Joseph Cotton, MSA SC 5496-51540

Joseph was probably born between 1785 and 1794, a couple years before his brother Isaac was born in 1797.¹ Joseph had two brothers Isaac and Daniel, and a sister Elizabeth. Joseph was literate as he signed his will, as opposed to writing an “x” to mark his name.²

Joseph established his own free household and married his wife, Rachel Cotton. In 1840, six out of the seven people in the household worked in agriculture.³ He developed an acquaintance with Hugh Wallis and entered into a chattel record agreement in 1830, establishing that he would sell Hugh Wallis (serving as a trustee in this arrangement) all of his livestock, equipment, and an apprentice boy named Emory Corse on the condition that Rachel could continue to use the equipment. Joseph subsequently paid Hugh $1 for all the livestock and equipment that he had just sold him “for the use and benefit” of Rachel Cotton.⁴ Hugh Wallis also served as executor for the division of Joseph Cotton’s land and last will and testament.⁵

Joseph Cotton bequeathed his land to his siblings in his will on May 15, 1849. This plot of land was located in Bigwoods, near Fountain Chapel, and was divided into fourths, 37 acres going to Rebecca Geddes, 21 acres to his brother Isaac Cotton, 21 acres to his sister Elizabeth Smythe/Smith, and the last 28 acres to his brother Daniel Cotton. This plot was bordered Jacob Raymond’s and Price’s land.⁶ A sketch of tracts of land indicates Joseph Cotton’s land, near Quaker Lane and Still Pond Road, next to Daniel Cotton, Isaac Cotton, and Elizabeth Cotton, who received portions of his land.⁷

In 1846, Joseph Cotton also sold a portion of his land to trustees at the Methodist Episcopal Church for only five dollars and specified that the “one rood of land” was to be used to build “a house or place of worship, for the use of the member’s of the Methodist Episcopal Church.” While the record does not specifically mention which church this land was donated to, Joseph Cotton’s land was located where the Fountain Colored Meeting House was built.⁸ The trustees who were given this land were all black or mulatto, indicating that this church was to be a colored church.

1. U.S Census Bureau, (Census Record, MD) Joseph Cotton, 1830, p.425, SCM 69-63, MSA SM 61-92; U.S Census Bureau, (Census Record, MD) Joseph Cotton, 1840, p.162, SCM 4721-2, MSA SM 61-112.

2. Kent County Register of Wills (Estate Papers), T4834, Box 15, Joseph Cotton, Last Will and Testament, Baltimore City Archives.

3. U.S Census Bureau, (Census Record, MD) Joseph Cotton, 1840, p.162, SCM 4721-2, MSA SM 61-112.

4. Kent County Court (Chattel Records), Hugh Wallis of Joseph Cotton, 1829-1832, MSA C1035-15, JNG Liber1, Folio.284; Kent County Court (Chattel Records), Hugh Wallis to Joseph Cotton, 1829-1832, MSA C1035-15, JNG Liber1, Folio.286.

5. Kent County Register of Wills (Estate Papers), T4834, Box 15, Joseph Cotton, Last Will and Testament, Baltimore City Archives.

6. Kent County Circuit Court (Land Records), Division of Joseph Cotton’s Real Estate, 1855-1856, MSA CE 57-4, JFG Liber 3, Folio 361.

7. Kent County Register of Wills (Estate Papers), 1749-1940, T4834, Box 11, Isaac Caulk, Land Sketch, Baltimore State Archives.

8. Kent County Court (Land Records), Joseph Cotton to M.E Trustees, 1844-1846, MSA CE 118-51, JNG Liber 10, Folio 398.