August M. Cosgrove Portrait and Biographical Record, Pages 465, 466 AUGUST M. COSGROVE, the efficient Superintendent of the Grand Haven waterworks, was born in Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio, February 15, 1855. He is a sonof Stephen C. and Hannah (Hiler) Cosgrove, the former of whom was a native ofNew Jersey and the latter of New York. Stephen C. Cosgrove was a broom-maker bytrade, but during the latter part of his life successfully followed theoccupation of farming. On the 17th of February, 1877, he died inCrawford County, Ohio, when in the seventy-first year of his age. His widowsurvived him until September, 1891, when she passed away in Crawford County,Ohio. The paternal grandfather was William Cosgrove. August M. Cosgrove spent his early life on the home farm in Ohio, where hereceived such instruction as the locality afforded, entering school at the ageof six years. A knowledge of books, however, is not always an education, and inthe school of experience one may acquire a much more practical knowledge than hecan in the colleges and seminaries, however good the latter may be; and thus itwas with Mr. Cosgrove, for all his practical acquirements have been gained sincehe started out to fight the battle of life for himself. He secured employment inthe steam-engine works at Bucyrus, Ohio, but in 1878 left that place to removeto Adrian, Mich. While employed in the Adrian water works, he acquired aknowledge of the details of the business which eminently fitted him for thesuccessful discharge of the duties of his present position. After residing inAdrian for eight years, he went to Richmond, and was in the employ of aprominent firm there for about one year. In the fall of 1885, our subject came to Grand Haven, and was appointedSuperintendent of the Grand Haven water works, which position he is veryacceptably filling at the present time. As a citizen, he is prompt and liberalin responding to the demands of the public, when the common good is brought intoquestion, and he is at all times willing to bear his proportion of the burdensof expenditure and labor needed in attaining the highest material success. He isnow in the prime of life, with vigorous constitution, good habits and loftyprinciples. November 28, 1878, Mr. Cosgrove was united in marriage with Miss Sarah AnnSmith, of Jasper, Mich., daughter of Frank J. Smith, and to their union twochildren have been given, a son and a daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Cosgrove arepopular in the social circles of Grand Haven, and although they have not residedin the place any great length of time, they have made many friends, whom it istheir pleasure to welcome to the comfortable and hospitable home on FranklinStreet. Socially, Mr. Cosgrove is a member of the order of the Maccabees.

Portrait & Biographical Record of Muskegon & OttawaCounties, Michigan 1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company

Transcriber: Susan Gates Davis
Created: 28 April 2003
URL: Return to Bios Index