Roderick Cotten & Mary Braswell

Descendants of John Cotten ca 1674-1728
and Martha Godwin ca 1683:
John, Samuel, Samuel, Roderick

Roderick Cotten 1786 – 1814 | his parents
& Mary Topping Braswell 1786 – ca 1866 | her parents
Edgecombe Co, NC

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This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
also being researched by David B Gammon who has contributed much to this page
looking for male line Cotten/on desc. to take part http://cottondna.family.nf/

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Roderick Cotten 16 Mar 1786 – 1814 Edgecombe Co
married 27 Aug 1807 Mary Topping Braswell 1786 – ca 1866
dau of Solomon Braswell of Edgecombe County — loose estate records

Roderick was the son of Samuel Cotten Jr ca 1750-1795 and wife Elizabeth Ewell.
Samuel Cotten Jr was the son of Samuel Cotten and his first wife Elizabeth.
Samuel Cotten was the son of John Cotten who died in Bertie in 1728 and his wife Martha Godwin.

Mary Topping Braswell was born 26 Nov 1786, daughter of Solomon Braswell/Bracewell who died intestate ca 1798 in Edgecombe County NC. [Loose Estate Records]
“Mary was a widow for 52 years and stone blind for 45 years.”

Children of Roderick Cotten and Mary Topping Braswell:
1. Elizabeth Cotten 10 Oct 1808 – had issue
married 9 Oct 1828 Drew (Drury) King of Halifax Co dec by 1845
a. Robert H King
1st married Edgecombe Co 27 Dec 1854 Eliza Ann Weeks
daughter of Silas Weeks and Elizabeth Allsbook
Robert H King married Lizzie Ann Weeks, daughter of Silas Weeks, Sr in Edgecombe County on 27 December, 1855 by William F Lewis, Esq [The Southerner, 20 Jan 1855]
2nd married Edgecombe Co 31 Aug 1859 Martha J Wells
Robert H King married Martha J Wells in Edgecombe County on August 31, 1859 by William F Lewis, Esq [The Southerner, Sept 3 1859]
3rd married Edgecombe Co Nov 1866 Elizabeth Pridgen
b. Louisa King ca 1835 – 3 March 1860
Mrs. Louisa Tyler, wife of Johnson Tyler, died on March 3 1860, aged twenty-five years [The Southerner, March 17 1860]
married Edge. Co Jan 1853 Johnson Tyler ca 1833 –
i. Ann Della Tyler ca 1855 – aft 1920 North Whitakers Twsp Nash Co NC
married Edge. Co 19 Nov 1879 John Lafayette Price 28 April 1856 – 19 Feb 1924 Nash Co
son of William H Price and Mary Wells of Edgecombe Co
1. Walter C Price 5 Feb 1885 – 26 Oct 1969 unmarried
2. Ophelia Pearl Price Sept 1886 –
married Wade Hampton Woodruff 6 Sept 1886 – 7 May 1918
3. Mamie Louise Price May 27 May 1891 – 19 March 1930
married Joseph Edward Dozier
ii. Richard Tyler ca 1858 –
1860 Census of Edgecombe County HH#836 Johnson Tyler, 27; Ann Dilla, 5; Richard, 2
c. Charles R King dsp 1881 Edge. Co
2. John Lewellyn Cotten 6 May 1810 near Whitakers – 1848 Edgecombe Co NC
his grandson Bruce Cotten says “There is no reason to doubt however but that our grandfather was dissipated, exceedingly so, and squandered his entire fortune before his death, that he was also gallant and attractive is also equally true.”
married 4 Feb 1836 Emmy Savage of Halifax Co d winter 1837
a. Frederick Cotten ca 1837 – who died young winter 1837
married 4 Jan 1838 Nancy Bell Pennine Tart Johnson of Edgecombe
ca 1815 – 7 Nov 1881
dau. of Rev. Aaron Johnson and Nancy Pope of SH Co VA
a. Robert Randolph Cotten 20 June 1839 – 13 Aug 1928 Pitt Co, NC
married 4 March 1866 Sallie Swepson Sims Southall
13 June 1846 Brunswick Co VA – 2 May 1929 Wimchester Mass
daughter of Thomas James Southall 1809-1886 and Susan Swepson Sims 1814-1872
she was raised in Murfreesboro NC in the home of John W Southall,
attended Wesleyan Female College,
then attended and graduated May 1863 Greensboro Female College.
She taught school for two years before her marriage.

“Cottendale”

I. Agnes LeRoy Cotten 17 Mar 1867 Tarboro – 22 June 1928
married Jan 1891 Julian B Timberlake Jr of Raleigh
1. Julian B. Timberlake
married Charlotte Jordan
2. Agnes Cotten Timberlake
married Lon Newton.
ii. Robert Randolph Cotten Jr 19 July 1868 – 1884 d y
who drowned in the Tar River at age 15
iii. Frederick Lewellyn Cotten 20 March 1870 – 22 April 1870 d y
iv. Alla Clary Cotten 25 March 1871 – 19 Nov 1873 d y
v. Bruce Cotten 3 March 1873 Wilson NC – 1954 Baltimore, MD
married 4 Aug 1910 Edyth Johns [Tyson] of Baltimore d. 1942
vi. Lyman Atkinson Cotten 18 Dec 1874 Wilson NC – 12 Jan 1926 Norfolk VA
grad U S Naval Academy 1898
married Elizabeth B Henderson
1. Lyman A. Cotten
2. John Henderson Cotten
vii. Sallie Dromgoole Cotten 4 July 1876 –
married Russell B Wiggin of Boston, Mass
viii. Preston Sims Cotten April 1878 Falkland NC – lived Boston Mass
married 26 June 1915 Willa Strange of Danville, VA
1. Robert Randolph Cotten II 1917 – ?.
ix. Elba Brown Cotten
married Douglas B Wesson of Springfield, Mass?
they had four children

Elba and Doug’s Wedding at Cottendale
When the bridal flowers did not arrive for the wedding. Someone went out into the fields
and picked bunches of cotton bowls to serve as the bridal bouquets.

1. Mary Eliza Cotten 1841 – 1921
married 1856 Lawrance Fountain 1832 – 1895 of Edgecombe Co
i. Ardelia Fountain ca 1858 –
married Frank Harper
ancestors of Nancy Vick
ii.Theodore Fountain 1859 –
married Margaret Leggett
iii. Jefferson L. Fountain 1861 –
married Mary King ca 1868 –
of Pitt Co daughter of Capt. John
* iv. Mary Etta Fountain
married W H Ellsworth
v. Ellen Fountain
married John Mayo
vi. LaFayette E Fountain
married Susan Lewis
vii. Lawrence Fountain
married Sally Barnes
viii. Florence Fountain
married John [Joseph] Peel
ix. William [Willie] Fountain
married Nora Peacock
x. Alice Fountain [minor in 1895] aft 1874 –
married Mr. Peacock
c. Delia Ann Cotten 20 Mar 1841 – 14 May 1928
married 3 Feb 1859 Andrew Jackson Moore 3 June 1832 – 10 July 1907
lived at “Southwood” – farm manager for Bob Cotten for years
later years he was captain on the Old Dominion Steamship Line from Greenville to Tarboro, NC
i. Cornelia Moore
married Edward Carman
ii. Alice Anna Moore 1862 Pitt Co, NC –
married 1st Sylvestor Procter
married 2nd Theodore Bryan
iii. John Robert Moore
married Miss Blaker
iv. William Henry Moore 30 Sept 1870 – 16 April 1952
married Susan Lee Mayo 15 June 1871 – 6 July 1949
dau. of Dr P G Mayo & wife Susan Savage of Falkland
v. Frederick Moore
married Miss Riddick of Virginia
vi. Delia Elizabeth [Lizzie] Moore
married William Williams
d. Cornelia Cotten died young
e. Elizabeth Cotten d bef 1892
married Henry Calvin Skinner ca 1831 – 1892 of Halifax Co
son of Uriah Skinner and wife Priscilla Whitehead alias Lewis
i. George H Skinner ca 1866 –
ii. Mary Priscilla Skinner ca 1867 – 1900/10
married Halifax Co 25 Nov 1884 William Thomas Eure June 1846 – 1 July 1931 age 84
son of William Elliott Eure and wife Martha Elizabeth Pope of Halifax Co
1. Lottie May Eure 20 Feb 1886 – 12 June 1969 unmarried
2. Mary Eure 10 Nov 1887 – 12 June 1973
married Mr. Edwards
3. Ella/Ada Eure March 1890 –
4. William [Willie] Thomas Eure 28 Nov 1892 – 27 Sept 1965
married Mary Bennett
5. Charles Wesley Eure 8 Jan 1894 – 2 May 1972 unmarried
6. Sadie Belle Eure 17 Dec 1896 – 18 July 1992
married 20 Dec 1922 Willis Henry Sanders
i. Charles Eure Sanders 9 Aug 1927 – 3 Jan 1991
married Marjorie Lee Downey
William Thomas Eure
married 2nd Lizzie Powell
daughter of Ed Powell and Alice Hyman of Scotland Neck
iii. Charles Uriah Skinner 26 Feb 1870 – 28 March 1940 Dunn NC
married Meter Godwin ca 1883 – 1910/20
1. Charles Uriah Skinner Jr ca 1905 –
2. Henry A Skinner ca 1906 –
3. George R. Skinner ca 1908 –
married 2nd Minnie Godwin
iv. Robert E Lee Skinner ca 1871 – 12 Nov 1926
a druggist, lived in Morrisville, NC
married Irene Petway
1. Oliver L Skinner ca 1901 –
v. Florence Jane Skinner ca 1873 –
married Halifax Co 30 Jan 1895 Lorenzo Dow Vick 15 Dec 1870 – 1904
lived in Dunn NC
1. Pearl Gladys Vick 28 July 1896 – 30 Sept 1974
married Hugh W Perry
2. Florence Allene Vick ca 1899 –
vi. Alice Bell Skinner 24 March 1877 – 9 Oct 1951
married Halifax Co 2 Feb 1896 Thaddeus Levi Vick lived in Enfield NC
marriage was held at Haywood’s Church in Halifax Co
f. John Milton Cotten ca 1845 – 3 Jan 1928 Granville Co
married 18 January 1870 Alvania Watson of Halifax Co died before 1893
i. Roderick L Cotten ca 1874 – 25 Sept 1938 Washington NC
married Margarette [Maggie] Jane Higson
ii. Nancy Belle Cotten ca 1875 –
married Thomas Allgood of Beaufort
iii. Kate Conner Cotten 1881 – 15 July 1946
married Henry Upchurch of Wake Co
iv. Alvanier Cotten ca 1882 – 3 March 1953
married Wayland Upchurch of Wake Co
v. Charles John Milton Cotten
married 2nd Fannie Thomas 28 March 1865 – 25 March 1935
of Beaufort, NC
vi. Leonard F Cotten 15 Jan 1893 – 28 Aug 1983 lived in Granville Co.
married Laura Estelle Spencer 23 April 1888 – 26 Dec 1967
g. Martha Jane Cotten 1846 – aft 1920 Trinity NC (she is buried in the graveyard at the Confederate Womens Home in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, NC.)
married William Silas Weeks

     ran a boarding house in Trinity NC;When Jane Cotten Weeks ran the boarding house, it was for students at Trinity High School (housed in the old college building.)
Trinity had been the home of Trinity College, which moved to Durham in 1892 where in 1924 it became the nucleus for Duke University.  (Pic and info submitted by Dan and Denise Warren)

i. Walter W Weeks 28 June 1874 – 10 July 1895 dy
       graduated Trinity High School 1895 buried community cemetery,  Trinity
ii. Robert Cotten Weeks 4 April 1876 – 5 Dec, 1898 dy
       graduated in 1895
iii. James Pender Weeks 18 March 1880 – 15 December 1902 dy
       graduated in 1898
iv. William Silas Weeks 14 Sept 1882 –
        graduated not found
of Portsmouth, VA as of 1920 census WWI reg.
married Nannie V Varner
widow of Amos Varner of the town of Troy in Montgomery Co NC
h. Caroline Cotten 1848 – 1850

Nancy Bell Pennine Tart Johnson ca 1815 – 7 Nov 1881
married 2nd 25 Dec 1849 William Henry Newsome 1817 -1862
[the overseer of Nancy’s farm]
i. William Henry Newsome dy
j. Nancy Ellen Newsome,
married George Richard Gammon of Edgecombe Co
line of David B Gammon

3. Edward Samuel Cotten 15 Jan 1812 – bef 1900 his estate divided 1904
married 15 Mar 1847 Penelope [Penny] Hawkins ca 1820 – bef 1900
a. Mallisa Cotten 13 Oct 1848 – 25 March 1939 age 91
married aft 1880 James Robert Hawkins
son of John and Spicey Hawkins, her first cousin
i. Thomas ca 1873 –
ii.
iii.
b. Mary Ann Elizabeth Cotton ca October 1851 – never married, but had two daughters
i. Minnie Clyde Cotton 1 August 1882 – 26 July 1953 dsp
ii. Malissa Viola Cotton 10 Feb 1893 – 13 Nov 1967 dsp
Malissa never married – – was a local eccentric.
c. Artimise Cotton ca 1853 – not on 1880 census with family
d. John L Cotton 13 Aug 1856 – 2 Dec 1943 dsp
e. Edward S Cotton 23 May 1860 – 14 Aug 1943 dsp
f. Ford McDaniel Cotton 18 Sept 1864 – 24 Jan 1940 dsp
research by David B Gammon
4. Peggy Ann Cotten 7 Jan 1814 dy

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Parents of Sallie Southall Cotten

Thomas James Southall 1809 – 1886
& 1831 Susan Swepson Sims 1814 – 1872
& after 1872 Mary Holley
of Amelia Co VA

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This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!

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Thomas James Southall married on 15 September 1831 Susan Swepson Sims. He was born 9 Aug 1809 the son of James Southall and wife Elizabeth Parker daughter of Thomas Parker of Gates Co NC. James Southall was a brother of Daniel Southall the Merchant-Minister of Murfreesboro NC.
Susan/Susannah Swepson Sims was born 26 Feb 1814 was a daughter of Rev. Richard Sims and Rebecca Walton.

Children of Thomas James Southall and Susan Swepson Sims:
1. Elizabeth [Bettie] Rebecca Southall 3 Jan 1833 –
married William J Moore died 5 March 1855
a. Elizabeth Rebecca Moore 3 April 1849 – July 1849 4mos
b. John James Moore 21 Sept 1850 –
c. William [Willie] Thomas Moore 24 Feb 1853 – 6 Oct 1886 Augusta GA
2. Mary Ann Southall 25 April 1834 – 4 June 1884
3. Susan J Southall 1 July 1839 –
married 4 Sept 1866 Benjamin W Baley
4. Martha [Mattie] Thomas Southall 4 Feb 1842 –
married 29 Oct 1867 Joseph W Butterworth
a. Carey W Butterworth 22 Oct 1868 –
b. Julian Swepson Butterworth 10 May 1870 – 5 July 1871
c. Paul Sims Butterworth 7 July 1872 –
d. Little Sister 11 Jan 1875 – 19 Jan 1875
e. boy 5 Oct 1876 – 5 Oct 1876
f. Olie Thomas Butterworth 17 May 1878 – 1930
5. Sally Swepson Sims Southall 13 June 1846 –
married 14 March 1866 Robert R Cotten
6. Julia Dromgoole Southall 20 July 1850 – 31 May 1855
7. J. Richard Sims Southall 29 Aug 1852 –
married M Belle Attaway

sources include
the online Bible of Susanna Swepson Southall [pub 1937] -she started her record in March 1840.
The Cotten Family of North Carolina by Bruce Cotten 1929, revised by his sister Elba Cotten Wesson 1963