COTTON John

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]

1. COTTON John "Bertie" was born on 22 Apr 1658 in Isle of Wight County, VA; died in May 1728 in Bertie County, NC.
2. COTTON William was born in 1660 in Queens Creek, York County, VA; and died.
3. COTTON Thomas was born in 1662 in Queens Creek, York County, VA; died in Mar 1718 in Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States.
4. COTTON Charles was born in 1664 in Queens Creek, York County, VA; and died.
5. COTTON Walter was born in 1666-1667 in Queens Creek, York County, VA; died in Prince George County, VA.
6. COTTON Richard was born in 1669; and died.
7. COTTON Ann was born in 1674; and died.
8. COTTON Elizabeth was born in 1676; and died.
9. COTTON Robert was born in 1678; and died.
10. COTTON Jane was born in 1680; and died.

Notes:

A good source:

Thomas married HOWARD Margaret about 1629. Margaret (daughter of HOWARD William and DACRE (?) Elizabeth) was born in 1593; was christened in Castle Howard, Yorkshire, England; died in 1622-1623 in Huntingtonshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married BROCAS Elizabeth. Elizabeth and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married DACRE (?) Elizabeth. Elizabeth and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]