Cookson, James (bap. 1751, d. 1835), clergyman 

Cookson, James (bap. 1751, d. 1835), Church of England clergyman, was baptized on 14 April 1751 at Martindale, Westmorland, the son of John Cookson. He received his academic education at Queen's College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1777. He graduated BA on 13 June 1781, and proceeded MA on 13 July 1786. Meanwhile he had been instituted, in September 1785, to the family-owned rectory of Colemore with Priors Dean, Hampshire, to which he was inducted the following October. Colemore and Priors Dean were both small livings with fewer than 200 inhabitants. He was also for many years curate of the neighbouring village of Steep, and about 1796 was presented to the vicarage of Harting, Sussex. Popular report says that he was put into the last-named living under a bond of resignation, and that when asked to resign he said ‘his conscience did not allow him to do so’. As incumbent of Colemore he was also a trustee and frequently acting curate of East Tistead.

Despite the cares of three parishes some miles apart, Cookson found time for writing. His first work was entitled Thoughts on Polygamy (1782) and consisted of reflections on the institution of marriage and its obligations. He outlined the laws relating to it, and particularly discussed 26 Geo. II, ch. 33, commonly called the Marriage Act. Cookson also commented on the Revd Martin Madan's Thelypohthora, and suggested a scheme for the prevention of prostitution. His next work was A New Family Prayer-Book (1783). This was followed in 1784 by The Universal Family Bible. Between the appearance of the last two works Cookson had become master of Churcher's College, Petersfield, through the recommendation of Lord Clanricarde, a local Hampshire landowner. In 1784 Churcher's College was a small establishment, with only a dozen boys in residence.

Cookson was of eccentric habits, and is said once to have announced in church, ‘I have forgotten my sermon, but I will read you a true account of the battle of Waterloo.’ In 1814 he was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He died on 6 January 1835 at Petersfield, and was buried on 12 January in the chancel of Colemore church, Hampshire.

GORDON GOODWIN, rev. WILLIAM GIBSON

See also this link as regards COOKSON family http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cookson/HistoryJessieCookson.html