Thomas Cotton (dissenting Minister)
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Thomas Cotton (1653–1730) was a
dissenting minister A dissenter (from the Latin , 'to disagree') is one who dissents (disagrees) in matters of opinion, belief, etc. Dissent may include political opposition to decrees, ideas or doctrines and it may include opposition to those things or the fiat of ...
of London.


Life

Thomas Cotton was born at
Penistone Penistone ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, which had a population of 13,270 at the 2021 census. Historic counties of England, Historically in ...
, Yorkshire, 1653. His father, William Cotton (1627–1674), notable Iron-master of
Wortley Top Forge Wortley Top Forge is an historic former finery forge and ironworks originally dating back to the seventeenth century, although evidence suggests iron working took place in the vicinity as early as the fourteenth century. It is situated in the me ...
, was and
Dissenter A dissenter (from the Latin , 'to disagree') is one who dissents (disagrees) in matters of opinion, belief, etc. Dissent may include political opposition to decrees, ideas or doctrines and it may include opposition to those things or the fiat of ...
, noted for his great hospitality and kindness to the ejected ministers. One of these was a John Spawford, ejected from
Silkstone Silkstone is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, between the towns of Barnsley and Penistone. The parish includes the village of Sil ...
in 1662, whom he received into his family as tutor to his son until his death in 1668. Subsequently, Cotton studied successively at
Henry Hickman Henry Hickman (died 1692) was an English ejected minister and controversialist. Life A native of Worcestershire, he was educated at St Catharine Hall, Cambridge, where he proceeded B.A. in 1648. At the end of 1647, he entered Magdalen Hall, O ...
's academy at
Stourbridge Stourbridge () is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Situated on the River Stour, Worcestershire, River Stour, the town lies around west of Birmingham, at the southwester ...
, in Westmoreland at
Richard Frankland Richard Joseph Frankland is an Australian playwright, scriptwriter and musician. He is an Aboriginal Australian of Gunditjmara origin from Victoria. He has worked significantly for Aboriginal Australian causes. Early life Richard Joseph Fra ...
's Natland Academy, and at the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
, where he was awarded an M.A. in 1677. On leaving college, he accepted a position as chaplain to Lady Sarah Houghton, daughter of the Earl of Chesterfield, for about a year, after which ill-health forced him to leave. He then conducted a small chapel at his father's house, until persecution forced him to stop. He then accepted a position as tutor and governor to a young gentleman, and spent three years touring Europe, during which he witnessed the ejection of Protestant ministers at
Loudun Loudun (; ; Poitevin: ''Loudin'') is a commune in the Vienne department and the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, western France. It is located south of the town of Chinon and 25 km to the east of the town Thouars. The area south of Loudun ...
,
Poitou Poitou ( , , ; ; Poitevin: ''Poetou'') was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers. Both Poitou and Poitiers are named after the Pictones Gallic tribe. Geography The main historical cities are Poitiers (historical ...
and
Saumur Saumur () is a Communes of France, commune in the Maine-et-Loire Departments of France, department in western France. The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgu ...
, which he later described in the unpublished memoirs of his travels.quoted in Joshua Toulmin; op. cit. Cotton was offered appointments in the Church of England, but chose to remain a
Dissenter A dissenter (from the Latin , 'to disagree') is one who dissents (disagrees) in matters of opinion, belief, etc. Dissent may include political opposition to decrees, ideas or doctrines and it may include opposition to those things or the fiat of ...
. He settled first at
Hoxton Square Hoxton Square is a public garden square in the Hoxton area in the London Borough of Hackney. Laid out in 1683, it is thought to be one of the oldest in London. Since the 1990s it has been at the heart of the Hoxton national (digital and design) ...
, London (1690–95), then Ware in Hertfordshire (1695–99), finally at Dyot Street Chapel, St. Giles’s in the Fields, Bloomsbury (1699–1727). He died in London 11 August 1730.


Family

In 1689, he married Bridget Hoar, with whom he had three children: Leonard (1693–1770; who emigrated to America); Thomas (1710–97), and Alicia (b. 1730).


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cotton, Thomas English Christian religious leaders Clergy from London People from Penistone 1730 deaths 1653 births 17th-century English clergy Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Burials at Bunhill Fields