William Cole Cozzens (August 26, 1811 – December 17, 1876) was an American politician and the 28th Governor of Rhode Island.

Cozzens was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on August 26, 1811.

He was a successful dry goods businessman and President of the Rhode Island Union Bank.

Cozzens ran in the next gubernatorial election, but lost to Republican James Y. Smith and left office on May 26, 1863.

[4] His great-grandson, James Gould Cozzens, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist.