Aylett R. Cotton
Encyclopedia
Aylett Rains Cotton was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer, judge, teacher and miner from Iowa
and California
.
Born in Austintown, Ohio
, Cotton attended local public schools as a child and later Cottage Hill Academy in Ellsworth, Ohio
in 1842 and 1843. He taught school and moved to DeWitt, Iowa
with his father in 1844. He attended Allegheny College
in Meadville, Pennsylvania
in 1845 and taught school at Union Academy in Fayette County, Tennessee from 1845 to 1847.
He returned to Iowa
in 1847, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1848, commencing practice in Iowa
. Cotton moved to California
in 1849 and engaged in mining on the Feather River
. He moved to Lyons, Iowa in 1851 and became county judge of Clinton County, Iowa
the same year, serving until 1853. He was prosecuting attorney
of Clinton County in 1854, mayor of Lyons from 1855 to 1857 and was a member of the Iowa constitutional convention
in 1857.
Cotton was a member of the Iowa House of Representatives
from 1868 to 1870, serving as Speaker of the House
in his final term.
In 1870 he was elected a Republican
to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district
in the United States House of Representatives
. While serving in the Forty-second Congress, he narrowly defeated Democrat William E. Leffingwell to win a second term, becoming a member of the Forty-third Congress. Although his official Congressional biography states that he declined to run for a third term in 1874, newspaper reports indicate that he was an active but unsuccessful candidate for renomination at the Republican district convention in DeWitt, Iowa, on September 1, 1874, losing to John Q. Tufts
on the 30th ballot. In all, he served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1875.
He returned to California
in 1883 and commenced practicing law in San Francisco, California
until his death there on October 30, 1912. He was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in Colma, California
.
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Born in Austintown, Ohio
Austintown, Ohio
Austintown is a census-designated place in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 31,627 at the 2000 census...
, Cotton attended local public schools as a child and later Cottage Hill Academy in Ellsworth, Ohio
Ellsworth, Ohio
Ellsworth is an unincorporated community in central Ellsworth Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44416. It lies at the intersection of U.S. Route 224 and State Route 45....
in 1842 and 1843. He taught school and moved to DeWitt, Iowa
DeWitt, Iowa
DeWitt is a city in Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,049 at the 2000 census. DeWitt was named after DeWitt Clinton , an early American politician who served as United States Senator and 7th Governor of New York.-Geography:...
with his father in 1844. He attended Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
in Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is generally considered part of the Pittsburgh Tri-State and is within 40 miles of Erie, Pennsylvania. It was the first permanent settlement in northwest Pennsylvania...
in 1845 and taught school at Union Academy in Fayette County, Tennessee from 1845 to 1847.
He returned to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in 1847, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1848, commencing practice in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. Cotton moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1849 and engaged in mining on the Feather River
Feather River
The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. The river's main stem is about long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is about . Its drainage basin is about...
. He moved to Lyons, Iowa in 1851 and became county judge of Clinton County, Iowa
Clinton County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 49,116 in the county, with a population density of . There were 21,733 housing units, of which 20,223 were occupied.-2000 census:...
the same year, serving until 1853. He was prosecuting attorney
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
of Clinton County in 1854, mayor of Lyons from 1855 to 1857 and was a member of the Iowa constitutional convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
in 1857.
Cotton was a member of the Iowa House of Representatives
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency...
from 1868 to 1870, serving as Speaker of the House
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
in his final term.
In 1870 he was elected a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that generally covers most of the southeastern part of the state including Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.The district is currently represented by Democrat Dave Loebsack....
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. While serving in the Forty-second Congress, he narrowly defeated Democrat William E. Leffingwell to win a second term, becoming a member of the Forty-third Congress. Although his official Congressional biography states that he declined to run for a third term in 1874, newspaper reports indicate that he was an active but unsuccessful candidate for renomination at the Republican district convention in DeWitt, Iowa, on September 1, 1874, losing to John Q. Tufts
John Q. Tufts
John Quincy Adams Tufts was an American Republican politician from Iowa and California.The son of Servetus Tufts and Emily , John Q. was born near Aurora, Indiana or Wilton, Maine , Tufts moved to Muscatine County, Iowa, with his parents in 1852...
on the 30th ballot. In all, he served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1875.
He returned to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1883 and commenced practicing law in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
until his death there on October 30, 1912. He was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in Colma, California
Colma, California
Colma is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, at the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 1,792 at the 2010 census. The town was founded as a necropolis in 1924....
.
External links
- Aylett R. Cotton at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...