Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/424

 COTHRAX

COTTON

until his death. He was a director of the Ameri- can oriental society ; a founder of the American geological and ethnological societies ; and a mem- ber of the Societj" of the Sons of the American Revolution; and of the St. Nicholas society. Among his published writings are, A Sketch of the Langiiarje of the Musquito Indians ; and a transla- tion of Atoff the Generous, from the Arabic. He died in New York city, Feb. 25, 1894. '

COTHRAN, James S., representative, was born in Abbeville district, S.C, Aug. 8, 1830. He was graduated from the University of Georgia in 1853, and was admitted to the bar in 1854. In 1861 he entei'ed the Confederate army as a pri- vate; was severely wounded at the battles of Centreville, Chancellorsville and Jericho Mills ; and was present at the surrender of the army of northern Virginia at Appomattox, having at- tained the rank of captain. At the close of the war he resumed the practice of law at Abbeville ; was solicitor of the 8th judicial circuit, 1876-81 ; judge of the circuit court, 1881-87, and a Demo- cratic representative from the third South Carolina district in the 50th and 51st congresses, 1887-91.

COTTER, Joseph Bernard, R.C. bishop, was born in Liverpool, England, Nov. 19, 1844. When he was six j'ears old his parents emigrated to America and after a residence of five years in Rochester, N.Y., and Cleveland, Ohio, settled in St. Paul in 1855. He made his studies for the priesthood at St. Vincent's college, Latrobe, Pa., under the direction of the Benedictine fathers, finishing his course in theology at the University of St. John, Collegeville, Minn. He was ordained a priest. May 21, 1871, by Bishop Grace of St. Paul, Minn. His first charge was St. Thomas church at Winona, afterward the pro-cathedral of the dio- cese, and the several English speaking missions of Winona county. One of the first acts of his ministry was the organization of a branch of the Catholic total abstinence movement in Winona in January, 1872. From this time on he attended the state and national conventions of the Catholic total abstinence union of America, and was elected in 1876 the president of the national movement, remaining in that position for several terms. His work in organizing societies, deliv- ering lectures and generally advancing the tem- perance cause throughout the country was marked by untiring zeal and success. In 1877 he was appointed dean of the Winona district, and on the establishment of the diocese in 1889 was elected its first bishop, and consecrated at the Cathedral of St. Paul by Archbishop Ireland, Dec. 27, 1889. His diocese in 1898 contained a Catholic population of about forty thousand, fifty-seven diocesan and seven community priests, ninety -seven churches, twentj^ parochial schools.

tliree aeatlemies for young ladies, one for boys, three liospitals and one orplian asylum.

COTTON, Aylett Rains, representative, Avas born in Austintown, Ohio, Nov. 29, 1826 ; son of John and Catharine (Parkhurst) Cotton ; grand- son of John Cotton, and a descendant of the Rev. John Cotton, who settled in Boston, Mass., in 1633. He removed to Iowa in 18-14; attended Allegheny college, Meadville, Pa., in 1845; taught school in Fayette county, Tenn., 1845-47; and was admitted to the bar in Clinton county, Iowa, in 1848. In 1849 he went to California, crossing the plains with an ox team, and worked in the gold mines, returning to Iowa in 1851, where he was judge of Clinton county court, 1851-53; prosecuting attorney, 1854; a member of the state constitutional convention, 1857; and served in the legislature in 1868 and 1870, being- speaker of the lower house during the latter term. He was a Republican representative in the 42d and 43d congresses, 1871-75. In 1883 he returned to California, and practised law in San Francisco. In 1898 he was elected president of the Society of California pioneers.

COTTON, Charles Stanhope, naval officer, was born in Milwaukee. Wis.. Feb. 15, 1843; son of Lester Holt and Mary Ann (White) Cotton and grandson of Rowland and (Holt) Cot- ton. His first ancestor in America was the Rev. Jolui Cotton of Boston, England. He received his preparatory education in Milwaukee and De- troit and was appointed an acting midshipman in the U.S. navy, en- tering the naval acad- emy, Sept. 23, 1858. He was promoted en- sign, Nov. 11, 1862; lieutenant, Feb. 22, 1864; lieutenant com- mander, July 25, 1866 ; commander, April 25, 1877, and captain, May 28, 1892. In May, 1861, he was detached from the naval .acad- emy and detailed for active duty. He served on board the frigate St. Laicrence when she captured

the Confederate privateer Petrel; on board the Minnesota, flagship of the North Atlantic blockad- ing squadron, from November, 1861, to February, 1863, participating in the naval engagement in Hampton Roads, Va., wlien the fight between tlie Monitor and Jlrrrimac occurred ; was in the bat- tle of Mobile Bay on board the Oneida; on board the Shenandoah in the East India and China seas, 1865-69 • attached to the Ticonderoga as executive

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