"Illustrated History of Lane County, Oregon." Portland, Oregon: A. G. Walling, publisher, 1884. pg. 493. JOHN COGSWELL Was born in Whitehall, New York, February 4, 1814. His parents emigrated to Michigan when he was quite young and settled in Wayne county. At the age of fourteen he left the parental roof and went to the more western wilds, and in 1845 he crossed the plains to California, arriving in the fall of that year. In the spring of 1846, he came via Sacramento and Rogue River valley to this state, and took his first claim near that of the well known pioneer Matt Ford. Mr. Cogswell returned to Michigan in 1848 going via the Isthmus, and in 1851 he again crossed the plains, this time crossing direct to Oregon and bringing with him a band of cattle. He now settled in the Mohawk valley where he remained one winter, then moved to the McKenzie river and on the farm now owned by Isaac Stevens, where he lived until 1872, taking a residence in Portland. After one year he moved to his present place on the McKenzie, where he has since lived. Lizzie M., DeEtta, Idaho, Boliver and Clare are his children. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2005 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.