Thomas Charles Cossitt

The Cossitt Family Association gives credit to Thomas Charles Cossitt for helping to found our association as it exists today. 

Thomas C. Cossitt was born in Brockville, Ontario, Canada on November 15, 1923.  Cousin Thomas was the 6th great grandson of Rene and Ruth Cossitt.  His Cossitt lineage comes from François, the second son of Rene and Ruth.  His great great grandfather was Germain Mott Cossitt, a founder of the Cossitt Bros. Agricultural Implement Factory.

Cousin Thomas became a member of the Canadian Parliament representing Leeds-Greenville in 1972.  He was re-elected in 1974, 1979 and 1980.  He was a man of the people who insisted that they be told the truth.  He had a healthy skepticism of the effect power has on individuals and this made it difficult for him to entirely trust the players and politicians in government.  He believed in democracy and the ability of the people to govern themselves wisely if they were given the chance.  He acquired a reputation for controversy, but that was a consequence of his actions, not the motive for his actions.  He delighted in being a thorn in the side of Prime Minister Trudeau.

At a reunion for the Cossitt Family Association held in North Granby, CT in 1977, Cousin Thomas, and his wife Jennifer, dedicated new grave markers for Rene and Ruth Cossitt as well as for François, the second son of Rene and Ruth.

As part of his official duties, he attended a riding executive meeting in Brockville, on March 15, 1982 where he suffered a heart attack and died that night.

Many of Tom’s Cossitt materials were donated to the Brockville Museum and are available for public viewing.  Their website is www.brockvillemuseum.com