonging t^o the school were running about 
 among the spectators making such a clamour that we could neither see 
 nor hear until we pushed our way to them where I came in full view 
 of Dr. Akerly (3) who I fancy looked at me rather suspiciously par- 
 ticularly when he saw me whisper to ^Mr. N. when I detected the feacher 
 spelling words, when they could not understand the signs. I suspect he 
 recognized me for I could not look up without meeting his eye. Some 
 of the pupilsi however appeared quite intelligent and have improved more 
 than I thought possible. There is evidently great want of sympathy and 
 I rather thought it not the first time the pupils had been over the same 
 lessons. Mary Rose (4) remembered me and I talked with her whenever 
 I could do sio without being observed. 
 
 We had a very pleasant party last night to the Cohoes, returned 
 
 (1) Stephen van Rensselaer, 1789-1868, the ninth Patroon. He sold a great part 
 of his Estate while the anti-rent excitement was on, and at his death the .manor 
 itself passed out of the family. 
 
 (2) Joseph Lancaster, an English Quaker, had conceived the idea of affording an 
 excellent education to poor children. This was achieved economically by engaging 
 but few paid teachers and having the rest of the instruction superintended by 
 monitors, who were themselves older pupils. There were several Lancasterian 
 Schools started in America at this time. The Albany, one was held in the building on 
 Eagle and Lancaster Streets, now used for the Albany Medical College. 
 
 (3) The rival deaf and dumb Institution at New York was opened in 1818. Samuel 
 Akerly* M. D., *was Secretary, Samuel L. Mitchell, M. D., President. 
 
 (4) Mary E. Rose, of Albany, one of the deaf and dumb assistants in the New 
 York Institution, and very probably trained in the Connecticut Asylum. 
 
 [87] 
 
through Lansinburgh and drank tea at old Mrs. Delevan's who lives 
 there and returned in the evening. Miss Clapp and Miss Stansbury, a 
 very fine girl from New Jersey, went in one sleigh with Mr. Bleeker whom 
 Papa will remember as being a partner of |Mr. Sedgwick's. Mary, Anna, 
 Mr. N. and myself completed the party. Mr. Bleeker is) a man of very 
 superior talents, very polite and agreeable but he is forty-five years old 
 and as much of a beau as you can imagine, talks about beauty and dress 
 and fashions with as much "gout" as if he was yet in his' bloom. The Falls 
 were frozen almost entirely over but still are a grand sight. One rainbow 
 was distinctly formed in the mist and the sun shining on the long icicles 
 and snow made quite a splendid appearance. We passed through Troy 
 in the evening and could see but little of it but we think of going again 
 soon. 
 
 We are plagued to death with calls. We are going this morning to 
 the Patroon's and I wish you could see me rigged out in white this cold 
 winter's morning, for it will not do to make calls^ without white or some 
 handsome dress under the coat. Do not be alarmed about my dressing 
 in white for I take good care not to suffer. 
 
 Last evening we drank tea at Mrs. Backus' and had a delightful visit. 
 There are to be two or three parties this week but I think I shall attend 
 but one. Both Anne and myself are tired of these gay scenes and feel con- 
 vinced that instead of shining in them we were formed to grace in elegant 
 retirement the sfcenes of domestic life. 
 
 Mr. Baldwin has invited us to go this week to the Capitol where we 
 expect to hear Mr. Emmet speak. (1) 
 
 Love to all. I meant to have had room for messages but I hope to have 
 a private opportunity. 
 
 Yours most affectionately, 
 Mary 
 
 P. S. When Mr. Webb (2) returns I wish you would send, provided its 
 not wanted at home, the black veil that E. wore. Also tuck in any little 
 flowers you can find for they are in great demand. Excuse my haste and 
 if you regard your daughter's character, do not show this letter." 
 
 • • » 
 
 "Mrs. Emily Phillips, 
 
 Philadelphia, Pa. Hartford, May 30th, 1821. 
 
 My dear Mrs. Phillips, — 
 
 I felt great gladness to recieve your sweet letter last April and to hear 
 that you was restored to health. Before you wrote me, I felt anxious to re- 
 ceive letters from you for many days. You say that you and that your good 
 girl Susan are m probability to come here to see me in July or August. 
 This fills my mind with sweet hopes to see them. 
 
 I expect riding from Philadelphia to here will improve your health and 
 spirits. I am so ashamed as not to answer your letter immediately. I will 
 
 (1) Thomas Addis Emmet, who after the failure of the rising led by his brother 
 Robert, in Ireland, emigrated to the United States. Joining the New York bar he 
 obtained a lucrative practice and in 1812-1813 was attorney-general of New York 
 
 (2) Charles Webb who was engaged to Catherine Ledyard Cogswell, but who died 
 before the marriage took place. 
 
 [88] 
 
tell you of this reason. I hope you will excuse me for the delay. In the 
 beginning of my vacation I accidently pricked a needle in the end of my 
 right finger of which I did *not care. But one day as I held the needle by 
 the finger it hurt my nerves, so I could not sew. My mother told me I had 
 to use something. Then the nerves of my arms felt very feeble and cold. 
 I rested my arm on the handkerchief across my neck during almost all 
 the vacation. I once put the blister on the finger which felt very hot. 
 However, I amuse myself at reading books and sometimes riding with 
 my Fathelr. I was surprised to hear that (you had formerly had a 
 dangerous lameness of your arm by the needle. 
 
 You cannot imagine how I was glad at the arrival of Mr. Clerc. 
 Every Hartford body is extremely happy to see him. He is fleshy, happy 
 and healthy. He has made a great deals of travels in the part of Europe. 
 When you come here you will undoubtedly feel glad to see him again. 
 I suppose you have not heard of this, that the new Asylum is completely 
 finished, and the deaf and dumb persons live already there now. I used 
 to go to school npwadays, sometimes in a chaise when it rains. But I 
 dine with the D. and D. every noon. It is a most delightful and cool 
 place and has as fine a prospect as I ever saw or felt. When you are in 
 this town I will show you the apartments of the new Asylum. In the 
 highest story it is a very large giarret called the hall and has four arched 
 windows. You will be delighted to view the prospect. 
 
 The new Asylum has been dedicated about a few weeks ago. A great 
 number of people assembled to hear Mr. Gallaudet's sermon, and a dedica- 
 tory hymn written by Mrs. Sigourney was sung. I will tell you about 
 circumstances' of this when I see you for it is too long an account. 
 
 Tell Susan that I am very glad to know that she can understand 
 French. Mr. Clerc will be happy to have her talk with him by finger for 
 French words. 
 
 I must finish this for it is late. Give much love to Susan. I shall 
 be very glad to meet her and you in July or August. Goodnight, 
 
 Believe me, your sincere friend, 
 Alice" 
 
 * * * 
 
 "Instit. for Deaf & Dumb 
 N. Y. 28 Aug. 1821 
 Dr. ,M. F. Cogswell 
 Dear Sir : — 
 
 The Committee of Instruction have directed me to send you for the 
 Library of the Hartford Institute for the Deaf & Dumb a wprk lately 
 published here entitled "Elementary Exercises for the Deaf & Dumb." 
 This work has grown out of our wants in this Institution and probably 
 never would have been published if Mr. G.'s book had been in use in our 
 school. I never saw but one copy of it and that was brought by Mary 
 Rose I believe from Hartford. We were informed by our late Superin- 
 tendent that it could not be procured for the use of our School, and 
 therefore after experiencing difficulties for the want of method or plan, 
 I was set to work and compiled the volume I send you. 
 
 I have been induced thro' Mr. Stansbury (1) to believe that an 
 
 (1) Teacher in the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. 
 
 [89] 
 
unfriendly disposition existed in your Institution toward us, and I was 
 not alone in that belief, wherefore no intercourse has taken place between 
 us. The cause of that belief being removed in the change which has taken 
 place in the management of this Institution, we now hope that an inter- 
 change of good wishes and offices may begin and continue between our 
 Institutions as is fit and becoming men and Christians in the pursuit of 
 the same objects thro' Charity and Benevolence. We wish success to 
 yours and all other Institutions for the Deaf and Dumb. 
 
 I have the first report of your Institution. Will you be so good 
 as to send me your 2nd and 3rd? 
 
 With respectful consideration 
 
 I am, Dear Sir, your most obt 
 Samuel Akerly 
 Secy". 
 From Hartford— Oct. 15, 1821, M. F. C. answers as follows:— 
 
 "The peculiar circumstances under which your Institution commenced, 
 the Principal you first employed and the entirely different mode of in- 
 struction which you at first adopted, rendered it not only useless and 
 inexpedient, but absolutely forbid us from holding any intercourse res- 
 pecting the deaf and dumb, however much we might have wished it. Now 
 that your Institution has found a new character and you have come 
 forward with friendly advances we willingly accept your proferred 
 kindness and wish you every success." 
 
 ♦ * * 
 
 New York. Hartford, May 16th, 1822. 
 
 My dear Children, — 
 
 I wish I could tell how delightful everything looks. Every tree and 
 bush are in flower, this country never looked more enchanting and 1 
 seldom see a flower which you have admired with me without feeling 
 gratitude that this is the first Spring since your birth that we have not 
 enjoyed together. We are I trust enjoying it separately and very dif- 
 ferently, if profitably it will be well. 
 
 We are going to tea at Fanny's this afternoon. The Butlers are 
 there. Thomas Perkins has gone to the Mountain (1) to-day with E. 
 Apthorpe and Misls Cook. A. Flint has returned. 1 have not seen her 
 but hope to soon. You must go and see Aunt Betsey Ledyard, (2) do 
 not fail. [Mrs. Ellsworth is recovering from her late illness. Carissa 
 Brown is I think well out of danger, she goes to evening parties and 
 appears well. 
 
 And now what shall I say of home — in the first place your Father 
 rides and walks and eats and smokes and talks as much and as well as he 
 ever does. Alice is a dear good girl and endeavors to fill both your place 
 and her own in the family. Mason has begun his school and gardening. 
 He is still squirrel hunting. Kate is the same old sixpence dipping into 
 a little of everything. I hope it will not be long before we can see you 
 
 (1) "The Mountain" a place where the Wadsworth family lived occasionally. It 
 was situated ten miles from Hartford, and was also called "Wadsworth Tower." 
 
 (2) The John Ledyard who was born in England and died in Hartford in 1771 
 married twice. First a Deborah Young's by whom he had 10 children. One 
 of these was Elizabeth or this "Aunt Betsey." She never married and there are 
 letters extant showing that her sister Mary Ledyard and her brother-in-law Col. 
 Thomas Seymour were ever mindful of her needs. John Ledyard's second marriage 
 was with Mary Austin by which there were 5 children. 
 
 [90] 
 
among us. Hpwever, we wish you to make out your visit. I hope your 
 father will send you some money by this opportunity. You do not say 
 whether you want any or not, you must write and let us know the state 
 of your funds. 
 
 Love to Aunt Stephens and particularly to [Mary. Make all proper 
 salutations. It grows late and I must finish my letter by saying that 
 I love ypu as much, if not more, than ever. 
 
 Your most affectionate mother, 
 Mary A. Cogswell" 
 * * * 
 
 'To Miss jMary A. Cogswell 
 
 cjo Peter W. Radcliffe, 
 
 New York Hartford, May 31st, 1823. 
 
 My dear Daughter, — 
 
 I have just returned from Church. Mr. Brace, nephew to the Deacon, 
 preached this afternoon and would have done pretty well if the Yankee 
 in his pronunciation had not tried to be Southern. 
 
 Well, what to say I know not. I write so few letters that my hand 
 is quite out, and Mamma I presume has informed you off whatever 
 has transpired worthy of your notice. We are solitary enough without 
 you, you may rest assured. At our meals the little square table and 
 that not half filled. 
 
 Alice has been a charming girl helping her Mamma in many things 
 and occasionally riding out with me but she will be taken from us on 
 the morrow as she commences her school again for the summer, and only 
 Catherine and Mason to help us; and from your last, I don't see that 
 >ou are ever like to come home again. A fortnight at Paterson, a week 
 at Aur.t Stephens and how long at Great Neck, Lloyds' Neck, I know 
 not, and then Mr. Radcliffe' s for three weeks permission. [Mercy on 
 you, you will recover at home. I must leave this affair for your mother 
 to manage. It is too weighty for me. 
 
 Now and then a beau pops in just to know when we expect the girls 
 home, especially H. and Tom. The former two or three evenings since 
 you have been gone. Jack has been very good and comes about every 
 evening. 
 
 I was very much gratified to hear of your being about to visit Stam- 
 ford. I hope your visit was a pleasant one, hope, indeed. I know it 
 could not be otherwise. 
 
 To all my Particulars remember me particularly. You know who 
 they are. To any others just what you please to say. To name them I 
 cannot, my paper would not hold them. But to yourselves, I say, once 
 for all, you are very dear to your affectionate parent, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell 
 To Miss Mary A. Cogswell" 
 
 • * * 
 
 Before we start on Alice Cogswell's quaint diary let us marshall 
 what stray facts can still be found about her. 
 
 Her hair was dark. She had great powers of mimicry and could 
 keep people in gales of laughter by impersonating their friends. One 
 of her bits of handwork was a two yard piece of fine thread knit lace 
 
 [91] 
 
that was passed along in the family for different babies' clothes for 
 a century or sio. 
 
 Alice danced well and was lively at parties. Music excited her 
 constant and eager interest, and was the subject of her persistent in- 
 quiries. She would lean upon the piano and feel its vibrations, but was 
 sure there was much more in music than that. "Why cannot you tell 
 me," she said, "how music dies away?" "Is it like the smoke that curls 
 so majestically and vanishes slowly?" "Is it like the wave that moves 
 in different shapes?" 
 
 Alice is said to have always taken a little slate about with her to 
 make conversation possible with thpse who could not employ the sign 
 language of the deaf and dumb. One of the few words she learned to 
 speak aloud in the strained, eery voice of the unhearing was PRETTY. 
 
 A Journal written by Alice Cogswell, 1826. 
 
 From Hartford, Conn., to Paterson, New Jersey. 
 
 On the 25th of September, 1826, after nine o'clock, it was one of the 
 first mornings, with a sweet air and the weather was changed very much 
 since the rain, on the two preceding days — I left Dear Hartford, my 
 native place, with my relations of Paterson. They are the Revd Mr. 
 Fisher, (1) & his daughter Elizabeth, (2) who is' about my age. I 
 never travelled alone without some of my father's family & I do not feel 
 dependant, I hope so. 
 
 We enjoyed ourselves in looking at the first tints of Autumn & its 
 rich colour, & admired the prospect highly. My cousin Elizabeth con- 
 versed very pleasantly with me about Hartford & other things. When 
 you proceed from Hartford to Berlin you will enjpy the prospect, for 
 being so novel & picturesque. 
 
 We stopped at Berlin, to call & see Miss Goodrich, the youngest sister 
 of Mrs. Whittlesey, who was once the mistress at the Asylum for the 
 Deaf & Dumb, at Hartford. Miss G. gave us such cordial refreshments 
 and we eat some cakes and drank wine. I should say that Berlin is a 
 neat and pleasant village. 
 
 After bidding her goodbye, we proceeded thence to (Meriden. The 
 Revd Mr. Fisher wished to call and see his friend the Revd Mr. Hinsdale. 
 We were very kindly invited to eat dinner with his family and spent our 
 time very pleasantly. After dinner, we immediately drove off and you 
 would not be dissatisfied with seeing the scenery & simple streams round 
 that place and with looking over the pretty landscape while riding on. 
 
 As you approach New Haven, you will have a fine view of thick 
 woods, hills and East Rock. The latter is still celebrated for its gran- 
 deur, and perhaps hardly compare with any in this country. I acknowl- 
 edge that I have travelled but little. Closely advancing tpwards that 
 city, without doubt you would admire two rows of poplar trees a mile 
 long which shows a very novel perspective before you shall have reached 
 the hill. We arrived there just after twilight and were very happy to 
 meet our friend, Mrs. Whelphy, & her sister, Mrs. Brown of New York. 
 After tea, we spent a very pleasant evening with them, and were obliged 
 
 (1) Alice Cogswell, daughter of Dr. James and Elizabeth (Davenpprt) Cogswell, 
 married Rev. Samuel Fisher, D. D. and in 1816 moved to Paterson, N. J. 
 
 (2) Born 1806 and later married to Rev. Josiah Fisher. 
 
 [92] 
 
to go and see Mr. and Mrs. Silliman on the purpose of handing Mr. S. the 
 letter from Hartford. We returned to Mrs. W's who had wished us to 
 spend a night with them. We accepted her polite invitation, and slept 
 very well from fatigue, except Mrs. Ruen's little child's cries prevented 
 the minister from sileep, but I was glad I could not hear them, & I need 
 not to be cruel to him, and yet when he said, "I did not sleep well last night 
 for I awoke by the noise of the cries," I smiled at this sentence. 
 
 On the 26th of September. 
 
 We took leave of our dear friends! at nine o'clock, and with regret, 
 we have to give up the pleasure of spending a few days, to see a number of 
 my friends at New Haven. The weather was changed and it was cloudy, 
 yet sultry, tho' we enjoyed ourselves at the survey of N. H. and the military 
 exercises. They were very neatly and handsomely dressed. The appear- 
 ance of N. H. is much admired, indeed, to the eye of a stranger. Nearly 
 leaving that city, you will have an extensive view of the embosoming 
 woods at a distance and besides, your admiration will rise as riding on & 
 looking carefully and delightfully at the very wood. After having reach- 
 ed the hill, you may, perhaps, have an indescriptible delight of seeing 
 West Rock and its scenery must be a specimen of the landscapes of 
 England or other foreign countries. But it was a sad thing that when 
 I looked at West Rock, it was, 1 a fog which began to die away, and I 
 should have tried to admire the scenery & the W. Rock amid a mist. 
 Your attention would still be attracted by looking at Nature for being 
 very wild & Beautiful when leaving N. H. 
 
 We passed through Milford, a tolerably pleasant village, which made 
 us think that it appeared much like East Hartford. Thence we arrived 
 at the tavern of Stratford, a very delightful place, for its adjacent, noble 
 river (1), and the minister offered us the refreshments. We drank some 
 good milk punch and eat crackers. He ordered the servant to make a 
 fire for us & we sat very comfortably around a fireside. After some 
 moments, a carriage stopped, & a number of very genteel, but not refined 
 passengers entered & they seemed as if they were independent. We 
 guessed that they must be from the South, for their manners are different 
 from ours. 
 
 After our dinner we crossed a very long bridge and entered into 
 a scanty town. When you ride through Bridgeport, your attention will 
 be much attracted by its fine, capacious harbour, trees & houses'. It may 
 appear to be a pleasant, promising city. I would rather stop & take a 
 walk around that city, but could not. 
 
 We proceeded thence & were gazing at the prospect which was wild* 
 yet pleasant. Two pretty, gentle cascades were seen there. About 3 
 o'clock P. M. we arrived at the Fairchild tavern. The town is very plain, 
 but its inhabitants must be very good & honest, I can only imagine so. 
 We drank tea & eat some chickens (for the benefit of the Revd Mr. Fisher's 
 headache. Immediately, we hastened to leave Fairchild & the country 
 continued to be admired, for its beauty & wildness. 
 
 Passing through Saugatuc, a romantic place, a sudden shower came 
 on there, & my cousin had changed her mind to stop and see her friends 
 the Miss Sherwoods, because it was best to hasten to get Norwalk before 
 dark. The Revd Mr. F. lodged at Dr. Paton's, who knows my cpusins 
 
 (i) Housatonic River. 
 
 [93] 
 
very well & I was introduced to them & esteemed him & his wife, too. I 
 retired very early & slept sweetly but my cousin Elizabeth sat up very 
 late, to bathe her father's head with cologne. She took care of him. 
 Truly, she was very good & kind. 
 
 On the 27th— 
 
 It was very gloomy in the morning when I awoke. I felt much 
 refreshed, but discouraged to find that the minister had a little fever & 
 also the dreadful headache. He could not come down for breakfast. It 
 was very good, particularly coffee. At ten, he tried to get up & felt 
 very little comfortable. The air was heavy for its sultriness & I believe 
 it was a southerly wind. I did not feel well with this weather & naturally 
 prefer warm weather to cold. 
 
 Just aften ten, we left Norwalk as the clouds began to clear off. You 
 will, with wonder, gaze at the tall & finely shaped trees, along the road & 
 their leaves were beautifully variegated. After eight miles, we were 
 very happy to get Stamford & politely received by our friend Mrs. Lock- 
 wood. We dined with her, spending a pleasant afternoon. At 3 o'clock, 
 my cousin Elizabeth had a most delightful ride with me together, two 
 miles from Stamford, to see our dear friend Mrs. Holly's country-seat. The 
 country round her house is inexpressibly delightful, for its beautiful har- 
 bour & summerhouse which is handsomely laid on the shore & I entered 
 it, enjoyed one of the best airs & with enhaiing some sweet freeze from 
 the Long-island Sound for some while. Were you ever there, you would, 
 perhaps, admire to live & build a house on the shore. Stamford is a 
 healthy, pleasant village and its air agrees with me very much. I felt 
 much refreshed with it. 
 
 Sep. 28th 
 
 As |Mr. Fisher's illness prevented us from going to New York, I was 
 not at all discontented, but pleased with my short visit for two days. 
 Spending a whole day with Mrs. L. I was interested in looking for a 
 variety of books in the library. I was very sorry for the minister who 
 was obliged to take emetic & in the evening he felt very little better & 
 said "Elizabeth, his best nurse." 
 
 Sep. 29th 
 
 Mr. F. feels better & makes us hasten to be ready. As you leave 
 Stamford, you will think the way from that town to New York is the 
 most hilly you ever knew, but you must enjoy the prospect. When we 
 arrive at Greenwich, we had the unexpected pleasure of ^meeting yMr. 
 Lewis, one of his daughters, who is the wife of Mr. Peet, among the 
 teachers of the Deaf & Dumb at Hartford. The outside of his hpuse is 
 very handsome & a beautiful river runs along the shore which presents a 
 very charming scene before you. 
 
 I now bid farewell to Connecticut, & we land on the State of New 
 York. The country there and here is inexnressibly enchanting, for you 
 will observe many elegant summer-houses where persons of fashion return 
 from New York when it is visited by fevers, &c. About five, we are 
 all much fatigued for we did not stop anywhere from Stamford, except 
 at a tavern six miles from New York. We eat supper then and it is 
 called a fashionable one before we arrive N. Y. Such is told by my 
 cousins. 
 
 [94] 
 
We now arrive at the entrance of New York as it was just dark. 
 We could not quite hardly see those buildings, & at length the lamps begin 
 to be lightened up as we arrive. It is 1 the most dazzling city I ever saw 
 in my life. Thousands of people pass in the street & the windows of the 
 stores have shown the light; gas, etc. a long time and it hurt my eyes. 
 We are very welcome & received by pMr. Davenport who is related to my 
 cousins. They are all polite and agreeable to us. Mr. Fisher's head 
 ached again so violently that he was obliged to retire early. It saddened 
 us very much. At 9 o'clock we were so fatigued that we bid them 
 good-night. 
 
 September 30th 
 
 The morning was fine with a favorable wind, yet it was mild. The 
 evening before I heard of the good news of my particular friend who 
 was married to a Mr. Mitchell. I had the honor of calling on her. Then 
 we went to the New York Asylum for the D. & D. I was told that she 
 had been out of town. I was sadly disappointed not to see her. 
 
 We walked in Broadway and enjoyed ourselves with seeing every 
 objects new and gay. Mr. Fisher could not rise till ten o'clock for his 
 head ached but he felt a little better. He came to a resolution and made 
 us ready. 
 
 At half past ten, from New York, we had a most delightful sailing by 
 the steamboat. The scene on the Sea was very novel and interesting. 
 The prospect, as we rode along, was peculiarly delightful. We arrived at 
 at a tavern in Norfolk, N. J. Mr. Fisher grew so sick that he was obliged 
 to lie down for a few moments. We rested and ate some crackers and 
 milk punch. Poor Mr. F. did not feel better and could not drive, but 
 charged his daughter to do so. I took care v ojf him and bathed his head 
 with a cologne water. He was indeed very pale and sick and had the 
 symptoms of fever and ague. We rode slowly to Paterson at sunset. 
 His family seemed very sad to see him sick, but too happy to see Miss 
 Fisher and myself. Then we were very happy and felt quite at home, 
 
 October 2nd 
 
 It was a fine Sabbath morning as Mr. Fisher could not preach to 
 his own people and there was no meeting, I had better stay at home 
 reading. Mr. Fisher was' very sick with the fever all day. In the after- 
 noon I attended the Episcopal Church with my cousins. It was a very 
 small, though elegant one and the ladies dressed much more tastefully 
 than those of Hartford. The clergyman Mr. Crois was very tall and 
 pleasant and the sound of the organ rolled so loud that I could feel it 
 around me and was pleased with it. In the evening I went to the con- 
 ference with my cousins. It was a very interesting meeting oif the 
 elders. As I was much affected by reading one of the songs they sang to 
 the people "To a sad minister." 
 
 October 3rd 
 
 The Revd Mr. Fisher's fever rose on so highly that his head ached 
 dreadfully and could not be still on the pillow. The day was beautiful. 
 I spent all the morning in drawing the pattern for my collar. In the 
 afternoon I went out to take a walk around the town which was very 
 pleasant to me and also to the shoppings with my cousins to get a com- 
 fortable deshabille for Mr. Fisher. 
 
 [95] 
 
October 4th 
 
 The day is bright and very fine so that my cousin promised to go 
 with me to the celebrated water-falls. It is called Passaic Falls. In the 
 morning we received considerable company with pleasure. They called 
 to inquire after the health of Revd iMr. F. He is fortunately getting 
 slowly recovered from fever and ague. 
 
 In the afternoon about four o'clock we walked all around the city 
 which I am quite convinced was very flourishing and larger than I 
 expected. One of those streets was my favorite sight for a stream of 
 water runs between houses and streets and the weeping willow kiss entire- 
 ly to the water which made a very novel and rural appearance. A long- 
 fence was formed against the stream. Before you see the falls you will 
 enjoy the beauty of scenery which rises above and below the masses of 
 rocks on some of which trees grow. On the other side there are moun- 
 tains of trees which make a very novel and beautiful aspect to your eye. 
 There are many fine windings of streams and walk — sides among the 
 grounds of the falls. You ascend up by the stairs and walk trouble- 
 somely over rocks. When you wish to stand on the brink you would 
 almost be lost in horror in beholding the opening gulf of rocks. You must 
 keep a firm step over it and look down to the depth of the precipice in 
 wonder and enjoy the snowy foams of water curling on the river below. 
 The other precipice frowns before you, but on its level side is a fine sort 
 of woods. Again, keep a firmer step over the opening gulf of rock and 
 approached "the Falls after a hard ascent. I thought it was somewhat 
 altered in its appearance than when I was there before for the water was 
 very low. I was told that it is carried away into the mills. When I saw 
 them before, I recollected the sheet of water once was seen running on the 
 level side and smoothly over the precipice. The consequence was perhaps 
 that it did not rain much. But I expect to go again after a shower of rain 
 and tell you how it looks. As you wish to see the bottom of the Falls, 
 you must kneel down, unless you fall over. You will see the other kind 
 of waterfalls which may be called a contract. Before the Passaic Falls 
 you will observe many beautiful cascades and the scenery appeared so 
 wild, novel and beautiful before you. We returned home very dark. 
 
 October oth 
 
 The day is again beautiful and I however stay at home, working on 
 my collar and frequently think of home and my Hartford and New York 
 friends and my rambles the day before. I took to the Falls'. I met with 
 nothing remarkable. 
 
 October 6th 
 
 The day still continues beautifully and I spend the morning pleasantly 
 in sewing with my cousin and I received a call from Miss Wallace and 
 her mother who were very kind and pleasant. At six o'clock we made a 
 sociable visit at Mrs. Amelia Warren's as we promised. She was from 
 Philadelphia and came to live here with Dr. Warren who has a strong 
 resemblance with my father's profile. They have two very lovely children. 
 He has a very good sounded organ which I can hear when it played very 
 loud. We spent the evening very delightfully. 
 
 October 7th 
 
 The morning is still fine, but it is rather chilly. The very unexpected 
 meeting of Mary, my sistter, rejoiced me and I ran downstairs and em- 
 
 [96] 
 
braced her for having not seen her about three months. She instantly 
 introduced the Miss Stansbury of Bellville, New Jersey, to me. It was 
 one of the most joyful meetings of my own sister in a stranger land from 
 home. We enjoyed our conversation. Miss Stansbury had a very pres- 
 sing invitation for me to go with Mary and the Miss Stansbury to spend 
 two days at Bellvilie. I told them that it would give me pleasure but I 
 feared to trespass on their kindness, though I was a stranger to her. She 
 encouraged me to go and did not like to have me stay without seeing my 
 sister. Then I very happily accepted their request. 
 
 We had a very pleasant ride from Paterson to Bellville which is an 
 enchanted spot for exhibiting a romantic scenery and a fine town. I 
 should sa;y the Stansbury family live in one of the mpst delightful places 
 I ever knew. We took a hearty dinner after a ride. In the afternoon 
 we went to the calico manufactory where we were much pleased, and 
 towards night we returned. In the evening Miss Stansbury played on 
 the piano and I was fond of hearing it. Just like a flute when my ear 
 layed close to the piano. We retired at ten o'clock. 
 
 October 8th 
 
 It was on Sunday, with a fine morning and we went to the Episcopal 
 Church where Mr. Mathews preached. In the afternoon I was fatigued 
 and chose to stay at home with two of the Miss Stansbury. They were 
 Anne and Sarah who were very interesting. We read partly and con- 
 versed with each other by fingers partly. My sister Mary went with 
 two Miss Stansbury to the church. After church we had a small party 
 among whom were the Messers. Mathews, Kearney, and Clark and Miss 
 Schuyler who partook of our pleasure with their society. A very pleasant 
 evening was passing away. 
 
 October 9th 
 
 In the evening at nine o'clock we had a very sad parting with my 
 sister and Anne Stansbury. They rode in a barrouche with (Miss Schuyler 
 and Mr. Mathews to New York. I spent the morning with the Stansburys 
 in walking in the garden. After twelve, my cousins Mr. and Mrs. Fisher 
 came for me and we all dined here. At three o'clock we took a farewell 
 leave of the Stansbury family and left Bellville with regrets. We ar- 
 rived at Paterson at seven o'clock. 
 
 October 10th 
 
 What a fine morning it is! I spent all the day in sewing and think- 
 ing of Bellville a great deal. I walked with my cousins after tea in the 
 moonlight to make a call on Mrs. Wallace. We returned home and ate 
 boiled chestnuts. As for myself I ate too much boiled ones so that I 
 fell sick in the night. 
 October 11th 
 
 I was so ill that I could not get up. I was on the bed all the day, 
 enjoyed myself with reading. In the evening I felt a little better. 
 
 October 12th 
 
 I was almost well but felt very languid on account of the equinox 
 and the day being very rainy and unpleasant. I was quite contented with 
 staying at home and working on my collar. In the afternoon I was 
 writing home and again for a few minutes in the evening. About ten 
 o'clock my cousin was boiling chestnuts for our repast. Ah ! I must eat 
 but few of them or else I should fall sick again in the next morning. 
 
 [97] 
 
October 13th 
 
 I woke very early and found myself very well and happy top. I 
 stayed here sewing respecting the gloom of the weather and it rained 
 alternately. I spent a part of the afternoon in perusing the book I ad- 
 mired highly. In the evening the rest of the family has gone to the 
 Meeting House for an infant was to be baptized by |Mr. Fisher. I spent 
 the whole evening in some frolic with my cousins which I need not 
 say to you. What a very bright and lovely moonlight was ! 
 
 October 14th 
 
 The morning was so inviting that my cpusin E. determined to go 
 and make calls which we did not return since we came here, the num- 
 berless engagements had hindered us before. At eleven we skipped for 
 delight enjoying the air. We hasten to go and call on Mrs. Ogden who 
 was lately married and from Elizabethtown, N. J. My cousin blamed 
 herself in leaving the letter for her home so long, she was much detained 
 thai she asked pardon to Mrs. 0. I was introduced tto her and liked her 
 very much. She entered into a very sociable conversation with me and 
 seemed to me unaffected and interesting. Then we returned Mrs. Dicken- 
 son's call but slhe was sick. We stepped quickly at a few shoppings. 
 As it has struck twelve o'clock we hasten to make another call unless it 
 might be high time. It was almost one when We called to see the bride 
 at Dr. Warren's. She was Miss Devereux of Utica, who was lately 
 married to iMr.Catlin of Paterson. We had a very delightful visit from 
 them. Mrs. W T arren politely invited us< to dine with her but we declined 
 accepting her request. Bidding them; good-bye a friend of my cousin's 
 called for us. So we spent one or two hours with her as 1 we enjoyed 
 ourselves without any dinner and we did not feel very hungry. Then we 
 left here and at four we were obliged to return jMrs. Colt's call and her 
 family was uncommonly pleasant. We ate some cake and drank some 
 wine which really satisfied us and stayed there for a pretty long while. 
 
 Then we again went to a shopping where I bought something which I 
 need not tell you. Returning home we were gazing fondly on the glory 
 of a twilight. We were happy to rest ourselves at home at ease. After 
 tea we took a walk for pleasure. How mild and lovely it was in the 
 moonlight almost as clear as daylight! 
 
 At nine o'clock we went to the Falls again which appeared far more 
 beautiful than I ever imagined after showers. Being dumb with admir- 
 ation at the .sight ,of soft beam of the moon and the serenity of the sk> 
 which forms a striking contrast with the rugged rocks' ;\ bold precipices, 
 distant beauties of nature, and the noble falls of water which crowded 
 mv thoughts about many dangers of life. I cannot paint you the sight 
 of Passaic Falls, they are striking, interesting and even romantic around 
 me. The moon shone so brightly that a sheet of water seemed white, 
 rolling smoothly and purely, at the bottom clashing each wave in violence 
 and spattering over and everywhere was nigh, running along the river 
 with snowy foams which presented a fine sight. We returned home 
 much fatigued. 
 
 October 15th 
 
 Today is a beautiful Sabbath Day and the Communion at Mr. Fitch's 
 house. I went there and was pleased with its/ appearance and the 
 people were very sober and attentive to the sermon. 
 
 [98] 
 
After dinner I went with my cousin to the Episcopal Church but 
 it was shut. However we were much disappointed and returned home. 
 I spent the whole afternoon reading* the books called "The Guardians." 
 They were very profitable and interesting ones. 
 
 October 16th 
 
 It was cloudy and rainy so that I was satisfied with sewing. We 
 anticipated the pleasure of retaking a walk to the other side of the Falls 
 towards night. Very happily it became clear and pleasant. Now we 
 reached the eminence of the precipice and when you are there ypu would 
 not be able to describe me about it. I had a full view of the universal 
 town of Paterson below and the windings of the river, seen amongst 
 there and here. The moonbeamsi softly fall upon the water which glitters 
 like diamonds. Every window lighted up and made the town very bright. 
 
 Leaving this sipot we met many inconveniences as we approached 
 the Falls. When we reached there, oh ! the most rude rocks that we ever 
 passed over! It was so dangerous and slippery that we were obliged to 
 hold each other carefully. I was much interested at seeing the gentle 
 waterfalls whose measure was very wide but it was rather short. But 
 it formed a beautiful contrast with the rude cascade which was seen 
 beneath these falls. The water ran so rapidly over the masses of rock 
 that it spattered over all as if we had a shower. It looked like a smoke. 
 The water also seemed to roar and rolled violently over the precipice 
 which spoke a very dangerous thing yet a very beautiful fall. What 
 a romantic scenery appeared at a distance! 
 
 When we turned back being struck with admiration of the full moon 
 whose beams! peeped through the shade of trees. Again we were on 
 the top of the very precipice which I have described the above to you, but 
 it has improved by the bright moon and lamps. We were so happy to 
 reach the foot of a mountain that we soon rested at home. I was so tired 
 that I retired at seven o'clock! 
 
 I forgot to tell you this evening I had the honor of receiving a billet 
 for a bridal party at Mrs. Warren's tomorrow evening. We shall be 
 very happy to go there. 
 
 October 17th 
 
 What a refreshing rest I had last night! What a lovely day it is 
 to-day. I was very busjy about my dress. We returned home at twelve 
 o'clock. I have time to say, "Yes the party is gone." We enjoyed our- 
 selves very much. The people were very lively and polite. The refresh- 
 ments, cakes, etc. were very slplendid. The bride seemed very happy 
 and honoured by all who visited there. 
 
 October 18th 
 
 The morning was very unpleasant. When I awoke, I did not feel 
 well, for I eat too much trifling things last night, but I tried to get up. 
 Afterwards I felt better staying at home all day. 
 
 October 19th, 20th, 21st. 
 
 The weather continued very dismal and it rained by turns. I stay 
 at home, meeting with nothing new, but I felt very contented with my 
 relations and sewing. 
 
 [99] 
 
October 22nd 
 
 To-day is Sunday and still cloudy. I prefer reading than going to 
 church. 
 
 October 23rd 
 
 This morning the clouds began to clear off, with a beautiful and 
 blue sky. In the afternoon we went to see Mrs. Warren and she walked 
 with us to the stores. We returned home. 
 
 October 24th 
 
 We were engaged to take tea at Mrs. Nazoo's where I met some of 
 my good new acquaintances. We enjoyed ourselves there indeed. 
 
 October 27th 
 
 We were again invited to take tea at Mrs. Collet's. She had a very 
 pleasant party given to us. It was very lively when there was a dancing, 
 one called a Simple Cotillion and the other a Bouloge. Mrs. Collet is 
 the sister of Miss Wallace and came to make. her a visit. She is from 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 November 1st 
 
 We received a call from Miss Hilly er and her brother from Oranges, 
 N. J. and Miss B. of New York and were much pleased with their com- 
 pany. We went to visit the Falls notwithstanding the cloudy day. We 
 had a fine view of it, because it rained before the morning. When we 
 went to the canal we were caught in showers, though enjoying the canal 
 and two falls. The company dined with us and took leave of us in the 
 afternoon. 
 
 November 3rd 
 
 We had an invitation to tea at Mrs. Colt's 1 , but we declined it for 
 we had many engagements for New York. We have concluded to visit 
 there this week. 
 
 November 4th 
 In the afternoon I was making farewell calls with my cousin. The 
 last call which I made on Mrs. Warren who urged us to stay and take 
 tea with her. We consented and spent our time very pleasantly in talking 
 with Mrs. Warren and Mrs. Catlin. We returned home at eight o'clock 
 to pack our trunks. 
 
 November 5th 
 
 On Saturday took leave pf my dear relations and Paterson. My 
 cousin Elizabeth and myself rode in a carriage with cousin Samuel Fisher 
 (1) as the morning was very bright and refreshing air. We were much 
 delighted with the very beauty of last autumn and its faded but beautifully 
 variegated leaves. 
 
 When we approached New York closely the sky was becoming mudd> . 
 We saw the smoke coming from the city at a distance. We sailed there 
 by the steamboat. We arrived at New York at twelve o'clock. We stayed 
 at Mr. A. Davenport's who seemed very happy to see us. At five o'clock 
 we were obliged to see my aunt, Mrs. Stevens. She was heartily glad 
 to see me, wishing us to stay tea with her. We were happy. We prom- 
 
 (1) Samuel Ware Fisher, afterwards Presbyterian Minister in Cincinnati, Albany 
 and Utica, and President of Hamilton College, Clinton, N. Y., 1858 to 1868. 
 
 [100] 
 
ised to make her a visit on Monday. We bade her good-night gping to 
 Mr. Davenport's again. 
 
 November 6th 
 
 The clouds began to disperse so that we went to the Presbyterian 
 Meeting House which was handsome and large in the morning. In the 
 afternoon we went to St. George's Church where Mr. Douglas appeared 
 to us a very earnest and good preacher. But his sermon was very long 
 as the sun almost set down. 
 
 November 7th 
 
 I am very sorry to say that I have no time to write an account of my 
 visit at New York for a week, but I have time to say that we are in a con- 
 stant whirl of bustle. We receive a great deal of company, return calls, & 
 walk every day so that we feel very much fatigued. New York is begin- 
 ning to be gay. I am much pleased with its appearance while I make 
 there a short visit. I enjoyed myself much with my aunt. (1) We visited 
 the theatre called the Park Theatre. Richard the Third acted there. It 
 was a very splendid public building and was full of company when we 
 sat in the gallery. All was the scene of gaiety and splendor, but I was 
 much surprised to see those who acted. As I felt much fatigued returned 
 home at ten o'clock. Next morning I felt very dull for having had a 
 restless night. At four o'clock in the afternoon we went to the Oliver 
 Ellsworth boat. I took leave with regret of all my relations, the Stevens 
 and my cousin Elizabeth. I came home with my cousin Catherine Fisher 
 (2) in the boat. The next day we all happily arrived at Hartford }n 
 safety. I was overjoyed to see my parents' family and all my friends 
 again. 
 
 Finis 
 
 • * * 
 
 In May, 1828, Mary Austin Cogsw T ell was married to Lewis Weld. 
 As we see from the letters the hearts of the whole Cogswell family were 
 immediately won by this first of in-laws. 
 
 Lewis Weld graduated from Yale in the class of 1818. His original 
 intention was to go into the ministry. But during his last year at New 
 Haven Dr. Gallaudet visited Yale to encourage some of its undergraduates 
 to enter into the teaching of the Deaf and Dumb. Weld was persuaded 
 to undertake this kind of teaching and went to Hartford upon graduation. 
 So rapidly did he grasp the instruction of deaf mutes that in 1822 he 
 was offered the principalship of the Pennsylvania Institution for the 
 Deaf and Dumb. He held this position till 1830 when he succeeded Dr. 
 Gallaudet at Principal of the American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb 
 in Hartford. 
 
 * ♦ * 
 
 "Miss Catherine Cogswell 
 
 Hartford, Conn. 1828. 
 
 I hope you will not think me extravagant, dear Kate, for writing on 
 bath paper but it happens to be the most convenient and as I cannot fill 
 a larger one I will take the first that offers. Pa and me are here ! Now 
 
 (1) Probably Aunt Stevens. 
 
 (2) Catherine Avery Fisher, born 1810. 
 
 [101] 
 
let me give you a little history of their arrival, their journey, etc. Poor 
 ma had scarcely lost sight ot Hartford before she was convinced a hard 
 headache was in store tor her, indeed siie lelt it before she left home 
 but would not let anyone know it. &he suifered with it ail night and 
 when they arrived in iNew York sne could not think of proceeding on her 
 journey and pa went to Bunker's to speak lor a room, it required a greac 
 ellort lor ma to remove to it because she was so sick. However she was 
 very comfortable there and awoke the next morning so well that khe de- 
 termined to start off for the boat. Her headacne was quite gone though 
 it left her very weak. You have heard of the roads across Jersey. 
 Ma said she thought she should have shaken to pieces the road was so 
 rough and it is the greatest wonder that it did not make her quite sick. 
 She, however, took a good nap in the boat and when she arrived here she 
 was very well, perfectly free from the headache and in line spirits. 
 
 Now to change the scene and tell you how anxiously we expected 
 them. (Mary had her house all cleaned the week beforehand from the 
 garret to the celiar so that ma's specs need not spy too many wonders. 
 Monday afternoon E. Bradford and I walked out to a green-house two 
 miles from the city and bought a beautiful bunch of iiowers to make 
 our parlors look handsomely. Tuesday morning I removed from the 
 chamber i had occupied in the second to one m the third story and much 
 pleasure I assure you we had in making these preparations. About four 
 o'clock we began to expect them and Mr. Weid went down to meet them. 
 There we sat and watched every carriage till almost dark when (Mr. Weld 
 came walking home with the intelligence that they had not arrrived. 
 We then gave them up entirely till the last of the week thinking some- 
 thing had prevented their setting out. But a lingering sort of hope 
 induced me to decline going to a concert to which I was engaged for 
 Wednesday evening and almost unconsciously I took my seat by the 
 window to watch the carriages. Mr. Weld and I were sitting there 
 reading newspapers quite contentedly when my attention was attracted 
 by a carriage and the same instant I saw pa's face. It was a minute 
 after I saw them before I could speak so that the carriage had passed the 
 house before Mr. Weld got to the door. I heard pa's voice saying "Oh ! 
 there he is" and the next moment, dear Kate, you must imagine our 
 happiness for I am sure I cannot express it. 
 
 I leave the rest for ma. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 I do not know that I can bring my mind and pen to do anything on 
 this exquisite paper but as I have done some new things since I left 
 home, such as having a hard headache in the steamboat and at Bunkers ' 
 and being almost as comfortable as at home I shall not despair at a trifle. 
 We had a very pleasant ride from Brunswick to Trenton principally 
 because we were well, the weather pleasant, the carriage easy, the pas- 
 sengers agreeable, your father and myself in good humor, an unruly 
 horse, a good driver, horrid roads, and for myself, almost starved. We 
 found all well and happy. For a long time I could not believe I was 
 indeed in Mary's own hired house and that I held them both, all four, 
 in my arms. Little Mason (1) is a very fine child and I find that I can 
 
 (1) Mason Cogswell Weld, the first grandchild, born March, 1829. 
 
 [102] 
 
love him a little. He is not very handsome except his hands and arms 
 and they are perfect. Tell Sally he rubs his nose till he cries with the 
 pain and the first thing he did for us was to curl up his under lip in a 
 most becoming manner. He is in his basket now by my side and Eliza- 
 beth is I believe trying tp sing him to sleep but as it is rather a dubious 
 noise I will not be certain. 
 
 My best and kindest love to yourself, for dear Alice and for all the 
 dear family you are in, for Fanny and all her family. Miss Cowgill (1) 
 is here and I must say good-bye. 
 
 Your most affectionate mother, 
 
 jM. A. Cogswell" 
 * * • 
 
 "Mr. Lewis Weld, 
 
 Philadelphia, Pa. Hartford, Dec. 23rd, 1828. 
 
 My dear Children; — 
 
 As I desire to communicate with you on a subject which will equally 
 interest you all I address you together ; should |I have anything to say to 
 you separately I shall call you by name. Mrs. C. and Catherine are gone 
 on a party at Mr. Wells', and as I like your company better than any 
 I should find there I am going as you see. 
 
 I know not how far Mrs. C. and Kate have gone into the subject of 
 Mr. Hawes* (2) Call in either of their letters; but I presume I can give 
 you a more circumstantial account than they could and with which I 
 hope at least you will be gratified. You know the situation at the church 
 from which the call proceeded. Its plan of colonizing etc., and so sure 
 were they of obtaining Mr. Hawes for their pastor that the moment they 
 began to build they began to talk openly of him as their spiritual guide ; 
 indeed so confident were they that the great man of the little city of 
 Hartford would yield to the demands of the great city of New York 
 that they even went so far as to pray for him (not by name) publickly 
 at one of their evening services, who was about to leave his people to 
 supply their wants and likewise for the people whom he was about to 
 leave; and all this the Sunday evening a week before Mr. Hawes had 
 declared his determination to us. This we have from a gentleman from 
 Norwich who heard the prayer. Within two or three years past several 
 circumstances had transpired which had considerably alarmed the fears 
 of our church and namely, lest Mr. Hawes might be tempted to leave us, 
 and those fears had been increased, by his having occasionally expressed 
 an opinion in favor of a minister sometimes removing from his people. 
 Under this state of feeling it was that the call was announced to us and 
 
 (1) Matron of the Deaf & Dumb Asylum in Philadelphia and much beloved by the 
 Cogswell family. 
 
 (2) Pastor of the old First Church (commonly known as the "Centre Church") 
 which M. F. C. attended in Hartford. In 1636 this church with its uvo pastors, 
 its ruling elder, and its deacon, had emigrated in a body from Newton (now Cam- 
 bridge) Massachusetts to its present position, then a wilderness, in the Connecticut 
 valley. Joel Hawes was the tenth pastor of this grand old church and was considered 
 by manyi to be one of the most distinguished divines of that period. The celebrated 
 Dr. Lyman Beecher also assisted with the preaching at the Centre Church during 
 this period of unusual interest in religious matters. 
 
 [103] 
 
to Mr. H. in one of the New York papers. The report was immediately 
 followed by the tact that the delegates were on hand. They soon arrived 
 and very lew were glad to see them; they were treated civilly, however, 
 
 1 believe, by everyone but Dr. B n; he called them robbers and i 
 
 believe treated them as such. You can hardly conceive how great an 
 excitement was produced throughout his church and society. The delegates 
 tarried but two nights and a day. They delivered their message and re- 
 turned without an answer ,or any encouragement. Then came the in- 
 quiry: — what has Mr. Hawes done? Nothing was the answer. Nothing! 
 Why did he hesitate a moment, says one? lie should have opened their 
 letters, say others. I would have made short work of it, said a third, and 
 so ought Mr. Hawes to have done. Pray, interposed one, of a milder and 
 more rational temperament, do let the man have time to think a little 
 before he makes up his mind. In an instant he was answered in almost a 
 tone of anger, "No ! he has no business t,o think a minute, he belongs to 
 the Society as much as his wife belongs to him. If he begins to think and 
 hesitate, I say for one, 'Let him go', etc." All this I heard in the barber 
 shop to my sorrow and mortification. 
 
 As my intimacy in the family was well known, I was stopped at almost 
 every corner, in almost every lane and questioned in almost every house 
 where I went; — "What has Mr. Hawes done or what is he determined to 
 do?" My answer was, I know nothing about it nor do I believe anyone else 
 does, not even himself, and if I attempted to excuse him or account for 
 his delaying, they would even some of the best of them become very im- 
 patient and almost angry. I had a hard task of it. I had often to conceal 
 and suppress and console my feeling lest I should become angry myself. I 
 thought it my duty to use every exerton in my power to repress the 
 public impatience and to convince them that Mr. H. was doing right. I 
 saw daily how the poor man suffered; how ardently and prayerfully he 
 sought the path of duty. He communed with no individual on the subject 
 in Hartford, by way of asking advice, I mean, because, as he stated, in 
 his final disclosure, that neither he, nor any of his flock could think or 
 speak on the subject with impartiality — hence while writing to and 
 receiving answers from distant friends the delay necessarily arose when 
 he received the call from the church, sanctioned by the Presbytery, the 
 unanimous wish of all the ministers in New York, letters from Mr. 
 Brigham, Mr. Hallock, and Mr. Lord holding up to his view the vastness 
 of their enterprise, their plan of colonizing at least twenty chuches all 
 eminating from this one. At the same time painting in glowing colors 
 the future prosperity of the church in breaking down the strongholds 
 of Satan and building up the great Redeemer's Kingdom;. I say all 
 this one would suppose wpuld be sufficient to shake the pillars of a 
 stronger mind than even Mr. Hawes' and induce him to balance the 
 subject well. 
 
 Before he gave an answer he did do it and he determined right, at 
 least in my opinion. The time of giving his answer or rather of com- 
 municating it to his people was at a preparatory sacramental lecture 
 on Saturday evening. No one knew that it was coming and np one 
 knew what was coming. After pronouncing the blessing he remained 
 seated in the pulpit, with every eye fixed upon him, and in a kind of 
 breathless expectation lest they should not hear the first word. He 
 referred to the impatience of his people in a beautiful manner and I 
 believe satisfied every one that he had acted judiciously in what he had 
 
 [104] 
 
done; he spoke about fifteen minutes on the subject, and the anxiety of 
 the congregation was excessive for he said many things that looked as 
 much like going as staying and no one knew what to believe until a few of 
 the last sentences. Then indeed when anxiety ceased and certainty suc- 
 ceeded it and the assurance that he 'would live and die and hope to go to 
 Keaven with us produced a sensation such as I have seldom witnessed, 
 
 I leave you tp imagine the rest, my paper is full and I can only add 
 that I am, most sincerely and affectionately, 
 
 Your parent, 
 
 M. F. Cogswell" 
 
 Lydia Huntley Sigourney was entwined in the hearts and fortunes 
 of more than the one Cogswell. We find her writing this little note of 
 old-time homeliness to Mary Cogswell Weld when she made a visit to her 
 parents in Hartford with their first grandchild Mason: — 
 
 "Saturday, April 28th. 
 
 My dear Friend, 
 
 Will you accept such a very humble and neighbourly present, as a 
 few Parsnips, which having been freshly dug, are considered well-flavour- 
 ed? My little ones, were highly delighted with their visit to yours and 
 jMason has been their constant subject since, except during the intervals 
 of sleep. Mary wishes to send Mason a little book as a mark of remem- 
 brance, and Andrew adds a bottle — a rather questionable present, in 
 these times of temperance. You are highly favoured, my dear Mary, in 
 your good child, as well as in all other temporal gifts. 
 
 I was sorry to hear that you had the headache yesterday, and hope 
 you have entirely recovered. With respects to your husband, 
 
 Ever yours affectionately, 
 
 L. H. Sigourney." 
 
 During the first quarter of the 19th century there sprung up in the 
 eastern part of the United States an .obvious leaning towards the for- 
 mation of small societies. It was a time of little culture and with few op- 
 portunities in the sparsely settled country for a lone individual to acquire 
 mpre. The strain and stress of fighting Red Skins and Red Coats had 
 now passed and left the more conscious of these new United States aware 
 that the further lands for them to conquer lay in the realms of gold. 
 This desire for banding together into little groups to better enjoy social 
 and intellectual benefits may be seen at that time in the birth of the 
 Greek letter societies for the young men in the Colleges. Once these 
 groups were formed, the mysterious insignia and the ritualistic practices 
 of Mumbo Jumbp gave them added lure and leverage in the eyes of the 
 uninitiated. Even the sequestered "young ladies" of the time seem to 
 have caught the epidemic for this was the era of "circles." The following 
 letter refers to one of these circles which seems to have existed under 
 Sigourney-Cogswell chaperonage. 
 
 "Norwich, Friday, July 17th, 1829. 
 My dear Friend, 
 
 Trusting that you have ere this arrived at the place of your nativity, 
 and introduced your sweet infant into that paternal mansion where you 
 
 [105] 
 
have enjoyed and imparted so much happiness, I take my pen to bid 
 you an affectionate welcome, 1 should have deferred my congratulations 
 untili it was in my power to present them personally, but finding that 
 I cannot leave Norwich so soon as I had at hrst intended, (not naving 
 maae a visit here lor three years, and having been prevented by an ague 
 in the face, hitherto, from returning any of my numerous calls) — I feiL 
 a necessity of addressing some one of our "sacred number" respecting our 
 arrangements lor the approaching first of August, and felt that our 
 Secretary, as the principal officer, was the natural organ of communica- 
 tion. But let me mention, in the hrst piace, my dear Mary, that knowing 
 so well as I do, what the care of an infant is, I do not wish you to take 
 on yourself a single burden, but merely, on account of my absence, to set 
 in motion the officers of the Society, who are always equal t ; o every duty, 
 and zealous in its performance. Our contribution which has not been 
 taken since 1827, it will be expedient to collect this year. The prepara- 
 tory step to this design, is to convince the officers as a board of consul- 
 tation, which should not I think be deferred, beyond next Tuesday. They 
 consist of yourself Secretary; — Elizabeth T. Edwards, Treasurer, — and 
 the four Directors are, jMrs. Toucey, — Caroline Morgan, — yjour sister 
 Elizabeth, & Frances Ann Brace: — choice spirits, and ready to every 
 good work. — In consulting, upon an object of charity for the present 
 year, say to them I recommend the "widows and orphans of Athens," 
 whose letter from Mr. King from the "caverns of Egina, — naked, bare- 
 foot, hungering and in want of daily bread," — I ami sure has touched 
 your compassionate feelings, and fills my eyes with tears, as I now think 
 of it. — What can institute a stronger claim to charity than the extreme 
 sufferings of thece exiles? — and to classical minds like yours does it not 
 convey an additional excitement, that they are exiles from Athens'- \ 
 I am informed by a benevolent gentleman from New York, in habit of 
 correspondence with Mr. King, that a bounty, even smaller than ours 
 usually is, would it be highly acceptable, and that he would transmit it for 
 us. — Be so good as to present this object in your own eloquent manner 
 to our board, and say to them that as they have already scattered the seeds 
 of their liberality in our western wilds, and on the shores of Africa, it 
 might be well also to sow a few in the soil of Greece, and trust the God 
 of Harvest,— If they agree, as I presume they will, as there has ever 
 been but one mind and one soul among us, the next step is to explain it 
 to the Society, and receive their contributions. T^me will be saved by 
 doing this when the invitation is given for the festival of the first of 
 August. By apportioning among the officers the number of those to 
 be invited, according to the list which I enclose, not more than five will 
 fall to the portion of each, and by selecting those in their immediate 
 vicinity, or their particular friends, I conceive that no fatigue need be 
 incurred. This division should be made on the day of consultation, and the 
 respective contributions, with their accounts paid to the Treasurer, by 
 the last Tuesday in July. — One other subject it would be well to attend 
 to, when the board of consultation is convened. By our constitution we 
 are required to choose officers every year. This has long been neglected. 
 Perhaps it would be well to be faithful for once. — If they will decide on 
 those they think proper to fill the offices, so that the voting could be done by 
 nomination on the first day of August, it would save time and trouble. 
 It is my wish that those who now fill the offices would consent to retain 
 them, as they are all of "those first fifteen/' in whom I cannpt help 
 feeling a peculiar confidence. I would also suggest the propriety of 
 
 [106] 
 
choosing a Vice-President which we have never done, for it is literally 
 the business of a Vice-President, with which I am now troubling my Sec- 
 retary. — I believe nothing remains to be arranged but the invitations. I 
 wish all "our faithful and true" to meet in our consecrated grove, with 
 their usual simple refreshments, at three in the afternoon of Saturday, 
 August 1st I desire also the invitations to be extended in my name to par- 
 ents — to husbands, where there are any, — especially to my grandchildren, 
 i^of whom in all places, I have forty) — and likewise to friends staying with 
 the parties, if it would be pleasant to them to witness !our primitive 
 entertainment. These all are requested to come at jive. With regard 
 to the inviting of the female pupils at the Asylum to walk out at six, the 
 young ladies know it has ever been pleasant to me to do it, on the prin- 
 ciple that they have but few recreations, and so judicious was the manage- 
 ment of the Committee of Arrangements at our last festival, that not 
 the least inconvenience or bustle resulted from it. Still if an objection 
 rests in the mind of any of the officers, I will not on this point urge my 
 wishes : — if there is none, I shall probably be at home myself two or three 
 days before the first of August, and will save the officers the trouble of 
 coming so far out as the Asylum — by sending over the invitation, if they 
 decide to have it sent. I wish Mrs. Child to be invited to meet with us, 
 and become one of our Society. — With regard to the contributions, jMrs. 
 Henry Tony, and Miss |Mary Wells of Boston (now I believe in town) — 
 paid theirs the last year, not knowing but it was to be collected as usual. 
 1 have had it by me a year for the Treasurer. I believe this is all the 
 business. May God give us a happy meeting. — Out of our original 84, — 
 nine have fallen, — Thirty-two are married, & dispersed widely into dif- 
 ferent states. Let us who are diminished in number still keep our 
 ancient feast in sincerity and love. 
 
 Remember me affectionately to your parents, husband and all friends. 
 Kiss the sister & baby for me, and believe me ever, your truly attached 
 friend, 
 
 L. H. Sigourney. 
 
 Mrs. M. A. Weld." 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To 
 
 Lewis Weld, Esquire, 
 
 Philadelphia, Penn. (By |Mr. Webb) 
 
 Hartford, Dec. 19, 1828. 
 
 My dear brother Lewis, — 
 
 I now cannot let slip a good opportunity by Mr. Webb on Monday 
 to write you. It is now Saturday afternoon and the sun is just departing, 
 as you can feel with me in the sweet thoughts of approaching the next 
 day of Rest. I would rather be transported to Philadelphia, to go among 
 your own pupils, in view of your signs, concerning religion to-morrow 
 but I am well accustomed to see |Mr. Gallaudet's and other instructors 
 signs. I hope I shall take a long walk to the Asylum for exercise; to- 
 gether with withdrawing my thoughts from wordly things. 
 
 [107] 
 
Cate has just bidden me goodbye with Louisa (1) and gone to see 
 Mrs. Terry and read one of Lizzy's letters. Perhaps you will think me 
 (poor Alice) for I am left alone in this room ias I am so snug by the 
 fire for it is very cold. Oh! I am (no poor Alice) enjoying the pleasure 
 of writing you so quietly. It is so dark that my eyes can hardly guide 
 my pen. Now, I must make a bright fire for Papa etc. 
 
 My dear brother, from the table we have eaten beans and pork, as 
 I wish we could partake them with you. 
 
 I am by Cate's side forbearing to give you an account of the party 
 at Mr. H. W. Terry's, for she is now telling everything about it. I can 
 only say that I was amused, as well as rather displeased at the oddest 
 fashions of ancient costume, particularly Mr. Edwards who never looked 
 so ugly, with the red coat of his grandfather and besides his wig. Mr. 
 Wells never looked so well when he was dressed up after a dandy. When 
 I was there I felt as if I existed in 1772. I must tell you that I could 
 not help wondering how Dr. Barry took off the best airs of a quaker. 
 He made me think of Philadelphia quakers, though I have never seen 
 them. I can have some ideas for I see some who pass in our streets. 
 
 Yesterday evening there was a very pleasant levee at Mrs. Day's 
 where we met many scholars and teachers from the Female Seminary. 
 
 My brain seems to be settled, therefore I must wait till to-morrow. 
 
 I bid you goodnight. 
 
 Alice Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 "To 
 
 Miss Alice Cogswell 
 
 Care of Mr. John Butler (2) 
 
 Hartford, Conn. Philadelphia, 
 
 May 9, 1829. 
 
 My dear Daughter, — 
 
 Your Mama sits in one corner of the breakfast room with her arms 
 folded like a lady. Mary sits near to her sewing, and Elizabeth next 
 with your charming little nephew in her lap, soothing him to sleep after 
 his morning repast. While your affectionate father occupies another 
 corner of the room having just commenced a letter to his beloved daughter. 
 
 I will endeavour briefly to relate events subsequent to our last 
 writing. It may contribute to your amusement, if nothing more. It 
 will, at least, convince you that we have not been idle, and in order that 
 
 (1) Eliza Kirkland born 1806 married Judge W. J. Bacon of Utica. She was the 
 daughter of General Joseph Kirkland and Mary Backus. General Kirkland was 
 born in Norwich, Conn., studied law in Windham, Conn., and moved early to 
 practice in New Hartford, New York. Later he became Mayor of Utica and member 
 of Congress. He was the son of the Rev. Daniel Kirkland and one of his brothers 
 was Samuel, missionary to the Oneida Indians and later founder of Hamilton 
 College, Clinton, New York. 
 
 (2) After the death of Austin Ledyard, father of Mary Austin Ledyard Cogswell, 
 his widow married a Dr. Butler, and one of their children was this John Butler. In 
 fact, John Butler's grandchildren now own and live in the old Ledyard house in 
 Hartford where M. F. C. married Mary Ledyard. 
 
 [108] 
 
you may duly appreciate our industry you must know that Mir. Weld has 
 taken a house in the neighborhood of the Asylum, almost out of the City ; 
 a very convenient circumstance to him, but a very inconvenient one 
 to us. All our friends or most of them whom we wish to see often are 
 from half a mile to a mile from us. So that much more time is con- 
 sumed in visiting them than there would be if we lived in the midst of 
 them; still we have visited many, and have seen many of the curiosities 
 of Philadelphia. I will enumerate such as I think it will amuse you. I 
 have time only to name them now ; a description of them must be reserved 
 to the time of my return. The water works and Fair Mount as connected 
 with them, and from which the whole City of Philadelphia is supplied 
 with the finest water, is ampng the wonders of the world. The Navy- 
 yard where is building as is said the largest ship in the world, enclosed 
 in a building to protect it from the weather, larger than our Central 
 Church. West's splendid picture of Christ healing the sick. The Penn- 
 sylvania Hospital, a jbeauftiful place. The New States Prison, The 
 Institution for Invalid Officers. The Porcelain Factory. The Atheneum. 
 The Sunday School Union Repository, where Mr. Packard is. Washing- 
 ton Square and other less interesting squares; all interesting however. 
 Pratt's Gardens. The City Libary. All these places I have visited and 
 your Mama as many as she could. You know she cannot walk and riding 
 costs a dollar an hour. 
 
 We have received no letters from home and why is it so? Not a 
 word since we left you. 
 
 The Deaf and Dumb Institution I did not mention above as you would 
 know of course that we were there. How much did we want you while 
 there ! 
 
 We hope to leave New York in the first boat that goes next week. 
 We have had some bad weather but it is fine now and I am well and 
 strong. 
 
 Most affectionately, I am, your father 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell" 
 
 * * * 
 
 Hartford, Sept. 19, 1829. 
 The United States 
 To 
 M. F. Cogswell Dr 
 
 To 7 visits; advice and attendance on John Jones a sick and disabled 
 seaman between the 6th and 12th Inst. 
 
 at 75 $4.75 
 
 rec'd payment 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell" 
 * * * 
 
 "Philadelphia 
 Oct. 28, 1829 
 My dearest Mother, 
 
 As for myself I have given up the pleasure of going out with Mary 
 and Lewis this evening. They are gone to tea at Mrs. Johnson's who 
 
 [109] 
 
had offered an invitation to meet Mrs. Packard. I assure you, to pass 
 my moments in writing you particularly is many times more valuable than 
 going out, for I am not well acquainted with Mrs. Johnson and besides 
 my limbs ache so that I cannot enjoy myself there. I will, my dear 
 Mother, give you an account of the most delightful part of my time which 
 I passed yesterday. It was that |Miss Bradford with her mother called 
 here yesterday while we were at the Institution to see Miss Cowgill. You 
 know how easily Miss Bradford "stretched her limbs" and went for us 
 but her mother waited for us. She told me that I must go with them 
 home and sleep with her! I could hardly consent myself and should 
 have liked to go if |Mary was willing. You know her character and I 
 consented to go. It was rather dark for us to walk without a gentleman 
 but we had got safe at Mrs. Bradford's. To my surprise I found three 
 gentlemen there and I was not pleased with that, for they were utter 
 strangers to me. I know you always like to have me tell you their names, 
 viz: — a Mr. Brooks of Washington, Mr. Barbour of Virginia and Mr. 
 Goldsborough, a young man with whom pVlary used to board at Miss 
 Potter's. After the supper we descended to the parlour. Mr. Vincent 
 Bradford, with Mr. Brooks left us immediately for the purpose of attend- 
 ing the theatre. Mr. Goldsborough and Mr. Barbour passed the part of 
 an evening, and the former entered into conversation with me by the 
 slate. As soon as they left us, Mr. Bradford wished me to go with him 
 and Eliza to the Museum. It was very difficult for me to consent without 
 Mary, for it would be best for me to accompany with her there, but Mr. 
 B. was so urgent that it was impossible to refuse. It is easy how much 
 delighted I was with seeing many interesting and wonderful curiosities and 
 it was with peculiar pleasure when I saw the likenesses of Mr. Clerc and 
 his wife and child. It was natural for my wishes to go back to Hartford. 
 It was rather late when we returned home and I was pretty well fatigued. 
 I forget to tell you that I was much interested in the fact that I have 
 seen a model of the canoe by which your uncle Ledyard travelled. You 
 have no idea that whenever I saw everything at the Museum, I thought 
 of you all and I wished I could have Elizabeth, Catherine and Mason tell 
 me about them, but I could understand some by seeing the names on the 
 paper. And Eliza Bradford also had boasted herself to try to make me 
 understand what she conversed with me about them like my sisters. 
 T believe Elizabeth was so much interested as I was in seeing a beautiful 
 Swan. I find Mr. Bradford is reading the Life of John Ledyard (1) 
 and I believe, he seems much interested in your lineage. 
 
 I have walked a great deal and tell Catherine that T remember to have 
 her tell me I was going to see the celebrated United States Bank. Well, 
 it is truly very grand and beautiful. When I saw it I thought of her 
 and you know she always expresses much interest. Philadelphia is surely 
 reckoned a beautiful city. Chestnut Street is very elegant and I wonder 
 every day has broken in such beautv that we enioyed onr walks and T 
 often think how good He is who bestowed upon us many blessings. 
 
 Last Sunday I went up to the Institution (2) and attended divine 
 service. As well as at Hartford Lewis was too there and preached for 
 
 (1) Probably the Life of John Ledyard, the American Traveller; comnrisins? selec- 
 tions from his Journals and Corresnonder.ro, bv .Tared Sparks, Published by Hilliard 
 & Brown, Cambridge, 1828. 
 
 (2) Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf & Dumb. 
 
 [110] 
 
us. I assure you, it is far pleasanter than I expected. I love pVliss 
 Cowgill so dearly. 
 
 We expect a mantua-maker next week. Now you I guess think of 
 my pelisse, which will be altered and I hope it will be a good one. 
 
 Tell Cate she must remember to write me an enormous letter by Mr. 
 Chew as she promised and he told her, he had an plan of coming here. 
 Is Cate as fat as she was? Is Mason a good student at the office? I 
 wish he could first write me. I have not yet finished the ruff, for I have 
 been much prevented, but I hope it will be done next week. Mary wishes 
 us all to hasten to make shirts for Lewis. 
 
 May God bless you. 
 
 Your affectionate daughter, 
 
 Alice Cogswell" 
 * ♦ * 
 
 "Hartford, April 14th, 1830 
 Mary and Alice 
 Philadelphia, Pa. 
 My dear Children: — 
 
 (Mr. Norton from Albany, Mr. Gallaudet and Mr. Woodbridge, have 
 have been drinking tea with us and have just gone and although it is near 
 ten having so good an opportunity of writing by Mr. Huntington who 
 starts for Philadelphia in the morning boat I cannot refrain from in- 
 dulging for a few moments conversation with you on the interesting 
 occasion which has just passed away. And although I cannot do justice 
 to its merits by any description I can give you some general account which 
 I know will at least amuse you. My daughters have already informed 
 you of a Fair that was gotten up to raise funds for our Benevolent Society 
 established in this place for the relief of poor female children. For a 
 month past nothing has been heard or seen but preparations among our 
 ladies and young gentlemen for this novel and animating event, which 
 has been consummated during the last few days in the spacious and el- 
 egant room over our new market. The doors were opened the day before 
 yesterday at eleven o'clock. On entering each one paid 12l/£>c as an in- 
 troductory trifle. On the east side of the room four tables were spread 
 twelve feet in length and four in breadth with everything that genius 
 could invent or taste could adorn from the mouse to the lion in the 
 natural world and by way of refreshment from triflles onwards to cus- 
 tards, ice creams, jellies and sweet meats, with a quantity sufficient of 
 pickled oysters, ham, tongue, etc., with almost every kind of fruit and 
 topped off with fine lemonade and coffee. Four other tables on the west 
 side of the room were decorated in the same manner. At the head of 
 each table sat or stood a matronly lady as Mrs. Wadsworth, Mrs. Terry, 
 Mrs. Philipps or some other equally respectable, aided in assistance be- 
 half a dozen young ladies at each table such as Elizabeth, Catherine, etc. 
 playing the merchant and recommending their goods in the most inviting 
 and persuasive manner until all were obliged to buy whether they intended 
 to or not. Across the end of the room on raised benches was a large and 
 beautiful collection of plants and flowers from Mr. Tudor's greenhouse, 
 most of them in full blossom and almost all fo'r sale and these were sur- 
 mounted by a picture of General Washington copied from Stuart's for the 
 
 [111] 
 
singular history of which I must refer you to Mr. H. as I have not time 
 myself to give it. In half an hour after the room was opened, it was filled 
 and for a short time was inconveniently full, but in an hour or so there 
 was just enough to make it pleasant. The whole area, between the tables 
 being full but not crowded and when everyone you met whether friend 
 or foe was clothed with smiles you could hardly see too many. But the 
 evening was the time ! How happy, my dear Children, should I have been 
 could I only have seen your two countenances in the midst of us ^illumined 
 as ours were. The room was beautifully lighted with lustre lamps, both 
 above and on the tables. This gave a softened light on everything 
 around and aided by the warmth of the room and by all the Benevolent 
 Associations, inspired by the occasion, every female countenance shone 
 with unusual brilliancy. The ordinary face became comely and the 
 beautiful, beautiful indeed. 
 
 The sun has just risen upon us clear and bright for the first time 
 for three weeks and had I time I would finish my letter as it should be 
 but I must conclude by telling you that everything at the Fair went off 
 grandly with a collection of about six hundred dollars. Love to those 
 who love me. 
 
 Affectionately, 
 
 Your parent, 
 
 Mason F. Cogswell" 
 * • * 
 
 With this letter our story ends. For on the tenth of December, 
 1830, M. F. C. died. It is said that "during his last short illness the 
 whole city of Hartford was so moved by the fate of its "Beloved Physician" 
 that late at evening groups of citizens lingered on the sidewalks to 
 inquire in whispers of the physicians as they departed from the familiar 
 house on Prospect Street: — "How is he?" And at his death, countless 
 tributes were made to him by his family and friends and neighbors, for all 
 sorrowed over the loss of such a genial, courteous helper of mankind." 
 
 But for Alice it was as if she had been deprived of the very water 
 of life. Her ears could not hear the funeral bell but her too-sensitive 
 nerves felt the jarring of the air. She shuddered and the poor dumb 
 lips which he had laboured to unloose spoke their last words of love: — 
 "My heart is so grown to my father that I cannot live without him." 
 Thirteen days later she was dead. 
 
 [112] 
 
Appendix 
 
 [113] 
 
[114] 
 
Mary Austin Cogswell 
 1801-1868 
 married Rev. Lewis Weld 
 
 Elizabeth Cogswell 
 1803-1856 
 married John Treadwell Norton. 
 
 Alice Cogswell 
 1805-1830 
 
 Mason Fitch Cogswell 
 1809-1865 
 married Lydia Bradford 
 
 Catharine Ledyard Cogswell 
 
 1811 1882 
 married Rev. Cortlandt 
 van Rensselaer. 
 
 James Cogswell 
 1746-1792 
 married Elizabeth 
 Davenport 1776. 
 
 • 
 
 married Abigail Lloyd 
 1783 
 
 Alice Cogswell 
 1749-1772 
 
 James Cogswell 
 1720-1807 
 
 Samuel Cogswell 
 1754-1790 
 
 1 
 
 P 
 
 married Maria Backus 
 1786 
 
 Mason Fitch Cogswell 
 1761-1830 
 
 Allice Fitch 
 d. 1772 
 
 i 
 
 Austin Ledyard 
 1761-1776 
 
 \ 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 ? 
 
 m 
 
 Man' Austin Ledyard 
 1776-1849 
 
 i 
 
 Sarah Sheldon 
 
 [1«] 
 
[11«] 
 
John Cogswell 
 born 1592, Westbur 
 ijeigh, England, 
 died 1669, Ipswich, 
 Mass. 
 
 Samuel Cogswell 
 1677-1752 
 
 Samuel Cogswell 
 1651-1700? 
 
 John Cogswell 
 1622-1653 
 
 Elizabeth Thompson 
 born ? Westbury- 
 Leigh, England, 
 died 1676, Ipswich, 
 Mass. 
 
 s 
 
 & 
 
 P 
 
 CO 
 CO 
 
 Susanna Haven 
 
 Ann Mason Dennison 
 
 6 
 § 
 
 C 
 
 Capt. John Mason 
 1646-1676 
 
 Abigail Fitch 
 1650-? 
 
 Jabez Fitch 
 Lydia Gale 
 
 John Ledyard 
 
 Born Bristol, England 1700 
 died Hartford, Conn. 
 
 O Richard Haven 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 £* Susanna Newhall 
 
 CO 
 
 Major John Mason 
 
 born about 1600 in England 
 died 1672 Norwich, Conn. 
 
 Anne Peck 
 
 Rev. James Fitch 
 
 Abigail Whitefield 
 
 Mary Austin 
 
 (Widow of John Ellery) 
 
 -H^ 
 
 *G9 
 
 -2 . 
 
 n 
 
 w 
 
 John Ledyard 
 Yarborough 
 
 John Austin 
 
 Mary Stanley 
 
 (Widow of Nathaniel Hooker) 
 
 3 Nathaniel 
 !g Stanley 
 
 ■ 
 
 [117] 
 
[U8] 
 
From 
 
 TWENTY YEARS AT PEMAQUID 
 
 By T. Henry Cartland. 
 
 A quarrel arose among the sons, or other descendants of Cogswell 
 and this deposition found its way into the Courts : 
 
 Deposition of Wm. Furber, a servant of John Cogswell, is to be 
 found in Massachusetts Archives Vol. XXXIX p. 504. 
 
 "The Deposition pf Wm Furber, Senr, aged 60 years or thereabouts. 
 
 "This Deponent testifyeth & saith, that in the year of our Lord, 1635, 
 I the said Deponent did come over in the ship (called the Angel Gabriel) 
 along with Mr. John Cogswell Senr from old England, and we were cast 
 ashore at Pemnayquid; & I doe remember that there was saved several 
 Casks both of Dry Goods and provisions which were marked with Mr. 
 Cogswell Senr Marks & that there saved a tent of Mr. Cogswell Senr 
 which he had set up at Pemnaquid, & lived in it (with the goods that he 
 saved in the wracke) & afterwards Mr. Cogswell Removed to Ipswitch; 
 And in November After that was cast away I the said Deponent came 
 to Ipswitch & found Mr. Cogswell, Senr Living there, & hired myself 
 with him for one year ; I the said Deponent doe well remember that there 
 were several feather beds & I together with Deacon Haines as servants 
 lay upon one of them, & there were several dozen of pewter platters, & 
 there were several brass pans besides other pieces of pewter and other 
 household goods as Iron Works & others necessary as for house Repairing 
 & have in the house then. I the said Deponent doe further testify that 
 there were two maires & two Cows brought over in another ship which 
 was landed safe ashoare & were kept at misticke till Mr. Cogswell had ym, 
 I doe further testify that my maister John Cogswell, Senr had three sons 
 come over along with us in the ship (called the Angell Gabriel) the 
 eldest sonnes name were William, & he were about 14 yeares of age, & 
 the second sonne were called John & he was about 12 years of age then, 
 & the third sonne name were Edward which was about 6 years of age at 
 that time, & further William Furber Senr came & made oath to all the 
 above written this first of Xber (December) 1676. 
 
 [119] 
 
This fuller description of the Fort Griswold fight has been passed on 
 through family papers from jMrs. Ann Main, a niece of Colonel William 
 Ledyard's : — 
 
 When Col. Ledyard heard of the arrival of a little son at his home, 
 he asked a short furlough from Washington. He started for home, and 
 on arriving found that in the offing lay an English warship believed to 
 be coming on a raid. He discovered also that Fort Griswold was without 
 defenders, practically if not wholly deserted, for the town and country 
 had been stripped of all able bodied men and the only pnes now left at 
 home were old men and boys. He wrapped his wife and baby up warmly, 
 put them on a bed in a boat and sent them up the river. He gathered 
 all the old men and lads he could find, including his own nephew, a young 
 Collegian. They threw themselves into the Fort with what ammunition 
 they could lay hands on and made such preparations that when the 
 enemy landed and advanced to what they had been told was a deserted 
 Fort, they were received by a galling fire. I know not how long the 
 battle lasted but reinforcements were sent. The expedition was by the 
 advice of the traitor Benedict Arnold who was on board of the ship. 
 Arnold was a native of Norwich so well understood the situation. It was 
 told afterwards that when one of the boats returned from the shore, 
 Arnold asked if they had heard who commanded m the Fort and when told, 
 he replied to the captain, "I know Ledyard well, he will not give up while 
 a drop of blood is in his veins." The boat was ordered to return and 
 carried direction to the troops to come back to the ship. As the boat 
 started the flag came down and all was over. 
 
 Of the scene inside the Fort, the family received slightly different 
 statements from the few who escaped. All agreed that when the gates 
 were burst open Major Bromfield rushed in 4ind demanded "Who com- 
 mands here?" "I did, Sir" said Ledyard, advancing, "But, you do now" 
 said he and offered his sword to the British officer. It was seized and one 
 informant said, plunged into Ledyard's breast ; the other, that it was snapt 
 and the officer thrust his own into Ledyard who fell at his feet. A general 
 massacre took place of all who were unable to escape. The dead and the 
 dying were thrown into an empty wagon whose wheels were put in 
 motion to carry it down the hill and discharge its freight into the river, 
 but it struck against some obstacle and the bodies were thrown into a 
 heap on the bank. The warship withdrew, having failed in its object, 
 but the commanding officer of the forces was complimented in the English 
 Parliament on his gallant capture of Fort Griswold. 
 
 After night set in, a negro woman, a family servant of the Ledyards\ 
 said her master should be buried like a Christian, so with great difficulty 
 she secured a cart and lantern and with a boy to accompany her, went in 
 search of the ghastly heap. She found the body of her dear master and 
 
 [120] 
 
also his nephew, who was still alive. These she carried home. The 
 young man was nursed back to health. Later he studied medicine and 
 settling in Brooklyn, N. Y., became an eminent physician. He married 
 Miss Livingston but died in the meridian of life. The widow devoted 
 herself to the memory of her husband and to the education of their one 
 son. I met them when as a young girl I visited in New York. She 
 afterwards went to Detroit, and the next I heard of Frederick he had 
 married a daughter of Gen. Cass. A few years later he was charged 
 at the court of Naples, and during a violent eruption of Vesuvius with 
 some others he ventured too near the crater and a stone was hurled on 
 him with such violence that he was dangerously injured and lost one of 
 his arms." 
 
 Benjamin Ledyard married Susan Livingston, daughter of Brock- 
 hoist Livingston, of New York. Their only child, Henry Ledyard, mar- 
 ried Matilda Cass, daughter of General Lewis Cass, of Detroit. 
 
 [121] 
 
In December, 1799, M. F. C. was elected a member of the Connecticut 
 Academy of Arts and Sciences. The object of which Society "was to 
 cultivate every Art and Science which might tend to advance the Interest 
 and Happiness of a Free and Virtuous People." 
 
 In May, 1800, M. F. C. received from Philadelphia this notification 
 fastened by the red seal of the Academy : — 
 
 "Sir, 
 
 The Academy of (Medicine of Philadelphia entertaining high respect 
 for your talents and love of science, have elected you a Corresponding 
 Member of their Institution. 
 
 You will receive with this certificate a copy of the constitution of 
 the Academy. They will thank you for such communications as may 
 tend to promote the objects of their Association. 
 
 Signed, by order of the Academy, 
 
 Philip Syng Physick, President. 
 John C. Otto, Secretary." 
 
 [122] 
 
This is to certify that Mason F. Cogswell of the Town of Hartford, 
 in the County of Hartford, in the District of Connecticut, hath paid the 
 duty of three dollars upon a two wheel carriage, called a chaise, owned by 
 him, having a top on steel springs, to be drawn by one horse, for the 
 conveyance of more than one person, for the year to end on the 30th of 
 September, 1802. 
 
 J. Chester Collector of the Revenue for 
 
 the fourth Division in the 
 only survey in the District 
 of Connecticut. 
 
 [123] 
 
Doctor 
 
 To Mason F. Cogswell 
 
 My wife has been quite ill 
 
 For several days, and is so still ; 
 
 And which was best we've been in doubt, 
 
 To ask advice or do without. 
 
 But having only weighed the matter, 
 
 Concluded to reject the latter. 
 
 And Solomon, a vast deal wiser 
 
 No doubt, than either you or I, Sir, 
 
 Declares tis best to take advice 
 
 In matters difficult or nice. 
 
 Now Sir, if in your usual circuit 
 
 You could contrive some way to work it, 
 
 To call and see what ails my wife 
 
 I'll thank you kindly all my life. 
 
 And tho' for visit and assistance, 
 
 Your usual fee to pay I've mist on 
 
 As I'm in hopes of better times, 
 
 Excuse my failings and my rhymes. 
 
 T. Blydenburgh 
 
 Hartford 
 Dec. 11, 1802. 
 
 [124] 
 
From Hartford Newspaper — 1830. 
 
 Died in this city, last Friday morning, Mason F. Cogswell, jM. D„ 
 aged 69. His funeral was attended at the Centre Church on Sunday 
 afternoon, when an appropriate discourse was delivered by the Rev. Dr. 
 Hawes, before a crowded audience. Rarely are we called to record the 
 death of one more universally respected and beloved than the deceased, 
 and we are confident that to a great portion of our readers, we cannot 
 occupy our columns more acceptably, than by presenting them with the 
 following sketch of his life and character, which accompanied the dis- 
 course preached at his funeral, and which we have been permitted to 
 transfer to our paper. 
 
 Doctor Mason Fitch Cogswell was born in Canterbury, in this State, 
 on the 17th day of September, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven 
 hundred and sixty-one. He was the only surviving child of the Rev. Dr. 
 James Cogswell, first settled in the ministry in Canterbury, and, after- 
 wards, in Scotland, a parish in the town of Windham. This venerable 
 servant pf the Lord, died at his son's house in this city, about twenty 
 three years since, at the advanced age of eighty seven years. 
 
 In the life and death of our deceased friend, we see one more striking 
 display of the value of an early, religious education, and of the counsels 
 and prayers of a pious parent. 
 
 After graduating at Yale College, in 1780, Dr. Cogswell pursued his 
 medical studies with his eldest brother, at Stamford, in this State, and 
 afterwards, completed them, under his direction, in the city of New York. 
 
 He came to this place forty-one years since, — during which period, 
 an almost uninterrupted course of active, constant, and faithful industry 
 has marked his professional career, — a rare example of the amount of 
 fatigue which can be undergone, and of arduous labor which can be 
 performed, by one who is willing "to spend and be spent" in the discharge 
 of his duty. 
 
 As a physician, he ranked among the first ; and as a surgeon, he was 
 pre-eminent, both in his own State, and in this country. Beloved by his 
 brethren, and by a large number of students who pursued their medical 
 studies under his direction, he contributed greatly to elevate the standard 
 of the profession, to inspire its younger members with hope and enter- 
 prise, and to shed over all a most happy influence by his kind and con- 
 ciliatory example. 
 
 [125] 
 
"Med. Inst, of Y. College, N. H. 
 
 To Mrs. Cogswell 
 
 Dear Madam^ 
 
 We beg leave to express to you our deep and sincere sympathy 
 and condolence in regard to the death of our much esteemed and res- 
 pected friend your late husband. 
 
 Few men have ever laid the world under greater obliglations by a long 
 life of devoted and successful personal service and few leave so affection- 
 ate a recollection in the hearts of their friends or so warm a regard in the 
 feelings of the community. 
 
 Permit us, dear Madam, both from professional and personal feeling 
 and as a small mark of respect and regard for yourself and your family 
 to request that, should your son pursue his medical education in this 
 Institution, his future courses may be considered as already paid for, in 
 the satisfaction which we have in honoring the memory of the excellent 
 and eminent Dr. Cogswell. 
 
 We remain, dear (Madam, very cordially, your friends, 
 
 (Signed) 
 
 Thos. Hubbard 
 
 Eli Ives 
 
 William Tully 
 
 J. Knight 
 
 B. Silliman 
 
 Timothy P. Beers" 
 
 [126] 
 
On Tombstone in the old North Cemetery, at Hartford, Conn 
 
 United in death here rest the remains of 
 Mason F. Cogswell, M. D. who died December 
 17, 1830, aged 69 years, and of Alice Cogswell 
 who died December SO, 1830, aged 25 years. The 
 father distinguished for his private virtues, 
 and public spirit, and his professional worth 
 and the daughter though deprived of hearing 
 and speech for her intellectual attainments 
 and loveliness of character. The American 
 Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb which under 
 Providence owes its origin to the father's 
 tenderness toward his child and his sympathy 
 for her fellow sufferers will stand an enduring 
 monument to their memory. 
 
 [127] 
 
[128] 
 
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