Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-12-12
Obituary
j. B. Cotton.

Sabula Gazette, Dec IL. B. Cot
ton, one of our esteemed citizens and
. veteran of Co. A., oath Iowa Infan
Try, passed away at his home in this
city at about $3.50 o'clock Tuesday
morning. Mr.. Cotton had been sick
Cor several weeks. but his illness did
,at assume critical stage until with
in few days of his death,
Byron Cotton was the son of Carrot
L. and Louisa (RooD Cotton, his
mother being a relative of Elihu Root,
secretary Of state. and was born at
r,lldNinyille, Onondaga. county. New
Yrk Ms rich 9. 1886. He came to Iowa
with his parents when lad Of four
.een years and first lived at Sterling,
n this county. On August 8, 1863, he
enlisted in company A. 24th Iowa In
tantry and served his country faith
fully until his discharge on May 81.
ability was created by the premature
explosion of a cannon at the battle of
Winchester, when seven OF his COM
RACES were killed and Mr. Cotton. car
ried OF the field for dead. His optical
nerve was paralyzed by the shock and
he sustained other wounds so that he
was confined to the hospital until dis
charged. Mr.. Cotton's eyes gave him
trouble continually until finally, in
1896, the sight was entirely destroyed.
A specia! act Of congress. Feb 10, 1897,
granted him pension of $50, but
through the red tape and formalities
with which such things are hampered.
he never received the s72 to which a
soldier totally blind is entitled.
Mr.. Cotton was married at the home
Of his sister, Mrs j. c. Day, in this
city, on June 8, 1868, to Miss Lydia G.
Howell who. with two children, Mrs.
TthA1 Yca NJ 90 nd
Cotton OF Clinton. survive him. For
seven years after their marriage Mr..
and Mrs. Cotton lived in Sabula. They
then moved to Moulton and from that
period up to 1898 made their home at
Ottumwa and in South Dakota. Nov
ing to Sabula from Ottumwa in 1898,
they have since made this city their
home. Besides the wife and children,
decea1ed is survived by two sisters,
Mrs. j. c. Day and Mrs. Julia Wilson
Of this city.
Despite the fact that his blindness
deprived him of many OF the pleasures
and privileges Of life, Mr.. Cotton was
an optimistic and nleasant disposition,
always enjoying tbs company and So
c}ab1Mty Of his friends as we'll as of
his home He was a member of the
ChAuncey Lawrence Post, G.. A. r..
and his loyalty to his country was a
paramount virtue.
The funeral services We're held al
the late home at 1 o'clock Thursday
afternoon and were conducted by Mr.
and Mrs. Chas. Day, readers OF the
Christian Science church Mrs. R. E
Walker, Jr.. sang Abide With Me-
accompanied by Mrs. ]. l.. Kimbell as
pianist. Many beautiful flowers tht
tributes of loving friends. were in evil
dence, At the grave in Evergreen
cemetery Chauncey Lawrence Post
G. A. r.. conducted their impressive
ritualistic services in charge of Com
mander j. H. Cottral. Henry Dunr
acted as chaplain and Comrades B
Van Stienberg. v. DeOniok and F. NJ
Miles deposited the laurel wreathes or
the lowering casket.' w. S. Kellogg, r
NJ Miles, V. Denick and Henry Dunr
of Miles, and John Henfrey and w. F
MARI Of this city. acted as pail bear
ers. All Of the above named veterans
were members Of Mr.. Cotton's com
pany.
M o11, ie /,