Leander Winslow Cogswell

Leander W. Cogswell

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Capt. Leander Winslow Cogswell, 11th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, Co. D; born in Henniker, N.H.; age 36; resident of Henniker, credited to Henniker; enlisted Aug. 18, ’62, as a Private.; appointed Capt. Sept. 4, ’62; mustered in to date Aug. 29, ’62, as Capt.; appointed Lt. Col. Aug. 20, ’64; not mustered; discharged due to disability, Apr. 26, ’65, as Capt. P. O. ad., Henniker, N.H. Carte de Visite backmark: Kimball & Sons, State Block, Cor. Main and School Sts., Concord, N.H. Negatives preserved.

Leander W. Cogswell was the son of David and Hannah Cogswell, and was born in Henniker, November 18, 1825. Received an academic education in the academies at Henniker and Francestown; went to California in 1849, returning in 1854, was in the mercantile business in Henniker from 1855 to 1861. July, 1861, he was appointed route agent from Hillsborough to Manchester.

Enlisted as a private August 13, 1862, and September 4, 1862, was commissioned captain of Company D, Eleventh New Hampshire Volunteers. Was with the regiment at Fredericksburg, a portion of the Mississippi campaign, the East Tennessee campaign, being in command of the regiment on its march over the mountains to Knoxville, during the siege of Knoxville, and in the mountains afterward. Was acting-assistant adjutant general on the staff of Lieutenant- Colonel Collins, commanding the Second Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps, and on the staff of Colonel Sumner Carruth, commanding the same brigade. He participated in all the battles of the last campaign, save the final charge at Petersburg and Pegram Farm; a large portion of the time as assistant inspector-general upon the staff of General Simon G. Griffin, commanding the Second Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps; was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Eleventh Regiment August 20, 1864, but was never mustered, for lack of numbers in the regiment. Was seriously ill in January, 1865, taken to the hospital and from there to his home, where he was honorably discharged from the service April 26, 1865.

Since the close of the war he has represented Henniker in the legislature in 1866, 1867, 1870, 1871; was state treasurer 1871-’72; savings bank commissioner from 1876 to 1881; president of the New Hampshire Antiquarian Society; worshipful master of Aurora Lodge, F. & A. M., and high priest of Woods Chapter, R. A. M., — each several years. Died Jan. 21, 1906. Burial at the Henniker Cemetery, Henniker, N.H.

Source: A history of the Eleventh New Hampshire Regiment, Volunteer Infantry in the rebellion war, 1861-1865 … by Cogswell, Leander W. (Leander Winslow), b. 1825. Published 1891

Leander W. Cogswell

Leander Winslow Cogswell, an influential resident of Henniker and a native of the town, was born November 18, 1825, son of David and Hannah (Haskell) Cogswell. After receiving his education in the academies of Henniker and Francestown, he taught school for several terms. In 1849, he went to California.

Returning in 1854, he was engaged in a mercantile business in Henniker until July, 1861, when he was appointed route agent from Hillsborough Bridge to Manchester.

On the 13th of August, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company D, Eleventh New Hampshire Volunteers. September 4, 1862, he was commissioned Captain of the same company; and on August 20, 1864, he was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of his regiment. Following the fortunes of the regiment in the Ninth Army Corps, he participated in its memorable battles, sieges, and marches. During the last campaign of the Major-general S. G. Griffin, commanding the Second Brigade, Second Division of the Ninth Army Corps.

In 1866, 1867, 1870, and 1871, Mr. Cogswell represented his town in the legislature. In 1871 and 1872 he was State Treasurer, and from 1876 to 1881 he was one of the Savings Bank Commissioners. He was made a Justice of the Peace in 1876, and he has held several municipal offices. Besides giving much time and thought to public questions and to the discharge of his official duties, Mr. Cogswell has been an active member of various organizations. He was elected a member of the New Hampshire Historical Society, and he was President of the New Hampshire Antiquarian Society. For many years he was Master of Aurora Lodge, No. 43, A. F. & A. M.; and High Priest of Wood’s Chapter, No. 14, Royal Arch Masons.

Taking an earnest interest in educational matters, he was often Superintendent of Schools and a member of the School Board for several years under the town system. Mr. Cogswell has also done considerable literary work. He is master of a pleasing style, and is the author of the History of Henniker, N.H., a volume of several hundred pages; and of the History of the Eleventh New Hampshire Volunteers. In addition to these he has published several addresses delivered by him before various societies. On the 17th of May, 1853, Mr. Cogswell married Mary S., daughter of Oliver and Anna (Smith) Pillsbury, since which event he has made his home in Henniker.

Source: Biographical Review Publishing Company. Biographical Review; containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, N. H. Boston. Biographical Review Publishing Company. 1897.

DAVID COGSWELL (father of Leander Winslow Cogswell) (Genealogical)

David Cogswell, {Joseph\ Jonathan\William’, John, William, John), son of Joseph (324) and Abigail (Cleaveland) Cogswell, was born April 25, 1790, in Chebacco Parish, Ipswich, Mass. He married, Jan. 3, 1813, Hannah Haskell, daughter of Stephen and Anna Haskell. She was born Jan. 18, 1792, in West Gloucester, Mass. They resided in Essex, Mass., but removed, Feb. 9, 1815, to Henniker, N. H. Lieu. Cogswell died June 30, 1868. Mrs. Cogswell died Jan. 13, 1872.

Their children were:

• John Cleaveland, b. Dec. 20, 1813. He died in early life, Dec. 6, 1838.
• Abigail Ann, b. May 23, 1815; m. May 16, 1839, Benjamin C. Andrews; d. May 15, 1860.
• Mary Haskell, b. July 13, 1817; m. Feb. 7, 1848, Charles Choate; d. July 3, 1878,
• David Warren, b. March 21, 1819. He died in childhood, Dec. 29, 1821.
• Amanda Cleora, b. Dec. 18, 1820. She died in girlhood, Jan. 31, 1834.
• David Warren, b. Jan. 1, 1824; m. Feb. 20, 1851, Mary S. Johnson; m. Dec. 10, 1859, Eliza L. Sawyer.
• Leander Winslow, b. Nov. 18, 1825: m. May 17, 1855, Mary S. Pillsbury.
• Parsons Brainard, b. Jan. 22, 1828.
• Richard Henry Lee, b. Dec. 8, 1830; m. Dec. 24, 1857, Fanny C. Pratt.
• Emeline Adelia, b. Oct. 31, 1832; m. Dec. 24, 1853, Nathan S. Johnson.
• William Elbridge, b. Feb. 27, 1835; m. Dec. 4, 1862, Susan M. Foster; d. Sept. 27, 1875.
• Fitz Edward, b. April 13, 1839; m. Dec. 28, 1868, Lizzie Goss.

Memoranda.

David Cogswell was by trade a blacksmith. In the War of 1812 he was First Lieutenant of the Gloucester Artillery. Lieut. Cogswell was a member of “Henniker Rifle Company,” organized in 1818, the first in the State. He bought, in 1830, the first cooking stove ever used in Henniker. He also purchased, in 1816, a half of the first barrel of manufactured flour ever sold in that town.

Mrs. Hannah Cogswell was for fifty-six years a member of the church. She was a devoted Christian, and with a heart full of love to the Master, she early became interested in the elevation of the poor and oppressed. The sick, the forgotten and down-trodden ever had in Mrs. Cogswell a warm-hearted friend and helper.