COTTON Thomas

Other Events and Attributes:

• Will: 26 Jun 1777, Albemarle Parish, Surry County, VA

Notes:

About 1712 Thomas married Mary Hyde, widow of Richard Hyde n, who had died in 1710/11. She may have been a Rogers. Mary already had three children by her first husband: Richard Hyde II (ca. 1682), Elizabeth (ca. 1680) and Jean (ca. 1698 -1700). Jean would have been about 12 years old when her mother married Thomas Cotton and came to live on the Cotton plantation. Thomas had no children, but his brother Walter Cotton and wife Elizabeth had at least one son, whom they named Thomas Cotton after his uncle (?). Proximity brought romance, and Thomas married Jean Hyde as soon as their parents permitted it. She gave birth to eleven living children between 1717 and 1739. An interesting sidelight is that Jean's older brother Richard Hide III was for a time one of Blackboard's band of pirates, but gave it up when Edward Teach (Blackbeard) was killed in1718

We know little about the life of Thomas and Jean (Hide) Cotton. At some time they moved from the old plantation on the north side of the Otterdam Swamp to a farm/plantation in newly formed Sussex County, not far away. We know this because the last three of their children had their births registered in Albemarle Parish, beginning the year after it was formed. In 1749 they sold 100 acres on the north side of Otterdam swamp, probably the last of their original plantation there (Surry County Deed Book recorded 11/21/1752). For the next 100 years we find the successive generations of the Cotton family all registered in Albemarle Parish in Sussex County.
The children of Thomas and Jean (Hide) Cotton were as follows:
i. John Cotton. Born ca 1717 Surry County, VA Married Lucy..........ca. 1738.
ii. Thomas Cotton. Bora ca. 1719 Surry County, VA. Died Sussex Co., VA
iii. Nathaniel Cotton. Born ca 1722 Surry County, VA. Died Sussex Co., VA
iv. Gary Cotton. Bom ca. 1724 Surry County, VA.
v. David Cotton. Born ca. 1726 Surry County, VA.
vi. Littleberry Cotton. Born ca.l 728 Surry County, VA.
vii, Richard Cotton. Born ca. 1729 Surry County, VA Died 1807 Sussex County, VA.
Married Betty Weaver, born ca. 1740 Sussex County, VA. viii. William Cotton. Born ca 1733 Surry County, VA. ix. Henry Cotton. Bora ca. 1737 Surry County, VA.
Married Sarah..........ca. 1760 Albemarle, VA
x. Isham Cotton. Bom 13 May 1739 Albemarle Parish, VA. Chr. 9/16/1739. xi. Drury Cotton. Born 10 August 1741 Albemarle Parish, VA. Chr. 9/30/1741.
Married Phoebe.........ca. 1756 Albemarle, VA
xii. Mary Cotton. Born 23 Sept. 1743 Albemarle Parish, VA. Chr. 12/15/1743.
On 26 June 1777, Thomas Cotton made his last will and testament. His wife Betty had apparently died earlier, and he named his sons Thomas and Nathaniel executors. His bequests were as follows:
John - one shilling current money.
Thomas - the cottage land.......whereon I now live, also one feather bed and furniture. Also
a negro girl named Amay -with her increase, one negro boy named Burrel, one negro boy named Tommy, and a large chest, one large iron pot & hooks, one small iron pot & hooks, one iron pot rack, one plow horse, one........, two iron wedges.
Nathaniel - one negro boy named Bob, one negro girl named Jane, one feather bed and furniture, one plow horse, one ironpotrack, one small chest, one small iron pot..
22

Will:
On 26 June 1777, Thomas Cotton made his last will and testament. His wife Betty (only shows up here) had apparently died earlier, and he named his sons Thomas and Nathaniel executors. His bequests were as follows:
John - one shilling current money.
Thomas - the cottage land.......whereon I now live, also one feather bed and furniture. Also
a negro girl named Amay -with her increase, one negro boy named Burrel, one negro boy named Tommy, and a large chest, one large iron pot & hooks, one small iron pot & hooks, one iron pot rack, one plow horse, one........, two iron wedges.
Nathaniel - one negro boy named Bob, one negro girl named Jane, one feather bed and furniture, one plow horse, one ironpotrack, one small chest, one small iron pot..
William - the use and labour of my negro man named Absalom during the normal life of the said William and after the decease of the said William the said negro man Absalom I give unto Wells Cotton (son of said William) to him and his heirs.
Richard - one negro boy named Gabriel to him and his heirs,
David - one feather bed, also the use and labour of my negro boy named Stephen during the natural life of the said David and after the decease of the said David the said negro boy named Stephen I give unto my son Thomas Cotton to him and his heirs.
Isham - one feather bed.
Drury -five shillings current money.
Henry - one negro boy named Nathan, one feather bed during the natural life of the said Henry and after the decease of the said Henry the said negro boy Nathan and bed I give unto Thomas Cotton (son of said Henry) to him and his heirs.
Thomas and Nathaniel - my negro woman Hannah with her future increase, also the rest of my estate to be equally divided between them.
The will was proved on the 18th day of February 1779.

Thomas married HYDE Jane Jean in 1716 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, VA. Jane (daughter of HYDE Richard, II and Mary) was born about 1700 in Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States; died on 2 Dec 1768 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, VA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

About 1712 Thomas married Mary Hyde, widow of Richard Hyde n, who had died in 1710/11. She may have been a Rogers. Mary already had three children by her first husband: Richard Hyde II (ca. 1682), Elizabeth (ca. 1680) and Jean (ca. 1698 -1700). Jean would have been about 12 years old when her mother married Thomas Cotton and came to live on the Cotton plantation. Thomas had no children, but his brother Walter Cotton and wife Elizabeth had at least one son, whom they named Thomas Cotton after his uncle (?). Proximity brought romance, and Thomas married Jean Hyde as soon as their parents permitted it. She gave birth to eleven living children between 1717 and 1739. An interesting sidelight is that Jean's older brother Richard Hide III was for a time one of Blackboard's band of pirates, but gave it up when Edward Teach (Blackbeard) was killed in1718.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Land: 1687, Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States

Notes:

The unanswered question is whether Walter Cotton was the younger brother of Thomas Cotton, both then being sons of John and Anne Cotton. Thomas, in his will, refers to Walter's son Thomas as his cousin, instead of bis nephew. Is this an error, or was Walter the son of a brother of John Cotton, who also emigrated to the Virginia Colony? In the absence of any further data, our best guess is that Walter was indeed the brother of Thomas, else there is no likelihood that they would live together so closely arid harmoniously. Thomas behaves to award him as if he were a younger brother. Perhaps they were a little loose in naming their relationships. Mary referred in her will to the younger Thomas as her son, rather than her son-in-law.
Thomas Cotton ca. 1692 - 1779

Birth:
Both membership in the militia and the property grant in 1688 indicates that Walter Cotton became 21 about 1688, and was therefore born about 1666.

Land:
314 acre land grant
In 1688, Thomas Cotton and brother Walter Cotton, patented 314 more acres adjoining the property already owned by Thomas Cotton on the Otterdam Swamp. Seven more persons were transported to purchase headlights which were then exchanged for the property: Jonathon Bolton, Jonathon Elmy, Hester Bradstock, Charles Trevor, Jonathon Moss, Alice Ems and Howell Waters. The rent rolls for Surry County in 1704 show Thomas Cotton with 257 acres and Walter Cotton with 257 acres. Apparently they consolidated their holdings and farmed it together. Both Thomas Cotton and Walter Cotton were on the Surry County Militia List of 1687 "as qualified in either estate or person to find and maintain a man and horse or to go themselves when occasion shall require.

Walter married COTTON Elizabeth --LNU--. Elizabeth and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Will: 1718, Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States

Notes:

Will:
Complicated family arrangements beget complicated wills. Thomas' (Sr.) will written in 1718 leaves to his wife Mary, "my plantation and land for life, and at her decease to Cousin Thomas Cotton, son of Walter Cotton and Elizabeth, his wife. To Mary Smith, daughter of John Smith and Elizabeth (Hide), his wife, bed, dishes, etc. Bequest to Richard Hide (stepson) and cousin William Cottoa To kinswoman, Ann Mylone, one shilling. Wife Mary is named executor."

Richard married Mary in 1679 in Southwark Parish, Surry Co., Virginia. Mary was born about 1658; died in 1729 in Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States; was buried in Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: ROGERS
• Will: 1729, Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States

Notes:

About 1712 Thomas married Mary Hyde, widow of Richard Hyde n, who had died in 1710/11. She may have been a Rogers. Mary already had three children by her first husband: Richard Hyde II (ca. 1682), Elizabeth (ca. 1680) and Jean (ca. 1698 -1700). Jean would have been about 12 years old when her mother married Thomas Cotton and came to live on the Cotton plantation.

Will:
When Mary died in 1729, her will was as follows. "To grandson, David Hide, round table, four Russia chairs, linens, Church Bible and Prayer Book which was his father's. To granddaughter Mary Cotton, a chest, a Bible, etc. To son Thomas Cotton and daughter Jane (Jean) the remainder of my estate. Makes Thomas Cotton executor. "

Other Events and Attributes:

• Lived(s) In: 1657, Queens Creek, York County, VA; Queens Creek, York County, VA
• Land: 31 Dec 1666, Hampton Parish, York County, Virginia; Land Purchase

Notes:

John and Anne Cotton 1621 - 1702
There are many people named Cotton in England and America. No doubt many of them are distant cousins. However, our interest is focused on the Cotton femUies which lived in Southside Virginia, and specifically on the ancestors of Mary Etta Cotton (1871 - 1909), the mother of my mother.
The first ancestor of Etta Cotton which we can be fairly sure of is one John Cotton, who was born either 1621 or 1625 in England, and emigrated to the Jamestown Colony as a young man, probably 1637/38. His name appears as a witness to a document in Lower Norfolk County inl 651. In 1657 he married Anne Hutchinson (Harrison?), in Nansemond, Isle of Wight County. His name appears several more times in 1657 in the records of York County, as a juror, witness to a will and named in a will. The will he witnessed was that of Mrs. Francis Wheeler, and under its provisions he received a gold seal ring. He was presumably related to her. Frances Wheeler, Sr. died in 1659-70, leaving a large estate. Thomas Beale bought the Wheeler Plantation, which lay in Hampton Parish, York County, between King and Queen's Creek, shortly before Francis Wheeler died and sold it to John Cotton December 31,1666. John Cotton and Anne Cotton raised their children there and eventually sold the Queen's Creek plantation to Col. Nathaniel Bacon in 1691.
John Cotton's name figured in a deposition found in York County Records, which provides some insight into the tenor of the times.
John Heyward, aged thirty-five years or thereabouts, sayeth That your deponent, in November last was two years at the house of James Pardoe, and there did meet with Mr. John Cotton who did come to demand tobacco (tobacco was used in the early Virginia Colony as a medium of exchange, money being scarce) and your said Deponent and Mr. Cotton did fall to drinking very hard by ye request of the said James Pardoe & did contiue drinking all day till at night wee went to cards, and at cards your Deponent and Mr. Cotton had some words & soe broke off from play and did goe each of them to there rest, but your Deponent was ordered to sleep along with the said Pardoe & his wife in the same room where all the Drink was, soe your Deponent & said Pardoe did fall to drinking again, and after some discourse the said Pardee did tell your Deponent yet Mr. Cotton was come for to demand Tobo (tobacco) of him upon the accounts of Thomas Bevins', but the said Pardoe did desire your Deponent for to look over Thomas Bevins 'papers & to see if his bill was not there among ye papers & said Pardoe did depart for some time out of the room & did bring some papers in his hand for your Deponent to looke over. Your Deponent in looking over ye papers did find ye said Bevins' his bill uncancelled and did give it to the said Pardoe and your Deponent will swear & further saith not.
John Heyward
Sworn before me the 21 June 1681. William Booth
The use of Mr. before John Cotton's name indicates that he was considered a member of the gentry. Apparently he was either a lawyer, or because he was well educated his name appears on various legal documents

Land:
Thomas Beale bought the Wheeler Plantation, which lay in Hampton Parish, York County, between King and Queen's Creek, shortly before Francis Wheeler died and sold it to John Cotton December 31,1666. John Cotton and Anne Cotton raised their children there and eventually sold the Queen's Creek plantation to Col. Nathaniel Bacon in 1691.

John married Ann Hutchinson (Harrison ?) about 1657 in Isle of Wight County, VA. Ann was born in 1630 in Eyworth, Bedfordshire, England; died in York County, VA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In 1676, she wrote a famous account of Bacob's Rebellion
Anne (Hutchinson) Cotton, John Cotton's wife, was probably born in 1630 in Eyworth, Bedfordshire, England, and presumably came to the Virginia Colony with her parents as a young woman. She was evidently well educated, probably in England. She wrote a celebrated account of Bacon's Rebellion entitled Our Late Troubles in Virginia, written by Mrs. An. Cotton of Q. Creek (Force's Tracts I No. ix). Internal evidence shows that she was also the author of A Narrative of the Indian and Civil Wars in Virginia in the Years 1675 and 1676 (Forces's Tracts No. xi).
Bacon's Rebellion was a watershed event in the history of the Virginia Colony. Dashing young aristocrat Nathaniel Bacon came to Virginia at age 29/30. He received a land grant and a seat on the Council from Governor Berkeley when he arrived. Bacon quickly established himself as a leader with his eloquence and energy. There had been a series of bloody Indian raids, and many, probably most, of the settlers were in favor of strong punitive action against them. The settlers blamed Governor William Berkeley of threatening the welfare of the Colony due to his failure to act. Governor Berkeley was seventy when the crisis began, a veteran of the English Civil Wars, a frontier Indian fighter, a playright and a scholar. Unfortunately, he was also proud, obstinate and autocratic. English policy was to maintain peace with the Indians, and Governor Berkeley intended to settle the problem by negotiation. He launched an investigation.
Bacon, defying the Governor's authority, gathered a small army of settlers and militia, forced the Governor to flee to the Eastern Shore, and marched off to punish the Indians. Governor Berkeley cleverly rebuilt his strength and returned to do battle. As the climactic battle between the two sides was about to commence, Bacon was taken with a violent fever and died. The Rebellion died with him. The rebel leaders were caught, tried and many of them were hanged.
William Drummond was one of the rebel leaders. He was captured in a swamp and transported by boat to York County, where he was turned over to a detachment of local militia who were to escort him to the home of Col. Nathaniel Bacon (a cousin of rebel Nathaniel Bacon) for trial. Anne Cotton's account points to her husband, John Cotton, being the captain of that militia company. She says the captain offered to let Drummond ride his horse and allowed the former North Carolina governor to rest by the side of the road to smoke his pipes. During this time, Anne Cotton writes that Drummond and the captain "talked at length" about Drummond's capture. (In Prof. Jay Hubbel's book, South by Southwest, he credits John Cotton with authorship of the "Burwell Papers". See the chapter entitled "John Cotton, Poet Historian of Bacon's Rebellion".)
John and Anne Cotton apparently had well known leanings towards Bacon's views. John Cotton was a cousin once removed of Nathaniel Bacon, Jr., the rebel The fact that John and Anne Cotton were not tried as traitors indicates favor and rank. Several researchers identify him as Sir John Cotton, son of Sir Thomas Cotton, a baronet of Huntingdonshire and Margaret Howard, born 1593 at Castle Howard in Yorkshire, granddaughter of William Howard, Duke of Norfolk. But this appears to be highly speculative, and perhaps impossible to prove..
John and Anne Cotton had ten children:
1. John "Bertie" Cotton, born 4/22/1658 in Isle of Wight County, VA and died 5/1728 in Bertie County, NC. He married Martha Godwin in Bertie Co., NC about 1683.

Birth:
Anne (Hutchinson) Cotton, John Cotton's wife, was probably born in 1630 in Eyworth, Bedfordshire, England, and presumably came to the Virginia Colony with her parents as a young woman. She was evidently well educated, probably in England. She wrote a celebrated account of Bacon's Rebellion entitled Our Late Troubles in Virginia, written by Mrs. An. Cotton ofQ. Creek (Force's Tracts I No. ix). Internal evidence shows that she was also the author ofA Narrative of the Indian and Civil Wars in Virginia in the Years 1675 and 1676 (Forces's Tracts No. xi).

Notes:

He came to Virginia in 1635 aboard the George at age 24.
He was a Freemason and a citizen of London

Richard married HYDE Judah --LNU--. Judah and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]