Said to have been a member of the pirate gang of Blackbeard (Edward Teach) but this is probably not correct.
COTTON OF SURRY2969There was a family of this name in Surry in the late 17th Century. In 1674 Thomas Cotton was assessed for taxes (one tithable) in the Quits Rents of Surry Co. (Col. Sur. - 185). On July 1st, 1678, Thomas Cotton and John Warren were sureties for 40,000 lbs of Tbco., on the bond of Joane Adkins, executrix and widow of Richar Adkins. (Davis - 108). In 1680, he and Hannah Harrison witnessed the Sureties sign a bond for the administration of the estate of Robt. Cartwright. IId. - 172). Walter Cotton appears as a Tithable with him from 1685 up until 1702 when Walter Cotton does not show.
Thomas Cotton married Mary, the widow of Richard Hide, who made his will in Surry Oct 13, 1710, prorated Feb. 25, 1710 (sic). His legatees were, son Richard Hide, half of my plantation, daus. Elizabeth Smith and Jane Hide, gr. ch. Elizabeth Smith and John Smith (his father living), wife Mary other half my land and Plantation (BK 6-40).
Thomas Cotton made his will Feb. 26, 1718, probated March 1718-19, as follows “to wife Mary plantation for life, after that to go to cousin (nephew) THOMAS COTTON, son of Walter Cotton and his wife Elizabeth never to be sold or mortgaged.” Other legatees, Mary Smith, dau. of John Smith, and Elizabeth his wife; cousins Thomas and William Cotton. Richard Hide, and Kinswoman Ann Malone. Wite. Jetheo Barker, Sr., Grace Barker, John Johnson (B 7-168).
Thomas Cotton, Sr., made his will 1710, did not mention any son. It appears that Thomas Cotton, his nephew, married Jane Hide.
Thomas Cotton is evidently the Thomas Cotton who married Jean ------ and had the following children shown in the Albermarle Parish Register:
Children:
I. Isam, b 9-23-39, Godparents, John Underhill, John Wilkerson, Amelia Underhill
II. Mary, b 9-27-43, Godparents. Joseph Mason, Agnes Wilkerson, Eliz. Atkins.
There were several more children, perhaps a Thomas Cotton’s Will was probated in Sussex in 1779. He may have had a son named “Thomas.”
Note: Commonly, internet genealogies give the name of Richard Hyde’s wife “Mary Cotton”. I have seen no source for this surname and suspect that it is an error due to the fact that Mary Hyde remarried after Richard Hyde II died in 1710 to Thomas Cotton, whereupon her name became Mary Cotton.
One poster in Genforum suggests that here surname might have been Bassnet or Rogers.
“Thomas [Cotton] I took as a second wife, Mary (Bassnett?/Rogers?) Hyde, whose first husband (and father of her three surviving children) was Richard Hyde II. Mary's oldest child, Anne Hyde, was the wife of a John Smith and the mother of a girl by the name of Mary. This Mary Smith appears to have been the wife of William Cotton, the brother of Thomas Cotton II. Mary's second surviving child was a son, Richard Hyde III. Her youngest surviving child was Jane Hyde who was born in 1697 give or take one year. Jane Hyde was the wife of Thomas Cotton II.”
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