William C. Cozzens

William Cole Cozzens (August 26, 1811 – December 17, 1876) was an American politician and the 28th Governor of Rhode Island.

William Cozzens
28th Governor of Rhode Island
In office
March 3, 1863 – May 26, 1863
Preceded byWilliam Sprague IV
Succeeded byJames Y. Smith
Mayor of Newport
In office
1854–1855
Preceded byGeorge Henry Calvert
Succeeded byWilliam Swinburne
Personal details
Born(1811-08-26)August 26, 1811
Newport, Rhode Island, U.C.
DiedDecember 17, 1876(1876-12-17) (aged 65)
Resting placeIsland Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMartha Stanton Gould

Early life

Cozzens was born in Newport, Rhode Island on August 26, 1811.[1]

He married Martha Stanton Gould; the couple had five children. He was a successful dry goods businessman and President of the Rhode Island Union Bank.[2]

Political career

Cozzens was a Democrat. He was a mayor of Newport and represented Newport in both houses of the Rhode Island General Assembly. He was president of the state Senate and thus became governor of Rhode Island on March 3, 1863, when William Sprague resigned to become a US Senator. Cozzens ran in the next gubernatorial election, but lost to Republican James Y. Smith and left office on May 26, 1863. (Normally the lieutenant governor of Rhode Island would become governor in the event of the governor's resignation; however, at that time the office of lieutenant governor was vacant due to the resignation in December 1862 of Lieutenant Governor Samuel G. Arnold to become a United States Senator.)[3]

Death

He died on December 17, 1876 and was interred at the Island Cemetery in Newport.[4]

His great-grandson, James Gould Cozzens, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist.

Sources
  • Sobel, Robert and John Raimo. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Greenwood Press, 1988. ISBN 0-313-28093-2

William C. Cozzens at Find a Grave

References
  1. The Political Graveyard, Index to Politicians: Coxe to Cragun, Cozzens.
  2. National Governors Association profile of Governor Cozzens
  3. National Governors Association, as above.
  4. The Political Graveyard, as above.
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