F. D. Colson
Encyclopedia
Frederick D. Colson was a nationally known American
amateur rower
, rowing coach and lawyer
. As a student at Cornell University
he rowed for Coach Charles E. Courtney
in several of the Cornell Navy’s most noted races. During his coaching career he was Courtney’s top assistant coach at Cornell as well Harvard University
head rowing coach in 1904. After coaching he dedicated himself to public service including being the State of New York law librarian, and Deputy and Assistant Attorney General
of New York.
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Colson started Cornell University in the fall of 1893. After rowing for the freshman crew in the summer of 1894, he made the Cornell varsity eight-oared team in his sophomore year under Coach Charles E. Courtney. That year he rowed in the Grand Challenge Cup
at the Henley Royal Regatta
in England
. The following year he was part of the crew that defeated Harvard, Pennsylvania and Columbia at Intercollegiate Rowing Association
Championship regatta in Poughkeepsie, New York
. In his senior year Colson was coxswain
of the crew which defeated Yale
and Harvard
at Poughkeepsie on June 24, 1897 and Pennsylvania
and Columbia
on the same course less than two weeks later. Colson was elected to the Sphinx Head Society
, Cornell's oldest senior honor society. He graduated in the spring of 1897, but returned to Cornell in the fall of 1898 to study law. That school year he captained the crew which defeated Yale and Harvard at New London, Connecticut
.
. He then returned to Cornell to become instructor in procedure in the law school and assistant coach of the rowing team under Courtney. As the assistant coach, his main responsibility was to development of the freshman
eight-oared crew. In 1904 Colson coached the Harvard University varsity crew. To coach at Harvard he received a leave of absence from Cornell for the spring term. In addition to coaching, he did research work and attended lectures in the Harvard law school. In Harvard’s annual intercollegiate regatta on the Thames with Yale. Colson’s Harvard crew split the two races, Yale capturing the eight-oared four-mile race by eight boat lengths, while Harvard took the four-oared two-mile race by a length after a Yale rower broke his oarlock. In the fall of 1904 Colson resumed his duties on the Cornell Law School faculty and his work with Coach Courtney.
Colson coached at Cornell until 1907. During his time as Courtney's assistant Cornell won several Intercollegiate Rowing Association
National Championship as well as freshman National Championships in 1902, 1903, and 1905.
in the State Library in Albany, New York
. With the appointment Colson resigned from the faculty of Cornell. After leaving the library he continued to dedicated himself to public service including being the Clerk of the State Court of Claims, (1915-1924); Deputy and Assistant Attorney General of New York, (1925-1931); and First Deputy State Reporter Court of Appeals
(1931-1945).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
amateur rower
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, rowing coach and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. As a student at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
he rowed for Coach Charles E. Courtney
Charles E. Courtney
Charles Edward Courtney was an American rower and rowing coach from Union Springs, New York. A carpenter by trade, Courtney was a nationally known amateur rower. Courtney never lost a race as an amateur and finished a total of 88 victories.In 1877, he moved from an amateur to a professional rower,...
in several of the Cornell Navy’s most noted races. During his coaching career he was Courtney’s top assistant coach at Cornell as well Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
head rowing coach in 1904. After coaching he dedicated himself to public service including being the State of New York law librarian, and Deputy and Assistant Attorney General
State Attorney General
The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states and territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those...
of New York.
Cornell University
Grand Challenge Cup
The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men's eights. It is the oldest and most prestigious event at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs...
at the Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The following year he was part of the crew that defeated Harvard, Pennsylvania and Columbia at Intercollegiate Rowing Association
Intercollegiate Rowing Association
The Intercollegiate Rowing Association runs the IRA Championship Regatta, which is considered to be the United States collegiate national championship of rowing. Since 1995, it has been held on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, New Jersey, and includes both men's and women's events for sweep boats...
Championship regatta in Poughkeepsie, New York
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
. In his senior year Colson was coxswain
Coxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
of the crew which defeated Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
at Poughkeepsie on June 24, 1897 and Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
on the same course less than two weeks later. Colson was elected to the Sphinx Head Society
Sphinx Head
The Sphinx Head Society is the oldest senior honor society at Cornell University. Sphinx Head recognizes Cornell senior men and women who have demonstrated respectable strength of character on top of a dedication to leadership and service at Cornell University...
, Cornell's oldest senior honor society. He graduated in the spring of 1897, but returned to Cornell in the fall of 1898 to study law. That school year he captained the crew which defeated Yale and Harvard at New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
.
Coach
Colson graduated from Cornell with a law degree and practiced law for two years in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. He then returned to Cornell to become instructor in procedure in the law school and assistant coach of the rowing team under Courtney. As the assistant coach, his main responsibility was to development of the freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
eight-oared crew. In 1904 Colson coached the Harvard University varsity crew. To coach at Harvard he received a leave of absence from Cornell for the spring term. In addition to coaching, he did research work and attended lectures in the Harvard law school. In Harvard’s annual intercollegiate regatta on the Thames with Yale. Colson’s Harvard crew split the two races, Yale capturing the eight-oared four-mile race by eight boat lengths, while Harvard took the four-oared two-mile race by a length after a Yale rower broke his oarlock. In the fall of 1904 Colson resumed his duties on the Cornell Law School faculty and his work with Coach Courtney.
Colson coached at Cornell until 1907. During his time as Courtney's assistant Cornell won several Intercollegiate Rowing Association
Intercollegiate Rowing Association
The Intercollegiate Rowing Association runs the IRA Championship Regatta, which is considered to be the United States collegiate national championship of rowing. Since 1995, it has been held on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, New Jersey, and includes both men's and women's events for sweep boats...
National Championship as well as freshman National Championships in 1902, 1903, and 1905.
Legal career
In the fall of 1908, Colson was appointed law librarianLibrarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
in the State Library in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. With the appointment Colson resigned from the faculty of Cornell. After leaving the library he continued to dedicated himself to public service including being the Clerk of the State Court of Claims, (1915-1924); Deputy and Assistant Attorney General of New York, (1925-1931); and First Deputy State Reporter Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals
A court of appeals is an appellate court generally.Court of Appeals may refer to:*Military Court of Appeals *Corte d'Assise d'Appello *Philippine Court of Appeals*High Court of Appeals of Turkey*United States courts of appeals...
(1931-1945).