The town of Gilmanton has always been distinguished for its strong and able men, who have exercised a powerful influence in the affairs of their town and state. It has furnished men to fill nearly every position of trust and honor within the gift of the people of our state, and it has ever been proud of her illustrious sons. Among the very strong men of this old town stood Hon. THOMAS COGSWELL, who in the year 1820, at the age of twenty-one, moved hither from Atkinson, N. H., where he was born December 7, 1798. He was one of a family of nine children of William and Judith (Badger) Cogswell, eight of whom lived to years of maturity. He settled on the farm formerly occupied by his grandfather, the Hon. Joseph Badger, and with strong hands and indomitable courage commenced gaining a livelihood for himself and young wife, Mary Noyes, whom he married just prior to moving here. He soon attracted the attention of the older settlers, and in a short time became one of the leading men in the town; and ever afterwards took an active part in all its local affairs, and for the whole period of his life was honored and respected by his neighbors and townsmen, and received at their hands every office within their gift. There is no position that more truly shows the strength and power of a man than that of moderator of a New Hampshire town-meeting; but for many successive years he was chosen to preside over the deliberations of the annual and other meetings in this, then, large town, and always did so with great dignity, and to the perfect satisfaction of all. He was also chosen one of the board of selectmen, and represented the town in the legislature, and while a member of that body introduced and supported a bill to repeal the law authorizing imprisonment for debt. For ten years he was a deputy-sheriff for the county of Strafford, before its division, and during all this time was actively engaged in the duties of the office. He was also treasurer of the county for three years. In 1841 he was appointed one of the judges of the court of common pleas for the new county of Belknap, and held that position until the year 1855, when the judiciary system of the state was changed. In 1856 he was elected a member of the governor's council from district number three. He was a justice of the peace and quorum for over forty years. He was an officer in the New Hampshire militia, and attained the rank of captain. He was of Revolutionary stock, his father and seven uncles having served in that war, and performed, in the aggregate, thirty-eight years of service.