Joseph Bartholomew Cosnahan

Joseph Bartholomew Cosnahan

• Father: Bartholomew Cosnahan b. circa 1778, d. 1820
• Mother: Rebecca Crosland b. 1790

• Joseph Bartholomew Cosnahan was born circa 1820 in South Carolina.
• Rebecca Crosland appeared in the US federal census of 7 August 1820 in Marlboro County, South Carolina. Other (counted but unnamed) members of the household apparently included Joseph Bartholomew Cosnahan, Edward J. Cosnahan, Rebecca Cosnahan, Ann Elizabeth Cosnahan and Sarah Cosnahan. Also in the household was one male age 16-26, possibly extended family or hired help, an overseer?
• The following appeared in Edward Cosnahan received his AB degree from South Carolina College in 1832, and Joseph B. Cosnahan attended the College in 1838 but left after his freshman year.
• The following is an abstract of a petition was filed 11 January 1842 in the Equity Court, Cheraw, South Carolina: William Crosland prays that the sale of a slave belonging to his ward, Joseph B. Cosnahan, be confirmed. Crosland represents that Joseph’s former guardian, Christopher J. Pegues, left for Alabama a number of years ago, taking with him one of Joseph’s slaves named Lindy. It was Pegues’s intention to come back and fetch Joseph and the other slaves as soon as the term for which the slaves had been hired had expired. However, Joseph became unwilling to follow Pegues to Alabama, and Crosland was therefore appointed his new guardian. When Pegues offered to buy Lindy from Joseph, Crosland was initially "at a loss" whether to send for the slave and bring her back to South Carolina or to sell her to Pegues. However, considering the funds needed for Joseph’s education and with Joseph’s assent, he decided to do the latter. In 1838, he sold Lindy and her child to Pegues for the sum of $700. He now seeks an order of the court confirming the sale.
• He married Louisa Mercer Waller, daughter of Robert Page Waller and Julia Weeden Mercer, on 8 May 1843 in Washington, District of Columbia.
• The following appeared on 3 November 1846 in the Fayetteville Observer: At a meeting held at Bennettsville, S.C. the following gentlemen were appointed Delegates to the Rail Road convention to be held in this town on to-morrow, viz: Gen. John McQueen. . . J. B. Cosnahan, and C. A. Thornwell. From Raleigh. . .
• Joseph Bartholomew Cosnahan and Louisa Mercer Waller appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1850 in Matagorda County, Texas, living in a hotel operated by Galen Hodges.. Other members of the household included Roberta Ould Cosnahan, Robert W. Cosnahan and Mary Mercer Cosnahan.
• He was a lawyer, according to the 1850 census.
• Joseph Bartholomew Cosnahan became a widower at the 30 October 1856 death of his wife Louisa Mercer Waller.
• It was reported in November 1856 that J. B. Cosnahan was selected as one of four delegates from the First District of Virginia to the Southern Commercial Convention.
• He married Ellen J. (?) say 1857.
• Joseph Bartholomew Cosnahan and Ellen J. (?) appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1860 in Williamsburg, Virginia. Other members of the household included Roberta Ould Cosnahan, Robert W. Cosnahan, Mary Mercer Cosnahan, Corbin Waller Cosnahan, Hugh Mercer Cosnahan and Louisa Cosnahan.
• He was a lawyer, according to the 1860 census.
• Joseph Bartholomew Cosnahan died in 1862 of typhoid fever.
• Published in an 1878 History of Bennettsville: Just below the Old Court House, stands Evan's mill, a spot somewhat remarkable, being distinguished as the place where a cotton gin was first run by water, for the accommodation of the public. Mr. Bartholomew Cosnahan is said to have rented the water power and first applied it to that use. . . .
       The name of Mr. Bartholomew Cosnahan having been introduced it is as well to give some account of his family also. He resided on the hill overlooking the swamp in the back part of the field now [1870s] cultivated by Mr. J. C. Powell. The house is now standing. It was a somewhat pretentious building for those times, being two stories high, with double piazza in front. He was twice married, and when he died, left his widow and two sons and two daughters surviving him. One of his sons, Edward J. Cosnahan, a graduate of the South Carolina College, died afterwards in Bennettsville. He was a young man of brilliant talents, and fully qualified to make his mark in the world, had his ambition led him in that direction. The other son Joseph, married in Virginia and after planting a few years in this county, removed to Texas, where his wife died. He afterwards returned to Virginia and married again, and not very long afterward died, leaving a widow and one child, who since the war have immigrated to Marlborough, to make their home. The two daughters married and settled in Alabama--so that this name also, has in the male line entirely disappeared. Mr. B. Cosnahan owned both sides of the road as you pass down by Mr. Powell's store, and his plantation at that time, was, for it size, one of the most valuable in the State. Sometime after his death his widow had a new house built in the corner of her field just opposite Mr. Powell's store, and removed there with her family, but before many years died leaving her children surviving her.
       Adjoining his plantation on the Marion road lived Mr. Alexander Lamb, who had a large family, and considerable estate--and opposite to him lived Mr. James Forniss. Both these names have also disappeared from this county. . . .

• Last Edited: 22 Nov 2014