Person Page - 103

     Elizabeth K. ARNOLD, daughter of Wyatt H. ARNOLD and Charlotte Catherine BROWN, was born circa 1829 in Bibb County, Alabama.

Elizabeth married Robert Melton CAMP, son of Abisha CAMP and Sarah Rebecca LOONEY, on 11 February 1841 in Bibb County, Alabama.¹

Elizabeth K. ARNOLD died in 1848.

     Melinda Martin was born in 1854 in Alabama.

Melinda married John Humphreys BROWN, son of Asa Anderson BROWN and Jerusha HUMPHREYS, circa 1875 in Texas. She was the daughter of Benjamin F. Martin and Sarah E. Lanier.¹

Melinda Martin and John Humphreys BROWN appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 5 June 1880 in San Saba County, Texas. The household was listed as John H. Brown, 63; his wife Malinda Brown, 25, born Alabama; daughters, Idah, 5, and Nellie, 3 months old; and Clara Nichols, 16, a boarder.² She was buried in the "Shorty" Brown Cemetery, San Saba, Texas.

Melinda Martin died in 1886 in Texas.¹

     Nancy Martin was born on 23 August 1860 in Marshall County, Alabama.

Nancy married first David A. Sperry circa 1878 in Texas.

Nancy married John Humphreys BROWN, son of Asa Anderson BROWN and Jerusha HUMPHREYS, on 19 October 1886 in San Saba County, Texas. She was the widow of David A. Sperry.^1,2

Nancy Martin died on 18 August 1887 in San Saba County, Texas, at age 26.

Nancy Martin and John Humphreys BROWN appeared in a newspaper article 26 August 1887 in the The San Saba News and Star, published in San Saba, Texas. Mrs. Brown, wife of John H. Brown, one of the pioneer citizens of San Saba, died last Friday morning at 6 o'clock, and was buried at the family cemetery the evening of the same day. She left an infant only a few weeks old. Mr. Brown has the sympathy of a circle of relatives and friends in this his severe affliction.

Her obituary appeared 26 August 1887 in the The San Saba News and Star, published in San Saba, Texas. Mrs. Nancy A. Brown was born in Marshall county, Alabama August 23, 1860; professed religion in 1879; joined the C. P. Church in 1884; was left a widow with one little boy. On the 17th day of October, 1886, she was married by E. W. Holeman to J. H. Brown, with whom she lived up to her death, which occured August 18th, 1887. She was a kind, loving wife and mother. All she said about death, after much suffering, was that she would get to Heaven before her grandmother Martin. Sister Brown leaves a broken hearted husband, little boy, sweet babe, and her step-children to mourn her loss...

     Elisha COTTINGHAM Sr., son of Charles COTTINGHAM and Margaret Revell, was born on 4 October 1755 at Coventry Parish in Rehobeth, Somerset County, Maryland. He is a descendant of George Cottingham (1615-1645) who arrived in Accomack, Virginia from London aboard the "Primrose".

Elisha COTTINGHAM Sr. appeared as head of household on a census enumerated between 1784 and 1787 in Richmond County, North Carolina. He was unmarried at the time. He remained there through the 1790 Census then moved to Tennessee sometime before 1795 when his youngest daughter was born.The name of his wife is a mystery but he had at least seven children who came with him or followed him to Alabama: Rebecca Elizabeth (Cottingham) Hallmark, Sarah S. (Cottingham) Wilson, Margaret (Cottingham) Sinclair, John H. Cottingham, Charles Cottingham, William Cottingham, and Elisha Cottingham, Jr.

Elisha COTTINGHAM Sr. moved from Richmond county, North Carolina to Tennessee before 1795 where his youngest daughter was born. In 1798 he appeard on a tax list in Montgomery county, Tennessee.

In 1806 Elisha's name is found on petitions to the Tennessee Legislature from Montgomery and Humphries counties. By 1817 he was in Alabama. His name is on a petition to Congress by inhabitants of Montgomery County, Alabama signed 29 Dec 1817. It included the names of Elisha and his three sons William, Elisha, Jr. and John Cottingham. Elisha and his sons settled along Cottingham Creek near Six Mile in Bibb County, Alabama.

Elisha COTTINGHAM Sr., Elisha COTTINGHAM II, John H. COTTINGHAM, Rev. William COTTINGHAM and Mordecai LEWIS moved from Tennessee to Montgomery County, Alabama Territory, by 29 December 1817. They signed a petition to Congress on that date stating "your petitioners humbly Shewth that we have emigrated from different parts of the union and Settled our Selves in the poor Broken & remote parts of the Alabama Territory Montgomery County being generally of the poorer Class we doubted Success in Settling in the richer Soil below. wee pray that you would devise a plan in your wisdom that we might obtain a preference for a time prescribed by you to pay the Stipulated price as its generally believed the lands alluded too will never be sectioned by government & your petitioners will ever pray." Signed: Thomas Cash, Elisha Cottingham, Thomas Rayfield, Mordica Lewis, Adam Wilson, William Cottingham, Elisha Cottingham Junior, John Cottingham, James Hallmark, William Burckhalter, Evan Gaskill, John Blake, William Tabor, William Armstrong, Gref Johnson, Thos Hargiss, James W. Henderson, John J. Henderson, James Johnson, and William W. Capshaw. Note that Montgomery County was created 6 Dec 1816 by the Mississippi Territorial Legislature and covered much of central Alabama including present day Bibb County.¹

Elisha COTTINGHAM Sr. died circa 1820 in Bibb County, Alabama.

     Rev. William COTTINGHAM, son of Elisha COTTINGHAM Sr., was born in 1795 in Richmond County, North Carolina. He was a well-known Methodist Circuit Minister. When the Cottinghams came to Bibb County they immediately established a Methodist church in 1819. This church was called "Cottingham's Church" until around 1840. The name was changed to Wesley Chapel and it was active until about 1990. It is still there in the woods and is used for singings and homecomings. There is a Cottingham cemetery in the woods which contains the graves of Elisha, Jr., his wife Nancy (Parker) Cottingham and their children. William Cottingham stayed in Bibb County until at least 1835. He resided for a time in Talladega.¹

He and John H. COTTINGHAM moved with Jesse Anderson BROWN from Marlboro County to Wells Creek, Stewart (now Houston) County, Tennessee, by 1806 when they appeared on a tax list in Capt. Graham's Company. William had 190 acres. Other names with possible connections were Fred Barfield, James Barfield, John Graham, Enoch and Benjamin James.²

Rev. William COTTINGHAM was included on a tax list in in 1809 in Capt. Warden's District, Stewart (now Houston) County, Tennessee. William was taxed for 190 acres on Wells Creek and one white person.

He and John H. COTTINGHAM were included on a tax list in in 1811 in Capt. Warden's District, Stewart (now Houston) County, Tennessee. Both were living on Wells Creek, where William was accessed for 100 acres.

William Cottingham's name appears on a petition to Congress signed 29 Dec 1817 by inhabitants of Montgomery County, Alabama. It included the names of his father and brothers John and Elisha, Jr. They later moved to Bibb County.

Elisha COTTINGHAM Sr., Elisha COTTINGHAM II, John H. COTTINGHAM and Mordecai LEWIS moved from Tennessee to Montgomery County, Alabama Territory, by 29 December 1817. They signed a petition to Congress on that date stating "your petitioners humbly Shewth that we have emigrated from different parts of the union and Settled our Selves in the poor Broken & remote parts of the Alabama Territory Montgomery County being generally of the poorer Class we doubted Success in Settling in the richer Soil below. wee pray that you would devise a plan in your wisdom that we might obtain a preference for a time prescribed by you to pay the Stipulated price as its generally believed the lands alluded too will never be sectioned by government & your petitioners will ever pray." Signed: Thomas Cash, Elisha Cottingham, Thomas Rayfield, Mordica Lewis, Adam Wilson, William Cottingham, Elisha Cottingham Junior, John Cottingham, James Hallmark, William Burckhalter, Evan Gaskill, John Blake, William Tabor, William Armstrong, Gref Johnson, Thos Hargiss, James W. Henderson, John J. Henderson, James Johnson, and William W. Capshaw. Note that Montgomery County was created 6 Dec 1816 by the Mississippi Territorial Legislature and covered much of central Alabama including present day Bibb County.³

Rev. William COTTINGHAM appeared on the 1830 Federal Census of Bibb County, Alabama, Wm. Cottingham, 1 male 5-9, 1 male 19-14 (Gideon), 1 male 30-39 (William), and 1 female 5-9 (Matilda).⁴

He appeared on the 1840 Federal Census of Benton County, Tennessee, William Cottingham, 1 male 40-49 (William), 1 female 10-14, 2 females 15-19 (Matilda, ?), 2 females 20-29 (Feriba, Susan), and 1 female 50-59 (unknown wife.)⁵

Rev. William COTTINGHAM appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 22 November 1850 in Benton County, Tennessee. The household was listed as Wm. Cottingham, a 60 year old Methodist clergyman, born in North Carolina. He had real estate valued $150. It included his inferred daughters Feriba, age 30, born Illinois, and Susan, age 27, born Tennessee. Also in the household were Wm. Taylor, 25, farmer; Sarah Taylor, 32; William Taylor, 6; Robert Taylor, 4; Nancy Taylor, 3 and Samuel Taylor, 1, all born in Tennessee. His connection to the Taylors is unknown.⁶

Rev. William COTTINGHAM appeared on a census, enumerated 25 July 1860, in the household of his daughter Matilda COTTINGHAM in Texana, Jackson County, Texas. He was listed as a Methodist Episcopal clergyman, age 65, born Richmond county, North Carolina. He had personal estate valued $150.