COTTON, Aylett R.

COTTON, WALKER

Posted By: Administrator
Date: 10/3/2001 at 16:18:22

From the book "The History of Clinton County Iowa" by L. P. Allen (1879) Pages 669-697
Biographical Sketches of Clinton Residents

Aylett R. Cotton, attorney and counselor at law, Opera House Block; native of Trumbull Co., Ohio; born Nov. 29, 1826; attended school there; attended Cottage Hill academy at Ellsworth, Ohio, two years; when 17 years of age, came with his parents to Iowa; they landed in Davenport May 5, 1844; came to Clinton co. June 18, 1844; fall of same year, he returned to Ohio and taught school; the following summer, entered Alleghany College at Meadville, Penn.; engaged in teaching in Fayette Co., Tenn., for two years; returned to Clinton Co. and read law; admitted to the bar in 1848; spring of 1849, went overland to California; returned in 1851, and engaged in law practice at De Witt; August, 1851, was elected County Judge; resigned in 1853; following year he removed to Lyons; was elected Prosecuting Attorney; held office of Mayor of Lyons from December, 1855 until 1857; was member of the State Constitutional Convention in 1857; member of House of Representatives of Iowa in 1868 and 1870; during the last term, was Speaker of the House; was Representative from this district to the Forty-second Congress; re-elected to the Forty-third Congress. He married Miss Hattie E. Walker; she was born in Pennsylvania; her parents came to Iowa when she was an infant.