Section KU: Descendants of Thomas Cotton

David Thaler
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1. THOMAS1 COTTON was born about 1785 in Connecticut, United States, and died in May 1850 in Newbury Twp., La Grange Co., Indiana, United States[14]. He married HANNAH _____, who was born about 1787 in New York, United States[14], and died between 1 June 1850 and 1 June 1860[14, 15].
The biography of Sarah's son Samuel says she moved to Seneca Co. in 1825, and married Henry Hackett the following year, and in the 1830 census they are found in Thompson Twp., Seneca Co., Ohio.
Thomas Cotton and Henry Hackett both appear on the 1826 tax list of Thompson Twp., Seneca Co., Ohio, and Enos' middle name was Thomas.

Approximate birthdate of Thomas based on age of Hannah Cotton in the 1850 census, and age in 1810 census.

Birth place is based on father's birthplace data from 1880 census entries for Sarah, Enos, Mary, and Almera.

However the 1850 census mortality schedule lists Thomas died age 63, born in Vermont.
Seneca Co. Tax records (film #0532986):

1826 Thompson Twp:
Cotton Thomas: 0 horses, $0; 2 cattle, $16; state tax $0.032; county tax $0.40; total $0.432
Hackett Henry: 0 horses, $0; 2 cattle, $16; state tax $0.032; county tax $0.40; total $0.432

Of the 44 families in the twp., these 2, along with 3 others, owed the least amount of taxes.

1827 Thompson Twp:
Cotton Thomas: 0 horses, $0; 2 cattle, $16; state tax $0.048; county tax $0.128; road tax $0.048; school tax $0.008; total $0.232
Hackett Henry: 0 horses, $0; 7 cattle, $56; 16.8, 44.8, 16.8, 2.8, total $0.812

Of the 34 families, Thomas and one other owed the least amount of taxes.

In the 1828 and 1829 tax lists, no Cottons or Hacketts appear.

1830 Thompson Twp:
Hacket Henry: 0 horses, $0; 5 cattle, $40; 14c state, 28c county, 12c road, 3c school, 57c total

1831 Thompson Twp:
Hacket Henry: 0 horses, $0; 3 cattle, $24; 8.4c state, 19.2c county, 7.2c road, 2.4c school, 37.2c total

1832 Thompson Twp:
Hacket Henry: 0 horses, $0; 3 cattle, $24; 8.4c state, 14.4c county, 7.2c road, 30c total

1833 Thompson Twp:
Hacket Henry: 0 horses, $0; 3 cattle, $24; 7.2c state, 14.4c county & school, 7.2c road, 28.8c total
[end of film]

Seneca Co. will index (film #0388625) starts 1829 and contains no Hackets or Cottons in the 1828 - 1870 range.
Birth place of New York is based on mother's birthplace data from 1880 census entries for Sarah, Enos, Mary, and Almera.
Children:
+KT-2i.SARAH "SALLY"2 COTTON, b. on 28 Feb. 1809 in New York; d. on 26 July 1882 in Ravenna, Muskegon Co., Michigan, United States; m. (1) in 1826 in Seneca Co., Ohio, United States (SD-1) HENRY HACKETT, b. in Vermont, United States, d. in 1834; m. (2) on 28 June 1837 in La Grange Co. (RK-2) ESICK GREEN, b. in New York on 1 Feb. 1808[4, 14], d. in Ravenna Twp, Muskegon Co. on 19 Dec. 1893[4], son of (RK-1) _____ and Mrs. (GREEN) GREEN.
+KT-3ii.JANE COTTON, b. in 1811 in New York; d. on 12 May 1855 in La Grange Co.; m. (AQK-3) TRUMAN WILKINSON, b. in Vermont on 5 April 1809, d. in La Grange Co. on 1 Dec. 1857, son of (AQK-1) Nehemiah and Sally (HUNTER) WILKINSON.
+2iii.JAMES W. COTTON.
+3iv.WILLARD A. COTTON, b. about 1816 in New York; d. between 1851 and 1853; m. (2) on 15 April 1847 in La Grange Co. (ADS-19) PHEBE R. OSBORN, b. in New York about 1822[14], d. in 1854[22], daughter of (ADS-12) Garret and Hannah M. (_____) OSBORN.
+4v.ENOS THOMAS COTTON, b. about 1817 in New York; m. (1) on 5 July 1847 in Lake Co., Indiana LAVITA ANN COFFMAN; m. (2) on 22 April 1860 in Kankakee Co., Illinois, United States MRS. ELIZABETH RICE.
+5vi.LYDIA COTTON, b. about 1819 in New York; d. before 1854; m. on 17 March 1835 in Crawford Co., Ohio (AQK-7) HIRAM A. WILKINSON, b. in New York on 30 April 1816[3, 4], d. in Muskegon, Muskegon Co. in 1865[17], son of (AQK-1) Nehemiah and Sally (HUNTER) WILKINSON.
+6vii.MARY COTTON, b. about 1823 in New York; m. (1) on 9 May 1840 in La Grange Co. (AQK-8) NORMAN B. WILKINSON, b. in Vermont on 10 July 1819, d. in 1859, son of (AQK-1) Nehemiah and Sally (HUNTER) WILKINSON; m. (2) ASA S. ROBINSON, b. in New York in 1820[9].
+7viii.ALMERA E. A. COTTON, b. on 17 Sept. 1828 in Ohio; d. on 18 May 1898 in Western Twp., Otter Tail Co., Minnesota, United States; m. on 9 May 1849 in La Grange Co. (AJJ-1) SAMUEL P. SMITH, b. in Ohio about 1828[6].
Generation Two

2. JAMES W.2 COTTON (Thomas1), son of (1) Thomas1 and Hannah (_____) COTTON, was born between 1791 and 1830, and died between 1843 and 1940.
James, owning much more land than the other Cottons in the area, and being elected judge, was probably the oldest son.

Note: the linkage of William S., who appears in the 1850 census with James' mother Hannah, to here is unproven. He is, at least, more likely to be son of James than of Willard or Enos or Hannah.
James, a carpenter, owned 80 acres (W1/2 of SE1/4) in section 8 of Newbury Township. He is recorded in the county tract book as purchasing the land on March 26, 1836. In the index by grantee, he is recorded as purchasing the land from Alvarado Brown for $200 on July 6, 1836. He also bought 80 acres in Van Buren Township, bordering Newbury Twp, on July 19, 1836. James, listed as "of Seneca Co., Ohio", was granted the patent on the land in Newbury Twp on March 30, 1837. On April 3, 1837, he was elected as the township judge. He was granted the patent on the land in Van Buren Twp on August 20, 1838. Cotton Lake, near Shipshewana in Newbury Twp, Lagrange Co, Indiana was named after him.
Child:
8i.WILLIAM S.3 COTTON, b. in 1844.
3. WILLARD A.2 COTTON (Thomas1), son of (1) Thomas1 and Hannah (_____) COTTON, was born about 1816 in New York[14], and died between 1851 and 1853[22]. He married in La Grange Co., on 15 April 1847, (ADS-19) PHEBE R. OSBORN[11], daughter of (ADS-12) Garret and Hannah M. (_____) OSBORN, who was born about 1822 in New York[14], and died in 1854[22].
On April 21, 1836, Willard bought 40 acres (SE1/4 of SW1/4) in section 10 of Newbury Twp, and was granted the patent for this land on August 1, 1837. On February 24, 1838, he sold this land to Nathaniel P. Glazier, who then sold it to Willard's brother-in-law Esick Green later that year.

Willard was elected Constable in Newbury Twp sometime after 1837. In 1844, he had a daughter Eliza J. On April 15, 1847, he (re)married Phebe R. Osborn, and the next year they had a son George, who is listed as born in Illinois on the 1850 census. By the time of the 1850 census, the family was in White Pigeon Twp., St. Joseph Co., Michigan.

He and Phebe probably both died before 1860, since in the 1860 census their children are living with Phebe's parents Garret and Hannah Osborn there in White Pigeon Twp.
Child of: Willard A.2 COTTON:
+9i.ELIZA JANE3 COTTON, b. about 4 Jan. 1844 in Michigan; d. on 18 Nov. 1923 in Fawn River Twp, St. Joseph Co., Michigan; m. between June 1868 and Oct. 1868 in Burr Oak, St. Joseph Co. (APC-1) WILLIAM HENRY WALKER, b. about 7 Nov. 1837[21], d. in Burr Oak on 26 Oct. 1913[21].

Children of: Willard A.2 COTTON and Phebe R. OSBORN:
10i.GEORGE3 COTTON, b. about 1848 in Illinois.
+11ii.EUNICE A. COTTON, b. on 7 Sept. 1850 in Indiana; d. on 22 Sept. 1912 in Conklin, Ottawa Co., Michigan; m. on 15 Oct. 1872 in Wright Twp., Ottawa Co. (CS-14) EDWARD R. BALCOM, b. in United States on 31 Aug. 1852[2], d. in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan on 31 July 1935[1], son of (CS-10) Perry and Eliza (BAIN) BALCOM.
+12iii.ALONZO A. COTTON, b. on 11 Feb. 1852 near Otis, New Durham Twp., La Porte Co., Indiana; d. in 1940 in Burdick, Jackson Twp., Porter Co., Indiana; m. on 28 Sept. 1877 in Porter Co. (AIR-2) PRISCILLA SHANER, b. in Porter Co. on 23 Oct. 1855[12, 16], d. in Burdick on 23 Jan. 1943[12], daughter of (AIR-1) George W. and Lucinda (FRAME) SHANER.
4. ENOS THOMAS2 COTTON (Thomas1), son of (1) Thomas1 and Hannah (_____) COTTON, was born about 1817 in New York[14], and died between June 1880 and 1937. He married (1st) in Lake Co., on 5 July 1847, LAVITA ANN COFFMAN[11]. He married (2nd) in Kankakee Co., on 22 April 1860, MRS. ELIZABETH RICE[11, 18].
On November 8, 1838, Enos bought 20 acres of land in section 17 of Newbury Twp from his brother-in-law and sister, Truman and Jane Wilkinson, for $54. On September 16, 1839, Enos sold the land to Ann Beach. In the 1850 census, his family was in White Pigeon Twp., St. Joseph Co., Michigan, near his brother(?) Willard. In 1860, he remarried Mrs. Elizabeth Rice in Kankakee Co., Illinois and is found there in Yellowhead Twp in the 1860 census. In 1870 and 1880, Enos and Elizabeth were living in Lake Twp., Newton Co., Indiana.
Children of: Enos Thomas2 COTTON and Lavita Ann COFFMAN:
13i.MALINDA ROSETTA3 COTTON, b. in Jan. 1849 in Michigan; d. on 21 Aug. 1905 in West Branch, Ogemaw Co., Michigan; m. (1) on 6 Jan. 1868 in Marshall Co., Indiana GEORGE W. BURNETT; m. (2) on 25 July 1879 in Pontiac, Oakland Co., Michigan JOHN N. BITTERS, b. in Pennsylvania, United States in 1841, d. in Saginaw, Michigan on 27 July 1916.
14ii.JOHN J. COTTON, b. in Sept. 1851 in Michigan.
5. LYDIA2 COTTON (Thomas1), daughter of (1) Thomas1 and Hannah (_____) COTTON, was born about 1819 in New York, and died between March 1845 and Dec. 1854. She married in Crawford Co., on 17 March 1835, (AQK-7) HIRAM A. WILKINSON, son of (AQK-1) Nehemiah and Sally (HUNTER) WILKINSON, who was born on 30 April 1816 in New York[3, 4], and died in 1865 in Muskegon[17].
In the 1830 census, Hiram Wilkinson is found in Townsend Twp., Huron Co., Ohio. He and Lydia Cotton married on March 17, 1835 in Crawford Co., Ohio, and the next year they moved to Newbury Twp., Lagrange Co., Indiana.

On July 20, 1837, Hiram, listed as "of Elkhart Co., Indiana" was granted a land patent for 80 acres (E1/2 of SW1/4) in section 5 of Newbury Twp.
On June 19, 1839, Hiram and Lydia sold the north 40 acres to David Cass. Lydia's brother-in-law Esick Green later bought that land in 1841. Hiram and Lydia sold the south 40 acres to Lydia's sister Jane Wilkinson on May 5, 1842.

Hiram was also granted a land patent for 40 acres (NE1/4 of SE1/4) in section 15.
He was also granted a land patent for 40 acres (NE1/4 of NW1/4) in section 18.

Elsea H. Wilkinson was b. Jan 1855, dau. of H.A. & M.H. Hence it appears that Hiram remarried by 1854.
Children: See (AQK-7) Hiram A. WILKINSON
6. MARY2 COTTON (Thomas1), daughter of (1) Thomas1 and Hannah (_____) COTTON, was born about 1823 in New York, and died between June 1880 and 1936. She married (1st) in La Grange Co., on 9 May 1840, (AQK-8) NORMAN B. WILKINSON[11], son of (AQK-1) Nehemiah and Sally (HUNTER) WILKINSON, who was born on 10 July 1819 in Vermont, and died in 1859. She married (2nd) ASA S. ROBINSON, who was born in 1820 in New York[9].
Children of: Mary2 COTTON and Norman B. WILKINSON: See (AQK-8) Norman B. WILKINSON
7. ALMERA E. A.2 COTTON (Thomas1), daughter of (1) Thomas1 and Hannah (_____) COTTON, was born on 17 Sept. 1828 in Ohio[6, 23], died on 18 May 1898 in Western Twp.[23] and was buried in Western Twp.[23] She married in La Grange Co., on 9 May 1849, (AJJ-1) SAMUEL P. SMITH[11], who was born about 1828 in Ohio[6].
Children: See (AJJ-1) Samuel P. SMITH

Generation Three

9. ELIZA JANE3 COTTON (Willard A.2, Thomas1), daughter of (3) Willard A.2 COTTON, was born about 4 Jan. 1844 in Michigan[15], and died on 18 Nov. 1923 in Fawn River Twp[21]. She married in Burr Oak, between June 1868 and Oct. 1868, (APC-1) WILLIAM HENRY WALKER[10], who was born about 7 Nov. 1837[21], and died on 26 Oct. 1913 in Burr Oak[21].
Child: See (APC-1) William Henry WALKER
11. EUNICE A.3 COTTON (Willard A.2, Thomas1), daughter of (3) Willard A.2 and (ADS-19) Phebe R. (OSBORN) COTTON, was born on 7 Sept. 1850 in Indiana[2, 1], died on 22 Sept. 1912 in Conklin[1] and was buried on 25 Sept. 1912 in Ravenna[2]. She married in Wright Twp., on 15 Oct. 1872, (CS-14) EDWARD R. BALCOM[3, 24], son of (CS-10) Perry and Eliza (BAIN) BALCOM, who was born on 31 Aug. 1852 in United States[2], died on 31 July 1935 in Grand Rapids[1], and was buried on 3 Aug. 1935 in Ravenna.
The informant on her death certificate was her husband Edward, who reported she was born in Indiana, and her parents' names were not known. [1]
Children: See (CS-14) Edward R. BALCOM
12. ALONZO A.3 COTTON (Willard A.2, Thomas1), son of (3) Willard A.2 and (ADS-19) Phebe R. (OSBORN) COTTON, was born on 11 Feb. 1852 near Otis[12], died in 1940 in Burdick[12] and was buried in 1940 in Eight Square Cemetery, Pine Twp., Porter Co.[19, 25] He married in Porter Co., on 28 Sept. 1877, (AIR-2) PRISCILLA SHANER[5, 13], daughter of (AIR-1) George W. and Lucinda (FRAME) SHANER, who was born on 23 Oct. 1855 in Porter Co.[12, 16], died on 23 Jan. 1943 in Burdick[12], and was buried in 1943 in Eight Square Cemetery[19, 25].
Children:
+15i.WILLIAM BERT4 COTTON, b. in April 1875 in Indiana; d. in 1934; m. about 1897 (XY-2) ANNA LOGMAN, b. in Indiana in Nov. 1877[10], d. in 1936[25], daughter of (XY-1) _____ LOGMAN.
16ii.GUY M. COTTON, b. in Aug. 1879 in Porter Co.; d. on 18 Jan. 1885 in Pine Twp.
+17iii.EDITH E. COTTON, b. about 1881 in Indiana; d. in 1925; m. on 24 March 1898 in Porter Co. (AGH-1) ORIS J. REED, b. in Indiana about 1876[7], d. after 1940[12].

Generation Four

15. WILLIAM BERT4 COTTON (Alonzo A.3, Willard A.2, Thomas1), son of (12) Alonzo A.3 and (AIR-2) Priscilla (SHANER) COTTON, was born in April 1875 in Indiana[10], died in 1934[12] and was buried in 1934 in Eight Square Cemetery[25]. He married about 1897, (XY-2) ANNA LOGMAN[10, 7], daughter of (XY-1) _____ LOGMAN, who was born in Nov. 1877 in Indiana[10], died in 1936[25], and was buried in 1936 in Eight Square Cemetery[25].
Children:
18i.LIVING.
19ii.LIVING.
17. EDITH E.4 COTTON (Alonzo A.3, Willard A.2, Thomas1), daughter of (12) Alonzo A.3 and (AIR-2) Priscilla (SHANER) COTTON, was born about 1881 in Indiana[8], and died in 1925[12]. She married in Porter Co., on 24 March 1898, (AGH-1) ORIS J. REED[20], who was born about 1876 in Indiana[7], and died after 1940[12]. [12]
By 1910, she had had two children, of which only Gertrude was still living. [7]
Child: See (AGH-1) Oris J. REED


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