My Great Grandfather John Cogman

John Cogman

By W. Craig Burrell

Key Points

Born: 8 March 1837 Norwich, Norfolk, England

Parents: Robert Cogman and Maria Reed

Spouse and Marriage: Louisa Colman, 5 May 1862

Death: 23 September 1898

            John Cogman was born 8 March 1837 in Norwich, Norfolk, England. He was the fourth child of Robert Cogman and Mary Read. He had six siblings.

            He had but a few months of formal schooling. At the age of seven, it became necessary for him to remain home to care for his younger brother, Charles. John’s mother died when he was about six years old..

            John was a short heavy set man, with a round kindly face. A late picture shows him with gray hair and a beard. This picture hung on the wall of his daughter, Emma’s home for years. In his best attire: tall silk hat, coat with swallow tails, white gloves and cane he looked like a gentleman. He was a very proud man and carried himself well.

            In spite of his lack of schooling he became a good business man and was well respected in the city of Norwich. He worked with his uncles, William and Charles read learning building and carpentry work.

            While John was working with his Uncle Charles building a home in Norwich, he met Louisa Colman who was living with an aunt who ran an Inn. Her aunt sent Louisa back to her parents in Kings Lynn to avoid young John Cogman. This did not deter John. He traveled to Kings Lynn and asked Louisa’s father for her hand in marriage in a most appropriate fashion.

            John married Louisa Colman when he was 25 years old and Louisa was only 16. Louisa bore 15 Children: Ernest Arthur 1864, Charles 1865, Louisa 1867, Emma 1869, Louisa 1871, Emma Louisa 1873, Henry (Harry) 1874, Robert 1876, Alice 1878, John Percival (Jack) 1880, Robert 1882, Walter Sidney 1884, Edward 1884, Edward 1886, and Katheleen (Kate) 1890. Only 11 of these children lived to be adults.

            His business grew as his family grew. He acquired property for his shops and storage of tools and materials. He became involved in building coffins. His motto was, “Taint the cough that carries you off, but the coffin they carry you off in.”

            He would often make this statement. “Don’t bury me until I begin to stink.” He would explain his statement with this little story. “On a particular occasion I was requested to make a coffin for a certain woman who had just passed away. Coffins were usually nothing fancy then. The lids were left off until after the viewing. After the viewing, they were fastened in place with screws. After this certain woman’s viewing, I was called upon to fasten down the lid. As I was about to place the lid in place, I gazed for a moment into the woman’s face. To my surprise she winked at me. I called for a mirror. I held it in front of her face, and a trace of vapor appeared on the mirror. Her doctor was called and the woman was pronounced alive.”

            John also told the woman’s story. “I heard him pronounce me dead. I said to myself, ‘It’s funny you can hear what people say when your dead.’ They put me in a coffin so I knew I was dead; however, still I could see people come and look at me. I just stared back until the coffin maker came to put the lid on the coffin. I said to myself, ‘I wonder if I could just make that eye wink at him and scare him?’ I tried it and here I am today.”

            John related, “I was scared when she winked, and I am still scared. I don’t want to be buried alive. Don’t bury me until I begin to stink.”

            John Cogman didn’t usually say much about religion. He had a pew in St. Peter Mancroft Church of England, but his religious beliefs were aligned towards the Baptists. His daughter Emma related this experience. “I had been baptized in the Church of England when I was 14 years of age. Nevertheless, I was never confirmed. My father refused to stand in as a god father. He said there was only one “God-Father” and he was in heaven. He also said that the only correct form of baptism was to go down into the water. Making a little cross on the forehead with a wet finger was not baptism.”

            John’s sister Rachael owned several houses and shops in Norwich. John maintained this property sometimes at his own expense for years. He did have the use of some of the shops. As time went on, John’s prosperity dwindled. He mortgaged his business and property. He believed that Rachael would leave her property to him when she died. However, she left her property to her nephew Charles Cogman. John was distraught about this. His family felt that this was what triggered his heart attack and death six months later.

            His wife Louisa was left with a lot of mortgages. None of his family was interested in taking over the construction business. The children married and moved away leaving Louisa in a very poor situation financially.

Sources: This material is taken from recollections of Emma Louisa Cogman Burrell, and writings of Herbert Burrell and Doris Burrell St. Jeor.