WM. H. COTTER

COTTER, HARRINGTON

Posted By: Joni Hindman (email)
Date: 9/8/2009 at 11:36:05

WM. H. COTTER, farmer, post-office, Oxford; was born in Oneida county, N. Y., October 10, 1824, where he spent his early life and followed the manufacture of wooden-ware. In 1852 he went to Massachusetts, where he lived three years, and then came to Oxford township in the spring of 1855, and bought 160 acres of land, which he now owns. Since coming here he has been engaged in tilling the soil, and was the first assessor in Oxford township, being elected in 1856, and has since filled the offices of township clerk and assessor, and is one of Oxford's best citizens. He was married April 25, 1850, to Emmarilda Harrington, of Oxford, N. Y.; she dying June 29, 1872, leaving five children: Willie D., now living in Emerson, this state; Ida M., Earl G. and Ernest H., and one child deceased, Freddie. It was Freddie who named this township. The papers all being filled out but the name, the question came up what the new township would be called -- this being at Mr. Cotter's house. They wrote several names each on a slip of paper and put them in a hat and told Freddie, then only three years of age, to take out one piece, and he drew the one upon which Oxford was written, it being decided that the name he drew should be the name of the township. Mr. Cotter is a member of Canopy Lodge No. 290, A. F. and A. M. Source: History of Johnson County Iowa 1836-1882, p802.