State of North Carolina, Edgecombe County
To the Sheriff of Edgecombe County Greeting. You are hereby commanded that by good & lawful men of your county You are cause to be made known to Randolph Cotton Administrator of all & singular [sic] of William Cotten dec'd, that is to appear personally at the next County Court of Pleas & Quarterly Sessions to be held for said County at the Court house in Tarborough on the Last Monday in August next that then and there to show cause if any he may have why the suit now standing on the Docket Robert Cottons Admis against William Cotton may not be continued and tried as if the said William Cotton had not deceased, And have then and there this Writ, Witness Edward Hall Clerk of said Court the 24th day of May Amo Dem 1795 Edward Hall CL

Fanny Cotten mentioned in the will of Willie Cotton:
Edgecombe County Will Abstracts 1793-1823 (Vol II)
Willie Cotten 24 Oct 1805 Feb Court 1807 Book D pg. 269
"...being sick and weak in body..."
One thousand dollars is to be paid to my AUNT ELIZABETH COTTEN'S three daughters FANNY COTTEN, BETSEY COTTEN and POLLY COTTEN. Remaining estate to be divided between my two brothers HENRY COTTEN TART and JOHN COTTEN.
Executors: brothers HENRY COTTEN TART and JOHN COTTEN, Witnesses: R. COTTEN, WILLIAM H SHOLLINGTON
(Note: Polly was a common nick name for Mary in these days)
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North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665 – 1998
Edgecombe Wills, Vol E, 1810 – 1823 p 193

In the name of God Amen. I Fanny Cotten being low and weak of body, but of Sound disposing mind and memory, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following /Viz/
First. I desire that my body should be decently and sutably [sic] buried.
Second. I give and bequeath unto my loving and affectionate mother Elizabeth Cotten my old negro woman Dorcas forever
Thirdly I give and bequeath to my loving mother as aforesaid, my negro boy Nelson during her natural life, and after her death I give the aforesaid Negro Nelson, to my loving Sister Mary Cotten, and the children lawfully begotten of her body forever.
Forthly I do herby constitute and appoint my affectionate Brother Spencer D Cotten my whole and sole Executor to this my las will and Testament in witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the 20 day of December 1817 her
Signed Sealed and delivered Fanny Cotten {Seal}
In presence of mark
Randolph Cotten
May Court 1818
Edgecombe County
The within last Will and Testament of Fanny Cotten dec’d was exhibited in open court for Probate and was proved by the oath of Randolph Cotten the subscribing witness there to and Spencer D Cotten the Sole Executor named in the said will was the same time qualified there to, ordered that the same to be Certified and the will recorded.
Test E. Hall CK

He was single and in the mercantile business with Spencer Dew Cotten.
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1850 Edgecombe Co., NC - US Fed. Census, Tarboro
28, 28
Randolph Cotton, age 84, M,_, None, $7,000, b. NC
Elizabeth Scott, age 48, F/M, NC
Patty Drakes, age 70, F/M, b. NC
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Edgecombe County Will Abstracts 1824-1857 (Vol. III)

Randolph Cotten of Tarborough 9 July 1847 August Court 1852 book F pg.482
To Elizabeth Scott (free woman of color residing in this town) -Life estate in 1/4 part of Town Lot #15 which adjoins Joseph J. Porter and adjoins Lot #26; also a life estate in Lot #26 adjoining Main Street, dwelling house furniture, dividends from stock in Bank of Cape Fear.
Nephew Frederick R. Cotten of Florida (son of Spencer D. Cotten, late of Tarborough) - all my bank stock except the 9 shares in Bank of Cape Fear mentioned above, books and pamphlets. To John W. Cotten (infant son of my nephew, the late John W. Cotten) - land I purchased of Michael Hearn and wife called the Sutton Place on the north side of Tar River adj. Dr. C.L. Dicken, Allen Jones, and John Daniel and containing 520 Acres, except for one acre which I have conveyed to the school committee on which the schoolhouse stands. To the said John W. Cotten - Negroes Scipio, Chilts, and Louis. To Mary Dunning (wife of ______ Dunning of Washington County, formerly Mary Cotten and daughter of the late Alexander Cotten) - my bed and walnut desk. Niece Eliza Powell (wife of Jesse Powell) - substantial sideboard. Sister Elizabeth Pitman - $50. To Randolph C. Pitman "now the only child of my nephew Spier Pitman of Halifax County" - $150. Nephew Frederick R. Pitman ( son of the said Elizabeth Pitman) - $250. To Margaret Eliza Cotten, Arabella Clark Cotten, Florida Call Cotten and the said John W. Cotten (children of my said nephew, the late John W. Cotten) - balance of my estate. My executors are to erect a comfortable frame house on the Sutton Place for each of my aged slaves King and Primus and set apart land for them to cultivate. In case they become to aged to work I change the legacy of my nephew Frederick R. Cotten with one half to the children of John W. Cotten and the other half to be used for the comfortable subsistence of said slaves. As King's wife is free and the wife of Primus belongs to Robert D. Wimberley, Esq., I request they all be allowed to live together. In case my old woman Phillis shall return to Edgecombe, I make the same provision for her support as for King and Primus. Executors: friends Jesse Powell, Henry T. Clark, William Norfleet
Witness: Henry Hyman, S.E. Moore

Codicil 23 June 1849
To nephew Frederick R. Cotten - five shares in Bank of Cape Fear. To the said John W. Cotten - tract of land recently purchased of Henry T. Clark, containing 160 acres.
Wit: Henry Hyman, S.E. Moore.

Codicil 26 June 1851
I revoke the legacy to my sister Elizabeth Pittman and bequeath the said $50 to Randolph C. Pittman ( infant child of Spier Pitman) in addition to that already bequeathed him.
Wit: Henry Hyman, S.E. Moore

Codicil 19 July 1852
To John W. Cotten, and Mary Dunning (formerly Mary Cotten) - the parts of Lots #15 and #26 I have purchased, subject to the life estate of Elizabeth Scott.
Wit: Henry Hyman, S.E. Moore

Edgecombe County Will Abstracts 1793-1823 Vol II)
FREDRICK COTTON 17 Nov 1814 May Court 1815 Book E pg 102

I Frederick Cotten at this time being Weak in body but thank God of a Strong &
well Disposed mind and memory and wishing before I leave this life to give what little property for it has ..... please God to bless me with a way, in Such a manner as I think proper & hereafter do mention. To wit:
First, I lend to my loving Mother Elizabeth Cotten all and every of my property which I possess at this time boath real & personal douring her natural life time & no longer, and this to be for her more easy Support & use, to be directed to her through and under the immediate care & direction of my brother Spencer D. Cotten.
Second, After the deceas of my Mother I give & bequeath to Frederick R. Pitman
Son of Robert J. Pitman & my Sister Elizabeth his wife, if a living at that time five hundred Dollars, this money to be raised from or out of my Estate in Such manner as my brother Spencer D. Cotten may think proper, so as he my Said brother Spencer D. Cotten & my Sister Mary Cotten may boath loose nothing more than in proportion to the value of there property which wde be given to them hereafter by me, to them & there heirs for ever.
Third, After the deceas of my Mother, I give and bequeath to my loving brother
Spencer D. Cotten the whole & all the landed property which I possess at this
time together with the improvements there on, to him and his heirs for ever.
Fourth, After the deceas of my Mother I give & bequeath to my loving Sister Mary Cotten my negroe man named Solomon to her & her heirs for ever.
Fifth, After the deceas of my Mother I give & bequeath to my loving brother Spencer D. Cotten & Sister Mary Cotten all the property that I have not heretofore mentioned - including my Stock of all Kinds, house hold & furniture of every description & articles of all Kinds there for, Kitchen furniture & articles there for & plantation essentials of every description - for to be equally divided, to them and their heirs for ever.
Sixthly & lastly, I hereby appoint my loving brother Spencer D. Cotten to be whole & sole my Executor of this my only will disowning all others if any there shou'd. be. Sign'd this the 17th day of November 1814 and acknowledged before us:

F. Cotten (Seal)

R'd. Harrison
A. Cotten

Edgecombe County
May Court 1815
The within last Will and Testament of Frederick Cotten decd was exhibited
in open Court for Probate, and was duly proven by the oath of Richard Harrison
and Alexander Cotten, the two subscribing witnesses thereto. And Spencer D.
Cotten the sole Executor named in the said Will, was at the same time qualified thereto. Ordered that the same be certified to the Will Record.
E. Hall Cle.