Three of Ward's sons had been students at Round Hill School.[5] Cogswell also became editor of the New York Review, one of the leading American critical journals of the time. He remained as editor until its suspension in 1842. Through Ward, he became the friend and companion of John Jacob Astor, upon whom he urged the project of a library.[5] Succeeding in this promotion, Cogswell, in conjunction with Astor, Washington Irving and Fitz-Greene Halleck, arranged the plan of the Astor Library.