WILL OF COLONEL ARTHUR STATON - ABSTRACTS OF WILL EDGECOMBE
COUNTY, N. C. BY WILLIAMS & GRIFFIN I733-I856
November 24, 1821, May Ct., 1822, Bk. E, page 300
gr-son: ARTHUR S. COTTON, $300 to buy him a negro boy, horse, bridle, saddle, etc.
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19 March 1836, Tarboro, North Carolina
A Distressing Occurence - we learn that on Thursday the 10th last, two little boys, one aged ten years, and the other between six and seven, sons of Arthur S. Cotten, met with an untimly fate in attempting to cross Concho Creek below James Mayo's Mill in Martin County. They were not missed until dark when a search was made for them, and one of their caps found above the steps below the footway. They were then dragged for, but in vain the water being deep and the night dark. Next morning the search was renewed, and they were found ten or eleven steps below the foot Bridge. Thus has it phrased an All wise Provence to cut there in the bloom of life, these two children: that it may be said that "In the midst of life we are in death" Halifax Ade [sic]
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Huzza for old Martin. We learn that the wife of Arthur S. Cotten, esq of Martin county, presented her husband a few days since with three fine sons at This place, as some would say, is "hard to beat."
Clipped from Tarboro' Press,
27 Feb 1841, Sat, Page 2

Living with daughter, Virginia Lamb, in 1880.

In the will of Godwin Cotten, written 24 Mar 1834, he only names Gemison Godwin Cotten, son of Arthur S. Cotten. Arthur S. Cotten’s marriage bond to Louisa Mayo, is dated 08 May 1827 Edgecombe County. Gemison Godwin Cotten would have been born about 1828 or later. In the probate records for Godwin Cotton (1834- 1839) it states the following:
“The testator by his will bequeathed to one Gemison Godwin Cotton, son of Arthur S. Cotton two hundred & fifty Dollars. Your Petitioners show that before the death of the testator the legaties Eliza Thompson & Gemison Godwin Cotton died whereby their legacy became lapsed”. Gemison Godwin Cotten died after Godwin Cotten wrote his will in 1834 and before Godwin Cotton died in 1837. Gemison could not have been more than 9 to 10 years old at his death…and these were not twins. It’s no doubt that Bruce Cotten was told they were twins and were about 15 years old.