Text by Rich Dahlgren, photo by Bob Lawrie.
It is an annual custom each August for the Masons at Harris Lodge #91, F& A.M, Warner, to present a Community Service Award to a non-Mason/s who in the estimation of the lodge has contributed a great deal to their local community. In the past, the award has been given to teachers, lawyers, doctors, municipal workers in addition to others who have made a significant impact to the Warner area. The award ceremony followed the dinner at the lodge on Wednesday, August 13, 2014.
The selection committee, chaired by Past Master Worshipful Brother Donald H. Wheeler, Jr., along with Brother Ronald F. Piroso, reviewed all the nominations and recommended that it should be presented to twin sisters, Mary and Nancy Cogswell, long time residents of Warner.
Both ladies graduated from Simonds High School and then went on to college; Mary to the University of New Hampshire and then to Syracuse University getting her master’s degree in Library Science. She then worked as the librarian for the Massachusetts Historical Society and later as librarian for the Franklin Pierce Law School in Concord, NH. Nancy went to Burdett College in Boston following high school and worked for several investment firms in Boston.
Mary and Nancy now live on opposite ends of Main Street, Mary on West Main, Nancy on East Main. Since retirement, they have been extremely active in the Warner Historical Society, the Upton/Chandler House Museum, trustees for various town committees, including a number of local cemeteries. They have both served on various committees, as a Director, giving of their time and material to the Pillsbury Free Library in Warner, the United Church of Warner, and the Warner Fire Department where they gave the Department a LUCAS automatic chest compression device to the Rescue Squad.
The Cogswell sisters continue to donate their time and talent outside of Warner to include the Pope Memorial SPCA in Concord, and the Bradford Historical Society being used for the restoration of the old Post Office so that it could be used to display various historical collections.
During the development of Jim Mitchell Park in Warner, Nancy and Mary donated material support throughout the entire process. Nancy has the green thumb and several organizations in Warner have benefited from flowers, shrubs and a tree for the land around Harris Lodge. In addition, she maintains them also.
They each received an engraved plaque from Don Wheeler and a permanent plaque with an engraved plate will be posted in the Lodge.
The plaques were presented by Worshipful Brother Don Wheeler. (Back row L to R) Ken Cogswell, Dan Cogswell, Nancy Cogswell (Ken’s wife) and Brother Ron Piroso. Front row (L to R) Don Wheeler, Mary Cogswell, Nancy Cogswell and Worshipful Brother Brian Stiles, Master of Harris Lodge No. 91.