England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, familysearch.org
Name: John Cotton
Event Type: Christening, Event Date: 7 Jan 1619
Event Place: Wood Ditton, Cambridgeshire, England
Event Place (Original): Wood Ditton, Cambridge, England
Gender: Male, Birth Date: 24 Dec 1619
Father's Name: John Cotton
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encyclopedia Virginia - Virginia Humanities, Library of Virginia
Time Line
November 4, 1657 - John Cotton and his wife, Ann, witness the will of William Evans in York County.
June 9, 1676 - John Cotton writes his wife, Ann, a letter from Jamestown recounting one of the dramatic events at the opening of Bacon's Rebellion.
August 24, 1683 - Court records indicate that John Cotton agrees to the postponement of a case until the next meeting of the York County Court.
October 24, 1683 - The York County Court postpones the hearing of a case involving John Cotton for a second time. Cotton dies sometime after this date.

Cotton has sometimes been identified as the posthumous son of Anne Graves Cotton and William Cotton, the rector of Hungars Parish in Northampton County who died about 1640 or 1641, and as the John Cutten who with his wife Hannah Cutten, of that county, had a daughter in 1660 and a son in 1662, but extant records do not sustain either identification. The clergyman’s only known surviving child was a daughter, and it has been impossible to establish any relationship between John Cotton and any members of the several Eastern Shore families whose surnames in the local records were spelled Cotten, Cotton, Cutten, Cutton, Cutting, or Cutting
He owned a plantation on Queen's Creek and often acted as an agent and attorney in the local courts. He was in Jamestown early in June 1676 when the governor arrested and released Nathaniel Bacon, after he had attacked a group of Virginia Indians.
There was more than one man named John Cotton in Virginia between the 1650s and 1680s, but only one is known for certain to have lived in York County. The last documented references to him in the records of that county concern a case that he evidently agreed on August 24, 1683, to postpone to the next meeting of the county court. At that meeting, on October 24, the justices of the peace postponed the case again. Cotton was presumably still alive on the latter date, but there is no further record of the case, and it may have abated as a consequence of his death a few days, weeks, or months later. His date of death and place of burial remain unknow
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He is also incorretly identified as the John COLTER listed in the Isle of Wight County records. There is one transcription error in all of these records that lists John Colter's surname as COTTEN:
Marriages of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, 1628 - 1800, Chapman, page 12
COLTER, John & Mrs. ___ Abbington, R. of Thomas Abbington. 1693. D.B.I. (Nov.) p. 12
Isle of Wight County Virginia, Deeds 1647-1719, Court Orders 1693-1695 and Guardian Accounts 1740-1767, William Lindsay Hopkins, 1993
Isle of Wight Court Orders 1693-1695
(p 12) Court 23 Nov 1693, p 72
Mr. Anthony Holladay & Mr. James Benn...Estate of JOHN COLTER who married the Relict of Thomas Abbington, decd.
(p 16) Court 9 Jan 1693, p 73
Estates of Thomas Abbington and JOHN COTTEN... John Penny
Court 10 Oct 1694 p 79
(p 58) Mr. Thomas Moor, late subsheriff, to outcry the Estates of Abbington and COLTER.
(p 63) MARTA COLTER, an Orphan, is bound to Dr. Luke Havalid to learn housewifery
Court 12 Dec 1694, p 80
(p 71) Mr. Thomas Moore late subsheriff vs Estates of Thomas Abbington and JOHN COLTER
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Cavaliers and Pioneers, Nugent
Patent Book No. 3 page 285
No date-(in betwen two patents of July 1653 )
ROBERT WARREN, 100 acs. Northampton Co., (no date), p. 247. Incomplete. Mentions Kings Cr. & Mr. John Cotton. Trans, of 2 pers: Jane Sherwood, Rebecca Harswell.
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Virginia County Records, Vol VI 1909, William Armstrong Crozier, P. 8 A.
William Cox, Overseer of the.Iast Will & Testament of William Evans dec’d, relinquishes his right in the sd. Will; Katherina Evans the late wife of the dec’d., to have the sd. Will, and a Com.or Adm.with the Will annexed of the Est..of the sd. dec’d is granted to the ad. Katherina Evans; the Will was presented incourt by JOHN COTTON‘s oath, but the sd. Cox ordered 800 lbs. tob. & cask; Richard Harris & George Gill are sworn by Jerom Ham to deliver an oath to the sd. Adm’x
page 17
Evans, William. 4 Nov., 1657—21 Oct., 1657. Wife Katherine; William Cox; William Douglas; James Tate; John Cotton ; wife, executrix ; witnesses JOHN COTTON, ANN COTTON

p, 9, We find that Mary Cosby the child of John Cosby by misadventure as burned so that she dyed by accident Monday Last about sunset being last day of Nov.‘past, Witness our hands this 3 Dec, 1657 Xgpher Harris, George Gill, Richard Harris, JOHN COTTON, John Deanis or Dlanis, James Wilson, John Lyman, Henry Mayes or Mayor, John Stacy or Stary, John Mash, William T ffisher, Robert Andersin, Edward Gore, Rec. 21 Dec. 1657.

p 9 A. Will’of William Evans, debts to be paid; wife Katherine; a legacy to William Cox; a cow to William Duglas (mark described); James Tate to be overseer until his child shall come of ago; JOHN COTTON a legacy; my landlord William Cox: 4 Nov. 1657.
Wit.: JOHN COTTON, ANN COTTON
The ‘Mark of William W Evans.Jur. in Our. 21 xbris :1657
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VIRGINIA COUNTY RECORDS, page 65
YORK COUNTY WILLS. (Continued from Vol. VI, page 18.)
Wheeler, Eleanor, widow, 13 April 1660; 24 April 1660. Cousins Francis and Mary Hall ; Elizabeth Hooper ; granddaughter Amy Harrison and her father Robert Harrison ;
son Nicholas Comins ; JOHN COTTON; Col. William Barber, son-in-law Robert Harrison and Nicholas Trott exrs. Wit :John Richardson, JOHN COTTON.
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Cavaliers and Pioneers, Nugent
Patent Book No. 4, page 403 -404
WILL DRUMMOND, Gent., 4750 acs. Westmoreland Co., 20 Sept. 1661, p. 326, (446). Beg. a mile from the Nominy Riv., S. & Wly. & on the back of land belonging to Jno. Wood. Trans. of 95 pers: Samll. Howard, Jno. Thomson, Wm. Cooke, Eliz. Smith, Jno. Warren, Fran. James, Richd. Harma, JNO. COTTON, An Dunbar, Wm. Worden, Marg. Rowlins, Geo. Howkett, Samll.Harford, Robt. Floring, Jno. Greene, Tho. Wood, Rich. Parker, Fran. Willis, Henry Mills, Alice Potter, Mary Hunt, Daniell Wms. (Williams), Dennis Shorpe, James Adkins, Jno. Poore, James Man, Erasmus Pewry (or Penry), Mary Smith, Wm. Cooke, Lawrence Hooker, Saml. Welch, Dennis Watkins, Danll. Dickins, Michaell Wadloe, Nich Spruce, Mary Spruce, Henrick Vandulett, Robt. Surlin, Elinor Woodbridge, James Bruce, Henry Sand (or Sanders), Silvest. Thacker, Dorothy Thacker, Jno. Deane, Wm. Hope, Francis Jones, Jno. Worlech, Nath. Spencer, Rich. Spicor, Mathew Hains, Wm. Thompson, Jane Salter, Mary Wood, Daniell Parker, Walter Wms. (Williams), Gartred
Sparkes, Francis Spie, Martin Woodliffe, Robt. Savin, Rich. Palmer, Samll. Prime
(or Prince), Nich. Wells, Wm. Johnson, Isaak Rose, Patriak Wicks, Jno. Hobbs, Mary Hart, Samll. Davis, Tho. Portman, Nich. Smart, Danll. Wills, Rich. Forrest, Jno. Roak (?), Jane
Wallis, Tim. Saltir, Robt. Datrill, Phill. Woodford, Wm. Garrett, Tho. Johnson, Ralph Mathew. Henry Betts, Mary Bateman, 8 Negroes, Robt. Serly, Davy Darlins, Roger Armes, Jno. Huger (or Hager), Tho. Keiton.
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Message Board Posting
Jane Johnston Posted: 25 Jan 2020 05:34PM Classification: Query
Does anyone know if the Anne Willis named in the will below is the wife of Francis Willis of Gloucester County, Virginia? I came across a record showing that John Cotton came over from England on the same ship as an elder Francis Willis who was the uncle of Francis Willis of Gloucester County. My Grandmother researched our family history and made two trips to England where she found the will of Francis Willis who had at one time lived in the Virginia colony. He later returned to the county of Kent in England where he died in 1691. The will of John Cotton was also among the British records she saved. A note at the top of the transcript says is was found among the papers of Thomas Ashbery, London grocer, 1668-1736. I don't know who this person is or why she was looking through his records. Grandmother was a real bloodhound when it came to tracking this stuff down. I regret that I didn't show more of an interest in our family & genealogy when she was still alive. I assume her interest in the will was due to the name of the daughter Anne Willis. I am trying to determine where she fits in to our genealogy.

In the name of God Amen. I JOHN COTTON of the parish of Hampton in the county of York in Verginia, being weake in body but of perfect minde and memory and calling to minde the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the hour thereof, revoking all other wills by me heretofore made, do make and ordaine this my last will and testament. Imprimis. I give unto my two daughters, ELIZABETH GARDNER and ANNE WILLIS, each of them, the sum of fifty pounds sterling. Item. I give and bequeathe to my son, JOHN COTTON, 280 acres of land, my old plantation scituate on the west side of Chuckatock River in the counties of Nansimond and Isle of Wight. Item. I give unto my daughter DOROTHY COTTON the sum of 100 pounds sterling when she shall marry or attaine the age of twenty one years. I further give and bequeathe unto my daughter Dorothy one negroe girl called Rose, age about 12 years. Item. I give unto my son JOHN COTTON my black riding horse called by the name of B--- Item. I give and bequeathe unto my nephew JOHN ASHBERRY of the Citty of London, son of my beloved sister Elizabeth, 20 pounds sterling and all of the stores belonging to me which are now in his possession. Item. I give unto my NEPHEW JOHN COTTON of Elizabeth Citty County, son of MY BROTHER THOMAS, deceased, my bay mare. Item. I lend unto my BELOVED WIFE ANNE, during her natural life, the plantation whereon I now live with all of the household furniture and apurtenances thereunto belonging, and after her decease, I give unto my son JOHN COTTON the aforesaid plantation, to him and his lawfully begotten heirs forever.
Item, After my just debts have been paid, I give all of the remainder of my personal estate not heretofore named to be divided equilly between my wife and my four children, ELIZABETH GARDNER, ANNE WILLIS, JOHN COTTON AND DOROTHY COTTON. I do hereby make and ordaine my beloved wife ANNE COTTON executrix and my son JOHN COTTON executor of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 25th day of November 1683.
Witnesses THOMAS JONES, ANN BRAY, JOHN COOPER
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Time Line
November 4, 1657 - John Cotton and his wife, Ann, witness the will of William Evans in York County.
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Ann Cotton (fl. 1650s–1670s)
Contributed by Virginia Bernhard and the Dictionary of Virginia Biography

Ann Cotton wrote one of the earliest personal accounts of Bacon's Rebellion (1676–1677). Nothing is known about her life until 1657, when she and her husband, John Cotton, witnessed a will in York County, where they lived. Unlike most other women in colonial Virginia, she was educated and literate. After the events of Bacon's Rebellion, she composed a highly personal narrative of the rebellion for a friend in England. The time and place of Cotton's death are unknown. The whereabouts of her original letter is not known. It was first published in the Richmond Enquirer in 1804 and in the first volume of Peter Force's Tracts and Other Papers, Relating Principally to the Origin, Settlement and Progress of the Colonies in North America in 1836, making it one of the first personal accounts of the rebellion to be published.
Cotton was the wife of John Cotton, of York County. Nothing is known about the date and place of her birth, her maiden name, the date of her marriage or marriages, or whether she had any children. Historians who have identified her husband as a native of the Eastern Shore of Virginia believed that they resided in Hungars Parish, Northampton County, and had a daughter in the spring of 1660 and a son in December 1662, but no documents demonstrate that either of the Cottons had a relationship to any Eastern Shore families. The first reference to Ann Cotton in extant Virginia documents is dated November 4, 1657, when she and her husband witnessed the will of William Evans in York County, where she and her husband evidently lived from sometime before that date until after Bacon's Rebellion. Her husband was an attorney and for a time owned a plantation on Queen's Creek. It is evident from her narrative of the rebellion that she knew most or all of the important people in the county, including Edmund Cheesman and his wife, both prominent supporters of Nathaniel Bacon.
(My Note: Researchers are confusing a man by the name of John Colter or Colten as the John Cotton who resided in York Co., VA. The John Colter or Colten had two children christened in Hungar's Parish but his wifes name was Hannah, not Ann

https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Cotton_Ann_fl_1650s-1670s#start_entry