- English Immigrant to America
Biography[]
Thomas Cottam was born 20 October 1820 in Meadowhead Farm, West Bradford, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom to John Cottam (1792-1878) and Catherine Livesay (1794-1883) and died 10 November 1896 St. George, Washington County, Utah, United States of unspecified causes. He married Ann Howarth (1820-1844) 11 January 1841 in Waddington, Yorkshire, England. He married Caroline Smith (1820-1890) 29 October 1847 in St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri, United States.
St. George Pioneers of 1861-62[]
This person is listed on the Encampment Mall Memorial - a list of over 300 LDS Pioneer Families that helped to settle St. George, Utah in 1861. They were part of the "Dixie Cotton Mission" called by President Brigham Young to raise cotton and other southern crops in the warmer climate of Washington County, Utah.
Thomas Cottam joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England and subsequently immigrated to the United States. He was baptized 2 Febrary 1841. He arrived in Nauvoo, Illinois in April of 1842. He later settled in St George, Utah.
Vita[]
- Born: 20 October 1820 West Bradford, Yorkshire, England
Christening: 12 November 1820 Waddington Parish, West Bradford, Yorkshire, England
- Married: Multiple, see below
- Died: 10 November 1896 St George, Washington, Utah, USA
- Burial: St George, Washington, Utah, USA
Parents[]
- Father: John Cottam (1792-1878)
- Mother: Catherine Livesy (or Livesey) (1794-1883)
Spouse(s)[]
- Ann Howarth (1820-1844) Married 11 January 1841
- Caroline Smith (1820-1890) Married 29 October 1847
Child list[]
- With First Wife Ann Howarth
- John Alma Cottam born 9 July 1842 Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois; died 28 June 1853 Salt Lake City, Utah, buried in Salt Lake City, Utah
With Second Wife Caroline Smith
- Charles Smith Cottam (1861-1950)
- Mary Ann Cottam born 11 Oct 1848 St Louis Missouri, USA; died 12 Oct 1848 St Louis, Missouri, USA
- Emma Cottam (1850-1901)
- George Thomas Cottam (1852-1934)
- Catherine Jane Cottam (1855-1871)
- Thomas Punter Cottam (1857-1926) - Bishop of St George 4th Ward, Member St George Stake Presidency, President of St. George Utah Temple, Mayor of St. George, Utah (1900-1904).
- Sarah Ellen Cottam born 6 April 1863 St George Washington Utah USA; died 24 September 1863 St George Washington Utah; buried St George Utah
- The record indicates another girl was born about 1867 in St George
Family history[]
Thomas Cottam joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England and subsequently immigrated to the United States. He was baptized 2 Febrary 1841. He arrived in Nauvoo, Illinois in April of 1842. He arrived in Salt Lake on 13 Sep 1852. He later settled in St George Utah arriving on 15 Dec 1862. He was a "turner and chairmaker".
Birth 20 Oct 1820 Meadow Head, West Bradford, Yorkshire, England Christening 12 Nov 1820 Waddington Parish, West Bradford, Yorkshire, England Emigration Apr 1842 Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois Emigration 13 Sep 1852 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah1138 Oct 1862 Called to help build Kingdom of God in Utah's Dixie
- Emigration 15 Dec 1862 St. George, Washington, Utah
- Death 10 Nov 1896 St. George, Washington, Utah152
Burial 12 Nov 1896 St. George, Washington, Utah
- Occupation Turner & Chairmaker
- Marriage 29 Oct 1847 St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri (Missouri Vital Statistics, St. Louis, Missouri marriage record, GD F 469,562.)
- Marriage 11 Jan 1841 Ann HOWARTH; Meadow Head, Waddington, Yorkshire, England
- Father John COTTAM
- Mother Catherine LIVESEY
- Born 20 October, 1820, Meadowhead farm, Waddington/West Bradford, Yorkshire, England
Wives:
- Ann Howarth, 1820-1844
- Caroline Smith, 1820-1890
Biographical Notes[]
Life in England[]
Thomas Cottam, Ann Howarth, Caroline Smith Ancestors, a book researched, compiled, edited and parts written by William Howard Thompson and published by the Thomas Cottam Family Organization 1987, all rights reserved.
From this book are the following quotations: "Family tradition says we are descended from General Cotta of the Roman army, who came to England and stayed--a adding "m". Origin of Cottam Name "The Cottam family names is of English origin, particularly from Yorkshire and Lancashire, however there was a "John De Cotum: ( a medieval spelling of the name) in Northumberland on the Scottish border as early as 1273 listed in the Hundred Rolls of that year. The name means from Coteham, the name of parishes in both Yorkshire and Lancshire. The family is also found in Fifeshire, Scotland in the 1600s, where for some reason most of them spelled it a 'Cotton'. "The Coat of Arms is Blazoned as 'Gules, a chevron between three cresents argent." (Joe T. Boyes, Heraldic Production Unlimited, PO Box 1592, Burbank, CA 91505) "Others say it comes from Old Norse Cott - cottage; Danish Ham - Hamlet, or little cottage near the hammlet, one coming from there was from Cottam, or John of Cottam, and eventually John Cottam. There are four places named Cottam in England, all in the central area, which could add to either theory that it was Norwegian and Danish influence or from General Cotta who built roads there. (Cottam and Parry genealogy, GD F 1,036,668)"
Sailed on ship "Hope" to New Orleans and travelled up the Mississippi River, arriving penniless in Nauvoo in Apr 1842.
He made the chairs for the St. George Utah Temple when it was built.
James Ellison at the mill-dam above Waddington.
1863 Christmas[]
Story from "All That Was Promised" by Blaine M. Yorgason, p. 58 "To help buoy the spirits of the struggling community [of St. George, Utah], for Christmas in 1863 'Thomas Cottam made thirteen dolls of wood with hinges for joints so they could sit down and move their legs and arms. Then he asked a lady who was quite an artist to paint hair, eyes, lips, etc. on them. . . My mother found one of the dolls by her stocking [that Christmas morning]. . . How happys she was!
Then [Thomas] let her and a younger brother carry a doll to each little girl in the settlement. Both they and their mothers wept for joy." From an account by Lula Romney Clayson. Footnote states that years later one recipient wrote, "I have loved and cherished that doll for over 50 years. I shall never forget that Christmas morning. We had been told Santa couldn't come so far so it was such a happy surprise to get a doll like that."
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| John Alma Cottam (1842-1853) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Mary Ann Cottam (1848-1848) | |||
| Emma Cottam (1850-1901) | |||
| George Thomas Cottam (1852-1934) | |||
| Catharine Jane Cottam (1855-1918) | 7 January 1855 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States | 6 January 1918 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States | Miles Park Romney (1843-1904) |
| Thomas Punter Cottam (1857-1926) | 28 September 1857 Salt Lake City, Washington County, Utah, United States | 16 March 1926 St. George, Washington County, Utah, United States | Emmaline Jarvis (1863-1944) |
| Charles Smith Cottam (1861-1950) | |||
| Sarah Ellen Cottam (1863-1863) | |||
| Baby Girl Smith Cottam (1867-1867) | |||
Siblings[]
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Thomas Cottam (1820-1896) | 20 October 1820 Meadowhead Farm, West Bradford, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom | 10 November 1896 St. George, Washington County, Utah, United States | Ann Howarth (1820-1844) Caroline Smith (1820-1890) |
| Jane Cottam (1818-1888) | |||
| John Cottam (1823-1903) | |||
| Ellen Cottam (1825-1901) | |||
| William Livesay Cottam (1833-1842) | |||
Residences
Vital Records[]
St George Gravestone[]
- Location : St. George City Cemetery, Washington County, Utah
- PLOT: A_H_135_1
- Thomas Cottam at Find A Grave
See Also[]
- Thomas Cottam
- Cottam in Yorkshire
- Cottam in Washington County, Utah
- Thomas & Caroline Cottam - Washington County Historical Society
References[]
RECORD:
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (R) (Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January.
- DEATH: Deseret News (Salt Lake City, Utah), Death notice in 30 Jul 1853 issue.
- BURIAL: Oliphant, Thomas Andrew, 170 South Main Street, Ivins, Utah. / SUBQ Oliphant, Thomas Andrew, 170 South Main Street, Ivins, Utah
