THE COTTONS

Mary Agnes Cotton was called "Mamie" by freinds and family. Her mother was Mary Stafford from Nenagh, Tipparery, Ireland. Mary Stafford, her sister Brigid, and their father emigrated to England. Both sisters married and emigrated to the United States together. Brigid married Tom Carroll and Mary married John Cotton at St. Mary's Church on November 29, 1867, in Halifax, England.

John and Mary Cotton settled in Tilliefoster, Putnam County, NY, becoming citizens of the US in 1875. They later moved to 772 Henry St. in Brooklyn, NY, and are buried in St. Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx, NY. John and Mary had seven children:

1. Harriet Cotton, called Aunt Hattie, who married Atwood W. Anderson. Harriet and Atwood's children maintained a close, personal relationship with Edward and Maybelle St.John. These included Joe Anderson and the three sisters, Mary, Grace, and Frances:
   • John Anderson, who died young
   • George Anderson, who married Kara, moved to Baltimore, Maryland.
   • Joseph Anderson, who married Kitty and had:
     • Joe Anderson
     • George Anderson
     • Pat Anderson
     • Carol Anderson
   • Mary Anderson who married Tony Derrenbacker and had a daughter, Harriet. Mary was widowed and later married Joe Green.
   • Grace Anderson who Jack Kearney and who introduced her cousin Edward St.John to Maybelle Jewhurst.
   • Frances Anderson who married Carl W. Earler and had a son, Carl "Billy" Earler
     Hattie's daughters, Frances, Mary and Grace, were close relations to Edward and Maybelle and their children.
2. Willie Cotton, died from drowning .. never married, no children
3. Mary Agnes (Mamie) Cotton married Edward Michael St.John. Edward Stafford St.John was their only surving child. Prior to having their son, Edward and Mamie had triplet daughters who were born prematurely, none lived past infancy.
4. Joe Cotton married Margaret
5. George Cotton married Mary who died during the influenza epidemic of 1918. Their children included:
   • Jack, who was best man at Edward and Maybelle's wedding, married a woman named Evelyn.
   • Mary, who married Walter Judd and had children: Sally and Hoey
   • Georgine, who married Harry O'Conner. After being widowed, she married George Schiller
   George later married Ellen, who was also called Nellie.
6. Sarah Cotton did not marry or have children. Sarah died when hit by a train.
7. James Cotton, the youngest child in the family and much loved by his sisters Mamie and Hattie as Baby James, regardless of how old they became. James was irrepressible, enthusiastic, and charming. He was a letter carrier who knew everyone on his route, and by this I mean he really knew them .. their families, who they wrote to and what they wrote about. James hated the rise of "junk mail", a sure sign of the decline of civilization.

   James married Emma, who worked at a soda fountain where he would stop and flirt. They had no children and lived over thirty years in one apartment on 230 St. in the Bronx, near Miseracordia Hospital, overlooking the Bronx River Parkway. These two were devoted to each other and no time could be spent in their presence without appreciating the love and affection they shared.