Residence: 1853 Utica, Dane Co., Wisconsin
Residence: 1868 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin
Census: 1880 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin; age 66, farmer
Cause of death: Heart disease

Note: Admitted abt 1840 - Alfred, New York

In 1852 Thomas moved to Dane County, Wis. with his children and his spinster sister Sarah to care for the children. The family moved to Milton Junction, Wis. possibly because of the Seventh Day Baptist Community then flourshing there. He can be found in the Rock County History.

"The Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock County, Wis.",1889, p 660.
THOMAS COTTRELL, who is engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and resides on section 22, in the town of Milton, is numbered among Rock County's best citizens. He was born in the town of Petersburg, Rensselaer Co., N.Y., on the 14th day of January, 1814, and is a son of Benjamin and Polly (BURDICK) COTTRELL. His parents were natives of Rhode Island, but settled in Rensselaer County at an early day, there residing during the remainder of their lives. Both were called to their final rest in 1848. They were members of the Seventh Day Baptist Church and were consistent Christian people, whose daily endeavor it was to follow the example of the Master. To them were born a family of nine children who grew to manhood and womanhood, but of that number only three are now living. Two children also died in infancy. Those who still survive are Thomas of this sketch; Sarah, who makes her home with her brother; and Louisa, wife of Howard HUMPHREY, a resident of Dane County, Wis.
The education of our subject was received in his native county. His father being in delicate health, at the early age of fourteen years, the entire management and control of the farmd evolved upon him, but though the task was an arduous one for his young shoulders, nobly did he discharge the duty. He continued to make his home with his parents, working and caring for them who had lovingly cared for him in his younger days, for many years. The family removed to Allegany County, N.Y., where he cleared and improved 100 acres of land, placing it all under a high state of cultivation. In 1846, Mr. COTTRELL was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth McHENRY, and to them were born three children. Death visited the home, and within two years he laid to rest his wife, his parents and a sister.
Bowed down with grief, the stricken man decided to dispose of his property in the East and cast his lot with the people of Wisconsin. In 1852 he left his home and went to Dane County, where he purchased a farm of eighty acres upon which he lived for fifteen years. He was again married while a resident of Dane County, becoming the husband of Miss Emeline MARTIN. Nine years of happy wedded life had sped by, when again the home of Mr. COTTRELL was made desolate by the death of his loving wife. He continued to reside in Dane County until 1867, when selling his property he came to Rock County and purchased eighty acres of land on section 22, in the town of Milton. Twenty-two years he has there made his home, and is one of the highly esteemed citizens of the community. His third marriage was celebrated in1867, when he led to the hymeneal altar Miss Rebecca BURDICK. Their union has been blessed with two children - Lorena D., was born Nov. 25, 1869; and Eldon C., Dec. 22, 1870. Though his path has been strewn with many difficulties, and great have been the obstacles in his way, Mr. COTTRELL has steadily worked on until he now has a comfortable competency. Much sorrow has visited him, yet with the assistance of Him from whom all help comes, he has borne the affliction with the Christian fortitude and been strengthened by the trial. At the age of fourteen he united with the Seventh Day Baptist Church and has been an active worker in the Master's vineyard for sixty-one years. His wife also holds membership in the same church, and they are honored by all for their kind and generous words of sympathy and encouragement to those who have given away to despondency. Mr.COTTRELL was a supporter of the Democratic party until the time of the Kansas trouble, when realizing that the object of that party was to enslave millions of human family, he joined the Republican party with which he acted for many years. The Prohibition party springing into existence, he joined its ranks and has since been an active worker in the temperancere formation. Mr. COTTRELL is now an old man, but can look backover the years that are passed and gone with no regret, and forward to the future with no fears.

"The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 48, No 18, p 288, May 5, 1892.
At his home near Milton Junction, Wis., April 16, 1892, of heart disease, Thomas Cottrell, in the 79th year of his age.
Bro. Cottrell was born at Petersburg, N. Y., and united with the Seventh-day Baptist Church at Berlin when about 14 years of age. At the age of 17 he came with his parents to Almond, N. Y., and married Miss Elizabeth McHenry in 1846. Six years later his wife died and he moved with his four children to Dane Co., Wis. He afterward married Miss Emeline Martin who lived only about nine years thereafter. In 1867 he came to the farm near Milton Junction, where he lived until his death. There he married Miss Rebecca Burdick, who with their two children, was with him at the time of his death. Almost the same time he moved his church membership to the Milton Church. At the organization of the Milton Junction Church he became a constituent member, remaining faithful in his covenant relations until called to the church triumphant. G. W. H.

Note: admitted abt 1840 - Alfred, New York
fr Almond, d 1857

Note: "The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 21, No 30, p 119, July 27, 1865.
In the town of Pleasant Spring, Dane Co., Wis., June 23d, 1865, Mrs. Emeline M. Cottrell, wife of Thomas Cottrell, in the 47th year of her age. The deceased experienced religion in early youth, and maintained a consistent walk through life, dying in the full assurance of Christian hope. A faithful wife and mother, an estimable neighbor, she was greatly beloved by all who knew her. A. B. P.

Census: 1880 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin; age 44
Cause of death: acute bronchitis, hip fracture
Note: Informant on her death cert was her son Eldon

Rebecca (Burdick) Cottrell 1836-1920
Milton Newspaper Obituary
"The Journal-Telephone", Milton Junction, Wisconsin, March 4, 1920, p 1.
Mrs. Rebecca Cottrell was born at Alfred, N. Y., May 18, 1836 and died at Milton Junction, Wis., February 24, 1920, being eighty-three years, nine months and six days old.
Rebecca was the youngest child in a family of four children born to George and Diana Macomber Burdick.
When she was but six years of age she came with her family to Wisconsin and settled on a farm in the town of Lima. This was in the pioneer days when the country was but thinly settled and some ten years before the Railroad was pushed through from Milwaukee. Accustomed to simple ways of life, as well as the hardships of those pioneer days, she wove into her life many of those sterling qualities which are all too rare in the life of today.
On November 28, 1867 Miss Rebecca Burdick was united in Marriage to Thomas Cottrell by the Rev. Darwin E. Maxson. In this union she became the step mother of Mr. Cottrell's two children by a former wife, Ormanzo Cottrell, a well known citizen of this town for many years and Mrs. Henry Crandall of Milton, both of whom are deceased; and the mother of two children, Lorena, who became the wife of Rev. O. S. Mills and died April 18, 1918 and Eldon, who is left alone to mourn the death of his mother. Mr. Cottrell died in April 18, 1892. As a bride she went to the farm in which she has always lived and in which she died.
On August 23, 1856 she was baptized and united with the Milton Seventh Day Baptist church but when the Milton Junction Seventh Day Baptist church was organized in 1876 she became one of the constituent members and has remained a faithful and honored member to the time of her death. We record with regret the passing of these sturdy pioneers for we are reminded that it was their unconquerable faith, their steadfastness of purpose, their sacrificing labors that built churches, founded schools, and gave to us many other blessings of a christian civilization for which we ought to be grateful. Truly, other men have labored and we have entered into their labors.
Besides those qualities already mentioned, Mrs. Cottrell was a woman of refined tastes possessing a keen appreciation of the real values of life. She not only believed, but acted upon that belief that "a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things he possesses," but in those Christian virtues that make the life sweet, gentle and lovable. She lived the life of prayer with the open Bible, looking unto Him who was the author and perfector of her faith. Like Paul of old, she had fought the good fight and kept the faith.
The four children of which Mrs. Cottrell was the youngest all lived until Mrs. Cottrell was past eighty and then died in order of their ages.
Funeral services were conducted by her pastor, Rev. Edgar D. Van Horn, February 26, from her late home and the Milton Junction S. D. B. Church and the body was laid to rest in the Milton Junction Cemetery. Appropriate music was beautifully rendered by Mrs. Edward Hull and Miss Marian Coon.