Joseph Hathaway Cosby
Encyclopedia
Joseph Hathaway Cosby was the second President of Hargrave Military Academy
Hargrave Military Academy
Hargrave Military Academy is a private American boarding school located in the town of Chatham, Virginia.Hargrave is a school affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Christian values that focuses on a college and military preparatory program...

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Biography

Joseph Hathaway Cosby was born on June 2, 1902 in Hampton, Virginia. After attending a variety of public schools, he entered Fork Union Military Academy and graduated from FUMA in 1921. Cosby then attended the University of Richmond, the University of Virginia, and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, receiving a degree from each college.

On September 17, 1924, Joseph H. Cosby married Helen Frances Eubank of Newport News, Virginia. They had one daughter, Jane Cosby.

Joseph Cosby was a pastor in Lexington, Virginia when World War II began. He joined the US Army Chaplains Corps in October 1942 and served until January 1946. Twenty-one months of Cosby's service was spent in the European Theater of Operations. Cosby received six battle stars and achieved the rank of major.

After his return to the United States, Cosby served as a pastor in Richmond and Lexington, Virginia. He succeeded Colonel Aubrey H. Camden as President of Hargrave Military Academy on July 28, 1951. Cosby became known as Colonel Cosby during this time, since the President of HMA is by tradition an honorary colonel if he hasn't achieved that rank or higher in military service. Colonel Cosby retired as President of HMA at the end of the 1969-1970 year, with then-Dean Vernon T. Lankford being his successor.

In 1984, Colonel Cosby published his book on Hargrave Military Academy, "From Ashes To Excellence", detailing the 1950–1970 years. The book's namesake is the fire of 1950 and the subsequent rebuilding of the school over many years. Four thousand copies were printed, costing Hargrave approximately $12,000.

Joseph H. Cosby died in October of 1998, at the age of 96. Colonel John W. Ripley and an honor guard of nine Hargrave cadets were among those present at Cosby's funeral.

Legacy

Colonel Cosby is well-remembered at Hargrave, where he was President for nineteen years. One of the most important buildings on campus, the Joseph H. Cosby Humanities and Sciences building, is named in his honor.
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