COTTON, SIR JOHN HYNDE, BART., only surviving son of Sir John Cotton, Bart., Madingley Hall, Cambs., and Elizabeth, dau. and coheiress of Sir Joseph Sheldon, Kt, Lord Mayor of London; b.; at school under Knipe (nominated Steward of Anniversary Dinner for 1752, although he died before dinner took place); Emmanuel Coll. Cambridge, adm. fellow commoner 29 Sep 1701; MP Cambridge 1708-22, Cambridgeshire 1722-7, Cambridge 1727-41, Marlborough from 1741; succ. father as 3rd baronet 20 Jan 1712/3; a Commissioner of Trade and Plantations 7 Jul 1712 – 13 Dec 1714; Treasurer of the Chamber 24 Dec 1744 – May 1746; a prominent Tory politician; m. 1st, 21 May 1714 Lettice, dau. of Sir Ambrose Crowley Kt MP, Greenwich, Kent, Sheriff of London; m. 2nd, Margaret, widow of Samuel Trefusis MP, Trefusis, Cornwall, and third dau. of James Craggs MP, Postmaster-General; d. 4 Feb 1752, aged 63. DNB.
COTTON, SIR JOHN HYNDE, BART., only surviving son of Sir John Hynde Cotton, Bart. (qv), and his first wife; b.; adm. (aged 10) Sep 1727; in school list 1735; Emmanuel Coll. Cambridge, adm. fellow commoner 6 Jan 1735/6, matr. 1736; Grand Tour (Italy) 1739-40, travelling with Henry Vernon (qv); MP St Germans 1741-7, Marlborough 18 Feb 1752 - 61, Cambridgeshire 22 Mar 1764-80; succ. father as 4th baronet 4 Feb 1752; DCL Oxford Univ. 7 Jul 1763; member Society of Dilettanti 1741; m. 1 Jul 1745 his cousin Anne, second dau. of Humphrey Parsons MP, Reigate, Surrey, Lord Mayor of London, brewer; d. 23 Jan 1795.
COTTON, JOHN, eldest son of Sir John Hynde Cotton, Bart. (adm. 1727, qv); b. 15 Sep 1749; in school lists 1764, 1765; Emmanuel Coll. Cambridge, adm. fellow commoner 24 Dec 1766, aged 18, matr. Easter 1767; d. 31 Jul 1781.
COTTON, JOHN; b.; adm.; QS in 1575 (Chapter Muniments 25122).
COTTON, MORTEN HENRY, son of Henry Morten Cotton, London, solicitor, and Anne A. --- (1881 Census); b. 2 Mar 1862; adm. (G) 23 Jan 1873; left Dec 1877; Christ’s Coll. Cambridge, adm. pens. 19 Jun 1880, matr. Mich. 1880; BA 1884; MA 1892; adm. solicitor Jul 1888; practised in Clifford’s Inn; one of the original members of the “Footlights” Dramatic Club; d. 10 Nov 1907.
COTTON, RICHARD WILLIAM, second son of Henry Cotton (qv); b. 23 Jun 1829; adm. 10 Feb 1842 (Benthall's); QS 1843; elected to Christ Church, Oxford 1847, matr. 27 May 1847, Westminster Student to 1861; BA 1851; MA 1854; coxed Oxford Eight against Cambridge Dec 1849, 1852, and at Henley and Thames Regatta 1850; adm. Lincoln’s Inn 10 Nov 1849; of Kilbree, Cappoquin, co. Waterford; [m. 1875 Catherine Power ?]; d. 27 May 1919.
COTTON, RICHARD, brother of William Cotton (adm. 1733/4, qv); bapt. 29 Jul 1720; adm. (aged 13) Jan 1733/4; left 1736; of Leeds, Yorks.; m. 1 Oct 1781 (IGI) Harriot, dau. of Ingram Rider, Leeds; d. 1793.
COTTON, ROBERT SALUSBURY, elder surviving son of Thomas Cotton, St. Margaret, Westminster, apothecary, and Mary --- (IGI); bapt. St. Paul’s, Covent Garden 20 Jul 1715; adm. (aged 13) Jan 1728/9 (as Robert Cotton); practised as an apothecary in King Street and Crown Court, Westminster; a collector of coins and medals; FRS 24 Nov 1774; FSA 14 May 1779; m. 14 Feb 1743/4 Alison, dau. of James Robertson, Glasgow; d. Aug 1790.
COTTON, ROBERT SALUSBURY, eldest son of Sir Robert Salusbury Cotton, Bart. (qv); b. 11 Sep 1768; adm. 17 Apr 1780; in school list Oct 1786; Trinity Hall, Cambridge, adm. fellow commoner 5 Oct 1786; d. unm. 1799 (will proved PCC 4 Apr 1799).
COTTON, SIR ROBERT BRUCE, BART., eldest son of Thomas Cotton MP, Conington, Hunts., and his first wife Elizabeth, dau. of Francis Shirley, Staunton Harold, Leics.; b. 22 Jan 1570/1; at school under Grant (GEC, Complete Baronetage, i, 45); Jesus Coll. Cambridge, matr. 22 Nov 1581; BA 1585/6; collected manuscripts and coins; settled in Cotton House, Old Palace Yard, Westminster, which became a resort for scholars and antiquaries; made antiquarian tour with his old schoolmaster William Camden, 1600; knighted 11 May 1603; a favourite at court in the early years of the reign of James I; MP Huntingdonshire 1604-11, Old Sarum 1624, Thetford 1625, Castle Rising 1628-9; created baronet 29 Jun 1611; contributed to Speed’s History of England, 1611, and to Camden’s History of Elizabeth 1615; imprisoned Oct 1615- Jun 1616 for trying to screen his patron, the Earl of Somerset, by altering dates of letters; became friendly with Sir John Eliot, and in 1625 openly attached himself to the parliamentary opposition to the Crown; author, History of Henry III, 1627, and The Dangers wherein the Kingdom now standeth and the Remedye, 1628; treated as an enemy by the court in 1628-9, and after proceedings in the Star Chamber was deprived of access to his library; this library, which was later to form the nucleus of the library of the British Museum (now British Library), was moved to Ashburnham House in 1730, suffering damage by fire there on 23 Oct 1731, and was then temporarily housed in the Old Dormitory; m. 1592 Elizabeth, dau. of William Brocas, Theddingworth, Leics.; d. 6 May 1631. DNB.