Cotton Family History
The Cotton family was one of the most
prominent in Fayette County history. Robert W. Cotton, the
patriarch of the family, arrived in Fayette County about 1823
from Halifax County, North Carolina. Robert was active in both
local government and business. Beginning in 1824 he served
Fayette County as a juror and by assisting in the establishment
of the area's early roads. In 1825 he was appointed commissioner
of both Fayette County and the town of Somerville. He is also
named as one of seven original owners and proprietors of
LaGrange and in 1835 was a commissioner for the LaGrange and
Memphis Railroad Company1.
On 13 April 1826 Robert Cotton purchased a 640 acre land entry
from Dimpsey Bryan and Louis D. Wilson for $3.00 per
acre2
(FCDB A, pp. 45, map tract T1). This was the first land purchase
in the Ames Plantation area and represents the beginning of the
Cotton family's Willow Glen Plantation. It is not known where
Robert and his family lived between the time of their arrival in
the county and their first land purchase. On 29 January 1828,
180 acres were purchased from John Jarman Jr. for $8.88 per acre
(FCDB A, pp. 214, map tract T2), and although no verifying deed
has been found, up to 640 additional acres were purchased by
Robert (map tract T3) bringing Willow Glen's acreage to 1460
acres3. It is interesting to
note that in June, 1832 Robert ran an ad in the Nashville
Republican and State Gazette advertising for sale his Bryan and
Wilson tract and his Jarman tract along with a 1000 acre tract
in the northwest portion of Fayette
County4.
The 1836 Fayette County tax list indicates that Robert Cotton
owned 41 slaves between the age of 12 and 50 years with a value
of $27,800 (FCTL1836). No detailed information is available
concerning the activities of the Cotton family or what was
taking place at Willow Glen Plantation during the 1820's and
30's. Based on the family's extensive land and slave holdings it
is assumed that they were involved in one of the larger
plantation operations in the area, with cotton production the
major activity.
Robert W. Cotton died on 12 November 1836 between the age of 37
and 47 years, leaving a widow, five sons, and two daughters
ranging in age from five to 20 years. His death almost certainly
had a dramatic impact on the Cotton family and the operation of
Willow Glen Plantation. In his will Robert stated, "It is my
wish and desire that all my property be kept together until the
children respectively become of age or get married in either of
which events they may have his or her equal proportion or let it
remain as common stock. It is also my wish and desire that my
beloved wife Mary N. Cotton remain in full possession and
enjoyment of all my property during her natural life permitting
however each child as above mentioned to draw his or her
proportion..."5
Robert's will left wife Mary, and son Leonidas Cotton as legal
representatives. It is likely that the Willow Glen Plantation
continued to operate under the direction of Mary and Leonidas
for several years. Only limited information is available to shed
light on activities at Willow Glen after the death of Robert.
The 1840 Fayette County General Census indicates that Leonidas
was the head of the household and based on the order of
households as they appeared in the census it is apparent that
the family resided at Willow Glen6.
Other residents include the children of Leonidas, minor children
of Robert, and Robert's widow Mary.
The family experienced the death of two more of its members at a
time when the loss of Robert was still a fresh memory. On 13
September 1838 John Henry died at the age of 14. In May of 1840,
Robert W., son of Robert and Mary was killed after being thrown
from his horse7. There is no
mention of the Cotton family in the 1850 Fayette County
Agricultural Census indicating that they were not engaged in
farming at that time. Mary N. Cotton was living in Haywood
County Tennessee with her daughter Sally and Sally's husband
William Campbell Smith in 1850 (HayCGC1850). In 1850 Edwin and
Norfleet were living in LaGrange in what may have been a
boarding house along with their sister Mary E. Wright and her
husband John M. Wright. The family of the deceased Leonidas
Cotton was also living in LaGrange at this time (FCGC1850). A
trust deed dated 10 August 1850 (FCDB P, pp. 153) when referring
to the Cotton's Willow Glen property states, ".....being the
residence of Robert Cotton in his lifetime and of his widow and
family since his death" suggests that the Cotton family may have
recently moved from their plantation to LaGrange.
During the period 1849 through 1855 significant ownership
changes took place within the Cotton estate. In what may have
been a disputed settlement, Robert's two daughters Mary Wright
and Sally Smith obtained, through a decree issued in Chancery
Court at Somerville during the December 1849 term, 415 acres of
land valued at $1880.00 (FCDB O, pp. 390, map tract T2, balance
of acreage located out of Ames Plantation area and not shown).
This took place 2 years after the death of Leonidas who was
apparently leader of the family until his death. The decree
transferred all of Robert's land holdings to his daughters
except for the original 640 acre tract (map tract T1) which
remained under the ownership of the other surviving heirs, Mary
N., Edwin, and Norfleet. Prior to October 1846, Leonidas and
Mary N. Cotton became indebted to John Walker Jones, owner of
the neighboring Cedar Grove Plantation, for the sum of $4353.00
(FCDB N, pp. 442). In August of 1850 Mary sold her one-third
interest in the 640 acres and 46 slaves to John W. Jones through
a trust deed with the condition that payments would be made over
the next 10 years8 (FCDB P,
pp. 153). Since the land remained in the family it is assumed
that the debt was paid on schedule. On 30 July 1855 Mary and
Norfleet, who was 23 years old at the time, sold their interest
in the Cotton estate to Edwin Cotton for $1706.00 each (FCDB V,
pp. 252-253). Eleven years later, on 12 February 1866, Edwin
Cotton and wife Fannie, both residing in Monroe County Arkansas,
sold the 640 acre tract to John Davis ending the Cotton family's
involvement with Ames Plantation property. (FCDB X, pp. 143).
Genealogy 9
Robert Cotton10
Born 1790-1800 in Halifax Co., NC, died 12 November 1836 in
Fayette Co., TN. Parents were Jobe Cotten born 1736 of Scotland
Neck, NC and Anna Wilson of Halifax Co., NC
Married: Prior to 1817.
Mary Norfleet Jefferies
Born 4 April 1791, died 30 July 1871. Parents were Simon
Jefferies and Sally (Norfleet?)
Children:
Leonidas
Born 21 December 1817, died 4 January 1847. Married 1 February
1837 Sarah Elizabeth Wright
Robert W.
Born 18 October 1819, died Sunday before 30 May 1840 (24 May
1839 also reported)
James Wilson
Born 24 October 1821, died 9 August 1828
John Henry
Born 26 February 1824, died 13 Sept 1838
Mary Elizabeth (some sources state Mary Eliza)
Born 30 March 1826, died 24 June 1877. Married 26 October 1844
Fayette Co., TN, John M. Wright
Sallie Ann
Born 31 July 1828, died 24 June 1877. Married 10 June 1847
Fayette Co., TN, William C. Smith
Edwin Hamilton
Born 4 August 1831, died after 1866. Married (1st) 23 June 1853
Fannie M. Logwood, Married (2nd) Elizabeth
Gloster
Norfleet Hill
Born 21 July 1833, died 15 February 1871. Married 20 February
1861 Fannie E. Black
Endnotes
1 See
The History of Fayette County 1986, Fayette County Historical
Society Publication, pp. 248 & 255. Back
2 Robert Cotton’s mother,
Anna Wilson, was an aunt of Louis D. Wilson of Edgecombe County,
North Carolina. This family connection may have influenced
Robert’s selection of land. This information comes from papers
presented to the University of North Carolina by Elba Brown
Cotten Wesson in 1963 and made available to the author by Pat
Lockard. The papers are classified as VCC929.2/C846cl in the
North Carolina Collection. Back
3 An 1869 deed transferring
land from John W. Jones to his son Robert A. Jones states, "...
with the north boundary of the Cotton tract...", and "... it
being the south west corner of the Cotton tract of land". This
strongly supports the idea that this land was a part of Willow
Glen for which no deed has been found. This 640-acre tract was
purchased by John Hunt from Samuel Dickens in 1834 after which
time Hunt probably sold the tract to Cotton. Back
4 This newspaper ad
provides a detailed description of Robert Cotton’s land and
improvements. This newspaper ad was made available to the author
by Bernice Cargill. Back
5 Robert’s will was written
no more than 1 year prior to his death suggesting that he may
have been in failing health and that his death was not a sudden
or unexpected event. Back
6 Names listed before and
after Leonidas represent the owners and residents of property
adjoining Willow Glen Plantation in 1840. Back
7 From Somerville Reporter
dated May 30 1840. Paper states "Cotton, Robert W. of this
county and son of Robert Cotton, deceased was killed on last
Sunday by being thrown from his horse against a tree, between
his mother’s residence and LaGrange". Back
8 Given the fact that the
Cotton family was not involved in a farming or plantation
operation in 1850 and that Mary owned 46 slaves at that time, it
appears likely that the slaves were leased or rented as a source
of income for the Cotton family. This trust deed provides a
detailed listing of each of the 46 slaves including name, sex,
and age and is a valuable document for persons involved in local
African-American genealogy. Back
9 Information from
independent research by the author, Bernice Cargill, Claud D.
Cotten Jr., and Pat Lockard. Back
10 Without exception,
local records as well as the aforementioned Nashville Republican
ad placed by Robert Cotton utilize the spelling "Cotton".
However, some genealogy records involving the family use the
spelling "Cotten". It is assumed that Robert Cotton would have
been in a position to influence, at least somewhat, the
recording of his name in the records, yet the spelling "Cotten"
does not occur. For this reason "Cotton" is utilized in this
work for Robert’s immediate family. In the case of previous
generations where "Cotten" is utilized that spelling has been
adopted. Back