Record

CodeP/0017
Dates1621-1702
Person NameCotton; Sir; John (1621-1702); 3rd Baronet; of Conington
SurnameCotton
ForenamesJohn
PreTitleSir
Title3rd Baronet
Epithetof Conington
ActivitySir John Cotton, 3rd Baronet (1621-1702) was one of the largest landholders in Huntingdonshire, though his preference seems to have been for the estates he acquired in Bedfordshire by his first marriage and he allowed his family seat of Conington Castle to fall into disrepair. He was the final member of the Cotton family to serve as custodian of the Cotton Library which his grandfather, Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, 1st Baronet (1571-1631) had collected, and one of his greatest legacies is his role in arranging for the manuscript collection to form the basis of a national library upon his death (something which his grandfather had proposed to Elizabeth I in 1598). Judging from the opinion of contemporaries he cared for the classical texts in his care and took pains to present himself as an ancient Greek orator in his speeches. He was an active politician, serving in Parliament for over two decades, and holding numerous local offices in both Huntingdonshire and Bedfordshire.
RelationshipsFather: Sir Thomas Cotton, 2nd Baronet (1594-1662)
Mother: Margaret Howard (m. before 1620) daughter of Lord William Howard, of Naworth Castle, Cumberland
Spouse: Dorothy Anderson (m.1644) daughter of Edmund Anderson, of Stratton and Eyworth
Elizabeth Honywood (d.1702, m.1658) daughter of Sir Thomas Honywood of Mark's Hall, Essex
Children by first marriage: John Cotton (c.1650-1681) m. Frances Downing, daughter of Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet (c.1624/5-c.1684)
Dorothy Cotton (dates unknown) m. a member of the Dennis family
Children by second marriage: Elizabeth Cotton
Mary Honeywood Cotton
Sir Robert Cotton, 5th Baronet (c.1669-1749) m. 1st a member of the Wigston family, and 2nd a member of the Morton family
Seven other children
Linked entries in the catalogue
RefNoTitle
KFE/1/5Mortgage for term of 500 years, £2,200
KCON/5/3/6Cotton v. Cotton. Briefs.
KFE/1/6Assignment of Mortgage and further charge
KFE/1/9Assignment of Mortgage-£4000
KCON/3/1/A/18Exemplification of Common Recovery
KCON/2/4/A/46Demise for a Term
KCON/5/12/4Counsel's Opinion On steps necessary to bar entails and settle the Cotton estates.
KFIELDEN/F5/9/1Settlement. On marriage of Sir John Cotton Bart and Miss Elizabeth Honywood of Markeshall, Essex.
KCON/7/10/4Letter from Will. Hallsey, Sawtry (steward - dorse) to Sir John Cotton, Bart. at Cotton House, Westminster.
KCON/5/3/9Cotton v. Cotton; Answer of Sir John Cotton, Bart, deft., to the Bill of Complaint of Robert Cotton, Esq., Mary Honeywood Cotton, Spinster, Sir Miles Heneage, Kt., and John Proby, Esq., and Robert and Philip Cotton, Conington, Cambs., Esqs., complts.
KCON/2/4/A/55Marriage Settlement
KCON/2/4/A/51Abstract
KCON/2/4/A/53Marriage Settlement, by Lease and Release
KCON/3/9/4Mortgage (with Counterpart)
KFIELDEN/F5/8/4Will. Sir John Cotton of Bedfordshire.
KAH/26/234/14Mandate for induction: Robert Williamson M.A., Rector of Denton: patron, Sir John Cotton Bart
KCON/2/4/A/48Final Concord
KCON/5/3/3Cotton v. Cotton Bill of Complaint (and draft and amended bill)
KFIELDEN/F3/7/1Conveyance. Sir Nicholas Pedley of Huntingdon, Serjeant at Law, to Sir John Cotton of Stratton, Bedfordshire, two boat gates in Whittlesey mere for £55.
K588/F/35Funeral poem to the memory of Sir John Cotton, baronet.
KAR56/5/48Sir Robert Bernard and Nicholas Pedley both of Lincoln's Inn, Sir John Cotton concurring, to Sir Robert Cotton. Release of rent charge of £230 p.a. out of Manor of Hatley St George to extinguish same. Cf. R56/5/44
KCON/5/3/1Will of Sir John Cotton. (Copy) of Sir John Cotton, Stratton, Beds, Bart.
KAH/26/234/70Mandate for induction: Nathaniel Gibson, Rector of Denton: patron, Sir John Cotton Kt & Bart
KAH/26/234/36Mandate for induction: Anthony Hill M.A., Rector of Steeple Gidding: patron, Sir John Cotton Bart
KAH/26/234/92Mandate for induction: Thomas Ferrar M.A., Rector of Steeple Gidding: patron, Sir John Cotton Bart
KAH/26/234/39Mandate for induction: John Caton M.A., Rector of Sawtry Beaumes St. Andrew: patron, Sir John Cotton Bart
KAH/26/234/105Mandate for induction: Thomas Dod B.A., Rector of Conington: patron, Sir John Cotton Bart of Stratton, par of Biggleswade
KAH/26/234/11Mandate for induction: James Wildbore, Rector of Steeple Gidding: patron, Sir John Cotton Bart.
KAR56/5/49Sir Robert and Sir John Cotton, Sir William Morice and Gertrude his daughter concurring, to trustees of Marriage Settlement. Grant of Manor of Hatley St George, on proposed marriage of Sir Robert with Gertrude, for uses stated. Cf. R56/5/47
KAR56/5/47Robert Cotton of Middle Temple, Sir John Cotton of Connington, Hunts., concurring, to Sir William Morice. Settlement on proposed marriage of Robert Cotton with Gertrude Morice, of Manor of Hatley St George and lands and tenements in Hatley St George, Tadlow and Gamlingay
KFIELDEN/F5/9/4Will. Sir John Cotton Bart of Bedfordshire.
KCON/2/4/A/41Marriage Agreement; Marriages
KCON/5/3/5Cotton v. Cotton Statement of Case
KCON/5/3/4Assignment and Power of Attorney
KCON/2/4/A/42Settlement
KCON/5/3/10Cotton v. Cotton Bill of Complaint of Sir John Cotton, Bart., Administrator of the goods of John Cotton, Esq., his late father decd.
KCON/3/4/2/11Assignment of Term
KCON/3/2/B/5Deed To Lead Uses of Fine
KCON/2/4/A/56Quitclaim
KCON/3/4/3/1Assignment of Term
KCON/5/3/14Cotton v. Cotton Mary Honeywood Cotton, one of the defendants' answer to the Bill of Complaint of Sir John Cotton, Bart, complainant.
K588/F/34Pedigree book and cartulary of Cotton family of Conington with ink sketches of achievements and monuments of a knight.
KCON/2/4/A/43Settlement (Deed to Lead Uses to Fine, with Counterpart)
KCON/2/4/A/54Quitclaim; Dame Alice Monoux, widow and relict of Sir Humphery Monoux, late of Wooton, Beds., Bart, decd., and youngest dau. of Sir Thomas Cotton, late of Conington, Bart, decd. and Lewis Monoux, Grays Inn, Middx. Esq., and Philip Cotton, Little Conington, Cambs. - the exors. of the will of Sir Humphery Monoux.
KCON/5/3/11Cotton v. Cotton Lewis Monoux, Esq., one of the defts., answer to the Bill of Complaint of Sir John C., Bart. complt.
KCON/5/3/12Cotton v. Cotton William Hanbury, one of the defendants' answer to the Bill of Complaint of Sir John Cotton, Bart, complt.
KCON/5/3/13Cotton v. Cotton Robert Pulleyn, Esq., one of the defendants, answer to the Bill of Complaint of Sir John Cotton, Bart, complt.
KFIELDEN/F3/7/11Schedule of deed relating to the Manor of Glatton purchased by Thomas Truman from Sir John Cotton, Bart, commencing with grant from James I, 16 July 9 James I.
KCON/5/3/8Cotton. v. Cotton Counsel's Opinion from Nicolas Hooper.
KCON/2/4/A/52Marriage Settlement
KHP17/6/2List of Cotton family monumental inscriptions.
KCON/8/1Pedigree of the Brus-Cotton family, showing the descent of the lordship of Conington, Hunts, from Waltheof Earl of Huntingdon to whom St. Edward the Confessor gave it after he had banished Turkill the Dane.
KCON/2/4/A/47Deed to Lead Uses to Fine
KCON/3/4/2/10Deed to Lead Uses of Fine (Lease and Release)
KCON/2/4/A/59Deed to Lead Uses of Common Recovery (Lease and Release)
KCON/2/4/A/45Demise for a Term (Collateral Security)
KCON/5/3/2Cotton v. Cotton Bill of Complaint
KCON/2/1/1Will Sir John Cotton of Stratton, Biggleswade, Beds, Bart. Made: 11 August, 1701 Codicil 18 April 1702 Proved 15 Sept 1702
KCON/2/4/A/64Marriage Settlement (By Lease and Release)
KCON/2/4/A/49Declaration of Trust (and copy)
KCON/2/4/A/44Settlement
KCON/2/4/A/57Assignment of a Term in Trust (and Counterpart)
KCON/3/2/B/4Deed to Lead Uses of Fine; (Lease/Release) and Copy.
KCON/3/2/B/8Assignment of Terms
KCON/5/3/15Cotton v. Cotton; Answer of Sir Robert Cotton, Kt and Thomas C., Esq. son and heir of William C., Esq., decd. defendants, to the Bill of Complaint of Sir John Cotton, Bart, complainant.
KFIELDEN/F5/8/1Settlement. Sir Thomas Cotton of Connington, John Cotton, his son, Sir Thomas Soame of Kimberley, Norfolk, Walter Chetwyn, of Staffordshire, Robert Bernard.
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