John Cotton

Notes:

[1535225.FTW]

John Cotton III was born 1684 and died in Northampton Co., NC 2 Feb 1741
wher e he gave his Verbal Will. He bequeathed to son John "Plantation
whereon I l ive" and to son Benjamin "plantation where Philip Eden Lives",
daughter Mary Brucle (or Breecle) "Land at Blue Water"; Anne Cotton,
Sarah Cotton, wife Ann e. Exr. William Cotton, brother; Wits. Richel
Barfield, Thomas Cowan, John Da wson. (Grimes) He had married Anne
daughter of John Jones who died in Bertie 1736.

John married Ann Jones before 1738. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John Cotton was born in 1728 in Northampton County, North Carolina; died on 6 Sep 1782 in Northampton County, North Carolina.

Notes:

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Also called "Bertie".
He was a surveyor and landowner. Fist lived in South Qu ay on Blackwater
River 1712 in Nansemond Co., VA. He had a trading post and stop-over
place on the river. In 1715 they moved to NC. and bought land on
Meherrin River from Col. Frederick Jones, who was Chief Justice of the
Colo ny and father of Martha. Then he bought land on Ahosky, which became
"Mulber ry Grove" under son Arthur. John became Justice of Genl. Court
1722. He was member of Rev. Cotton's church in York Co.
John Cotton is the earliest ancest or of that North Carolina family. He
was later living in Nasemond County, VA (1711) and owned 200 acres in
Isle of Wight County, VA. in 1704. He died in Bertie Precinct, NC. in
1728. William Bennett was executor of John Cotton's will. On 7/5/1732
Mrs. William Bennett and Capt. Thomas Bryant were trustee s for the four
small children of John Cotton (Arthur, Priscilla, James and Th omas). John
Thomas moved from Isle of Wight Co. VA. to North Carolina. In 17 28 he
was mentioned in the will of John Cotton of Bertie as 'Captain John
T homas, my son-in-law'. The Cotton land was on the North side of Roanoke
Rive r in Bertie, afterwards Northampton Co. John Thomas was the owner of
200 acr es in Bertie in 1732. (Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight Co., VA)
John Cotto n - 91 acres upper part of Nansemond County, VA. on westward
side of Blackwat er (S.W.) on the Cedar S. W. Pocoson 11/13/1713. Adj.
Stephen Durden and Rob er Carr's land. 20 shillings John Cotton - 75 acres
- Surry County in Southwa rk Parrish on North side of the main Blackwater
S.W. adj. James Jones and Rob ert Smith 3/23/1715 10 shillings.
ref: "Cavaliers and Pioneers of Virginia Vol III 1695-1732"
John Cotton in 1711 was living in Nansemond near the junction of the
boundries of that county with Isle of Wight and North Carolina. Phill ip
Ludwell, one of the commissioners for "setting the bound" between NC. and
VA. states July 28, 1711 that it was agreed next to meet at John Cotton's
h ouse at South Key. Also, from Nansemond Indian Town" August 1, 1711
John Law son, one of the commissioners for N.C. wrote to Benjamin
Harrison, a commissi oner for Virginia, "I desire your appointment at John
Cotton's and hope it wi ll be the last of the month".
ref: (Boddie Vol. 3)
Boddie--17th Century Isle of Wight--p 215 (John Cotten who died in Bertie
in 1728) owned land in Isle o f Wight in 1704, then moved to Nansemond,
then North Carolina. He may have b een a brother. . .of Thomas Cotten who
made a will in Surry, Feb 26, 1718 (p 168) and leaves "wife Mary my
plantation and land, and after her death to my cousin Thomas Cotten, son
of Walter Cotten and Elizabeth his wife; to Mary Sm ith, daughter of John
Smith and Elizabeth his wife, one feather bed; to my co usin Thomas Cotten
a feather bed; to Richard Hide my best bed; to cousin Wil liam Cotten 1
shilling; to kinswoman Anne Malone 1 shilling. Test, John Barke r, Sr.,
John Johnson, Grace Bailey." Thomas Cotten and Walter Cotten each he ld
257 acres in Surry in 1704.
John Cotton's will was probated in May Court 1728. His legatees were:
sons John, William, Samuel, Thomas, Arthur, Joseph, Alexander, wife Mary
Cotton (this is different, could be a mistake or could be they often
called Martha by Mary); son-in-law John Thomas, Capt. John Spea rs
-daughters Susannah and Priscilla Cotton, Martha Benton, widow of Francis
Benton. Executors Thomas Bryan and William Bennett. Witnesses Thomas
Brya nt, Thomas Strange and Mary Parker. Martha Cotton, widow of John,
married se condly William Green.
ref: (Boddie Vol. 3)
MISC. WILLS, ETC. NORTH CAROLINA
John Cotton L13.2.9, p. 9 Claim of Gibson, Donaldson & Co. Wed during the
war . His son, Henry Cotton of Northampton County, is his executor. That
the es tate is perfectly solvent may be know by John Lockhard and Richard
Truer of s ame county.
(North Carolina Genealogical Quarter

Will: JOHN COTTON'S WILL.
In the name of God Amen. I, John Cotten, of Bartie Precinct, in North Carolina, Gent., being sick in body butof perfect Sence & Sound memory, blessed by God, doe mak and ordaine this to be my last will and Testament, in manner and forme folowing, Viz: first,
Item. I gaive to my son John Cotten, three hundred and twenty acors of land, be it more or less, whar he now lives, on the west sid of Ahorskey Marsh, to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my son William Cotten one hundred and fiftyacors land be it more or less, lying in the oserow (?) Meadows whar he now lives, beginning at a marked hickory at my uppermost line, so runing down a line of marked trees to the lower most line, to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my son Samell Cotten, a Neack of land whar he now lives, be the saime mor or less, and parte of a survay that I bought of Charles Stevenson, being a hund. acors mor or less to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my son Thos. Cotten, all the remainder of my land bought of Charles Stevenson, it is northerdly of William Cotten and containes three hund and forty acors beinga neck called the Green pond neck to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my sons Arthur Cotten and James Cotten my lowermost survay land on fishing creek to eaqualey devided betwixt ym, to them and their heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my son Joseph Cotten, to hundred acors land and to be taken oute of my uper survay on fishing creek, to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give to my son Alexandr Cotten, one hundred acors land out of my uper survay of fishing creek to him and his heairs for ever and the other three hundred acors to be equaley devided be twen my sons John Cotten, William Cotten, and Samll. Cotten, to them and their heirs for ever.
Item. I give to my son Arthur Cotten, one Neagerow man naimed Meingo, butt except the labour and sarvice of the sd. Neagerowto be preformed and don for my loveing wife Martha Cotten deuring her widowhood, and my sd son Arthur Cotten to be and goe for himself when he shall arrive at the age of 18 years.
Item. I give to my son James Cotten, one Neagerow boye naimed Peter to him and his heairs for ever and that my son James Cotten may goe and for himself when he shall arrive att the age of eighteen years.
Item. I give to my son Thos. Cotten one Neagroe gerlle naimed Rose to him and his heairs for ever but except the labour and sarverce of the sd Neagrow geirll to be for and with my loving wife Martha Cotten deuring her widowhood, and that my son Thos. Cotten be free and goe for him self when the sd Thos. arrive at the age of eighteen years.
Item. I give to my son Joseph Cotten one Neagerow boy naimedToney to him and his heairs for ever.
Item. I give unto my daughter PresselerCotten on Neagerow woman named Mooll to her and her heairs for ever, butt except the youse and labour of the sd Neagrerow to be for my loving wife Martha Cotten dewering her widowhood.
Item. I give to my son Alexander Cotten one Neagerow man named Guge, butt except the sd Neagerows labour and survice to be for my loveing wife Martha Cotten during hur widowhood.
Item. I give to my son William Cotten one new feather bead and a woosted sett ruge and one large fine blanket and a sheate, to pewter bassons, and to pewter dishes, three cows and calves, to yearlings, and one three year ould heifer, and eight soues with their in creese, and one baye Gelding horse, and one large barow or spayed sow, and a pateran of fine druged for a sute of close, coate, bretches and jacket and triming answreable and fifty bushalls of oyster shells. And all that parsell of plankthat wase sawed for the meill work to euqualie devided betwene my sd son William Cotten and my son Samll. Cotten.
Item. I give to my son Samll. Cotten, a p'terne of fine druged to make him a sute of close and trimings answrable which cloth and triming is to be answare and euqualey de

John married Martha Godwin about 1683. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]