A Father’s Legacy

I found out more about my father after he died than I ever knew about him while he was living. Digging through a box full of his scrapbooks, I found out about the fascinating and illustrious life he lived long before he ever thought about becoming my idol, my hero and the one I was privileged to call Daddy. He was an acknowledged leader in academics, debate and school government. He was popular and athletic. He was also extremely good-looking. This was not something I was unaware of, but seeing it recur as a theme throughout his life gave me deeper insight into his personality. I almost want to say he was dangerously good-looking.

Glenn had wavy, black hair and the most beautiful hazel eyes I ever saw. His cheeks had just a hint of dimples, and his smile was electric. He stood 6’2” and had long legs for playing basketball, but he had the softest hands in the world. Someone said he probably got those hands from washing dishes, and he did wash a lot of dishes in his life. I saw him wash a lot of them myself, and his cousin, Nina May, told me a story about him washing dishes as a boy, which appears a little later on.

His hands were also beautiful to look at. His fingers were long and tapered, and his nails always perfectly manicured. But it was not just his good looks and athletic build that made him attractive. He had charisma. He had a voice you could listen to all day, a youthful voice with laughter and a smile in it, one that drew you in, that told you that you were important, that he wanted to know what you had to say. He listened, and he responded. He had time to talk to you.

He left me a legacy. I believe that when he gave me all those scrapbooks, he must have wanted me to know he didn’t mean for some things to happen the way they did. When I was his little girl, he was a shooting star. That little boy born on a farm in Pretty Prairie that grew up to be the vice-president of his high school senior class, president of his college freshman class, an officer in the navy and a hero of World War II became a judge who believed in families staying together. I believe he wanted me to know how much he believed in marriage and family and the importance of “home and church” as the center of family activities. I believe he tried to tell me many times and was never able to articulate it, or there wasn’t time, or the circumstances were not convenient.

In a letter he wrote me in 1985, he said, “Hi, Honey – I don’t know why it is so difficult for me to sit down and write to you. I think about you every day and have such good intentions but just don’t get it done. I think perhaps it’s because there is so much I want to say to you – and I don’t know where to start.

“The most important – and I know you know it – but I sometimes get a terrible feeling that I have failed to communicate this to you like I should.

“I really do love you very much. You are special and I don’t want you to ever lose sight of that!”

Could anyone ask any more from a Dad? I often ask myself that question. But I did ask more from him. My life was devastated when he and my mother got a divorce, and the jury is out as to whether or not I have fully recovered or ever will fully recover from the effects of that divorce on this side of eternity. But to find out now just how much he never intended for that to happen has helped me heal, and perhaps he knew that it would. I guess I never really knew what people meant when they said, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”  I’m sure it has something to do with the idea that committing to something and staying with it is more important than just starting out wanting to do the right thing. Still, some of what the divorce wrought in me has begun to change direction somewhat since I have begun to study my father’s life, and I want to share these insights with others.

After the divorce, everything changed. He quit politics, he quit aspiring to greatness and began to roll with the flow, to take the path of least resistance, to settle, perhaps, to survive – but not to thrive. And that’s what the rest of us did as well – my mother, my brother and I. We all became survivors. But now that he’s gone and he’s given me all this new information about his life and about who he was, I believe that his legacy to me is something that should be shared with others who have suffered losses associated with divorce.

 “Did you ever see the farm in Pretty Prairie where I was born?” he asked me several times when he was starting to lose his memory.

“No,” I said. “Or, if I did, I was too young to remember.”

“Well, we’ll have to take you there sometime,” he said. I never did see the farm in Pretty Prairie. I have seen a blurry photograph of my young grandparents with my father’s oldest brother when he was a toddler, standing in front of a two-story farmhouse that’s really more dust than house in the photograph. I wish I could go see it, if, it is still standing, but the best I may be able to do is try to bring to life some of the events that began there.

Glenn Dale Cogswell, was born Feb. 1, 1922, on a farm in Kingman County, Kansas, the youngest of four sons, to Susie Alma Schisler (1888-1988) and Carl Clifford Cogswell (1889-1975). Carl and Susie had four boys: Carroll Clayton (1912-1994), Kenneth Marvel (1915-1995) and Ralph Eldon (1917-2004). Glenn frequently told his children how his mother, Pennsylvania Dutch and a “Dunkard,” was the 18^th of her mother’s children, the 17^th being her twin brother, George.

Susie’s mother, Matilda, died in 1890 giving birth to a daughter, also named Matilda, her 19^th child, who also died. Today, nothing more is known about whether the baby was already dead or suffered some complications during childbirth. After Matilda’s death, family friends Haden and Martha Long of Pretty Prairie took in Susie, who would have been two by then, and, as far as I know, her twin brother, George.

Glenn and Susie referred to Martha as both Grandma Long and Grandma Evans, and Susie referred to Martha as her “foster mother.” Matilda’s death left 9 siblings age 15 and under to be cared for by someone. Their names from oldest to youngest were Mary (Molly), Sarah (Saddy – I wonder if this may have been pronounced “Sadie”), Benjamin, Henry, Archie, Jesse, Katie, Susie and George. They may be the nine pictured in the big, oval portrait I have of Grandma and 8 of her (17) siblings. Perhaps the older children may have been married and on their own by the time that picture was taken.

In a cardboard box I found a dot matrix printout with genealogical records I believe my Uncle Ralph obtained in California and later delivered to my father. Tiny type states that Susie was also known as Susie Long, and that later her foster mother, Martha Long, married a Mr. Evans. Anna, Benjamin and Matilda’s oldest child, was 27 when her mother died. Joseph was 26, John, 25, Will, 23, Martin, 22, Edwin, 20, Lydia Ellen, 19, Charles, 18, and Ammi, (possibly pronounced “Amie”), 16.  Matilda had her first child at 18, but I found no more information on what happened to the family structure when she died.

Based on this genealogical information, Martha and Haden are both buried in Sego Cemetery, west of Pretty Prairie, Kansas. The printout also states that some records indicate Susie’s father, Benjamin, married a Mary Reed after the death of his wife, but there is no more information available about Susie’s relationship with her father after the death of her mother. The record shows that Benjamin lived until 1921, but it is “Mrs. Martha Long” whose name appears on the wedding invitations to Susie and Carl’s February 23, 1910, wedding on my grandmother’s birthday.

Glenn’s father, Carl, was the firstborn of his mother, Eliza Jane O’Leary, whose birth year is 1870, but the date of her death is not recorded in The Descendents of John Cogswell or on the printout. His father, George Kirkpatrick Cogswell, was born Jan. 9,1867, and died Oct. 7, 1949. Grandpa was born Feb. 20, 1889 in Pretty Prairie and died May 7, 1975 in Topeka. Between his birth and that of his younger brother, Guy Kenneth, arrived two sisters, Edna Faye and Elva Grace. Glenn referred to these as Uncle Guy, Aunt Faye and Aunt Grace.

My grandfather wrote in the John Cogswell book that his father was a farmer and a cattle driver. About a three-week cattle drive he experienced as the youngest driver in the trip –

He was 14 in 1904 – “I have been permitted to see, and be a part of, the development of our country, a development that cannot be duplicated in the future – unless there should be pioneering on another planet.”

Grandpa’s cousin, Helen Cogswell Trostel, wrote that Carl was a self-taught speaker and writer, not having even a high school education. She reported that “his proposal to provide an acceptable extension of power to expedite rural electricity at a reasonable rate was presented to the National Grange meeting in Sacramento, Calif. In 1935 and passed by Congress in 1936 “(John Cogswell, p. 525). His appointment by Governor Alf Landon to the state tax commission brought him and his family to Topeka in 1933.

Trostel wrote that in 1932, he ran unsuccessfully for state senator, and in 1938 was urged to run for Governor or Kansas, but declined. For 18 years he served as Master of the State Grange and Editor in Chief of its state publication, and 15 years as a member of a rural school board in Kingman County.

By the time I was old enough to know anything, Grandpa spent his time operating a meat locker plant and maybe still selling some real estate. He also spent a lot of time at his 500-acre farm near Silver Lake, Kan. where he showed every new visitor the marks of the wagon trains where the Oregon Trail went through the prairie.  Dad would take us there practically every Sunday to ride horses or fish. Dad’s part of this land would have been mine and David’s, but instead it went to his third wife in the divorce settlement, and thus out of the family.

Grandpa was quite the horseman, riding in parades, buying and training horses. That part Dad didn’t really go for. I don’t remember even seeing my dad ride a horse, although I’m sure he did throughout his life. He talked about it in one of the interviews with Peggy Green. But he was evidently more of a scholar and, for a time, a politician.

While Grandpa was out doing his various enterprises, Grandma, mostly stayed home, making cobblers and pies and cakes, canning apple butter and peaches and tending her beautiful flower garden. When I think back, I don’t really see a lot of activities that Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed together. At least by the time they were older, they seemed to live pretty separate lives and, by then, slept in separate bedrooms. But back then people didn’t separate and divorce very much at all. But we all heard about Grandpa’s “affairs.”

Just a few years ago, my cousin Bob recounted a story of going to Kansas City and seeing Grandpa driving in a car with a strange lady. I had never heard this story before. My mother had said she was sure Grandpa was having an affair with Mrs. Day. I can hardly imagine it. She was just a sweet old white-haired lady. But apparently his philandering ways were a legend when I was too young to understand any of that. Mom once said of Dad that in this pattern of behavior he just “followed after his dad.” Well, you know, people say a lot of things, and Grandpa was always good to me. I loved my Grandpa.

One-Room Schoolhouse to Topeka High

Glenn, as his three older brothers, attended a one-room rural schoolhouse. Zula Bennington (Peggy) Greene, in an article entitled “Help, Not Punishment, Is Goal of Probate Judge,” reported in The Topeka Daily Capital, Sunday, Aug. 9, 1953, he was “the only pupil in his grade and the teacher put him through both the first and the second grade in one year.” Glenn Cogswell’s son, and my brother, David Glenn Cogswell, said that Grandma Cogswell told him, “Glenn was the smartest of my boys.” 

Glenn reported to “Peggy of the Flint Hills” that he grew up on a farm, milking cows, hoeing potatoes and herding cattle. He told Mrs. Green he owed the latter to a “wise old cow pony the family owned.” Glenn said it would be more accurate to say the horse rounded up the cattle, nipping them as a dog does, and that he simply “went along to keep the pony company.”

Nina May Geist, Glenn’s cousin, the daughter of his Aunt Faye, told my friend Alice Thacker and me the story of visiting her Uncle Carl and Aunt Susie in Pretty Prairie in the 1920s and 30s. Nina May said that, since Susie had no girls, all the boys cleaned up the kitchen after the family and guests finished eating. Nina May said she noticed that young Glenn, instead of throwing the water out of the glasses left on the table, drank the water out of the glasses before washing them.

The family moved to Topeka in 1933 when Carl was appointed by Governor Alf Landon to serve on the state tax commission, a position he held from 1933 to 1937. In 1922, Carl had been elected state lecturer of the Kansas State Grange, and served as state master from 1928 to 1946. Glenn’s parents, Carl and Susie, met at a debate tournament. Apparently having inherited his parents’ verbal abilities, Glenn starred on Topeka High School’s debate team and in speaking events sponsored by the Young Republicans throughout his high school career. But his promise as a communicator was evident much earlier.

When Glenn was 15, the Grange held a safety essay contest and Glenn’s essay, “The Grange and Highway Safety,” won first place in the state. The essay begins, “It is a matter of record that the grange, the oldest and largest farm organization, has never failed to lead in any movement that was for the betterment of the country or any community. Therefore, it seems only natural that this great organization should lead the crusade for safety on our highways.” In language far more eloquent than that of most of today’s 15 year-olds, he detailed the 1936 traffic statistics, rebuked drivers for blaming their cars for accidents, and listed 10 specific behaviors that would prevent mishaps. These include “driving at a reasonable speed at all times,” “keeping attention on the road,” and “refusing to drive when drinking.”

Although capable of the most serious of academic endeavors, Glenn also demonstrated an appreciation for and the ability to express humor. A clipping in one of Glenn’s scrapbooks, apparently printed in the Pretty Prairie newspaper, says, “Glen Coggswell of Topeka, came in Monday afternoon to pay his father’s debt of 2c tax, which Carl failed to remit when he paid his subscription recently. Glen said:

“I wrote to dad and told him I would pay his debt, but that he might leave me short of finance, and that I would expect him to send me a check.”

“This relieves us of sending the marshal to Topeka to collect this debt, for which we are all thankful. Glen is visiting with Mrs. A.C. Evans,” that is, his Grandma Evans, his mother’s foster mother.

Another version of the story may have appeared in the Topeka paper. Many of the clippings are not dated, although most indicate what newspaper they appeared in, whether the Topeka Daily Capital, the Topeka State Journal, the Topeka High School World, or the Pueblo (Colorado) Star-Journal:

“Glen Cogswell, Topeka, son of Carl Cogswell, chairman of the state tax commission, called at the office of the newspaper in Pretty Prairie, the old home of the Cogswells, and handed Editor C. W. Claybaugh two cents. “Dad owes you this in tokens,” said Glen. “He forgot to send it in renewing his subscription. Yes, I know he’s the head of the tax commission and ought not forget about tokens. But he did. Here’s the two cents. Don’t send the sheriff after him.”

A story in the front page of one of his scrapbooks, called “Boswell ‘Girls’ Not All That They Seem’ carried a photo showing Glenn in the back row on the right. In the photo, he is not holding his violin, which he played from an early age. In a family photo, his mother and all his brothers are sitting on the front porch of a house with different instruments in their laps. The article, included below, appeared sometime between 1934 and 1936.

“Boys will be boys, even though they have to be girls to do it. Fourteen Hi-Y boys from Boswell school proved the fact a few days ago.

It seems the Girl Reserves at Boswell were holding a Major Bowes amateur contest. In no uncertain terms they made it clear that the competition was for girls only.

When the contest was well under way, fourteen “gorgeous girls” appeared, their instruments intact, and displayed their charms and musical accomplishments before the judges.

Needless to say, the “girls” won first prize. Whether it was awarded on the basis of musical merit or for unique taste in clothes has remained something of a mystery.

Anyway, the prestige gained by the win served to help the orchestra get a worthwhile ‘contract,’ namely, a personal appearance at the Y.M.C. A. Wednesday noon, during the luncheon meeting of the ‘Y’ workers carrying on the annual maintenance canvass. The campaign ends with a banquet at 6:30 this evening.

At least two fathers recognized flesh and blood behind lip rouge and flowing skirts in the orchestra. Henry Snyder, co-chairman for the canvass, discovered Henry, Jr., in a lovely blue creation, leading the orchestra.

Art Schober, a team captain, grew weak when he discovered his son Bob hiding under a cute little white hat and a half a pound of lip rouge, back among the wind instruments.

It was a great aggregation and the applause after each number was more than heartening. The personal appearance was not without its educational value for the drummer of the band. Harry Snyder, genial park commissioner, brought the house down with a prolonged “roll” on the snares that reverberated through the rafters and between the walls of the handball courts, high above the ceiling of the ‘Y’ gym.”

An envelope containing a photo likely taken sometime in the 1990s contains an index card listing names of Boswell Jr. High graduates from Glenn’s class and a heading: “Boswell Jr. High – Dedication.” The picture is of a large, white stone with the date “1922” carved on it, the year of Glenn’s birth and presumably also that of Boswell Jr. High. The names on the index card are Dorothy Shoup, Madge Mankle Simonson, Glenn Cogswell, LeRoy Johnson, Loehr Rigby and Elsie Barbarow McCann, apparently listing from left to right the white-haired persons standing three on each side of the stone. This picture in his collection demonstrates to me that Glenn enjoyed being part of history and valued the friendships he made along the way.

A Lot of Basketball

In his final months at Homestead of Topeka, many of the healthcare workers called Glenn “Handsome” and “Basketball Legs,” and he always enjoyed watching basketball on television. Before the Alzheimer’s ravaged too much of his mind, he would likely have been seen spending more time watching K.U. basketball than random games that might be showing on ESPN. But basketball was in his soul. I didn’t know how much until I found the scrapbook brimming with little clippings about basketball games he played as a youth.

As I touch the yellowed clippings, immaculately pasted on the thick, old pages, I can hear the sound of the balls bouncing on ancient wooden floors and plaster walls, the voices of young boys taunting each other on the court, the sounds of innocence of an age gone by.

Glenn played basketball for Boswell Junior High and for the Indians in the Y.M.C. A. junior basketball tournaments, in what was referred to as the City League. The other team names were the Midgets, North Topeka and Lafferty’s Aces. In the Ripley Park Tourney, he played for the North Topeka Trojans against the Carbondale Oilers.

In 1936, 14 year-old Glenn played basketball for his church in the Sunday School league for the Central Congregational Intermediates and the Lowman Methodist seniors. The team standings were “Intermediate,” “Senior,” and “Adult.”

The teams played Monday through Thursday at 7 p.m. Sometimes teams forfeited games for not showing up or if not enough team players showed up. The team that showed up “won by default” or by “forfeit.”  Teams also forfeited for not having their players registered.

By the time Glenn went to high school, the emphasis on athletics seems to have waned, and he became more studious. However, he continued to play basketball in the Sophomore intramural basketball league.

“Glenn Cogswell and Kenn Rogers continue to set the pace for the sophomores,” the paper reported. “They have 51 and 43 tallies respectively.”

“Glenn Cogswell is setting the pace with 43 tallies in the three games played.”

 Glenn clipped an article describing an event featuring Emil S. Liston, a Baker University coach, speaking to men and boys of the Lowman Methodist church.

“Recreation as an aid to Christian living will be stressed and recognition will be given to the winning Lowman senior basketball team,” the article said. “Seating for the dinner and program will be limited to 400.”

Glenn played for two years on the Washburn College basketball squad and played for his fraternity. “Intramural Jottings” columnist Bill Rigby, noted that, “Phi Delts, behind the power of Glenn Cogswell, moved into first place with a victory over Kappa Sigs 21-19. The game ran into an overtime, but Cogswell sank a long shot from the side of the court to cinch the game and bring the trophy one step nearer the Phi’s.” In another column, Rigby stated that Glenn played forward.

Glenn’s Early Demonstration of Scholarship and Patriotism

At Topeka High School, Glenn was an honor student, a star debater, vice-president of the senior class, and one of four student speakers at his class commencement ceremony.

Glenn followed his parents’ example, excelling in debate at Topeka High and advocating for the forensic department.

During his high school years, Glenn demonstrated a passion for academic excellence and a gift for communication. While a member of the Topeka High School forensics program, Glenn wrote a letter to the high school newspaper advocating for the activity and seeking support for it.

Glenn wrote in a letter to the editor of the Topeka High newspaper, The Topeka High World, that the school was “more widely known for her forensic record than for any other activity.

“In the past six years,” he wrote, “Topeka has won the state championship four years successively… In 1936, Topeka High was awarded the National Sweepstakes, representing the highest average, over a period of five years, of any secondary school in the United States.”

“With all due respect to the other activities,” he continued, “I believe the forensic department is of more permanent worth, and more worthy of support than any other activity.” In the rest of the letter he urged students to support the debaters by offering moral support and also by volunteering to act as debate chairmen for the annual debate tournaments held at Topeka High.

In his senior year, 1938-1939, Glenn was an honor student, vice-president of the senior class and one of ten varsity debaters, selected by the debate coach for the National Forensic League. Glenn and Barton Bayly received the degree of distinction from among the four categories of distinction, excellence, merit and honor. The team competed with debaters from Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas in the Tri-State Debate Tournament in Pittsburg. That year the Topeka team also debated in Kansas City, Salina, Emporia, Lawrence, in Denver, Colo., and at the Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Kansas.

Glenn kept his grades up while participating in a rigorous schedule, traveling every weekend with the debate team. At the Wyandotte debate tournament, the Topeka team consisting of Glenn and Harold Stuewe on the negative side and Harry Grassick and Bill Everett on the affirmative side, won second place. The following week, Jan. 20 and 21, in Salina, Harry and Bill won first place. According to the Topeka Daily Capital, at Emporia, Jan. 27 and 28, 237 debaters on 90 teams from 39 schools participated in a division of the annual College of Emporia (now Emporia State University) invitational debate tournament. At that event, Bill and Glenn did well until they faced the Fort Scott team, bringing home a second place trophy. The following week, Topeka High won first place at the Eastern Kansas conference debate at Topeka High School, Bill and Harry on the affirmative side and Barton and Glenn on the negative side. Lawrence came in second and Emporia third. The Topeka High World reported that the forty-fourth and forty-fifth trophies won by Trojan debaters were shown to the students at a school assembly.

The Topeka Daily Capital reported that the Topeka High team was going to Denver to debate the affirmative side of the resolution that “the United States Should Establish an Alliance With Great Britain.” According to Edgar Ray Nichols, editor of the Year Book of College Debating Intercollegiate Debates, 19^th edition (1938), this topic would be the “national High School subject for 1938-1938.” On the way, they would stop over in Pueblo to engage in three exhibition debates, two against Centennial High School and one against Central High. Glenn did not like to lose. The Pueblo Star-Journal reported that the Centennial High School team defeated the Topeka team, which was “ranked one of the best teams in the nation.” In the photo accompanying the article, seated in the lower left of the photo beside his partner, the winning team beaming behind them, the frown on Glenn’s face is palpable, with his eyelids half closed, his eyes rolled upwards and his forehead furrowed. Upon their return from Colorado, the Topeka High World explained the Trojan defeat and the consternation on Glenn’s face in the photo. Glenn and Harry were “rather dismayed,” the high school newspaper reported, to find out they were to debate negatively in Centennial the topic they had prepared to debate affirmatively in Denver. Evidently, no one coached them to prepare both sides of the argument.

After the tournament, The Topeka High School debate coach, J. Edmund Mayer, received two letters of congratulations from speech professors who heard the boys speak. The Topeka State Journal reported that Elwood Murray, head of the speech department at the University of Denver, wrote the following in one of the letters:

 “They were two of the most effective high school debaters I ever saw. They were, besides, very apparently the finest gentlemen, which isn’t always the case with many high school debaters.”

Possibly in his junior year, Glenn won first prize in the Shawnee County Young Republican Oratorical contest speaking on the topic, “The Constitution Is Essential to Individual Liberties.” The first prize was $10. One of his debate partners, Harry Grassick, spoke on, “Must America Fight Another European War.” The winner of this speech would go on to a state, a regional and a national contest. There are no follow-up reports, but he following year Grassick won the county contest. That year Bill Everett was elected president, and Glenn, vice-president of the senior class for the following year. Glenn and Bill teamed up for a different type of event, described in this brief, entitled, “Adults Can Hear It”:

“Two high school boys, Glenn Cogswell and Bill Everett, will put on a debate in the adult department of the Lowman Methodist Sunday School Sunday morning at 9:30 o’clock. These boys and others recently presented a pro and con argument in the Lowman high school department on the benefits of High School Bible credit work in the Church School and now the adults will be given a chance to hear it.”

Glenn was one of four students chosen to deliver the 1939 commencement speech. The theme was “What I Owe America and What America Owes Me.” The Topeka State Journal reported they based the speeches on the premise that “all men are created equal, with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”  Glenn spoke first. According to the article, in his address, entitled “Our Heritage,” he “expounded the glories of an American heritage” and explained that “the sources of liberties enjoyed today have been passed from generation to generation like a torch from runner to runner.”

“He Shines All Over”: Yearbook dedications, 1939

One of Glenn’s debate team members, Harold Stuewe, wrote in Glenn’s yearbook, “Dear ‘Unc,’ I should know you rather well. I studied, slept, debated and traveled with you, and the highest compliment I can give is to say that you are still as fresh, clear, and witty as the day I first saw you. Good luck in law and politics. Harold Stuewe.”

Harriet Ann Smith, another commencement speaker, wrote this:

“Here’s to Glen Cogswell, fellow commencement speaker. You’ve done swell in high school being on the debate squad, vice president of our class, etc. Let’s see you keep it up next year. Be good to Ruth and don’t forget. Harriet Ann Smith.”

Another complimentary note from a female friend reads:

“Glen,

Remember English and all the fun. Congratulations on all the debate honors and being speaker. No use wishing you luck with your personality and ability to make friends. You’re sure to get it. Viretta Shaw.”

His debate partner Harry (presumably, Grassick) wrote:

“As politicians we failed miserably – but you as a politician and vice-president have been a great success. This isn’t my last rebuttal, Glenn, so it’s all the truth, you are the best friend I have ever had; you know that’s saying an awful lot, when you consider all my (colorful) friends. But sincerely, I certainly hope to remain a friend of a boy I have always admired. Your selection of girls is the tops – wish I had some courage, and a little of your personality.

“Receiving distinction in debate was certainly coming to you, and all my talk about ‘abroad’ was just to keep you from going high hat. Best of luck, Glenn, to you and all the Cogswells (especially any little ones that may come along) Harry.”

“To the brilliant lad in History IV, he’s so brilliant, he shines all over. Billye Stewart

“Dear Glenn, May you always have the very best of luck and happiness that you so well deserve. I hope you keep on with debating, etc. Your commencement speech was very good. (Queen) Pat (Long).”

From a teacher:

“I have watched your high school career with interest. I hope you will continue to use your ability in public speaking. R. Grandon”

And the principal:

“Keep working! You have It.  W. N. Van Slyck.”

Topeka High School’s principal was not the only one who thought Glenn had “It.”  According to a notable Topeka journalist, a female student also cast a vote of confidence about Glenn’s charismatic good looks.

 Zula Bennington Greene, “Peggy of the Flint Hills,” began writing features for the Topeka Daily Capital in 1933. Sometime during Glenn’s high school career, she reported that “a letter signed ‘Miss Topeka High School’ wrote that Carl Cogswell should be elected to some high office. While the young lady recognizes Mr. Cogswell’s qualifications to serve the public, her interest is centered in his son, Glenn, who, she says, ‘in a Tuxedo would easily be mistaken for a Hollywood movie actor.’ She thinks it’s time we had a Governor with sons, ‘to thrill the hearts of the girls.’

Topeka High School to Omaha Beach

A class of 575 graduated from Topeka High School Friday, May 19, 1939.

During the summer of 1939, after high school graduation, Glenn went to Wichita with 28 boys, most from Topeka, as the Shawnee County delegation to the Sunflower Boys’ State in Wichita where he was elected lieutenant governor. His frequent debate partner, Bill Everett, was elected governor. Boys State, sponsored by the American Legion, is an event that taught promising young men about community leadership and participation in the processes of government.

Governor Payne Ratner, who came to speak at the inauguration ceremony, said, “Honestly, I have never seen such a fine group of clean-cut, intelligent, American youths as I did at the Boys’ State. Those lads are a credit to their parents and their communities; and by giving them this training in citizenship, the American Legion is doing a real service to the state and the nation. Those lads are capable of doing great things.”

Ratner told the audience, “This month, boys in Kansas and many other states are learning just how government affects their life, liberty and happiness. Such knowledge is essential to the life of a useful citizen.”

Lieutenant Governor Glenn Cogswell, 17, assumed his duties as president and presiding officer of the senate. Governor Bill Everett recommended to his general assembly that it pass a measure making compulsory Wasserman tests for all couples contemplating marriage. This was a test for venereal disease. The political parties for Boys’ State were the Federalists and the Nationalists. Glenn was a Federalist. The Federalist Courier stated that, “According to Lt. Gov. Cogswell, the bill for compulsory Wasserman tests will probably not pass the House where the Nationalists have the way, because the Nats will be afraid to take the test.”

“Social disease is one of the nation’s most costly problems, and Kansas is far behind in efforts to control it,” Gov. Everett said. He also “lambasted the Kansas highway department as ‘the most expensive in the country’ and told the general assembly it should be taken out of politics and placed under civil service. The third recommendation was that a joint committee system be implemented, for both legislative bodies instead of each having their own, which he considered a waste and “faulty.”

Glenn was elected president of the freshman class and of Washburn College in 1939-1940 and played forward for Washburn’s basketball team in 1940-1941. In 1941-42 he was selected by a group of soldiers from Fort Riley as “most decorative.” The Fort Riley officers selected Royce Palmer as the  “most decorative” woman. The two are featured in full-page photos in the 1942 Kaw (Washburn yearbook). 

In 1941-1942 Glenn was elected president of Washburn University Student Council. The previous spring, Washburn’s new constitution provided that any individual could run for class office, rather than seek the nomination of his party.

“University politics swing into action this week with the announcement by Glen Cogswell, President of the student council, of plans drawn up by the recently-appointed election committee for carrying out and supervising the election of all class officers next Friday,” the university paper announced.

“According to Cogswell and the committee, any student may get his name on the ballot for one of the class offices upon submission of an official petition bearing the legal number of names by 1 p.m. next Wednesday. These petitions are available in the library today.

“Anyone may carry a petition. The petition must be signed by either 20 percent of the class, in which the individual is seeking office, or by 35 members of the class. This would mean only 11 or 14 signatures are needed on senior or junior petitions.

“To make the petition valid, it must bear the signature of the person for whom nomination is being sought.

“’This is done to prevent an individual who does not want to take the job from being pushed into something over which he has no control,’ said Cogswell.

With reference to the new policy regarding non-party affiliation, Glenn was quoted as saying, “I think this will be the most democratic election to be held here for many years. For once any individual may seek office if he cares to.”

In 1943, Glenn, along with four other Washburn seniors, was chosen to enter training for a commission as ensign in the navy through officer’s training at Northwestern Midshipmans’ School in Chicago and was called into active service as an Ensign, United States Naval Reserve in 1943.

In 1942-1943, Glenn was a member of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, was rush captain for the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, executive secretary of the collegiate Young Republicans of the state, and received a call to Sagamore, one of the highest honors of the student body. He graduated in absentia from Washburn University with an A.B. degree in 1943.

Glenn frequently wrote home from Europe during the year of the D-Day invasion. Like thousands of other young boys in the 1940s, his goals and plans for his life had to take a back seat to his service to his country.

As a lieutenant J.G. in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Glenn served on active duty 1943-1946, with the Naval Amphibious Forces, European Theater, including the D-Day landings on Omaha Beach and Normandy Invasion, 1944. Glenn was assault boat officer of a ship beaching on the French shore on D-Day and after a year as an ensign was promoted to lieutenant J.G., serving as first assistant to the executive officer of his ship.

“I, too, am figuring on some ‘big things,’ someday, Dad,” Glenn wrote from Britain, to his parents in a letter dated May 28, 1944, “but for the time being all that has to ride, I guess. As soon as this invasion’s over, if I don’t get transferred, I’m getting into those correspondence courses.” After sending his love to “all the little nephews and nieces” and signing the letter “Love to all, Glenn,” he wrote at the bottom of the letter, “When D-Day comes, drop a little prayer or two, will you, please?”

“This war is certainly a wasteful enterprise,” he wrote on June 27, 1944, from the English Channel. “It’ll be a great day when it’s over.” He said he was involved in carrying German prisoners of war and “casualties” back and forth across the Channel.

On June 10, writing from “Back in England,” Glenn wrote, “I never thought the coast of England could look so good to me as it did last night when we pulled in. It was wonderful.

“Believe me, war IS Hell – with a capital “H.” And I’ve about had my fill of it. I’m only thankful I’m not in the army – altho I guess the soldiers feel just the opposite. I’m thankful too, for the first time, that I’m aboard an LST instead of a troop transport (P.A.) with my assault boats.

“In fact, I’m thankful for a good many things right now. We have a wonderful skipper, and I think we had a little help from above, too. Anyway, the worst is over now, so don’t worry. I won’t see anything I haven’t seen the last six days…

“Anyway, ‘I was there.’ And we’ll be keeping a constant shuttle service across the channel for awhile.

“Pray for us and we’ll pull through. Tell Ralph ‘Happy Birthday.’ I notice it’s his day.”

Glenn Meets His Bride

Glenn had many girlfriends: Ruth Beeler in High School; Martha Lee and Royce Palmer at Washburn. But he finally settled on a girl he met on his LST while serving in the Navy in England. Her name was Jeanette Hallewell. He wrote the following letter home to his folks, most of which was quoted verbatim in the newspaper society sections in Wichita and Topeka and printed below the wedding photo showing Glenn and Jeanette surrounded by Glenn’s officer colleagues from the war.

“22 May 1945

England

My Dear parents –

I hope those affidavits are on the way because I think I'll need them quite soon. I guess you know what I mean.

Altho it’s a little delayed, I know, here’s the information about the wedding A group picture of the bride and groom plus the naval officers in attendance will come as soon as I can get it. I asked for one suitable for newspaper cut ahead of the regular order, I’ll send it as soon as possible – may be nearly two weeks.

Wedding:

The bride wore a white lace and satin gown, with orange blossoms in her hair and lashings of white tulle veiling. She carried a shower bouquet of white lilies of the valley; crimson rose buds and red carnations with a mist of asparagus fern.

Her maid of honor – Miss Roana Billett of Highfield, So’ton was floral silk, with navy blue accessories and wore a large spray of lily of the valley.

The bride’s mother wore navy blue with a silver fox fur and a spray of lily of the valley and pink carnations. The bride was given in marriage by her father who wore dark brown and wore a white carnation buttonhole. The bridegroom and best man were in Naval (blue) uniform.

Travel difficulties prevented most of the bride’s relatives from attending, tho two aunts from London were present. Thirty other guests were present including Naval officer friends of the groom and the fiancé of the maid of honor, Lt. Arvel Gruefel, U.S. Army – adding a splash of uniform to the gathering.

The ceremony was performed by the Rev. H. Leslie Clarke at the Church of the Ascension, Bitterne Park, So’ton, at 10:00 o’clock on May 1^st. It was a cold morning but the sun was brilliant.

The church was pretty – decorated with masses of flowering shrubs, including guild rose, pink double cherry blossom and (hydrangea).

The usual wedding march was replaced by “Trumpet Voluntry” – (at the bride’s request) and played by Mr. W. Brattle, organist and choir-master of the church. Other music included Shubert’s “Serenade” and Brahms “Lullaby.”

Among the hymns were “Oh Perfect Love” (don’t remember any of the others)

Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” was exit. The reception was at the Castle Inn (Hotel) in Midanbury.

The cake was two tiered beautifully iced – surprisingly “pre-war” – both in looks and taste (miraculously procured – usually iced cakes are a memory in England these days). There apparently was plenty of food and drink for all – and all seemed to have a fine time (!).

The Honeymoon, as you know, was in Bournemouth – a seaside resort on the South Coast of old L’Angleterre!

The end of the 7-day leave was V-E Day (8^th) that night the old 506  and old Cogswell was churning toward France – such a life.

All that info is bolony – but you can have what you want of it. Sorry it wasn’t sooner but we just couldn’t seem to get time to sit down and figure it all out.

There may be some rather fast developments on coming home so please rush those affidavits if you haven’t sent them.

Lots of love –

Jean & Glenn

P.S. Jean just received your letter, Dad – It didn’t go airmail because of “insufficient postage.” Should have been 8 cents I guess.”

Washburn Law School to Probate Judgeship

After the war, Glenn returned to Topeka and with the help of the G.I. Bill of Rights, received a Juris Doctorate from Washburn School of Law in 1947. He was admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1947 and was elected judge of the Court of Topeka in 1948 at the age of 26, recognized by the Junior Bar Section of the American Bar Association in 1948 as “the youngest judge sitting on any bench in the United States.”

Frank E. Miller, born in 1891, in Beloit, Kansas, was only two years older than Glenn’s father, Carl. He had graduated from the University of Kansas and was admitted to the bar in 1914. Sometime in the early 1950s, Frank and Glenn formed the firm Miller & Cogswell with an office in the National Bank of Topeka at the corner of 6^th and Kansas Avenue. Miller was a former assistant county attorney (1929-1933) and deputy county attorney (1921-1925). Some of their clients were the S.S. Kresge Company, the Topeka Morris Plan, Farmers Insurance Group and Ray Beers Clothing Co. They also represented Glenn’s father, C.C. Cogswell, when he was a Topeka realtor.

Miller was tall and distinguished-looking, handsome and wore a mustache. He was very active in Topeka Civic Theatre until his death (in 1954) of a heart attack, at the age of 63. Older Topekans and those familiar with local history would remember the Miller Pharmacy, owned by Miller’s father, W.S. Miller, located at Sixth and Topeka for 55 years before moving it to the Seabrook neighborhood in 1952.

Glenn ran for and was elected Judge Court of Topeka and served in that position from 1948-1950.

Bride Helps Glenn in First Election

Glenn’s bride helped him campaign, as recorded in the following article from the Topeka State Journal, July 31, 1948.

“Red-headed, English-born Jean Cogswell, wife of lawyer Glenn and mother of 2-year-old Carolyn who looks just like her, is the only GI bride to get caught up in the Republican primaries, as far as we know.

If Jeans’ hard labor can make any difference, Glenn Cogswell is going to be judge of the Court of Topeka come the elections. It’s her first political campaign, anywhere. However, she learned the ropes stenographing for Glenn in the first weeks of the campaign and now boldly rings doorbells and says her piece.

“Everybody’s so nice to me,” she says. “I was a little afraid of politics, but I’ve got to know more people in our neighborhood and made more friends than I did in all the two years since I came here. People offer me cokes and lemonade –  no one’s offered me a cup of tea yet !”

She was working in the drawing office of a Spitfire plant in Southampton, England, when she met Glenn, a U.S. Navy lieutenant on an LST. They were married on May, 1944. She got a training enduring suspense in those days that stands her in good stead now that the warfare is political rather than naval. –  J.S.”

Note says, “Journal – 31^st only!” July 31, but what year? 1948. Dad won the Republican nomination for Judge Court of Topeka, as reported in Topeka State Journal, August 4, 1948.

From a Tadpole to a Frog

The following article appeared in an unidentified newsprint publication describing an anecdote that demonstrates my mother’s sense of humor. Besides her petite figure and good looks, undoubtedly, this was one of the reasons my dad was attracted to her.

“’Tis said that tadpoles grow up to be frogs in just no time at all, but we hear that when fed vitamins they grow in leaps and bounds. Friday night the Jaycee Jaynes invited their husbands to a dinner-dance at Lake Linge and to the dinner table, Charles L. Davis Jr. carted a little tadpole which just couldn’t be restrained in a saucer with water, determined to have its freedom. Finally, Jean (Mrs. Glenn) Cogswell picked the little tadpole up in her napkin and took it outside. She returned a short while later and to the amazement of Charlie and the other guests, presented him with her napkin inside of which was a large frog. Jean assured him that she ‘fed the tadpole vitamins’ while outside, but we hear he and the other guests were skeptical of the story! At any rate there was no lack of entertainment at the dinner table and we’re surprised that someone didn’t end up ordering a nice order of fresh dish of fried frog legs.”

Glenn’s Little Family

Glenn’s first-born daughter, Carolyn, arrived November 25, 1946, at Stormont-Vail Hospital, Topeka. Someone took lots of pictures of the first-born: Carolyn and Jean, 1946; Carolyn with Mom, Dad and Nana (Jean’s mother who came over from England with her husband and son in 1946) at the Rose Garden; Carolyn with her doll and a stroller; Carolyn on her tricycle; Daddy holding Carolyn as he graduates from law school in 1947; and Daddy reading to Carolyn in a stuffed sofa.

Glenn’s son, David, arrived September 21, 1949. By then, Glenn had already passed the bar, formed a law firm and been elected Judge of the Court of Topeka. As many pictures as there had been of Carolyn, there now appeared of Carolyn and David together: Carolyn shooting a water pistol into David’s mouth; Carolyn lifting David up off the ground in front of the house; David and Carolyn with Grandpa and a dapple gray pony; David and Carolyn in matching red and white striped jackets Nana made for them when they went to New Orleans with Mom and Dad; David and Caroyn brushing their teeth in the doorway at 711 Park Lane.

Those were the times before the trouble, when Glenn and Jean, Carolyn and David were an intact family. No one knew how times would change, but for a brief and significant space of time, the Glenn D. Cogswells were a normal family, and, other than an argument now and then, a happy family, as far as David and Carolyn knew. Maybe things would start to change when Glenn’s political career began to take off.

Glenn Cogswell, Shooting Star: Early Successes, Travel and Speaking Engagements

In 1948 Glenn was elected judge of the Court of Topeka. In 1950 he opened his own law offices and was elected judge of the probate and juvenile courts of Shawnee County. He would be re-elected in 1952 and 1954.

The year 1953 was an eventful one for Glenn. Peggy Greene wrote a huge feature story about him in the Topeka Daily Capital.  He was elected First District chairman of the Kansas Young Republicans

One of the first trips recorded in the red scrapbook is one where two Topekans, Probate Judge Glenn D. Cogswell and another Topeka attorney, John J. Scott, were selected to attend the Young Republican National Federation Convention in Rapid City, S.D., June 11-13, 1953. Glenn and Jean had been married eight years, Carolyn was 7 and David was 4. At this convention, President Eisenhower would speak at the Mount Rushmore national monument in the Black Hills. This may have been the one where Glenn was photographed shaking hands with the president, or it may have been a later one.

The state’s bi-annual First District Young Republican convention would be in December 4-5, 1953, in Wichita. Perhaps Jean stayed home with the kids for this and similar events.

Glenn was a featured speaker at a September 1953 national chiropractic convention at the Hotel Jayhawk in Topeka, attended by Dr. W.E. Nicklin of Hutchinson, the husband of Glenn’s father’s sister, Faye Cogswell Nicklin. Nicklin was a professor of chiropractic when Glenn’s Aunt Faye met him while she was a student. The keynote speaker, Dr. Richard D. Yennie spoke on the topic of “Communism Versus Christianity.”

“The Communist Party has a plan for you and me,” Yennie said. “I am interested in frustrating that plan.” This educational meeting of the Kansas Chiropractic Association had no problem addressing political issues of concern along with teaching sessions on the nervous system and polio research, according to an article likely appearing in the Topeka State Journal. Thirteen millionaires supported the Communist Party in America, Yennie said, and the U.S. could frustrate the movement through a “program of continued allegiance to its churches and youth.”

Glenn Urged to Run For Congress During Second Term as Probate Judge

Glenn served three terms as judge of the probate and juvenile courts of Shawnee County, from 1951 to 1957. During his second term, many friends and associates encouraged him to run for congress from the first district.

A democrat had been elected to the office, for the first time in history. The man’s name was Howard Miller, and the Republicans were very determined to find somebody to beat him in the next election.

Glenn was considered one of two “mystery men” by Bob Townsend of the Topeka Daily Capital in the upcoming 1953) congressional race. The other mystery man was Republican County Chairman Warren Shaw.

“It is no idle rumor that strong and powerful people want either Cogswell or Shaw to be the man to oppose Rep. Howard Miller for Congress from the district,” Townsend wrote. “Both are proved vote getters.

“Cogswell makes no bones about the fact that he is considering the post. Friends are pressuring him daily. His backers are strong and could get stronger as the race goes along.”

Townsend wrote that Glenn had an “enviable record and has shown he can win a fight. Even more, he has not aligned himself with any group in state Republican factional fights.” Later on much political debate would arise over whether or not to build the Tuttle Creek Dam.

“Both Shaw and Cogswell are reported to be uneasy about the ‘dam question,’ wrote Topeka Daily Capital columnist James L. Robinson wrote Nov. 26, 1953. “They would prefer to dodge it in the primary, but realize the issue will have to be faced. Neither have been closely involved in the dam fighting in Kansas since 1951, but both are currently supported by groups and individuals in Topeka who are on the pro-dam side.” One of Miller’s promises had been to “stop big dam foolishness,” according to Robinson.

In 1951 Topeka suffered the worst flood in its history. According to Greg A. Hoots in his 2010 pictorial history of Topeka, the Kansas River crested at 41.3 feet, remaining above flood stage for 10 consecutive days, forcing the evacuation of 24,000 people from North Topeka, Oakland and other nearby areas. More than 700 people were rescued from roofs, and four bridges were destroyed: the Brickyard Bridge, the Sardou Bridge, the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad bridge, and the Rock Island Railroad bridge. Ultimately, the Tuttle Creek Dam was built, but at this stage of the game, many resisted the idea, which became the political football of the election.

Glenn was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1956, and was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Kansas in 1958. He partnered in law practice with the law firm of Goodell, Casey, Briman, Rice and Cogswell, and Cogswell and Storey with Topeka attorney Bob Storey.

In 1955, when Glenn was 33, the Wichita Eagle reported that Glenn “had been named the year’s Outstanding Young Man of Kansas, an award made annually by the Kansas Junior Chamber of Commerce, and announced at annual convention of the Jaycees. In the article, he was described as “Topeka probate judge and a leader in state juvenile delinquency and mental health reforms.” He had previously been named Outstanding Young Man of Topeka. He was cited for “outstanding personal and civic accomplishments over a period of years.” The article said he was “active in enacting reforms of Kansas laws relating to juvenile offenders, and dependent and neglected children.” Specifically, he had the language changed with regard to juvenile delinquents. In addition, he has “urged more sympathetic treatment in the commitment of the mentally ill, and has revised commitment forms used by his court to emphasize hospitalization rather than insanity.”  During that time he was also chairman of the Kansas Young Republican Federation and was a delegate in 1954 to the national Young Republican convention in Detroit.

According to Peggy Green in a feature story in the The Topeka Daily Capital, August 9, 1953, called “Help, Not Punishment, Is Goal of Probate Judge,’ “Cogswell has had the wording of the titles of juvenile cases changed to eliminate any idea of prosecution or punishment. Instead of ‘versus,’ the phrase was changed to ‘in the interest of.’ This is characteristic of his attitude that the welfare of the child is the chief objective of the court and it is the court’s duty to help rather than to punish.”

Topeka State Journal writer Joe Western reported that Glenn D. Cogswell had “revamped the wording of the entire stack of legal documents necessary to hospitalize a mentally ill person.” Instead of reading “in the matter of the insanity of…,” the documents were changed to say, “in the matter of the hospitalization of…” The article stated that Judge Cogswell believed “because friends and relatives do not now have to sign papers with ‘insane’ or ‘lunacy’ all over them more persons will be committed, and more patients will volunteer for treatment.”

Letters Home From the Channel, 1944

Around and About England, May 16, 1944

Dear Folks –

Received your V-mail of Apr. 24 to-day. It’s the first mail the ship has had for over a week. You’ve no idea what an effect that hold-up of the mail has on the morale of the ship.

Sorry to hear of the flood – hope it didn’t do too much damage. It isn’t as if you all didn’t have anything else to worry about right now.

What is the horse situation now – still have the Percherons and black gaited mare? That Arabian would probably have financed the farm if he’d had a little lineage.

I may send my watch home – I can’t get anything done to it over here – I can’t get anybody to even look at it.

I’ll be sending some money home, too. I haven’t been ashore for two weeks and there’s nothing you can buy when you do go. As soon as I draw another pay I’ll send a batch home.

I’ve been doing a bit of pistol shooting with my .45 auto. Gov’t furnishes plenty of cartridges and the gun so I might as well have the fun and experience. I’m going hunting with Cozy when I get home.

The propaganda the Germans throw out over the air is so thick a knife won’t cut it. I can’t see how it can do any good – it’s so heavy – it just disgusts me. You can catch a bit of German in the English (not American) they broadcast in – it’s rather an amusing mixture – not that it’s a poor job of English – it just doesn’t ring quite clear.

I guess I told you about the big shark hunt the other day. That was really fun – they’re all gone now – I think they come in only a couple of times a year or something.

You ask about the country here – It’s very pretty – the fields are small and fenced with shrubbery and trees, and being rather hilly it presents a pretty picture. They have some beautiful horses and cattle around here – not many, but nice ones.

The soil, cliffs and all have lots of color. The villages are quaint – very narrow streets and sidewalks and small old buildings. None of the buildings have central heating so they have one or two chimneys with about four flues in each one.

That’s about all I can say. The stores are sad and the women are terrible (--to look at – that’s as far as I can get).

Did you ever subscribe to the Daily Capital for me?

My Co – Small Boat officer and I, being from Texas and Kansas, respectively, have the big arguments a bout our states – Don’t you think Texas stinks?

Write.

Lots of love,

Glenn

Britain, May 28

Dear Folks –

Received your clipping and letter of May 18. Several days ago – but have been quite busy. Those airmail letters came in a hurry. I enjoyed the clippings – that was an especially good editorial on the Ward deal.

I guess the only difference in our accounting was because of my not knowing when you started buying bonds.

I want to check together every once in awhile, so we won’t get fouled up. The present rate of bonds will be OK until you get $500 worth, then let it ride, until I lay away $1,000 cash – that should take care of it for awhile.

I hope you got a good deal out of the Ford. I’ve learned that a car isn’t as indispensable as I once thought – a lot of other things too, for that matter.

I’m awfully glad I had that car, though and appreciated it a lot.

From the magazines we get, Life, etc., the LSTs are shown a good deal in advertisements and in cartoons, etc. I guess it’s about the only ship that none of the other countries have. At least, no one should ever mistake us for an enemy. Of course, my primary duty still involves operation of a Small Boat (LCVP) Flotillas.

I think Beven [Lt. (JG)] We met in Kansas] is here in the same town – I’m going in tomorrow and try to find him.

I, too, an figuring on some “big things” someday, Dad – but for the time being all that has to ride, I guess. As soon as this invasion’s over, if I don’t get transferred, I’m getting into those correspondence courses.

I agree with you that Navy is best field – The Army end of this Amphib operation is really rugged.

I’d like to be in Chicago with you – do a good job in there. A Republican looks awfully good from here. There’s only one Demo. Officer aboard – an Irish Catholic from the Bronx.

The rest, most of them are rabid Republicans – anxious to get F.D.R. back to Hyde Park. Dewey looks awfully good to most of us. Haven’t heard about McMillan or others – though neither of the prominent Ohioans cut much ice. Most of the boys seem to think Stassen’s day will come later.

The German Radio gives us no end of entertainment – they broadcast, especially for the invasion forces – I’ll tell you all about it some day. They give terrific newscasts and little “warning lectures.” It makes me all the madder to hear them.

Well, write often and take care of things. Give all the little nephews and nieces my love.

Love to all,

Glenn

When D-Day comes – drop a little prayer or two, will you, please?

Back in England, June 10

Dear Folks –

I never thought the coast of England could look so good to me as it did last night when we pulled in. It was wonderful.

Believe me, War IS Hell – with a capital “H.” And I’ve about had my fill of it. I’m only thankful I’m not in the Army – although, I guess the soldiers feel just the opposite. I’m thankful, too, for the first time, that I’m aboard an LST instead of a Troop Transport (P.A.) with my assault boats.

In fact, I’m thankful for a good many things right now. We have a wonderful skipper, and I think we had a little help from above, too. Anyway, the worst is over, now – so don’t worry. I won’t see anything I haven’t seen the last six days.

Dad, my shaver’s monitor was a real comfort to me a couple of times – I mean that.

We’ve been getting so little sleep that until now I haven’t been able to sleep over two hours at a time. Well, there are lots of things to tell you – if you want to hear them – but I can’t write much at the present time.

Anyway – “I was there—“ and we’ll be keeping a constant shuttle service across the Channel for awhile.

We had some German prisoners – very interesting – one Holland Dutch. Drafted from the Netherlands, a German Jew, a 20 year soldier and a true “Superman” Luftwaffe officer – pilot – just like the movies show them (the Pilot, I mean) among others.

Well, enough for now – Pray for us and we’ll pull through. Tell Ralph “Happy Birthday” – I notice today is his day.

Love to all – and write I don’t know where our mail is being sent, but will catch up with us some time. Send my love to the rest of the family.

Your Son.

1944 June 17

Dear Folks –

Well, here I am again, still busy as heck. I haven’t had any mail for a couple of weeks so I don’t know what’s cookin’ on the home front. I hope we line some up, soon.

Things are going fine over here – that is, if anything connected with war could ever be called “fine.” You probably get more of the dope overall, though, than I do.

I am sending you a “poppy” I picked from our beachhead – one of the bloodiest of them all. There are lots of little white markers nearby with dog tags hanging on them.

I meandered back into the village – even though the M.P.s had orders to arrest any Naval personnel found beyond the beach. I figured, I had been there before the M.P. so what the heck. Anyway, I acted as though I knew where I was going and nobody stopped me.

Don’t worry – I clung to the beaten path. I didn‘t go into any shops, but they say you can buy nearly anything, including silk hose.

I didn’t collect any souvenirs – the first time, they were the furtherest from my mind, and since then they’ve cleared it away, except some of the mine fields – anyway, I’d rather bring back myself in whole.

They have quite a few prisoners, including nearly every nationality – they help some with construction work, etc.

The German soldier is well disciplined, even as a prisoner. If you can get a German non-com to direct the prisoner for a task they ask no questions, and there’s no hesitation – they jump right to – that includes bringing wounded from mine fields – but they walk mighty carefully!

I’ll tell you someday of some of the ingenious defenses the Germans had built – if you haven’t read about them already.

I understand Ernie Pyle wrote an article for the “Stars and Stipes” (E.T.O. servicemen’s paper) about our particular beach – maybe it is in some of your papers.

You can tell little Karl that I hope in God’s name he doesn’t have to go “off where Uncle Glenn is” when he grows up.

Don’t worry – Everything is O.K. here – write whenever you can.

Oceans of love to all,

Glenn

P.S. It’s wonderful having the USAAF & RAF over us most of the time – instead of the Luftwaffe – like they used to have. The Luftwaffe and U and E Boats, in true German style come out only at night.

1944 June 27

English Channel

Dear Folks –

We’re rolling quite a bit just now, but I’ll try to write anyway. Maybe you can read it.

We finally got some mail, Dad’s K.G.M and snapshots and two letters (4^th and 13^th) from Mother. I enjoyed them all a great deal.We are hoping for some more this trip.

We are having quite an experience – there’s never a dull moment, though I can think of more pleasant ones. Our job now is not exceptionally dangerous, but always something different over there. We’ve been hitting various beaches.

I read the overseas edition of Time, June 19, and it had a pretty good picture. They are much more frank and honest than anything the British have. All the British papers and radio can talk about is how the wonderful British are winning the war. Their newspapers read like a high school paper, petty remarks and “bull” so thick you can hardly find the news.

The Phonograph – P.A. just whipped out with “I’ll be home for Christmas” – I’d sure settle for that!!

Dad, Father’s Day sort of slipped up on me – every day is the same here – there’s not much use trying to keep track of time. I know you’ll forgive me, though, because I am pretty busy these days, and I think of you at home Every day, holiday or not.

That strawberry shortcake sounds like awful good duty from here. Best we have that on the menu when I get home.

Back again, just had time out for chow. It was terrible. By the way, Dad, I don’t think dehydrated potatoes are so hot. In fact, they’re definitely not a good idea. On the whole we have much better chow than the Army –  or British civilians – but we think it’s pretty awful sometimes.

We still get a smattering of German prisoners – usually wounded ones, now, along with our own casualties – they look like anything but “Super-men.”

They’re a pretty sad looking bunch. Several groups of pretty large numbers of prisoners were marched along the beach into other LST’s specified for their return to England. We evacuate casualties, usually.

This war is certainly a wasteful enterprise. It’ll be a great day, when it’s over.

I’m hanging on to a faint hope that I might get home in Oct. or so. It would be awfully nice – too good to expect.

Well, keep writing, tell all the folks hello – I’ll try to write often, too.

Oceans of love,

Glenn

1944 June 30

England

Dear Folks –

I got 22 letters all at once yesterday, including seven from you, dating from May 4 to June 14^th. You can see that with our moving about so much there is no rhyme nor reason to our mail delivery. Generally, when we stay in one place for awhile the airmail is best. V-mail a close second and regular mail about twice as long, usually about 14 days.

Thank you, Mother, for your nice Mother’s Day card. It was a bit late, but appreciated.

I was interested in Wayne’s graduation – I didn’t know his middle name was Dale – guess that’s why he’s such a good boy. Give him my best wishes when you write.

I expect Bob and Metta’s event will be proudly heralded by the Beeler family.

I suppose Carrol and LaVonne have been home, now – sure would like to see you all.

I’d like to see the grandkids – I’ll bet they’re growing faster ‘n heck.

I imagine it will seem strange not working for the state – it’s been quite a while. Hope Dad isn’t worrying. If I can get home maybe we can work out a deal – if you picked out a nice, new little place somewhere near the college I wouldn’t mind investing some money in it with you. How about that?

I’m glad to hear you’ve finally got a good man on the farm. Hope he stays awhile. Those dams sound like a fine idea, especially with the deal you’re getting.

The T.D. Capital hasn’t arrived yet, but they’re always late. I know service isn’t good on those, but unless it’s a lot of trouble for you, I’d like to get them, even late.

I think that Condron, Giffy took on at the store is a pretty good man. He must have a good position. He’d have some good positions, as the Palace and Spines.

By te way you don’t need to worry about me voting. We’ve been given cards to mail the Secretary of State and it’s all taken care of. Of course, you know who my first vote will be cast for!

I’m getting the bulletins, etc. from K.U. and Wisconsin U. for some correspondence courses. It takes a long time to get all the arrangements made, but I‘ll get going on it soon. I’m so tired of reading novels in the evenings I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at one again.

Some of those boys working on the beach, dodging mines and artillery, as well as snipers, getting their “buck and a quarter a day” would be interested in the $12.5 an hour for bulldozer cat and scoop you are paying. That’s the way it is, though, I guess.

Your guess, Dad, in your V-mail was not quite right, though we work out of a good many ports along the coast.

I don’t know what more is in store for us, though I imagine we’ll have a couple more months of this shuttle service. There are lots of things worse, like other invasion. So, I guess we should always consider ourselves better off than we might be.

Take care of things and don’t work too hard or worry about anything. What do you think about the aforesaid real estate investment?

Oceans of love,

Glenn

Letters Home 1944 July 16

En route to England

Dear Folks,

Sunday afternoon, like any other is indistinguishable from the afternoon before…a little different from the old days when the gang would congregate at White’s. Lots of things are different now. They tell me now the censorship regulations will allow us to say where we’ve been in England, so long as we don’t mention any place within the county we are operating from now. So…here goes.

As you know I called home from Boston the one night we were there. We left early the next morning. I guess you got all my postcards from New Orleans and New York. I could have come home in either of those ports, except that they never let us know how long we’d be there.

We went from Boston to Halifax, N.S. Boy, that was a cold spot! Much mor American than British, though, as far as the people were concerned. We came across by way of the North Atlantic, and it was plenty cold, but we had good foul weather gear and were never subjected to any system longer watches than were necessary, that is, we worked out a relief system within the watch. We had to wear facemasks and even then, our breath would freeze. Thank goodness we didn’t have to get into that water – a normal person could last only about five minutes in it. Well, we saw no submarines, in fact we sighted no enemy at all, although our convoy course was changed several times to miss zones of enemy operation. The LST convoys before and after us, in a matter of days both lost a couple of ships. We came around North of Ireland into the Irish sea which is as green as clover. Very pretty sight though. We first landed at Milford Haven, Wales. It was a little mining town almost exactly like the Welsh village in the show “How Green Was My Valley.” The high cliffs were beautiful, and the hills presented a pretty picture with little old castles here and there. There were no vehicles in the street but military ones, jeeps, command cars, etc. The thing that really was noticeable was, despite the serenity of the setting, little anti-aircraft pillboxes everywhere, and some rather large guns. These soon became common sights as well as rather extensive anti-invasion obstacles and anti-tank defenses, as we got to England.

We went from there to Plymouth, England, which was the terrifically bombed-out city I mentioned. Of course, we saw, and landed with my assault boat at Pilgrim’s Pier, from which the Pilgrims embarked for America.

Falmouth was our base for quite awhile, and it was a pretty fair city – of course, nothing like our own, but you could buy a few things there, and for an English town was pretty well advanced.

Fowie was our next base. It was a little berg, but loaded down with supplies and amphibious craft.

A few days before the invasion we went to Plymouth again. You could never hope to see so many ships in one place in all your life. Destroyers were a dime a dozen, a couple of battleships, lots of cruisers, mostly British, and innumerable landing craft. It was there we were loaded with infantrymen and AA artillery. We were the first ship, along with another LST in the follow-up phase, which immediately follows the Assault…as I’ve told you, we hit about H plus 8, or about four in the afternoon of D-Day. We had started out a day earlier, and had gotten about a third of the way and were sent back, because the weather had not permitted aircraft operations. This was bad for the morale, and we were beginning to think there wasn’t going to be an invasion after all. We were relieved when we were ordered out again, just 24 hours later.

I told you already of our experiences D-Day and shortly following. We operated from Southampton until a short time ago, and are now operating frm the base to which we were supposed to return after D-day. Southampton was not very far from Wilts county, but I didn’t have a chance to get up there. In fact, our first liberty since about June 1^st was our last trip.

Well, that gives you an idea of where I’ve been in England. We’ve not been in Northern England, but they say there’s not a lot of difference.

I still deeply respect the English civilians in many ways, but am getting plenty fed up with the outfit as a whole. Whenever we take English across, we about go nuts before we get them off. And seeing the way they handle mechanical vehicles, I don’t have much faith in them.

A Warrant officer in port last time sad a woman came up to him a while back and asked him if he wasn’t a technician. He said Yes, he guessed he was…”Well,” she said, “You Americans are supposed to be technicians…when are you going to do something about these flying bombs – they’ve been coming over now for three weeks, and you haven’t done a thing about them!” He told her to duck, that’s what he’d do.

Another Limey, a pilot (navigational) told us seriously over a cup of coffee, that he thought the US should become one of the Dominions, after the War. One damn fool Wren (Wave) thought because American seamen are allowed to raise mustaches that, “They have no discipline – they do as they please.” They don’t allow mustaches in the “Royal Navy.” Of course, they can, and many of them do raise long dirty beards, and let their hair grow over their ears. They think our “BUTCH” haircuts look like convicts – they wouldn’t think of such an undignified thing (nor sanitary one).

So much for the “Bloody blokes.”  Personally, I think they’re a simple bunch who are riding for a terrific fall, and I think it’s about time.

We’re making quite regular trips and the Isle is beginning to raise out of the water again as we’re getting the American equipment across the Channel. Don’t let anyone ever tell differently, the American soldier and sailor is by far the best equipped, best paid, and best looked out for of any in the world. And the German is next. Actually, I have more respect for the German soldier in many ways than of any of our Allies. Of course, I know nothing first hand about the “Russ.”

I surely appreciate the ‘Capitals’ and I want you to let me know if and when my watch arrives. I’m beginning to worry a little about it.

I weighed the other night and weighed 13 stones and 10 pounds, which is 192 pounds. Feeling fine, but getting out if condition. Hope everything is OK at home. Write often.

OCEANS OF LOVE.

Glenn

Appendix

The Grange and Highway Safety, 1936

It is a matter of record that the grange, the oldest and largest farm organization, has never failed to lead in any movement that was for the betterment of the country or any community. Therefore, it seems only natural that this great organization should lead the crusade for safety on our highways.

Before we can determine methods of fighting this great menace, we must face some of the facts. In 1936, 7,410 persons were killed because of exceeding the speed limit; 3,410 persons were on the wrong side of the road when their fatal moments arrived; 3,300 more drove off the highway to their death; 3,160 persons thought they had the right-of-way, and were killed. Reckless driving was responsible for 2,930 deaths and 2,520 other unfortunate drivers crashed to death because of cutting in, passing on curves and hills, failing to signal, etc., making a total of 22,730 deaths n which the driver was at fault, in 1936.

Many drivers blame their automobiles for their accidents, but in most cases that is a fimsy excuse, because in 93 percent of the accidents, the car was, before the accident, in good condition. Faulty brakes, defective steering apparatus, weak or no lights, and blow-outs contributed their part in wrecking 1,649,360 automobiles in 1936. Usually it is not the loose nut in the mechanism that causes the trouble, it is the “nut behind the wheel.”

Most drivers do not realize the time and distance that it takes to stop an automobile, until it is too late. Most of us consider 55 miles per hour a fairly reasonable speed on good highway, yet, with the average brakes, going 55 miles per hour, after danger looms, one second of inattention takes you 81 feet. A split-second of reaction takes you 59 more feet, and 151 more feet for actual braking, makes a total of 2291 feet. This will vary with the size of the automobile, condition of brakes, road, etc., and the driver’s time for reaction.

Although some people deny it, the number of accidents caused by alcohol have greatly increased since the repeal of prohibition. In 1936, 7.3 percent of fatal accident drivers, and 4.3 percent of non-fatal accident drivers had been drinking. If you drive – don’t drink; if you drink – don’t drive.

Nearly 1,000 tiny children were killed while they were learning to walk, and 1400 more, before they had learned to talk, in 1936. Grange members, as well as others should keep their children away from, and teach them to fear the highways.

Inattention is the cause of many accidents. It fills more hospitals than any germ in the medical index. We should remember, “Day-dreams behind the wheel often become nightmares in a wheel-chair.”

The owners of glaring headlights and blaring horns are a menace to traffic. Many night accidents are caused because of blinding lights. Do not have lights that you would not like to face. The blaring horn owner should remember, “The devil is recognized by his horn.”

Although two out of three of the accidents occur in the rural districts, most of them are caused by vacationists and weekend visitors from the city. For this reason the Grange is handicapped; however, there are a number of things the Grange can do.

The Grange should urge city organizations to help in the fight and cooperate with them. The subordinate Grange should stud the defects and causes of accidents in the community and correct them.

The Lecturer should devote at least one meeting a year to the safety cause. Moving pictures and speeches would be of interest. The roll may be answered by giving causes of accidents. Posters posted in and around the hall would help keep patrons “safety conscious.”

The essay contest is an excellent thing. Every contestant will be safer, more sane and “safety-minded” because of entering this contest.

The Grange papers should be used to help pass legislation of safety, such as: uniform traffic laws, non-political highway patrol, the proper use of highway funds to improve and complete our highway system, and other such laws of safety value.

If the Grange will do some, or all, of these things, and perhaps more, it will be doing what is expected of such an organization. The Grange should impress upon all individuals the importance of:

1.      Driving at a reasonable speed at all times.

2.      Keeping attention on the road.

3.      Refusing to drive when drinking.

4.      Obeying all signals and signs.

5.      Never passing another car unless the way is clear.

6.      Keeping automobile in good condition.

7.      Dimming lights, when meeting cars at night.

8.      Teaching children to fear the highways.

9.      Signaling intention to turn or stop.

10.  Always be alert and…

“Debate”

From the Topeka High School yearbook, 1939:

Winning first or second in five tournaments out of nine entered, the Trojan debate squad finished the season with a better than average record.

Although the orators got off to a bad start at Pittsburg, where two Topeka teams were eliminated by a Fort Scott team, they soon began winning tournaments. At Wyandotte, the third tournament of the year, a four-man team composed of Harry Grassick and Bill Everett, Glenn Cogswell and Barton Bayly, captured second place. The team lost only one debate, that one to Newton on the negative side in the finals. The affirmative side defeated the Newton negative.

Next came the Salina contest, where Harry and Bill as a two-man team came through to defeat Russell and win first place. Harry came down with a cold just a few days later, and Glenn became Bill’s colleague for the Emporia tournament. Although the boys had never debated together before, they won second place, losing only in the finals to Fort Scott.

Not content to rest on their laurels, the orators went through the Eastern Kansas Conference tournament undefeated. Harry proved his ability further by winning the unanimous decision of three judges for first place in the extemporaneous speech contest.

Misfortune now fell on the team. First, it was found that the state debate rules would not allow two of the boys to make the trip to Denver for an exhibition match which they had been planning on for several weeks. When that difficulty was solved and arrangements were made for the team to go, it was learned that Bill Everett was ineligible for further debate in high school. Bill’s ineligibility made it necessary for the team to return the Eastern Kansas Conference cup, as Bill had debated in that tournament.

This also forced J. Edmund Mayer, debate coach, to use another man for his four-man team in the state district contest. Paul Moser, a sophomore, was the fourth member of the team, which won the district contest undefeated.

With the exception of first and second places won by Harry and Glenn in the district extempore contest, there were no more wins by the Trojans. The last tournament of the year was the Wentworth Military Academy tournament, where Harry and Bill lost in the quarter finals to Springfield, Mo.

The 1938-39 season saw the Trojan debaters get off to a bad start, then win five consecutive tournaments, and at last, because of sickness and ineligibility, finish rather poorly. In spite of their difficulties, however, it can truly be said that the debate team more than upheld the honor of Topeka High School in forensic contests.

“National Forensics”

Organized in 1927, the Topeka High School chapter of the National Forensic League grows stronger every year. This league requires candidates for membership to earn points through participating in some form of speech activity before they can become members.

Continued service and ability are recognized by the awarding of jewels to be placed in the membership pin. Three debaters earned enough pints this year and last to earn the highest degree. Harry Grassick, Glenn Cogswell, and Bill Everett through participation in the state meet and a number of invitation tournaments received the degree of distinction. All are seniors.

3,000 Boys Attend “The Boys’ State”

Movement Sponsored by the American Legion Teaches Government Operations

By Glenn Cogswell

Democracy must depend upon an enlightened citizenry for its existence. Then if the idea of self-government is to continue, or be successful, it is essential that this citizenry have a fundamental understanding of the structure and function of city, county and state governments.

In view of this fact, the American Legion sponsored the first Boys’ State in Illinois in 1935, with 200 boys attending. The success of this movement to instill into the youth of America, a practical, working knowledge of the government, has been borne out in the following four years. Kansas starts its “Sunflower Boys’ State” in 1937. Last year there were 20 “states” with an enrollment of over 3,000 boys. This year Kansas led a procession of 29 states in a continuation of this youth program.

Three hundred eighty-one boys, sponsored by various organizations, and further recommended by their high school principal or faculty advisor, enrolled for the third Annual Sunflower Bous’ State, held at the Wichita North high school this month.

The first day the boys were checked in, assigned to their cities, and given physical examinations. Their party affiliations were announced. That is, each boy was either Federalist or a Nationalist. Party caucuses, organizing parties and establishing newspapers, were held.

The primary election, followed by intense campaigning until the minute the polls opened, climaxed, perhaps, the most interesting campaign in the history of Boys’ State.

The election resulted, with no third party, in a landslide for the Federalist party. Bill Everett of Topeka was elected Governor by a majority of 2 to 1, and of the entire state ticket, only the state treasurer, chief justice and one associate justice were elected from the Nationalist ranks.

Immediately after the election the state went into action. The legislature was organized, and all city, county and state governments were in operation. Governor Ratner was guest of honor at the inauguration and the ball, shortly following.

The legislature, considered the most successful in the history of the state, passed six measures, two of which were vetoed by the governor.

Perhaps the major plank of fthe victorious party’s platform, that of compulsory Wasserman or similar test to every couple contemplating marriage, was considered the height of legislative achievement.

Another major Federalist plank which was passed was the recommendation that a joint-committee system, similar to the Massachusetts plan, be adopted, replacing the present antiquated and confusing committee system used in our state legislature.

The two other bills, pertaining only to Boys’ State, were passed with little difficulty.

The last night, a public trial, in which the secretary of state, Keith Sanborn of Wichita, was acquitted of the murder of a counselor on the banks of the Little Arkansas river, was held. The case was tried before Chief Justice McKay of the Supreme Court. The state was represented by Attorney General Bill Clothier and his staff. Harold Stevens and John Amott comprise the defense counsel.

Although there was considerable work and study, the boys didn’t forget to have a good time. Recreation, sports, and the facing of actual state affairs enabled the boys at the “Sunflower Boys’ State” to have an experience they will never forget. The American Legion is indeed to be commended for the splendid work in this program. Particularly the Kansas Department 4, who sponsored not only one of the earliest and best Boys’ Staes, but also, began here in Kansas, this year, the first Girls’ State, which, from all indications, will become as popular and worthwhile as the Boy’s State movement.

Topeka Daily Capital, Sunday, August 9, 1953

Help, Not Punishment, Is Goal of Probate Judge

By Peggy Greene

For feeling the irregular pulse of life there is no better place than on the bench of the probate court. A probate judge needs to have sympathy, understanding, temperate judgment, a lack of vindictiveness, all bound together, seasoned with a good dash of realism.

That is a pattern into which Glenn D. Cogswell has fitted himself. He has been probate judge since 1950 and before that had served a term as judge of the Court of Topeka – five years that have added insight, knowledge, and valuable experience.

Judge Cogswell was probably the youngest judge in the nation when he was elected to the Court of Topeka at the age of 26. The junior section of “American Bar” advanced a contender who claimed to be the youngest judge sitting on any bench in the United States. HE was several years older than Glenn, whose friends challenged the claim and have had to meet no other takers.

Glenn has always been a little ahead of his years. In Kingman County, where he was born, he was the only pupil in his grade and the teacher put him through both the first and second grade in one year.

He is the youngest of the four sons of Mr. And Mrs. Carl Cogswell. The elder Cogswell has been well known for some years for his interest in farming and stock raising, in the Grange, in good riding horses, and the Republican Party. The family moved to Topeka in 1933, after living in Pretty Prairie for five years.

Glenn’s first jobs were hoeing potatoes and herding cattle, though he gives the credit for the latter to a wise old cow pony the family owned. The horse rounded up straying cattle, nipping them as a dog does. It might be said that the boy went along to keep the pony company.

Glenn graduated from Topeka High School and entered Washburn College. In high school he was interested in basketball and debating. Debating won out. Later, in college, he once again gave up basketball, this time because of a job in a store.

Young Cogswell is basketball material – tall, slim, athletically easy. He is also very good-looking, with thick wavy black hair, nice brown eyes, good features, even dimples when he smiles.

The war interrupted his education and he spent three years in the Navy, attaining the rank of lieutenant (J.G.). He operated on an LST moving supplies across the British channel for the Normandy invasion in 1944 – sailors said the letters stood for “large stationary target.”

While he was stationed in England Glenn met Miss Jeanette Hallewell of Southampton. They were married May 1, 1945, just a week before the European end of the war. Glenn was released from service in December in time to reach home for the white Christmas of that year, and his wife came in February, 1946. Their home is at 711 Park Lane. They have two children, Caroly, 6, and David, 4. Mrs. Cogswell’s parents, Mr. And Mrs. Tom Hallewell, now live in Topeka and are ready for their final citizenship papers this fall.

Glenn went back to Washburn and graduated from the law school in 1947. He opened a law officethat summer and remembers that it was “pretty rough the first year.” But he survived, helped by a few jobs that are tossed out to struggling young lawyers.

He was elected to the Court of Topeka in 1948. In 1950 he ran for probate judge and was elected and in 1952 was re-elected without opposition. During these years he has kept up what private practice he has had time for and the last two years he has been associated with Frank Miller, a lawyer of wide experience and distinguished reputation.

Into the probate court come many human problems. In Topeka it is also the juvenile court and handles all cases of juvenile (under 16) delinquents and of neglected and dependent children.

In Shawnee County three probation officers investigate cases and present them before Judge Cogswell. Only the child, the parents, and a lawyer appointed by the court to look out for the child’s interests are present. The local newspapers respect the privacy of the probate court and seldom make news of the personal troubles it hears.

Cogswell has had the wording of the titles o juvenile cases changed to eliminate any idea of prosecution or punishment. Instead of “versus:, the phrase now used is “in the interest of.” This is characteristic of his attitude that the welfare of the child is the chief objective of the court and it is the court’s duty to help rather than punish.

There was a case in which a mother was cruel to one of her children, a very small girl who had been badly beaten. Judge Cogswell took the child from the woman and placed her in the custody of a relative. An official who had been connected with the case was critical because he had not punished the woman,

Cogswell admitted that in his outrage at the cruelty his impulse had been to strike back at the woman, but his judgment said that the family was the important thing, and he believed that to punish the mother would only injure the other children, who were well treated. For some unknown reason her antagonism was directed toward only the one child.

Work in the juvenile court sometimes leaves Cogswell “downright blue.” He has seen the same children come back again and again and has been assured by psychologists and psychiatrists that they would never change. He has seen children with no moral concepts whatever, with no feeling either for right or wrong.

But there are encouragements. Children have come voluntarily to the court for help. Cogswell believes that for children to seek counsel in the courts shows that the courts are reaching a high development of usefulness. Fully half the juvenile cases are from neglect rather than delinquency.

Adoptions, and commitments to state institutions are made thrugh the probate court, which is presumed to decide who is eligible for public help. In a certain instance, Judge Cogswell does not even try to be judicial, and that is when help is asked to help a crippled child. He never turns one down.

Another duty of the probate courts is to administer trusts and wills. Wills often expose raw chunks of human nature.

There is the widow who is sometimes so obviously extravagant that the judge hates to turn over her inheritance to her, knowing it will be wasted in a few years.

There are the relatives who plead for a partial distribution, giving sad reasons why they must have a little money at once. What would they have done, he wonders, if uncle had not died just then?

Ther is the frail old lady who is taken care of by neighbors and friends through a long and lingering illness, but as soon as she dies, distant relatives stream into town sniffling about how much they loved dear old auntie.

The court tries to carry out the wishes of the testator, and the trouble comes from those who leave no wills. Currently pending is a case of an estate which has 44 relatives in 11 states and Alaska claiming shares. The court has to apportion out, by law, the amounts allowed aunts, uncles, cousins, step-cousins, second cousins.

Sometimes there are weddings at court. A good many of them are of men in the service or of those being married a second time.

Glenn is vice president of the State Probate Judges Association and a member of the National Council of Juvenile Judges. He is first district chairman of the Young Republican clubs and was a delegate last June to the national convention,

He is a member of the Scottish Rite and a Shriner, one of the youngest in the lodge.

He is president of the Topeka Civic Theater and has been a board member for several years. He has helped in various departments and further contributes by taking care of the children while Jeanie does make-up or sketches members of the cast. He does not have much time for leisurely reading, but he especially enjoys philosophy.

The Cogswell children are good riders – Grandpa Cogswell may have seen to that. Carolyn is bold and fearless and David won a blue ribbon at the horse show this summer. He felt belittle that his grandfather led the horse – it was one of the regulations.

After the show a man tried to buy the horse, offering a tempting sum. But one little sentence from David was more powerful than the insistent bids of the trader: “You wouldn’t sell Smokey, would you, grandpa?”

Cogswell is only in the early chapters of a life that promises to be full and interesting. He is friendly and much liked. At Washburn he was president of his freshman class and was president of the student council when he was a senior.

Two beliefs stand out from his experience: that a lawyer should be careful not to be the judge and that every accused person has the right to be defended in court.

He believes in the dignity of the court, of whatever rank. When he was elected to the court of Topeka, he tried to conduct it so that those who came into it might learn to respect the courts, for he knew that to many people it would be the only court they would ever know and would set their attitude toward all courts.

Sitting in probate court and hearing the tough, the sad, the sometimes hopeless problems of humanity is extending Glenn Cogswell’s sympathies and knowledge. Like a traveler in a strange country, each step brings new insights into that little known world of human behavior.

Judge Cogswell Lists Major Points in Rearing Children

It is not “coincidence” without reality, that 85 percent of child delinquency cases come from families without church connections, Judge Glenn Cogswell told members of High Twelve Club at their weekly luncheon at Hotel Jayhawk (Aug. 26, 1953).

Making home and church, combined, the center of family life, he listed as one of five major points in rearing children. Four other “rules” for successful parenthood:

1.      Parents should set children a good example.

2.      See that their emotional needs – craving for love, affection, understanding, as well as physical needs, are met. “It’s not enough just to feed and clothe them.”

3.      Discipline – not too much, but just as certainly not too little, or none at all. Undisciplined children face a tough time in the world into which some day they must emerge on their own.

4.      Love your children, and let them know it. “That doesn’t mean pampering them; it does mean just what I said, love them and let them know it and feel it.”

“I know it’s trite and you may feel the expression is overworked,” said Judge Cogswell, “but I feel strongly that most of the time it is parental delinquency, rather than juvenile delinquency, that comes to our attention.

“Neither do I feel that we are rearing a ‘lost generation’ as some pessimists assert. But there has been an increase in delinquency. The national Children’s Bureau reports a 17 percent increase in court cases in the three-year period ending in fiscal year 1951. Of course, there had been an increase of 5 percent in child population in the same period. So there is a problem.”

From his own experience in handling delinquency cases, part of the duty of the probate courts in Kansas, Judge Cogswell reports that about one-third of the cases coming to him are really cases of delinquency; two-thirds are cases of dependency and neglect. The Shawnee County record, past five years: 89 cases in fiscal 1949; 91 in 1950; 56 in 1951; 37 in 1952; 99 in fiscal year ending last June30.

“Fact that official records show Shawnee with only one-eighth as many cases of juvenile delinquency as Sedgwick does not indicate there is that much real difference,” he said. “We handle many cases informally, without bringing them formally into court records. That may account for part of the difference. And there are other factors.”

Divorce is Great, Growing Social Problem in Kansas

By Robert Townsend of the Daily Capital Staff

The Topeka Daily Capital, Sunday, Aug. 8, 1954

“Now, Mrs. Roe, tell the judge the story of your married life.”

With this advice from her lawyer, a trim, tight-lipped woman in her middle thirties began a detailed account of everything that had happened to her for the last 15 years.

The story was tainted, even saturated, with all the bitterness, hate, antagonism, frustration, and loneliness that can mire itself in human feelings. It was the story of a divorce in the making – the last obtainable goal where recrimination could be complete.

Kansans, who have long prided themselves on strong family ties and bed-rock morality, would do well to consider the question of divorce. It is certainly their biggest social catastrophe.

Consider these reasons why:

According to the Kansas Judicial Council, in the year ending June 30, 1953, there were 9,223 divorce cases filed in the state’s district courts.

Divorce actions have led all other types of cases filed in iansas courts each year for the past eight years.

Kansas spend millions of dollars each year to support dependent children that come from these broken homes.

On a national level, it is estimated one of every four of today’s marriages will end in divorce. There are now 400,000 granted in the United States each year.

The all-time high for the nation and for Kansas was in 1946. An estimated 610,000 divorces were granted that year, the end result of many hasty wartime marriages. Kansas had 13,476 divorce actions filed in the fiscal year ending July 1, 1946.

The divorce rate in the United States has increased 800 percent since the Civil War and this nation now leads all other nations of the world in divorce.

Shawnee County and Topekans are a frightening example of the little regard placed on marriage and the home today. In the same period mentioned above,1,273 persons got marriage licenses here. During the same time, 760  persons filed divorce actions in the District Court, almost 60 percent of the total who were married!

Of these 760 divorce actions, the following happened: A divorce was granted to 357 women, 98 to husbands, 2 were denied, and 303 were dismissed. Do not be misled by the dismissals. Not all were reconciliations between the couples. Many of the cases later were re-instated in the court and ended in a final decree for the petitioner.

To say the least, the 303 classified as dismissals during that fiscal year meant that something drastic was wrong in the family involved.

Where is the fault? Who is to blame?

Social mysteries are not easily explained. Psychiatrists, judges, juvenile authorities, marriage counselors, and social workers have ample evidence of what is happening but still must deal with intangibles.

Because divorce is a personal, individual thing. It is as good or as bad as the individuals involved. It is a breakdown in human relations with its causes and effects as different as the individuals involved. Therefore, each divorce must be considered separately, because as no two personalities are alike, no two divorces are alike.

Trite formulas and textbook ansswers about divorce are no more than statistics in prose form with punctuation.

Consider the “other woman” example. Untold thousands of times this excuse has been used to end a marriage. To the uninitiated this can only mean one thing – that a man no longer appreciates his hone and is throwing his family to the four winds in sheer stupidity. Or else he has met a voluptuous siren who is ever on the lure for a happily married man, intent only at wrecking his home.

This is pure bunk. Competent marriage counselors know that a happily married man is no more likely to fall for a slinky blonde than an honest man is to rob a church. When the other woman becomes involved, the husband already is miserably unhappy

Judge Clayton W. Rose, nationally respected for his work in Domestic Relations Court at Columbus, Ohio, has seen some 40,000 divorce cases in his 18 years on the bench. He has concluded:

“The marriage is already on the rocks when the other woman enters the picture.”

In short, the woman is a symptom, rather than a cause of marital discord. It also has been concluded that in most cases when a man is involved with another woman, he has no intention of marrying her and will break with her when he feels like it.

What then are the causes of divorce? Psychiatrists and marriage counselors can best give the technical, individually personal reasons but if a generalization can be made, this could be said:

It is the people who refuse to realize that marriages is a growing up process; those who can’t learn that marriage doesn’t have to be perfect; and those who mistakenly believe they get rid of responsibility instead of assuming it when they take their vows.

It is indeed a naïve person who thinks marriage will turn life into a fairyland. Such infatuated couples eventually wake up to find there are even more problems than before and bigger realities. It’s too much for some to take and they hide in divorce, forgetting the problems and realities could also mean more satisfaction in life if faced squarely.

Some also forget that in the merger of two personalities, there is bound to be some sparks and fire, that these sparks, when treated maturely, can be marital strength in the making.

Glenn Cogswell, Shawnee County’s probate judge, who constantly must arbitrate family problems, has another insight to the make-up of a divorce client.

“Fundamentally they are quitters,” he said. “They have a quitter psychology. They refuse to believe that marriage can have problems and then at the first real problem, throw up their hands and quit.

“I have observed that a person who fails in one marriage is likely to fail in a subsequent marriage.

Judge Cogswell has noted, as have many other people think of marriage as something brittle, that it will break with the first strain. They refuse to believe that marriage can be a tough institution, capable of withstanding almost any pressure.

Dr. Eugene Frank, pastor of Topeka’s First Methodist Church, has another insight to the problem.

“Nothing, not even religion,” he said, “has been able to keep up with today’s social pressures. I have noticed that often a successful marriage depends on how much the couple is willing to work at marriage, how willing they are to stand up to the social and economic pressures against them.

“one of these pressures I have observed is the urge to have immediate satisfaction of everything. When a couple is not willing to save, to build for the future, when it has no goals, it no longer has the cement to hold a family together.”

That was the end.  There was more, but I could not find it with the article. Accompanying the article is a picture of two children in front of Judge Cogswell's bench, with the Bible Verse underneath, "’The Fathers Have Eaten a Sour Grape, and the Children's Teeth are Set on Edge.’ Jeremiah 31:29, Children from broken homes frequently appear before Probate Judge Glenn Cogswell.”   Ironically, one of the children posing in front of Judge Cogswell’s bench was his own daughter, Carolyn (me).

Judge Cogswell Says Family Court Needed, Topeka State Journal, Oct. 6, 1955

Juvenile Judge Glenn Cogswell Wednesday set forth the “Family Court” idea as a means of protecting children “orphaned by divorce,” in an address before the Council of Social Agencies.

Cogswell, who has suggested a new family relations division of District court for Shawnee county, told the agencies that “eight out of 10 children coming before Juvenile come from broken homes.”

COGSWELL spoke at a noon luncheon at the YWCA, delivering an address much like one given in Salina a week ago.

“Out of our experience in the Juvenile court, one fact has become apparent – that most of the children who come into conflict with the law are from homes where the family has disintegrated thru death or divorce.”

Cogswell said he is “alarmed” that 400,000 more children will be orphaned in this country by divorce this year. I am alarmed that our archaic laws and procedures in regard to divorce will not adequately protect” them.

“THE PRIMARY objectives of the Family court would be to provide protection to the children who are orphaned by divorce, by the court’s assuming jurisdiction of them at the time the divorce is granted.

“The basic premise of the Family court is simple, but I believe sound. Since we know a greater portion of delinquency and crime comes from divided homes, why not let the Family court take jurisdiction at the time the divorce is granted rather than…when it is too late.”

Harsh WordingToned Down

Humanitarian Change Made for Insanity Papers: Harsh Wording Toned Downs

By Joe Western, State Journal Staff Writer

“You are hereby notified, that a statement in writing under oath has been filed in this Court, alleging that you are insane and unsafe to be at large –”

That’s one of the most shocking statements so-called normal peple can imagine to have to read about themselves.

It’s no less shocking probably to people who are only suffering slight mental illness –

Such as having suicidal tendencies.

There’s been a change.

Until just recently the brutal, uncompromising word “insane,” its derivatives and related words were bandied about the in Probate court commitment papers much to the mental anguish of close relatives or friends who are usually the ones who have to sign the papers.

The very same language had to be used even when patients were sent out just for the customary 90-day referral period provided by law at Topeka State hospital.

Probate Judge Glenn D. Cogswell has revamped the wording of almost the entire stack of legal documents necessary to hospitalize a mentally ill person.

The object is more than a mere paper change.

Judge Cogswell believes because friends and relatives do not now have to sign papers with “insane” or “lunacy” all over them more persons needing hospitalization will be committed, and more patients will volunteer for treatment.

Thus, not only are feelings of the patient and family spared, but more and more people as a result seek help that they need to protect themselves and others.

“Insanity proceedings are against no one. On the contrary, they constitute a most humans act on behalf of a mentally ill person,” the judge explained.

When the judge took office in January 1951, persons signing petitions for commitment of mentally disturbed individuals were promptly it in the face with the line at the top of the page reading:

“In the matter of the insanity of…”

The changes are all within the language of the statutes covering these matters. Cogswell has reduced the use of the words insanity, lunacy, and their derivatives from 23 times on 11 papers to only six times on eight papers.

The Shawnee County Probate court handled or disposed of 325 cases involving allegedly mentally ill persons during 1953. Of this number, 83 were not committed to an institution after the 90-day referral period at the Topeka State Hospital, 43 were committed, and 63 cases were dismissed. The court committed 67 other cases from other counties after hearings at the request of the individual counties.

Timeline:

1922(Feb. 1): born in Kingman County, Kansas

1933: moved to Topeka, Kansas

1938: October 18, elected president of senior class, Topeka High School, notarized November 14 by Betty Reed, clerk of Topeka High School; National Forensic League granted Degree of Distinction, certification stating his NFL insignia may be set with a Ruby “in designation of such degree and the prerequisites pertaining thereto.”

1939:  graduated from Topeka High School, was elected lieutenant governor at Sunflower Boys State in Wichita

1939-1940: served as president of the freshman class and president of the student council of Washburn University; as member of the executive council of the Collegiate Young Republicans, represented Washburn University at the Hotel Kansan in Topeka.

1941-1942: elected president of the Student Council and designated “Most Decorative” at Washburn University.

1942-1943: chosen with four other Washburn seniors to receive training for a commission as ensign in the navy through officer’s training at Northwestern Midshipmans’ School in Chicago,

appeared in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, Volume IX, 1942-1943, was rush captain for the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, executive secretary of the collegiate Young Republicans of the state, and received a call to Sagamore, one of the highest honors of the student body.

1945: Married Jeanette Hallewell, May 1, in Southampton, England.

1946: Daughter, Carolyn born, November 25.

1941-1954: served in the United States Naval Reserve.

1943-1946: served on active duty in the United States naval amphibious forces, European Theatre, including D-Day landings on Omaha Beach in Normandy, 1943-1946.

1942-1943: received A.B. degree, graduating in absentia from Washburn University.

1947: received his J.D. degree from Washburn University Law School and admitted to the Kansas Bar.

1948: elected Judge Court of Topeka, according to the junior bar section of the American Bar Association as “the youngest judge sitting on any bench in the United States.”

1949: Son, David Glenn, born September 21.

1951: elected for first term as judge of the probate and juvenile courts of Shawnee County.

1953: elected president of the Kansas Probate Judges Association, the same year the association became affiliated with the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges.

1957: Married Irene Hubert Vigola, June 6, 1957, in Warrensburg, Mo., mother of Ann René and Michael Vigola and later divorced.

1968: Married Judith Hahn (McDaniel, Scheetz), Dec. 30, in Lawrence, Kans. Adopted Michael Christian McDaniel, Dia Michelle Daniel, Niki Lyn McDaniel and Shae Lara Scheetz, and later divorced.

1994: Married Peggy Jean Allen (Drummond) Anderson July 30 in Colorado Springs, Colo., mother of Brad and Pam Drummond (adopted).

2011: February 7, died at Homestead of Topeka, and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery Feb. 12.

References:

Cogswell, Donald James, Descendants of John Cogswell, The Cogswell Family: 1635-1996), Westminster, MD: Family Line Publications, 1998.

Who’s Who in the Midwest, Volume 6, A biographical dictionary of noteworthy men and women of the Central and Midwestern States, Chicago, IL: Marquis – Who’s Who, p. 199.

Hoots, Greg A., Images of America: Topeka, Charleston, SC, Chicago, IL, Portsmouth, NH, San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2010.

Liebman, Charles (Ed.).  Directory of American Judges, Chicago, IL: American Directories, a Corporation, 1955.

Markley, Walter M., Builders of Topeka, 1956: Who’s Who in the Kansas Capital, Topeka, KS: Capper Printing Company, 1956. 

Nichols, Edgar Ray (Ed.). Year Book of College Debating Intercollegiate Debates, 19^th edition, NY: Noble & Noble, 1938.

Randall, H. Pettus. Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, Volume IX, 1942-1943, 1943. (Barton Allyan Bayly, among his debate team members is listed too).