Tracing Our Cotten Line Through Y-DNA Testing

1 Joab Harris Cotten, b. Nov. 23, 1828, Louisiana, d. Aug. 12, 1810, Hamilton Co., TX

...+ Sarah Frances Caudel

.....2 Richard Penn Cotten, b. Jan. 16, 1866, Clay Co., TX, d. Sept. 22, 1937, Nevada Co., CA

........+  Amanda Walker

..........3 Joseph Thomas Cotten, b. July 12, 1899, Indian Territory, d. June 1, 1967, San Bernardino Co., CA

............+ Lola Goldie Rowlan

The paper trail of our Cotten line ends with Joab Harris Cotten.  In an attempt to break through this road block, we had a direct male descendant submit his Y chromosome DNA test results to the Cotton/Cotten DNA project.  We matched up 37 markers out of 37 - a perfect match for Cotton/Cotten family number 7.  The majority of the members of this family trace a common ancestry to John Cotten, born about 1660 in Virginia, died 1728 in Bertie County, North Carolina.

So we have our first "family history mystery".  How does Joab Harris connect back to John?  The administrator of the Cotten DNA project who has done extensive study of the Cotten family #7,has provided us with a couple of leads. Hopefully, additional research and genealogy testing will provide the answer.