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cogsm1830.sgm
A Guide to the Mason Fitch Cogswell
Papers at the Connecticut Historical Society
Compiled by NHPRC project staff
EAD conversion sponsored by grant funding from the National
Historical Publications and Records Commission. Grant # 98-101
Connecticut Historical Society,
November 1998
1 Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105
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| Creator: | |
Mason Fitch Cogswell
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| Title: | |
Mason Fitch Cogswell Papers
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| Date: | |
1779-1830
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| Abstract: | |
Collection consists of correspondence to and from Mason Fitch Cogswell, and some of
his bills, accounts and receipts.
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| Extent: | |
26 boxes; 25 folders; 839 items 4.2 feet
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| Location: | |
Manuscript stacks
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An index of 12 catalog cards is available to aid
access to this collection. Access is through writer, recipient and date. The card catalog is located
in the library reading room. The reader is also directed to the Print Room and Museum for non-documentary materials.
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Collection consists predominantly of correspondence to and from Mason Fitch Cogswell and the account books from his surgery. Other material concerns his acting as executor for the Estate of John Sutton, and legal papers for the reclaim of monies due him. Of particular note is a lesson book of Alice Cogswell, the first pupil at the Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons.
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Materials are organized into five series, and
five sub-series, based on form. |
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Correspondence
Account BooksPersonal and Business AccountsJonathan Averil PapersEstate of John SuttonWrits
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Financial
Records
Account BooksPersonal and Business AccountsJonathan Averil PapersEstate of John SuttonWrits
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Legal Papers
Account BooksPersonal and Business AccountsJonathan Averil PapersEstate of John SuttonWrits
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Medical Papers
Account BooksPersonal and Business AccountsJonathan Averil PapersEstate of John SuttonWrits
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Cogswell Family Papers
Account BooksPersonal and Business AccountsJonathan Averil PapersEstate of John SuttonWrits
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Materials in this
collection are arranged chronologically in each series to compliment access points from the card
catalog.
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Mason Fitch Cogswell was born on September 28, 1761
in Canterbury Connecticut, the third son of the Reverend
James Cogswell and Alice Fitch. His mother died when he
was 11 years old, and his father relocated to New Scotland Parish in Windham, CT. Mason remained behind, and was looked after by the
Honorable Samuel Huntington when his father took a new wife, Martha Lathrop, that same year.
Cogswell graduated, valedictorian, from Yale College in 1780,
and, at nineteen years of age, was one of the youngest of his class. Thereafter he studied
medicine under his brother Dr. James Cogswell, first in Stamford, CT, as Examining Surgeon of Volunteers in
the Revolutionary War, and in 1784 until 1787 in New
York City. In 1789, Cogswell established
himself permanently in practice in Hartford. He was active in the
social life of Hartford and was intimate with the "Hartford
Wits," a coterie of leading intellectual and literary figures prominent in Hartford.
In 1812 Cogswell played an important
role in the founding of the American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb
(originally named the Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf
and Dumb Persons). He was spurred, no doubt, by the needs of his own daughter, Alice, who was rendered deaf and mute from an illness she suffered at
age two. With Mr. Gilbert, an attorney from Hebron, CT, Cogswell ascertained the number of deaf mutes in the
state, and petitioned the State Legislature for funds for a school.
Several years later he and six others had enough funds to allow Dr. Thomas Hopkins
Gallaudet to travel to Paris and the school of Abbe Sicord
to learn the necessary knowledge to establish an institute in Hartford.
In 1816 he returned with Laurent Clerc one of Abbe Sicord's most respected physicians. The school was opened in 1817, with Alice Cogswell registered as its first pupil.
The school was a success, and many young physicians came to Hartford to learn from Dr. Cogswell. AsYale Medical Institution
was established in 1810Cogswell was invited to take
the chair of Surgery, but as it became known that Nathan Smith, the
medical educator of Dartmouth and Harvard,
was available, Cogswell withdrew.
Cogswell was instrumental in establishing the State Medical Society, and served as its Secretary, Vice-President, and for ten years its President (1812-1822). He was also the first presiding officer of the Hopkins Medical
Society, the precursor of the Hartford Medical Society,
organized in 1846. He was awarded the honorary degree of MD by the Connecticut Medical Society in 1810, and by Yale College in 1818.
Alongside successful
practice as a physician Cogswell was also an innovative surgeon,
working mainly in surgical ophthalmology. He was amongst the first in the United States to
operate on cataracts, and in November, 1803 he was the first American surgeon to
ligate the carotid artery.
He was married to Mary Austin Ledyard, only
daughter of Colonel Austin Ledyard and Sarah (Sheldon)
Ledyard, of Hartford. They had four daughters and one son. Mason
Fitch Cogswell died of pneumonia on December 10, 1830.
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| Title: | |
Series 1: Correspondence
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| Date: | |
1780-1830
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| Extent: | |
10 folders; 207 items
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| Location: | |
COGSM/1830 -- I.
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| Abstract: | |
Consists of letters to and from Mason Fitch
Cogswell, predominantly of a personal nature.
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Folder A
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Archive control file.
Undated
(2 items)
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Folder I.1
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Correspondence, primarily to Mason Fitch Cogswell.
1780-1784
(24 items)
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Folder I.2
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Correspondence, primarily to Mason Fitch Cogswell.
1785-1789
(36 items)
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Folder I.3
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Correspondence, primarily to Mason Fitch Cogswell.
1790-1794
(27 items)
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Folder I.4
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Letters to Mason Fitch Cogswell.
1795-1799
(20
items)
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Folder I.5
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Letters to Mason Fitch Cogswell.
1800-1804
(31 items)
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Folder I.6
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Correspondence, primarily to Mason Fitch Cogswell.
1805-1809
(11 items)
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Folder I.7
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Letters to Mason
Fitch Cogswell.
1810-1814
(16 items)
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Folder I.8
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Correspondence, primarily to Mason Fitch Cogswell.
1815-1830
(9 items)
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Folder I.9
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Letters to Mason Fitch Cogswell.
18--?
(17 items)
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Folder I.10
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Correspondence, primarily to Mason Fitch Cogswell; fragments of letters
18--?
(16 items)
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| Title: | |
Series 2: Financial Records
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| Date: | |
1791-1833
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| Extent: | |
25 boxes; 601 items
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| Location: | |
COGSM/1830 -- II. & COGSM/1830 -- v.1-24
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| Abstract: | |
Consists of two sub-series: Account books (predominantly business
records), and Personal and Business Accounts (predominantly personal and household records,
with some business accounting).
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| Title: | |
Sub-series 2.i: Financial
Records-- Account Books
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| Date: | |
1791-1833
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| Extent: | |
25 boxes; 29
items (volumes)
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| Location: | |
COGSM/1830 -- v.1-24. & COGSM/1830 -- II.6
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| Abstract: | |
Consists of
account books, ledgers and daybooks, and their associated indexes.
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Box v.1
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Daybook B.
1791-1794
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Box v.2
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Daybook.
1801-1802
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Box v.3
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Daybook.
1803-1804
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Box. v.4
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Daybook.
1805-1807
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Box v.5
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Daybook.
1807-1809
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Box
v.6
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Daybook.
1809-1812
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Box v.7
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Ledger B. (Contains separate index
volume).
1797-1795
(2 items)
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Box v.8
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Account book,
1794-1801
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Box v. 9
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Ledger D. (Contains separate index volume).
1793-1798
(2 items)
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Box v.10
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Ledger E.
1796-1799
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Box v.11
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Index to
Ledger E.
1796-1799
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Box
v. 12
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Ledger F.
1802-1805
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Box v.13
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Index to Ledger F.
1802-1805
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Box v.14
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Ledger G.
1802-1805
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Box v.15
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Index to Ledger G.
1802-1805
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Box v.16
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Ledger H.
1804-1806
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Box v.17
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Index to Ledger H.
1804-1806
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Box v.18
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Ledger I. (Contains
separate index volume).
1805
(2 items)
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Box v.19
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Ledger K. (Contains separate index volume).
1806-1821
(2 items)
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Box v.20
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Ledger M.
1808-1809
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Box v. 21
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Ledger N.
1809-1820
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Box v.22
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Account Book,
1822-1830
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Box v.23
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Account Book,
1823-1833
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Box v.24
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Index to
Account Book,
1823-1833
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Volume 22
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Account Book,
1822-1830
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Folder II.6
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Account Book
(pocket sized).
1828
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| Title: | |
Sub-series 2.ii: Financial Records-- Personal
and Business Accounts
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| Date: | |
1779-1830
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9 folders; 572
items
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| Location: | |
COGSM/1830 -- II.
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| Abstract: | |
Consists of personal,
household and business bills, receipts, articles of sale and promissary notes.
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Folder II.7
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Accounts.
1779-1789
(16 items)
Conservation note: tape removal, item #31.
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Folder II.8
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Accounts.
1790-1799
(63 items)
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Folder II.9
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Accounts.
1800-1804
(112 items)
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Folder II.10
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Accounts.
1805-1809
(86 items)
Conservation note: tape removal,
item #6.
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Folder II.11
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Accounts.
1810-1814
(127 items)
Conservation note: tape removal, item #68, #93, #115.
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Folder II.12
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Accounts.
1815-1819
(86 items)
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Folder II.13
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Accounts.
1820-24
(38 items)
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Folder II.14
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Accounts.
[before 1830]
(38 items)
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Folder II.15
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Accounts.
1820-24
(38 items)
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| Title: | |
Series 3: Legal
Papers
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| Date: | |
1777-1797
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| Extent: | |
3 folders; 25 items
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COGSM/1830 -- II.
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| Abstract: | |
Consists of three sub-series of papers dealing
with Cogswell's execution of the Estate of John Sutton, the papers of Jonathan Averil, and a
facsimile of a writ.
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| Title: | |
Sub-series 3.i Jonathan Averil Papers
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| Date: | |
1777-1788
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1 folder; 3 items
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COGSM/1830 -- II.
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Consists of a grant of Power of Attorney to
Jedidiah Emworth, and returns for expenses while serving as Surgeon's Mate. Emworth was
authorized to collect the $30 000 owed Averil by the Government at the close of the War.
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Folder II.2
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Jonathan Averil
Papers.
1777-1788
(3 items)
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| Title: | |
Sub-series 3.ii: John Sutton Estate Papers
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| Date: | |
1781-1789
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1 folder; 21 items
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COGSM/1830 -- II.
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| Abstract: | |
Consists of bills, receipts, letters and other records concerning Cogswell's acting as
Executor of the Estate of John Sutton.
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Folder II.3
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John Sutton Estate Papers.
1781-1789
(21 items)
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| Title: | |
Sub-series 3.iii: Writs
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1797
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1 folder; 1 item
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COGSM/1830 -- II.
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| Abstract: | |
Consists a facsimile of a writ served on Phinahas Miller and John C. Nightengale by their
creditors, including Mason Fitch Cogswell.
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Folder II.4
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Writ facsimile.
1797
(1 item)
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| Title: | |
Series 4: Medical Papers
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| Date: | |
1777-1797
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1 folder; 1 item
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COGSM/1830 -- II.
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Consists of medical notes taken by Cogswell from other sources on a remedy for topical cancer and whooping cough.
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Folder II.5
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Remedies for cancer and whooping cough.
[before 1830]
(1 item)
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| Title: | |
Series 5: Cogswell Family Papers
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| Date: | |
1791-18--?
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| Extent: | |
1 folder; 5 items
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COGSM/1830 -- II.
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| Abstract: | |
Consists of a Hymn for Mr. Flint's Ordination, April 20,
1791; an unpublished poem; a writing sample of Sarah Lloyd Cogswell; a list of household articles
to be moved to Hartford; a lesson book of Alice Cogswell's work with Dr. Gallaudet.
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Folder 1
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Cogswell family papers
1791-18--?
(5 items)
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Access Restrictions
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There are no
restrictions on access to the collection.
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Use Restrictions
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Use of the material requires compliance with the Connecticut Historical Society's
Library Regulations.
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Preferred Citation
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Item,
the Mason Fitch Cogswell Papers (US/CTH/COGSM/1830 -- box #. Folder #) at the Connecticut
Historical Society.
Example: "remedies for cancer," the Mason Fitch Cogswell Papers US/CTH/COGSM/1830 -- II.5) at the Connecticut
Historical Society.
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Processing Details
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Collection was physically processed by Marilyn Paul-Lewis under an NHPRC grant (#89-003) in
November, 1998.
Finding aid and EAD instance compiled by Stephen Yearl in
November, 1998.
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Accruals
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The collection is
open, but additional material is not expected.
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