From "Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana," Logansport, B. F. Bowen, 1903, pp. 190-191.

George W. Cotton

In calling to mind the dealer in live stock, persons will picture him as a hard-riding, hard-drinking, hard-sweating individual genial and kind enough in his way but rough of language and uncouth of manners. Whether or not it is the life they lead in driving over the country, purchasing stock, driving them to the station to be shipped and keeping up a night and day vigilance upon them while in transit, that gives them the distinguishing traits of character referred to, it would be difficult to assert. Certain it is, however, that the great majority of those who actively engage in purchasing, driving and shipping live stock to the commercial centers of the country would never be called upon to impart instructions in good breeding to the pupils of a young ladies seminary. In this as in all other things there are some very notable exceptions. One of these is George W. Cotton, a resident of Bluffton, Wells County, Indiana, the subject of this sketch. His career amply shows that a man may be truthful, honest and moral in any respective calling; in other words, that to be possessed of the virtues mentioned, including abstinence, it is not necessary to become a theological student or a minister of the gospel.

The Cotton Family was one of the first families to locate in Wells County. It is now more than sixty-two years since Samuel G. Cotton and his good wife Dianah, who were natives of Holmes county, Ohio, decided to make their home in that locality. After investing in a number of tracts of land in Rock Creek township, he finally purchased the farm which has since been known as the Cotton Farm and by the labor of his hands and sweat of his brow, made it what it now is, one of the best improved and most productive pieces of land in the county. Here he lived until the latter part of his life, when he moved to Bluffton, where his wife died in 1895. His death occurred in Chicago May 21, 1902. He was widely known and because of his excellent qualities he possessed the esteem and regard of all who knew him. The county is largely indebted to him for its early development.

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Cotton, father and mother of George W. Cotton, were parents of five sons and one daughter. George W., the subject hereof, was born Aug 1, 1851 and was the youngest child of the family. He was educated in the common schools of Rock Creek township, later in the graded schools of Bluffton, eventually going to Marion where educational facilities were supported to be better. Outside of the time occupied in his studies, he worked upon his father's farm until he attained his majority, when he engaged in business for himself, buying and selling live stock. He was, indeed is yet, what is termed in these latter days "a hustler," and the competitor who gathered in more animals than he did during the course of a year had to get up earlier in the morning, move faster during business hours and prolong his labors later at night than the average stock buyer is in the habit of doing. His negotiations are conducted calmly, coolly and generally satisfactorily. He always pays the highest price permitted by the conditions of the market and during the long and active life has paid to the farmers of Wells and adjoining counties hundreds of thousands of dollars. At different times he was associated in business with his brothers, Cyrus and Frank, but for the last fifteen years he has been alone. That he has been most successful is amply attested by the volume of business he has done. His shipments are made to Chicago, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Buffalo and others points. His long experience both as to the markets and the stock, have brought to him a penetration and judgment that seems almost infallible.

April 27, 1875, Mr. Cotton was married to Miss Josephine McDonald, who is a native of Noble county, Indiana. To them have been born eight children: Bessie, the first born, is the wife of Hamer McKinney; Marshall S.; Ralph C.; Franklin F.; Hazel D., and Ruby; two are dead. Mr. Cotton was a Republican and always voted with that party until 1884, when he transferred his allegiance to the Prohibition party, with which he has since steadily voted. He has two separate occasions occupied a place upon the county ticket of the Prohibition party, once for sheriff and at another time for representative, but in Wells County they seldom elect to office any other kind of people than Democrats. Prohibitionists are especially obnoxious to them, hence it is unnecessary to say that he was defeated each time. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church of Bluffton, are zealous in all charitable and Christian work and give of their substance quite liberally to every worthy cause. While a moral, upright Christian man, Mr. Cotton of not a long-visaged, canting, pretending personage. He is warm-hearted merry and jovial, a man whose friendship you would be induced to court and whose loyalty you would never question in any emergency.

[poster is not related to this family and has no additional information]