Reverend Joseph Osgood
1815–1898
Government/Civic Leader
Reverend Joseph Osgood was a preeminent figure in Cohasset who, for 60 years, shaped and influenced the schools and citizens of Cohasset. He was born in 1815 in Kensington, New Hampshire, and married Ellen Devereaux (Sewall). Together, they had 11 children. He was educated at Phillips Academy in New Hampshire in 1837, Harvard Divinity School, S.T.B. in 1842, and Harvard College, S.T.D., in 1892 before arriving in Cohasset.
Rev. Osgood’s first experience teaching in Cohasset was in 1939 while at Harvard Divinity School. He arrived by stagecoach and thought, "This is a town where I should like to spend the rest of my days." His classroom was in a little schoolhouse on the rocks, where St. Stephen's Church now stands. He then taught for several winters in the Cohasset Centre Grammar School (1839–1840). For forty-five years he served on the school committee or as the Superintendent of Schools. He desired only the best and most advanced teaching methods for Cohasset. To honor him, successive Cohasset elementary schools have been named the Joseph Osgood School.
Rev. Osgood also led the First Parish Church as its ordained minister from 1842 until his death. In the early years of his pastorate, the Irish and Portuguese community found him to be a compassionate counselor, especially since there was no Catholic church in town. Osgood's willingness to lend an ear and offer support made an impact on the lives of those seeking solace and comfort. He is remembered for his understanding. He said, "Be with those who go down to the sea in ships and do business on the great waters."
Rev. Osgood lived in the First Parish house built by Rev. Nehemiah Hobart in 1722. Rev. John Browne later owned it. The three ownerships cover about 125 years.
Ellen Sewell Osgood
1822–1892
Cultural Influencer
Osgood was a prolific writer and the daughter of a Scituate Unitarian minister. Her aunt and grandmother were tenants in the Concord family home of Henry Thoreau. It was there that she made his acquaintance and developed a keen interest in the natural world, collecting specimens of rocks, minerals, and flowers that she pressed. Thoreau fell in love with Sewell and courted her unsuccessfully. Following her refusal to marry him, he spent two years living in the Concord Woods and wrote "Walden Pond," chronicling his experiences of living life simply. She married Reverend Joseph Osgood. Her letters are kept at the Huntington Library in California.
