Biography
Charles T Cotton was the "examining clerk" for early pension applications from dependents of men who served in the 91st.
He was born and raised in Natchez, Mississippi. He was born in 1825/26, probably to Samuel Cotton.
In 1850, he was living in Natchez, and was a teacher.
He left Natchez in 1851, travelling through New Orleans and Havana to New York City, and then to relatives in New Hampshire.
He reached St Paul, Minnesota Territory, by the summer of 1855. In 1860, he was living in St Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. He was a lawyer, and owned $3,000 in real estate and $1,000 in personal property.
He moved to Washington DC, and was a clerk in the Pension Bureau starting in 1863.
On 20 February 1866, he married Ella R Stewart, in Washington DC.
In 1870, he was living in ward 7, District of Columbia. He was a clerk in the Pension Office, and owned $400 in personal property. He was living with his wife Ella R and children Estelle and Samuel.
In 1871, he was living at 452 M Street SW, Washington DC.
On 15 March 1877, Charles T Cotton died in Washington DC. On 17 March 1877, he was buried, in Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington DC.
In 1880, his widow, E R Cotton, was living at 461 Missouri Avenue, DC. She was living with MR and Ada G Stewart (perhaps her father and sister?), and with her children Stella, Samuel, and Lottie.
untranscribed sources
- abstract of District of Columbia marriages 1811-1950, Charles T Cotton
- Charles T Cotton married Ella R Stewart on 20 February 1866, in District of Columbia
- Columbia archives (accessed 26 October 2013)
- Cotton was born in Natchez Mississippi
- left Natchez in 1851, travelling through New Orleans and Havana to New York City, and then to New Hampshire
- he was a law clerk in St Paul, Minnesota Territory, by the summer of 1855
- he visited Natchez, and Memphis, Tennessee in 1859
- he moved to Washington DC and was a clerk in the Pension Bureau starting in 1863
- Columbia University has 15 pocket diaries covering 1850 to 1877
- Find a grave, memorial 56971531, created by SLGMSD, added 12 August 2010, accessed 26 October 2013
- Charles T Cotton, born 1825, died Mar 1877, buried 17 March 1877, in Oak Hill Cemetery, DC
- [no other Cotton's are in Find a grave as buried in that cemetery (accessed 26 October 2013)]
- abstract of death record, available on FamilySearch
- Charles Cotton, died 15 March 1877 DC, age 52
freedman's bank records
[US Freedman's Bank records, 1865-1874][transcribed from FamilySearch, image 672 of 841, 26 October 2013]
No. 8014 RECORD for Chas T. Cotton
Date, Aug 1. 1871
Where born, Natchez, Miss.
Where brought up, " "
Residence, 452. M. St S.W. Washington D.C.
Age, - Complexion, -
OCcupation, Pension Office.
Works for [blank]
Wife Ella R.
Children, -
Father, [blank]
Mother, [blank]
Brothers and Sisters, [blank]
REMARKS: [blank]
Signature, Chas. T Cotton
1850 census
[1850 US census, Mississippi, Adams County, City of Natchez (North), microfilm series M432, film 368, pages 25 verso = 50 [?] handwritten to 26 recto = 51 handwritten (FamilySearch)]| line | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Dwellings visited | 131 | 131 | |||||||
| Families visited | 128 | 128 | |||||||
| Name | Saml Cotton | Chas " | Jas B " | Dolly P " | N. H. Merrill | C. " | Chas W Merrill | S. C | Margaret Thornton |
| Age | 54 | 24 | 21 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 7 | 5 | 28 |
| Sex | M | M | " | F | M | F | M | " | F |
| Color | |||||||||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | Merchant | Teacher | Gold Digger | Teacher | |||||
| Real estate owned | |||||||||
| Birthplace | NH | Miss | " | NH | Me | N.H. | Miss | " | N.H |
| Married within year | |||||||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | |||||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
1860 census
[1860 US census, Minnesota, Ramsey, St Paul, ward 1, microfilm series M653, film 573, page 95 handwritten = 41 handwritten (FamilySearch)][I did not transcribe the other people at this boarding house, headed by Amanda Babcock]
| line | 4 |
| Dwelling number | [365] |
| Family number | [321 ] |
| Name | Chas T Cotton |
| Age | 25 |
| Sex | M |
| Color | |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Value of real estate owned | 3000 |
| Value of personal estate | 1000 |
| Place of birth | Mississippi |
| Married within year | |
| Attended school within year | |
| Cannot read & write | |
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
1870 census
[1870 US census, Washington, District of Columbia, ward 7, microfilm series M593, film 126, pages 491 recto = 427 handwritten to 491 verso = 428 handwritten (FamilySearch)]| line | 39 | 40 | 1 | 2 |
| Dwelling-house number | 3236 | |||
| Family number | 3439 | |||
| Name | Cotton Chas T | - Ella R | Cotton Estelle | - Saml |
| Age | 40 | 22 | 4 | 1 |
| Sex | M | F | F | M |
| Color | W | W | W | W |
| Occupation | Clk Pen Of | Keeping H | ||
| Real estate value | ||||
| Personal estate value | 400 | |||
| Birthplace | Mississippi | DC | DC | " |
| Father foreign born | ||||
| Mother foreign born | ||||
| Birth month if born within year | ||||
| Marriage month if married within year | ||||
| Attended school past year | ||||
| Can't read | ||||
| Can't write | ||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | ||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | 1 | |||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
1880 census
[1880 US census, Washington District of Columbia, microfilm series T9, film 123, page 366 = 24 D handwritten (FamilySearch)]| line | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 |
| street name | Missouri Ave | |||||
| house number | 461 | |||||
| dwelling visit # | 144 | |||||
| family visit # | 269 | |||||
| name | Stewart M. R. | - Ada G. | Cotton E. R. | - Stella | - Samuel | - Lottie A. |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | F | F | F | F | M | F |
| age | 61 | 25 | 32 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
| month born if born in year | ||||||
| relationship | daughter | Boarder [sic] | Boarder | Boarder | Boarder | |
| single | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| married | ||||||
| widowed/divorced | 1 | 1 | ||||
| married during year | ||||||
| occupation | Keeps house | At home | Attends school | Attends school | Attends school | |
| months unemployed | ||||||
| currently ill? | ||||||
| blind | ||||||
| deaf/dumb | ||||||
| idiotic | ||||||
| insane | ||||||
| disabled | ||||||
| school this year | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| can't read | ||||||
| can't write | 1 | |||||
| birthplace | Md. | D.C. | D.C. | D.C. | D.C. | D.C. |
| father's birthplace | Md. | Md. | Md. | Md. | Md. | Md. |
| mother's birthplace | Md. | Md. | Md. | Md. | Md. | Md. |