Cozine+&+Gascoine

=Cozine & Gascoine=


 * JAMES GASCOINE** James Gascoine deceased late president of the People's Bank Brooklyn lived a life of great usefulness standing not only high in the ranks of the financiers of the city but as a pioneer in the development of one of its most important residential districts a portion of the twenty sixth ward in which he built more than one thousand homes sufficient for the abodes of the entire population of many a city in the interior.

He was born July 26 1844 on the farm of his father John Gascoine which is now included in the city and is bounded on two sides by what is now Broadway and Cooper streets James Gascoine attended the old North Moore street school in New York and afterwards the public schools in Flatbush When he was about fourteen the illness of his father who died four years later necessitated the suspension of his studies and his application to labor in behalf of the family He aided in the cultivation of the paternal farm and afterwards took employment in a grocery store in Washington Market New York City Here he developed a genuine business ability and about the time of coming of age he opened a grocery establishment of his own on Dean street and Carlton avenue in Brooklyn He subsequently conducted a milk business in Glendale and while so engaged he came to realize the inevitable growth of population and the necessity for providing for it in this exhibition of foresight anticipating many who were regarded as the most astute real estate operators in the city The region which appealed to him as most promising and advantageous was that now comprising the twenty seventh and twenty eighth wards He accordingly established a business partnership with the late John Cozine and the firm of Cozine & Gascoine entered upon the work of building up that district erecting houses on both sides of Weirfield street both sides of Halsey street both sides of Hancock street and both sides of Evergreen avenue Mr Gascoine was so occupied until 1893 with unabated activity and it is a recognized fact that he was immediately interested in the construction of a greater number of houses than any other one man in the entire history of Brooklyn

Late in 1892 Mr Gascoine felt that all immediate necessities had been provided for in the way of building and he looked about for a more active field in which to employ his boundless energies Realizing that the enlarged larged population and consequent broadened business had made an opportunity and even a necessity for a bank in the new district he gave himself to the work of organizing such an institution and as a result the People's Bank was opened for business in May 1893 with Mr Gascoine as president For the first four years he faithfully and diligently discharged the duties of the position entirely without compensation using every influence at his command to increase the business of the bank and bring to it as customers the best elements of the new community for such it was Latterly he devoted his entire time to the interests of the institution and persistently refused all solicitation to accept any office or position which would take time or effort which would in the least degree militate against his usefulness as a bank official He was ever willing however to perform any labor or assume any burden which was not incompatible with the interests which he thus placed first and he took an active part in various public enterprises He as a director in the Eastern District Savings Bank and interested in other corporations It was his particular distinction to be the first to advocate the erection of the new East River bridge and recognition came in the conferring upon him of the appellation of Father of the Bridge It is almost needless to say that he was urgent and constant in pressing the necessity for the structure which he advocated and he was a prime factor in every movement from incip iency to completion

Of splendid social qualities and liberally informed Mr Gascoine was a highly regarded member of various leading social organizations the Union League the Bushwick Club the Arion Singing Society and the Eastern District Turn Verein Though not a professed church member he was indeed a practical everyday Christian whose life furnished a living example for all Generous in his disposition he was a liberal contributor to all religious and charitable institutions regardless of name or creed His sympathy for the afflicted was peculiarly tender and not only found expression in substantial benefactions but in such gifts as flowers He often remarked that his greatest pleasure lay in being able to afford aid and comfort to some needy deserving human less fortunate than himself Such genuine kindliness of heart broad sympathy and charitable acts won for him the friendship of all who were brought in contact with him and he was also held in high regard by a large business acquaintance for the happy manner in which he combined his business abilities and his large hearted charitableness He was particularly admired for his services in connection with the celebrated Relief Bazaar of 1893 for the relief of the poor in the eastern district which made distribution of many thousands of dollars worth of food clothing fuel medicines etc to the poor In this beneficent enterprise he took a foremost part in the work of organization and in bringing the work to its highly successful consummation

Mr Gascoine was married January 31 1866 to Miss Jennie Furman a daughter of Joseph Furman of Newtown Of their marriage were born three children a son who died in childhood and two daughters Mrs Anna Hummell to whom were born three children James Frank and Florence and Mrs Josephine Cole Mr Gascoine passed away aged sixty years The funeral services were attended by one of the largest assemblages ever witnessed in the eastern district upon a funereal occasion attesting the deep respect and affection in which the lamented deceased was held The interment took place in Evergreen Cemetery.


 * Copied from //A History of Long Island:// //from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume 3// by Peter Ross and William Smith Pelletreau, The Lewis Publishing Co. New York, 1905 (p92-93) **

=List of projects=

1047-1065 Hancock Street 11-45 Weirfield Street 20-46 Weirfield Street 48 Weirfield Street 67-75 Weirfield Street 68-110 Weirfield Street 77-113 Weirfield Street 989-991 Halsey Street 999-1003 Halsey Ave 1009-1013 Halsey Street 1042-1044 Halsey Street 1037-1079 Halsey Street 1060-1074 Halsey Street

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