Andrew Jackson Cotton was born in Edgecombe County, NC on 01 Jun 1819, although public records indicate he may have been born as early as 1817. Most records from the time indicate his named spelled as COTTON, but some branches of the family spelled the name COTTEN, and he was apparantly buried as a Cotten.
"A.J" was the 2nd of 6 known surviving children (4 boys/2 girls) born to wealthy planter, Alexander Spotswood Cotton and Martha "Patsy" Wilkins of Edgecombe; and was twin to his brother, the Rev. James Lawrence Cotten, who became Pastor of the Methodist Church of Cahaba, AL.
The Cotton/Cotten family has long roots in the area. "A.J" was was grandson of Col. William Cotton and Ann Kirvin; the great-grandson of Alexander Spotswood I and Elizbeth West; and gr-gr-grandson of the family's patriarch, John "Bertie" Cotton and his wife, Martha Godwin, both from Isle of Wright, Virginia. John "Bertie" Cotton moved from South Quay, VA in 1719 with his wife and 13 children to a Plantation near St. John's in Bertie County, NC.
Andrew's mother died when he was still a child, and his father died in 1837 when he was 20. He is named in the division of his father's lands in 1837, and on 21 Oct 1842 he took possession of those lands. In 1844, when he was about age 27, he married Elizabeth Belcher of Edgecombe. The Cottons and Belchers were already connected through marriage, as his sister, Emily Hervey, married Robert Belcher; and sister, Martha Ann, married William Belcher. "A.J" and Elizabeth Belcher had 2 daughters who reportedly died young. Elizabeth Belcher died in 1847 after 3 yrs of marriage.
Nine years later, in 1856, A. J. married again, taking 21-year old Mary "Elizabeth" Jenkins as his bride. She was the daughter of James F. Jenkins of Edgecombe County. The couple would have 6 known children (all daughters) born between 1857-1878:
* Martha L. Cotton OATES (1858-1880
* Kate (Katherine) Cotton OATES (1859-1947)
* Bettie (Elizabeth) Cotton (ca. 1860)
* Lucy Cotton (ca. 1863)
* Mary Cotton SHACKLEY (1874-1918)
* Annie Cotton HART (1876-1948)
Like his father before him, "A.J." became a wealthy planter, and he prospered on his plantation inherited in the Lower Town Creek section of Edgecombe County. Prior to the Civil War, he owned 26 slaves, making him one of the largest slave owners in the county. After the war, the plantation remained intact, but emancipation eliminated much of his wealth, the land was became greatly devalued, as was the case throughout the south.
Andrew J. Cotton/Cotten died at age 72 in 1889, after 33 years of marriage to Elizabeth. His 54-year old widow, Mary Elizabeth Jenkins, sold the plantation to her son-in-law, John Olin Oates, Jr., who had married her daughter, Kate Cotton, in 1875. The widow then moved into the Town of Tarboro and resided with the Oates, bringing her only surviving, then unmarried daughter, Mary, with her. The Oates lived on Main Street, next to her other married daughter, Annie Cotton Hart, wife of of Luther V. Hart.
As for his children, daughter Martha married William L. Oates of Edgecombe (brother of John Olin Oates who married sister, Kate Cotton). They had one child, John "Andrew" Oates (1879-1919), who married and had 4 sons and died in Norfolk, VA. Martha died soon after the birth of Andrew, and her husband disappeared soon after that. The "orphaned" child was first raised by his maternal grandfather, A. J. Cotton, and later by his aunt and uncle, Kate Cotton & John Olin Oates. Annie married Luther V. Hart of Edgecombe and lived next door to her sister, Kate Cotton Oates, on Main Street in Tarboro. She was mother to 2 sons. Mary Cotton married Fred Shockley, of South Carolina, and she died in the influenza epidemic of 1918.
"A.J" was the 2nd of 6 known surviving children (4 boys/2 girls) born to wealthy planter, Alexander Spotswood Cotton and Martha "Patsy" Wilkins of Edgecombe; and was twin to his brother, the Rev. James Lawrence Cotten, who became Pastor of the Methodist Church of Cahaba, AL.
The Cotton/Cotten family has long roots in the area. "A.J" was was grandson of Col. William Cotton and Ann Kirvin; the great-grandson of Alexander Spotswood I and Elizbeth West; and gr-gr-grandson of the family's patriarch, John "Bertie" Cotton and his wife, Martha Godwin, both from Isle of Wright, Virginia. John "Bertie" Cotton moved from South Quay, VA in 1719 with his wife and 13 children to a Plantation near St. John's in Bertie County, NC.
Andrew's mother died when he was still a child, and his father died in 1837 when he was 20. He is named in the division of his father's lands in 1837, and on 21 Oct 1842 he took possession of those lands. In 1844, when he was about age 27, he married Elizabeth Belcher of Edgecombe. The Cottons and Belchers were already connected through marriage, as his sister, Emily Hervey, married Robert Belcher; and sister, Martha Ann, married William Belcher. "A.J" and Elizabeth Belcher had 2 daughters who reportedly died young. Elizabeth Belcher died in 1847 after 3 yrs of marriage.
Nine years later, in 1856, A. J. married again, taking 21-year old Mary "Elizabeth" Jenkins as his bride. She was the daughter of James F. Jenkins of Edgecombe County. The couple would have 6 known children (all daughters) born between 1857-1878:
* Martha L. Cotton OATES (1858-1880
* Kate (Katherine) Cotton OATES (1859-1947)
* Bettie (Elizabeth) Cotton (ca. 1860)
* Lucy Cotton (ca. 1863)
* Mary Cotton SHACKLEY (1874-1918)
* Annie Cotton HART (1876-1948)
Like his father before him, "A.J." became a wealthy planter, and he prospered on his plantation inherited in the Lower Town Creek section of Edgecombe County. Prior to the Civil War, he owned 26 slaves, making him one of the largest slave owners in the county. After the war, the plantation remained intact, but emancipation eliminated much of his wealth, the land was became greatly devalued, as was the case throughout the south.
Andrew J. Cotton/Cotten died at age 72 in 1889, after 33 years of marriage to Elizabeth. His 54-year old widow, Mary Elizabeth Jenkins, sold the plantation to her son-in-law, John Olin Oates, Jr., who had married her daughter, Kate Cotton, in 1875. The widow then moved into the Town of Tarboro and resided with the Oates, bringing her only surviving, then unmarried daughter, Mary, with her. The Oates lived on Main Street, next to her other married daughter, Annie Cotton Hart, wife of of Luther V. Hart.
As for his children, daughter Martha married William L. Oates of Edgecombe (brother of John Olin Oates who married sister, Kate Cotton). They had one child, John "Andrew" Oates (1879-1919), who married and had 4 sons and died in Norfolk, VA. Martha died soon after the birth of Andrew, and her husband disappeared soon after that. The "orphaned" child was first raised by his maternal grandfather, A. J. Cotton, and later by his aunt and uncle, Kate Cotton & John Olin Oates. Annie married Luther V. Hart of Edgecombe and lived next door to her sister, Kate Cotton Oates, on Main Street in Tarboro. She was mother to 2 sons. Mary Cotton married Fred Shockley, of South Carolina, and she died in the influenza epidemic of 1918.
Andrew Jackson Cotton was born in Edgecombe County, NC on 01 Jun 1819, although public records indicate he may have been born as early as 1817. Most records from the time indicate his named spelled as COTTON, but some branches of the family spelled the name COTTEN, and he was apparantly buried as a Cotten.
"A.J" was the 2nd of 6 known surviving children (4 boys/2 girls) born to wealthy planter, Alexander Spotswood Cotton and Martha "Patsy" Wilkins of Edgecombe; and was twin to his brother, the Rev. James Lawrence Cotten, who became Pastor of the Methodist Church of Cahaba, AL.
The Cotton/Cotten family has long roots in the area. "A.J" was was grandson of Col. William Cotton and Ann Kirvin; the great-grandson of Alexander Spotswood I and Elizbeth West; and gr-gr-grandson of the family's patriarch, John "Bertie" Cotton and his wife, Martha Godwin, both from Isle of Wright, Virginia. John "Bertie" Cotton moved from South Quay, VA in 1719 with his wife and 13 children to a Plantation near St. John's in Bertie County, NC.
Andrew's mother died when he was still a child, and his father died in 1837 when he was 20. He is named in the division of his father's lands in 1837, and on 21 Oct 1842 he took possession of those lands. In 1844, when he was about age 27, he married Elizabeth Belcher of Edgecombe. The Cottons and Belchers were already connected through marriage, as his sister, Emily Hervey, married Robert Belcher; and sister, Martha Ann, married William Belcher. "A.J" and Elizabeth Belcher had 2 daughters who reportedly died young. Elizabeth Belcher died in 1847 after 3 yrs of marriage.
Nine years later, in 1856, A. J. married again, taking 21-year old Mary "Elizabeth" Jenkins as his bride. She was the daughter of James F. Jenkins of Edgecombe County. The couple would have 6 known children (all daughters) born between 1857-1878:
* Martha L. Cotton OATES (1858-1880
* Kate (Katherine) Cotton OATES (1859-1947)
* Bettie (Elizabeth) Cotton (ca. 1860)
* Lucy Cotton (ca. 1863)
* Mary Cotton SHACKLEY (1874-1918)
* Annie Cotton HART (1876-1948)
Like his father before him, "A.J." became a wealthy planter, and he prospered on his plantation inherited in the Lower Town Creek section of Edgecombe County. Prior to the Civil War, he owned 26 slaves, making him one of the largest slave owners in the county. After the war, the plantation remained intact, but emancipation eliminated much of his wealth, the land was became greatly devalued, as was the case throughout the south.
Andrew J. Cotton/Cotten died at age 72 in 1889, after 33 years of marriage to Elizabeth. His 54-year old widow, Mary Elizabeth Jenkins, sold the plantation to her son-in-law, John Olin Oates, Jr., who had married her daughter, Kate Cotton, in 1875. The widow then moved into the Town of Tarboro and resided with the Oates, bringing her only surviving, then unmarried daughter, Mary, with her. The Oates lived on Main Street, next to her other married daughter, Annie Cotton Hart, wife of of Luther V. Hart.
As for his children, daughter Martha married William L. Oates of Edgecombe (brother of John Olin Oates who married sister, Kate Cotton). They had one child, John "Andrew" Oates (1879-1919), who married and had 4 sons and died in Norfolk, VA. Martha died soon after the birth of Andrew, and her husband disappeared soon after that. The "orphaned" child was first raised by his maternal grandfather, A. J. Cotton, and later by his aunt and uncle, Kate Cotton & John Olin Oates. Annie married Luther V. Hart of Edgecombe and lived next door to her sister, Kate Cotton Oates, on Main Street in Tarboro. She was mother to 2 sons. Mary Cotton married Fred Shockley, of South Carolina, and she died in the influenza epidemic of 1918.
"A.J" was the 2nd of 6 known surviving children (4 boys/2 girls) born to wealthy planter, Alexander Spotswood Cotton and Martha "Patsy" Wilkins of Edgecombe; and was twin to his brother, the Rev. James Lawrence Cotten, who became Pastor of the Methodist Church of Cahaba, AL.
The Cotton/Cotten family has long roots in the area. "A.J" was was grandson of Col. William Cotton and Ann Kirvin; the great-grandson of Alexander Spotswood I and Elizbeth West; and gr-gr-grandson of the family's patriarch, John "Bertie" Cotton and his wife, Martha Godwin, both from Isle of Wright, Virginia. John "Bertie" Cotton moved from South Quay, VA in 1719 with his wife and 13 children to a Plantation near St. John's in Bertie County, NC.
Andrew's mother died when he was still a child, and his father died in 1837 when he was 20. He is named in the division of his father's lands in 1837, and on 21 Oct 1842 he took possession of those lands. In 1844, when he was about age 27, he married Elizabeth Belcher of Edgecombe. The Cottons and Belchers were already connected through marriage, as his sister, Emily Hervey, married Robert Belcher; and sister, Martha Ann, married William Belcher. "A.J" and Elizabeth Belcher had 2 daughters who reportedly died young. Elizabeth Belcher died in 1847 after 3 yrs of marriage.
Nine years later, in 1856, A. J. married again, taking 21-year old Mary "Elizabeth" Jenkins as his bride. She was the daughter of James F. Jenkins of Edgecombe County. The couple would have 6 known children (all daughters) born between 1857-1878:
* Martha L. Cotton OATES (1858-1880
* Kate (Katherine) Cotton OATES (1859-1947)
* Bettie (Elizabeth) Cotton (ca. 1860)
* Lucy Cotton (ca. 1863)
* Mary Cotton SHACKLEY (1874-1918)
* Annie Cotton HART (1876-1948)
Like his father before him, "A.J." became a wealthy planter, and he prospered on his plantation inherited in the Lower Town Creek section of Edgecombe County. Prior to the Civil War, he owned 26 slaves, making him one of the largest slave owners in the county. After the war, the plantation remained intact, but emancipation eliminated much of his wealth, the land was became greatly devalued, as was the case throughout the south.
Andrew J. Cotton/Cotten died at age 72 in 1889, after 33 years of marriage to Elizabeth. His 54-year old widow, Mary Elizabeth Jenkins, sold the plantation to her son-in-law, John Olin Oates, Jr., who had married her daughter, Kate Cotton, in 1875. The widow then moved into the Town of Tarboro and resided with the Oates, bringing her only surviving, then unmarried daughter, Mary, with her. The Oates lived on Main Street, next to her other married daughter, Annie Cotton Hart, wife of of Luther V. Hart.
As for his children, daughter Martha married William L. Oates of Edgecombe (brother of John Olin Oates who married sister, Kate Cotton). They had one child, John "Andrew" Oates (1879-1919), who married and had 4 sons and died in Norfolk, VA. Martha died soon after the birth of Andrew, and her husband disappeared soon after that. The "orphaned" child was first raised by his maternal grandfather, A. J. Cotton, and later by his aunt and uncle, Kate Cotton & John Olin Oates. Annie married Luther V. Hart of Edgecombe and lived next door to her sister, Kate Cotton Oates, on Main Street in Tarboro. She was mother to 2 sons. Mary Cotton married Fred Shockley, of South Carolina, and she died in the influenza epidemic of 1918.
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