COTTON of BERTIE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA A John Cotten, evidently the ancestor of this North Carolina family, appears in the Isle of Wight records Jan. 26, 1698-99, as an appraiser of the estate of James Gardner. (CI 57; Bk. A- 415). He married a daughter of William Godwin of Isle of Wight who in his will dated Nov. 21, 1719. mentioned among other lega- tees his daughter -------- Bridger (torn); dau. Mary Whitehead (See Whitehead H. S. F. Vol. I) and his daughter MARTHA COT- TON (CI - 8). John Cotton in 1711 was living in Nansemond near the junction of the boundaries of that county with Isle of Wight and North Carolina. Philip Ludwell, one of the commissioners for the "set- ting the bounds" between N.C. and Va. stated, July 28, 1711, that it was agreed next that we meet at John Cotton's house at South Key. Also, from "Nansemond Indian Town", August 1, 1711, John Lawson, one of Comrs. for N.C., wrote to Benj. Harrison a Commissioner for Va. "I desire your appointment at John Cotton's and hope it will by the last of this month" (5 V. 21). John Cotton moved to Bertie Co., N.C., where his will was probated, May Court, 1728. His legatees were: sons, JOHN (see later), WILLIAM, SAMUEL, THOMAS, ARTHUR, JOSEPH, ALEXANDER (see H.S.F. 2 - 76); wife MARTHA COTTON; son- in-law, John Thomas, Capt. John Spears; daus. SUSANNAH and PRISCILLA COTTON, MARTHA BENTON, widow of Francis Benton. Exrs. Thomas Bryan and William Bennett; wits. Thom- as Bryant, Thos. Strange, Mary Parker. (Grimes 84). Martha Cotton, widow of John, married secondly William Green, (see V. H. F. 217). John2 Cotton, son of John¹, made his Verbal Will in North- ampton Co., where he died on Feb. 2, 1741. He bequeathed to son JOHN "plantation whereon I live" and to son BENJAMIN "plantation where Philip Eden lives", daus. MARY BRUCLE (or Breecle) "land at Blue Water"; ANNE COTTON, SARAH COTTON, wife ANNE. Exr. William Cotton, brother; wits. Richel Barfield, Thomas Cowan, John Dawson (Grimes - 83). Samuel Cotton, son of John, made his will in Northampton County Jan. 16, 1774, probated May 18, 1774; (See V.H.G. 217). Wills of the Cotton - Cotten family are numerous, both in Northampton and Edgecombe after 1760 and the wills and deeds of those counties should be investigated, in order to write an accurate account of this family. The records of Hertford County, N.C., were burned in 1830 and as for this branch of the family with whom we are concerned, we have to rely upon the tradition that a Thomas Cotton of Hert- 82 83 Mrs. Sarah Bridger was the wife of William Bridgers and the daughter of John Dew, born 1675 (deposition), son of John Dew of Isle of Wight and grandson of Colonel Thomas Dew of Nanse- mond. Speaker of the House of Burgess 1652 (See 17 c; Mrs. Chapman’s Wills; Hening). She married secondly a Mr. Cotton whose first name has not been ascertained. Samuel Bridgers, son of William Bridgers and Wife Elizabeth Godwin, apparently married a daughter of John Johnson (wife Mary) whose will made in Northampton County, N.C., on Jan. 27, 1745-46 named granddaughter Mary Johnson Bridger. On May 15, 1750, he recorded the following cattle mark in Edge- combe County: "A square and half Moon under the Left & a slit & half Moon under the right. S on ye near Buttock.”⁸³ He made his will in Northampton County on Dec. 13, 1748, probated in Feb. Court, 1756⁸⁴: (1) daughter Mary Bridgers to have 200 acres on Tarkill Branch, (2) daughter Patience Bridgers to have 200 acres on Tarkill Branch, (3) executor William Boon and (4) witnesses John Core, Jesse Dardin, and Joseph Bridgers. Children: I. Mary Bridgers II. Patience Bridgers William Bridger, son of Robert Bridger, joined Daniel Her- ring, Jr., in appraising the estate of Hezekiah Edwards on Feb. 6, 1777. He, James Johnson, and Joshua Turner appraised James Tomlin on April 4, 1782. The first two and Nathaniel Fleming examined the account of the estate of Benjamin Westray on Aug. 1. William Bridger was 2nd Lieutenant in Captain James Johnson’s Company of Isle of Wight County Militia on July 6, 1780, and was promoted to 1st. Lieutenant in May of 1781. His will was made on Dec. 18, 1776, but was not probated until Jan. 6, 1785: (1) wife Amy Bridger, (2) security Samuel Bridger, and (3) witnesses Henry Pitt, Edmond Godwin, and Robert Law- rence. William Bridgers, who married Sarah Dew, daughter of John Dew and wife Susannah Shearer, made his will in Bertie County, North Carolina, on March 11, 1728-29, probated in Nov. Court: (1) son William to have the ”plantation whereon I now live,” (2) son Joseph, to have the ’’plantation of Fishing Creek," (3) son John to have 100 acres, (4) daughter Sarah Bridgers, (5) bro- thers William Bryant (married to Patience Dew) and Benjamin Bridgers, (6) father-in-law and executor John Dew, Sr., (7) wife Sarah and (8) witnesses John Dawson, William Bryant, Richard Huise and Mary Huise. On August 11, 1730, Sarah (S) Bridgers, executor of William Bridgers, deceased, sold to Abraham Bagget for L10 current Virginia money 150 acres, north of Neherrin River in Bertie County, witnesses by William Bryant and Francis Brown. She remarried and as Sarah Cotten made her will in Northampton County on Dec. 7, 1753, probated in Feb. Court, 1754: (1) son and executor William Bridgers, (2) son Joseph Bridgers, (3) son John Bridgers, (4) son Charles Cotten, (5) son William Cot- He was a plantation owner and a Protestant, residing in Cotton- town and Dyersburg. 84 ten. (6) son Robert Cotten, (7) daughter Sarah Cotten, (8) daughter Patience Cotten, (9) daughter Priscilla Wills, (10) daughter Mary Cotten, (11) daughter Martha Scott, (12) witnesses John Dawson, Richard Wills, and John Scott. Her husband’s first name is not known. Thomas Cotten, first known ancestor of this family, was born Nov. 4, 1748, in North Carolina, died June 5, 1795, at Cotten- town, Sumner Co., Tenn. About 1769, in North Carolina, he married Priscilla Knight, who was born in Halifax Co., N. C., Dec. 7, 1748, and died at Cottentown, Tenn,, Nov. 1, 1843. Priscilla's first son was named "Moore" and from this name it would seem that she might be a daughter, sister of relative of Moore Knight, son of James Knight and his wife, Priscilla Car- ter, daughter of Kindred Carter of Edgecombe, whose will was probated in October 1777 in that County. (W. G. Wills, pp. 68, 193). Kindred Knight was administrator of James Knight’s will. Thomas Cotten is said to have been a Captain of Hertford Militia during the Revolution. Children: I. Moore, b. 12/27/1771; m. Lovey Edwards, (see later) II. Mary (Polly), b. 1770; m. (1) Cryer; (2) Foxall. III. Arthur, m. Sally Daniels. IV. John, b. 1790. V. Allen, b. 3/12/1781; m. Polly Parham. VI. Sarah, m. Strother VII. Alexander, d. fairly early. VIII. Noah, b. 1785. IX. Elizabeth (Betsy), died at 7. X. Talitha, b. 1778; m. John Orr. Moore Cotton was born Dec. 27, 1771, in Hertford County, North Carolina; died Dec. 13, 1836 at Cottontown, Sumner Co., Tenn.; married (1) Miss Crawford; (2) Lovey Edwards who was born Feb. 11, 1804 at Cottontown, Tenn.; died June 15, 1852, at Cottontown, Tenn., dau. of Nathan Edwards and his wife, Jemima Iris Cotton. Children: by 1st wife, Crawford: I. Hugh, m. Patience Edwards, aunt of the Patience Edwards who m. John Cotton. II. Alexander. III. William. Children of 2nd wife Lovey Edwards. IV. Thomas V. James VI. A daughter. VII. A daughter. VIII. John, d. 3/31/1878; m. Patience Edwards, a niece of Patience Edwards who married Hugh above, (see later) John Cotton was born at Cottontown, Sumner Co., Tenn.; died March 31, 1878, at Dyersburg, Dyer Co., Tenn.; married at Cottontown, Sumner Co., Tenn., Patience Edwards, born June 27, 1830, Cottontown, Tenn.; died 1897 or 1898 at Cotton town, Tenn., daughter of Littlebury Edwards and Gincey Fields. ford, who married Mrs. Sarah Bridgers, was the ancestor of this family in Hertford. 85 Children: I. Marshall Alexander Cotton, b. Mar. 17, 1856; m. Alice Mays. II. Littleberry Cotton, d. 1919; unmarried. III. Inman, d. unmarried. IV. William Cotton, m. Anna Missy Reed. V. Manilla, died young. VI. Benjamin Franklin Cotton, b. 7/31/1863; d. 8/1/1941; m. Anna Bertie Cody. (See later) Benjamin Franklin Cotton was born July 31, 1862, at Cotton- town, Sumner Co., Tenn.; died August 1, 1941, at Sanger, Fres- no, Calif.; married May 1, 1887, Sanger, Fresno Co., Calif., Anna Bertie Cody, born July 10, 1868, Tecumseh, Johnson Co., Nebraska; died Jan. 28, 1956, Sanger, Fresno Co., Calif., daughter of Truman Benajah Cody and Mary Adeline Vaughn. He was a Justice of the Peace and a member of the Christian Church. Children: I. William Elmer Cotton, b. Feb. 13, 1890; m. Anna L. Zinn II. Grace Vaughn Cotton, b. Dec. 29, 1896; m. (1) Virgil Brumbaugh, (2) Samuel O'Neal. William Elmer Cotton was born Feb. 13, 1890, at Sanger, Fresno County, Calif.; married March 5, 1911, Anna Lillian Zinn, born Nov. 26, 1891, Denison, Grayson Co., Texas; died Dec. 24, 1937, Terra Bella, Tulare Co., Calif.; dau. of Joseph Porter Zinn and Mary Elizabeth Hulsey.,He is an inspector, County Agri. Dept., Fresno, and has resided in Sanger, Sawtelle Tulare, Dinuba, Selma, Terra Bella, Pixley, Oakland and Fres- no, California. Children: I. Elmer Thomas Cotton, b. Dec. 11, 1912; m. Mildred Martha Owen (see later). II. Nan Evelyn Cotton, b. June 23, 1919; m. Wm. F. Findley. III. Hazel Anna Cotton, b. Feb. 20, 1927; m. Carl Pakes. Elmer Thomas Cotton was born Dec. 11, 1912 at Sanger, Fresno Co., Calif; married Dec. 25, 1934, National City, San Diego Co., Calif., Mildred Martha Owen, born April 23, 1915, National City, San Diego, Calif., dau. of Carl Shuey Owen, M. D. and Anna Reese. He is an educator and member of the Christian Church. He was educated at Fresno State., U.S.C.; U. of Ore- gon, Stanford, U. C.L. A. Children: I. Peggy Ann Cotton, b. National City; m. Richard Gordon Ashmead. II. Toni Lynn Cotton, b. National City.