William Henry Cogshall. While a dozen years measure the
residence and business activity of William H. Cogshall in Oklahoma
City, his active business life really covers nearly half a century,
and has identified him at different times with his native .State of
Michigan, with Kansas, where he was a banker and lumberman, and
finally with the new State of Oklahoma. Mr. Cogshall in Oklahoma City
is secretary and treasurer of the Western Brick &
Tile Company, and has a well
established business in real estate and investments. His offices are
in the Baum Building.
William Henry
Cogshall was born at LaPere, Michigan, May 6, 1845.
His parents were Henry Cogshall, a native
of New York State, and Minerva (Hoyt) Cogshall, also of New York. His
early education was acquired in the common schools of Oakland County,
Michigan, where he lived until his marriage. He then became a farmer
and stock raiser in the vicinity of Sparta, Michigan, remained there
six years, and was next a livery stable proprietor and in the stage
business for another six years at Fremont, Michigan. From Michigan
Mr. Cogshall removed to Southeastern Kansas, and engaged in the
banking business at Cherokee, for eight years being cashier of the
Bank of Cherokee. He then accepted the general management
of a bank at McCune, Kansas, for two years, giving up that place to
again take charge of the old Bank of Cherokee. Four years later he
retired from banking, and turned his attention to the lumber business
at Cherokee, Weir City and in Southwestern Missouri, where the mills
of the company operated. After disposing of. his lumber interests,
Mr. Cogshall spent three years in Fort Scott, Kansas, engaged in the
coal and transfer business.
About that time A
visit to Oklahoma City convinced him of the splendid opportunities
and the great future of the city and state, and in 1903 he located
here permanently. He turned his attention to the buying and selling
of real estate, and has also conducted a general investment business.
While modest of his own achievements, Mr. Cogshall is really one of
the successful business men of Oklahoma City.
He was married at
Detroit, Michigan, December 20, 1867, to Miss Agnes Hendry, daughter
of Alexander Hendry, who was a native of Scotland. They have become
the parents of two children: Anna Bell, was born in 1870 and died in
1880 ; Etta E., born in 1872, is now Mrs. A. B. Young of Oklahoma
City, and her two children are Cogshall Clark Young, aged nineteen,
and Gladys, aged seventeen. Mr. Cogshall is affiliated with the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Mrs. Cogshall is a member of
the Episcopal Church. Their home is at 1515 West Twenty-sixth Street.