Mason Fitch Cogswell
Mason Fitch Cogswell (1761–1830) was a notable American surgeon and medical pioneer born in Canterbury, Connecticut. After the death of his mother, he was adopted by Samuel Huntington, a prominent figure in the early United States, who supported Cogswell's education at Yale University, where he graduated as valedictorian in 1780. Cogswell gained recognition for his surgical skills, becoming the first surgeon in the U.S. to successfully remove a cataract and to perform carotid artery ligation in 1803. He married Mary Austin Ledyard and had two children, including a son who also became a distinguished surgeon.
Cogswell's commitment to medical and educational advancements was further highlighted by his dedication to his deaf daughter, Alice. Inspired by the potential for educating children with hearing and speech impairments, he played a crucial role in founding the American School for the Deaf in Hartford in 1820, which became the first institution of its kind in the country. Additionally, he contributed to the establishment of a retreat for the mentally ill in Connecticut and held the presidency of the Connecticut Medical Society for a decade. Cogswell passed away in Hartford in 1830, leaving a lasting legacy in both medicine and education.
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Mason Fitch Cogswell
- Born: September 28, 1761
- Birthplace: Canterbury, Connecticut
- Died: December 10, 1830
- Place of death: Hartford, Connecticut
Biography
Mason Fitch Cogswell was born in Canterbury, Connecticut, on September 28, 1761. After Cogswell’s mother died, he was adopted by Samuel Huntington, president of the Continental Congress and governor of Connecticut. Huntington sent Cogswell to Yale University, and he graduated as valedictorian of his class in 1780. He studied at the soldiers’ hospital in New York with his brother James and became one of the most well-respected surgeons in the country. Cogswell was the first surgeon in the United States to successfully remove a cataract from the eye and was the first to tie the carotid artery; he accomplished these feats in 1803. He married Mary Austin Ledyard, and they settled in Hartford. His son, also named Mason Fitch, was born in 1807. The younger Cogswell followed in his father’s footsteps: He attended Yale and went on to become a prominent surgeon.
Cogswell’s daughter, Alice, was unable to hear or speak as a result of a debilitating childhood illness. Following the encouragement of his friend Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, who demonstrated that children like Alice had the capacity to learn, Cogswell became excited about the possibility of educating those who were deaf and mute. He was instrumental in establishing the country’s first asylum for the deaf and mute in Hartford in 1820. This institution is now known as the American School for the Deaf. His daughter was the school’s first student.
Cogswell was also one of the founders of the Connecticut retreat for the insane at Hartford, and he served as president of the Connecticut Medical Society for ten years. He communicated and collaborated with physician and writer Elihu Hubbard Smith, and their correspondence has been preserved. Cogswell died in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1830.