Person Page - 131

     Rev. John Cotton was born on 4 December 1585 in Derby, England.² He was the son of Roland Cotton and Mary Hulbert.² He studied at Trinity College and obtained a fellowship at Emmanuel, where he became head lecturer, dean, and catechist, and while there was urged to join the Puritans. He was a minister of the Established church at Boston, Lincolnshire, 1612, where he was suspended by the bishop for refusing to conform to some of the ceremonies of the church, but as the majority of his people sustained him he was restored.
For twenty years he educated young men for the ministry and carried on numerous reforms. Upon the accession of Bishop Laud dissensions again arose and he fled to London, not wishing to appear before the court, and finally embarked for America, arriving in Boston, Mass., in 1633. He was almost immediately chosen teacher in the first church in Boston under John Wilson, pastor, and he retained connection with that church until his death. He at first encouraged Anne Hutchinson in her Antinomian doctrines but afterward opposed her. In 1642, with Hooker and Davenport, he was invited to assist the assembly of divines at Westminster in organizing a church government for New England, but was dissuaded from going by Hooker, who sought to frame a system himself. He maintained the right of civil authority over religious matters and was the clerical head of the Puritan commonwealth with the Bible as its basis and the meeting-house as its court room. He had a famous controversy with Roger Williams on the rights of the civil authorities. He introduced in New England the custom of making the Sabbath observances extend from evening to evening, and was largely instrumental in securing Boston Common to posterity.
His descendants in Boston caused to be erected in St. Botolph's church, Boston, England, in 1857 a tablet to his memory, with a Latin inscription written by Edward Everett. He published: Set Forms of Prayer (1642); The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Power Thereof (1644); The Bloody Tenent Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb (1647); and Milk for Babes Drawn out of the Breasts of both Testaments chiefly for the Spiritual Nourishment of Boston Babes in Either England, but may be of use for any Children (1646). See Mather's Magnalia and Norton's Life and Death of Mr. John Cotton (London, 1648, Boston, 1834.)² Rev. John Cotton married first Elizabeth Horrocks say 1610 there were no children of this marriage. Rev. John Cotton married secondly Sarah Hankredge on 25 April 1632 at Boston, Lincolnshire.³ Rev. John Cotton died on 23 December 1652 in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 67 he was buried in the King's Chapel Burying-ground.^2,4

     Rev. John Cotton was born on 8 May 1658 in Hampton, New Hampshire.² He was the son of Rev. Seaborn Cotton and Dorothy Bradstreet.¹ Rev. John Cotton graduated in 1678 from Harvard.² On Aug. 31, 1679, with his classmate and cousin, Cotton Mather, was admitted to the first church in Boston, then under the care of Increase Mather. He was chosen fellow of Harvard college, Aug. 9, 1681, and was made librarian of the college Nov. 7, 1681, probably continuing in the office till 1690, at which time his office as fellow expired. His father died April 19, 1686, and on Nov. 28, 1687, a committee of Hampton was chosen to treat with him in reference to settlement. After declining several invitations to be settled over the church, he finally accepted and was ordained Nov. 19, 1696, the church at that time consisting of ten male and fifteen female members. He was one of the four settled ministers in New Hampshire at the beginning of the eighteenth century. During his ministry two hundred and twenty persons were admitted to full communion and four hundred and seventy-eight were baptized.³ He married Anne Lake, daughter of Capt. Thomas Lake and Mary Goodyear, on 17 August 1686 in Salisbury.^3,4,5 Rev. John Cotton died on 27 March 1710 in Hampton, New Hampshire, at the age of 51 suddenly of apoplexy.³

     Rev. John Cotton was born on 15 March 1639/40 in Boston.^1,2 He was the son of Rev. John Cotton and Sarah Hankredge.¹ He graduated from Harvard in 1657, studied theology with the Rev. Samuel Stone of Hartford, Conn., and from 1659 to 1663 preached at Wethersfield, Conn. In 1664 he learned the Indian tongue, and preached to the Indians at Martha's Vineyard for two years. In September, 1666, he was invited to become pastor of the church at Plymouth, Mass., and the following year removed thither, being ordained June 30, 1669. He preached at Plymouth until 1697, when a dissension arose between him and his congregation, and on Sept. 30, 1697, after unsuccessful efforts to effect a reconciliation the council "advised the pastor to ask a dismission and the church to grant it." He was dismissed Oct. 5, 1697, and after remaining about a year at Plymouth, accepted in November, 1698, a call to Charleston, S.C., where he preached with great success until he died.¹ Rev. John Cotton married Joanna Rossiter, daughter of Dr. Bray Rossiter and Elizabeth Alsop, on 7 November 1660 in Wethersfield, Connecticut, they had eleven children.¹ Rev. John Cotton died on 18 September 1699 in Charleston, South Carolina, at the age of 59 of yellow fever.¹ He was buried in Plymouth, Massachusetts.²

     Rev. John Cotton was born on 3 August 1661 in Guilford, Connecticut.¹ He was the son of Rev. John Cotton and Joanna Rossiter.² Rev. John Cotton graduated in 1681 from Harvard.¹ He died on 21 February 1705/6 in Yarmouth at the age of 44.¹

     Josiah Cotton was born on 8 January 1679/80 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.^2,1 He was the son of Rev. John Cotton and Joanna Rossiter.³ He graduated from Harvard in 1698, studied theology, taught at Plymouth and Marblehead, and occasionally preached, although he was never ordained. He conducted a productive farm at Plymouth, acquired a good knowledge of the Indian language and visited the tribes as a missionary for forty years, receiving for his services a salary of £20 from the Venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. He was clerk of the County Court Registrar of Probate. He published an Indian dictionary. He compiled the manuscript history of the Cotton family.³ Josiah Cotton died on 16 August 1756 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, at the age of 76 (or 19th or 27th according to differing sources.)¹

     Josiah Cotton was born on 5 June 1703 in Sandwich.² He was the son of Rev. Roland Cotton and Elizabeth Saltonstall.¹ Josiah Cotton graduated in 1722 from Harvard.¹ He was ordained on 23 October 1728 at Providence, Rhode Island, where he lived until he was installed at Woburn 15 July 1747. He lived there until 1756. Finally installed at Sandown New Hampshire, 27 November 1759.^1,2 He married Susanna Salter in 1734.³ Josiah Cotton died on 27 May 1780 in Sandown, New Hampshire, at the age of 76.^1,2

     Josiah Cotton was the son of Rev. John Cotton and Joanna Rossiter.¹ Josiah Cotton died died young.¹

     Leonard Hoar Cotton was born in 1690 in Massachusetts but later moved to Virginia.¹ He was the son of Rev. Thomas Cotton and Bridget Hoar.¹ Leonard Hoar Cotton married Hannah (Unknown).¹

     Lucy Cotton married Charles Jackson.¹

     Lydia Cotton was born on 14 January 1705 in Hampton ?, New Hampshire.¹ She was the daughter of Rev. John Cotton and Anne Lake.¹ Lydia Cotton died in Hampton ?, New Hampshire, in infancy.¹

     Maria Cotton was born in 1641/42.² She was the daughter of Rev. John Cotton and Sarah Hankredge.^3,4 Maria Cotton married Rev. Increase Mather, son of Rev. Richard Mather and Katharine Holt, on 16 March 1661/62 in Dorchester ?⁵ Maria Cotton died on 4 April 1714.⁵

     Maria Cotton was born on 14 January 1672.¹ She was the daughter of Rev. John Cotton and Joanna Rossiter.¹ Maria Cotton married Wymond Bradbury Jr., son of Wymond Bradbury and Sarah Pike.¹ Maria Cotton died on 30 January 1736 at the age of 64.¹

     Mariah Cotton was born on 22 April 1670 in Hampton, New Hampshire.¹ She was the daughter of Rev. Seaborn Cotton and Dorothy Bradstreet.¹

     Mary Cotton was born on 5 November 1689 in Boston.^2,3 She was the daughter of Rev. John Cotton and Anne Lake.¹ Mary Cotton married Rev. John Whiting in 1712.^1,2

     Mercy Cotton was born on 3 November 1666.¹ She was the daughter of Rev. Seaborn Cotton and Dorothy Bradstreet.¹ Mercy Cotton married Capt. Peter Tufts.¹ Mercy Cotton died in 1715.²

     Meriell Cotton was born circa 1699. She was the daughter of Rev. Roland Cotton and Elizabeth Saltonstall.¹

     Nathaniel Cotton was born on 17 June 1698 (1694 according to Saltonstall p. 127.)¹ He was the son of Rev. Roland Cotton and Elizabeth Saltonstall.¹ Nathaniel Cotton graduated in 1717 from Harvard.¹ He was ordained on 20 August 1721 at Bristol, Rhode Island.² He died on 3 July 1729 in Bristol, Rhode Island, at the age of 31.^1,2

     Roland Cotton married Mary Hulbert.

     Roland Cotton was born circa 1700. He was the son of Rev. Roland Cotton and Elizabeth Saltonstall.¹ Roland Cotton graduated in 1719 from Harvard.¹ He married Deborah Mason on 3 October 1760.¹

     Rev. Roland Cotton was born on 27 December 1667.² He was the son of Rev. John Cotton and Joanna Rossiter.² Rev. Roland Cotton graduated in 1685 from Harvard.² He married Elizabeth Saltonstall, daughter of Colonel Nathaniel Saltonstall and Elizabeth Ward, in 1690.² Rev. Roland Cotton was ordained on 24 November 1694 at Sandwich.³ He died on 22 March 1721/22 in Sandwich at the age of 54 recorded by Sewell in his Diary as the 18th. (p. 993 n. 8.)^2,3

     Rowland Cotton was born in 1643.¹ He was the son of Rev. John Cotton and Sarah Hankredge.¹

     Dr. Rowland Cotton was born on 29 August 1674.¹ He was the son of Rev. Seaborn Cotton and Prudence Wade.¹ Dr. Rowland Cotton graduated in 1696 from Harvard.¹

     Samuel Cotton was born on 24 January 1737/38 in Newton.¹ He was the son of Rev. John Cotton and Mary Gibbs.¹ Samuel Cotton graduated in 1759 from Harvard.¹ On 2 January 1765 he was a where he lived; he also preached at Francestown, 1773-1781 at Litchfield, New Hampshire.¹ He died on 25 November 1819 in Claremont, New Hampshire, at the age of 81.¹

     Samuel Cotton was the son of Rev. John Cotton and Joanna Rossiter.¹

     Samuel Cotton was born on 12 October 1703.¹ He was the son of Rev. John Cotton and Anne Lake.¹ Samuel Cotton died in infancy.¹

     Sarah Cotton was born circa 1694.² She was the daughter of Rev. Roland Cotton and Elizabeth Saltonstall.¹

     Sarah Cotton was the daughter of Rev. John Cotton and Joanna Rossiter.¹ Sarah Cotton died died young.¹

     Sarah Cotton was born on 17 June 1665.² She was the daughter of Rev. John Cotton and Joanna Rossiter.¹ Sarah Cotton died on 8 September 1669 at the age of 4.²

     Sarah Cotton was born on 2 July 1663 in Hampton, New Hampshire.^1,2 She was the daughter of Rev. Seaborn Cotton and Dorothy Bradstreet.¹ Sarah Cotton married Richard Peirce on 27 August 1680 in Hampton, New Hampshire.^3,2 Sarah Cotton died on 4 August 1690 at the age of 27.²

     Sarah Cotton was born in 1635.¹ She was the daughter of Rev. John Cotton and Sarah Hankredge.¹