Paschal Heston Coggins

(1852-1917)
California

"Coggins, Paschal Heston, lawyer and novelist, b. Philadelphia, Pa., 1852; d. Germantown, Pa., Nov. 14 1917."

[W. Stewart Wallace (ed.), A Dictionary of North American Authors Deceased Before 1950 92 (Toronto: The Ryerson Press, 1951)]

"COGGINS, PASCHAL H., attorney-at-law, Sacramento; was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1852; removed to California with parents in 1853; settled at Sacramento in 1855, and has ever since resided at or near that city. He graduated from the law department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1872, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Law. Was admitted to practice before the Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania and California in 1873, and has practiced law in the City of Sacramento ever since that date, except one year, during which he practiced in Oroville, Butte County. Was married to Caroline Leonard in 1876, and has one child, Albert H., born July 17, 1877. In the fall of 1879 was elected Justice of the Peace for the City of Sacramento for the year 1880." [Sacramento County Biographies]

The Awakening

Before the nation's gat stood Peace. The fire
   Of outraged Justice blazed through all the land.
   Silent the Goddess. Solemnly her hand
Was raised aloft to curb the quickening ire
Of those her chose people. Hope, desire—
   Aye, prayer itself—were still for Peace. "Command,"
   Aloud they creied, "but while we waiting stand,
Look thou lest Honor i thine arms expire."
And he who ruled the nation's destiny
    Took not his gaze from off that face benign,
Yet held in leash the gathering dogs of war.
But hark! Wave-borne comes Mercy's smothered cry.
   And los! Where stood but now that dorm divine,
Armored and grim, stalks Mars. The dream is o'er.

[Godey's Magazine, June, 1898, p. 591]

Writings

Paschal Heston Coggins, A Singular Case of Mistaken Identity (Philadelphia, 1889)

__________________, Harry Ambler; or The Stolen Deed (Philadelphia: Penn Pub. Co., 1890)

___________________, The Moncasket Mystery and How Tom Hardy Solved It (Philadelphia: Penn Pub. Co., 1909)

___________________, Parliamentary Law: Plain, Sensible Rules and Reasons, for Quick Use in Public Meetings of All Sorts (Philadelphia: Penn Pub. Co., 1910)

___________________, Law and How to Keep Out of It: Iin which is explained and illustrated those legal principles which concern the everyday affairs of busy people (Philadelphia: Penn Pub. Co., 1899)(Philadelphia: Penn Pub. Co., 1927

___________________, Parliamentary Law (Philadelphia: Penn Pub. Co., 1911)