There were two Gabriel Cottons in Illinois. One was the son of Caleb Cotton and Nancy Merideth who was born about 1822 in Johnson Co., Illinois. He is listed in the 1850 Pattawattamie Co., Iowa Census with wife, Jane, and children William, Lucy and Jane, residing next to his brother, Noah Cotton. The other Gabriel Cotton resided in Pope Co., Illinois and married Rachel (Hazel) Slankard. The 1820, 1830 and 1840 Pope Co., IL census suggests that Gabriel would have been born about 1825 and would have been about 10 years younger than his wife Rachel.(See Notes on Rachel)

Illinois Marriages to 1850
Spouse 1: Hazel, Rachel, Spouse 2: Slankard, Caleb
Marriage Date: 03 Jan 1832, Marriage Location: Illinois, Pope County
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Illinois Marriages to 1850
Spouse 1: Cotton, Gabriel, Spouse 2: Slankard, Rachel
Marriage Date: 15 Jul 1843, Marriage Location: Illinois, Pope County
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1850 Pope Co., IL, 18 Sept
Rachell Cotten, age 35, IL
Rebecca Slankard, age 18, IL
Harrison Slankard, age 16, IL
George M. Slankard, age 14, IL
Nancy Slankard, age 11, IL
William Slankard, age 10, IL
Caral Cotten, male, age 7, IL (Carroll)
Mary Cotten, age 5, IL
Mathew L. Cotten, age 2, IL
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Pope County Marriages: http://pope.ilgenweb.net/mbc.htm
Berry, Moses W. - Cotton, Rachel, Pope, 12/27/1853 00A/0445 000000