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- James L. Cotter emigrated to Ontario, Canada, in 1835 with his father, and he later settled in the Park Hill, Ontario, area. In the "History of Middlesex County," James is listed as a warden and pathmaster for the year 1845. He is recorded as having owned land in Middlesex County, Ontario. The land was in McGillivray Township, Lot 23, Concession 9, and was purchased on 17 Dec 1842. His brother, George, purchased the neighboring lot, No. 22, on the same day; their brother, John, purchased Lot No. 20 on 18 Mar 1844 . However, James Cotter is also listed on the 28 September 1837 map of McGillivray Township as owning that same lot number. James Cotter appears in the 1848 census of Canada West (Ontario). He is listed on page 3, McGillivray Township, Huron (now Middlesex) County. Around 1848, James Cotter moved to Clark County, Ohio. He filed a Declaration of Intention for Naturalization in Clark County, Ohio, on 20 March 1861, but apparently never completed the naturalization process. At the time of the 1850 census, James and Maria (name given as Mary in the census) were living in Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. James' age was given as 26, and his occupation was sawyer. Maria's age was given as 25. At the time of the 1860 census, the family was living in German Township, Clark County, Ohio. Included in the census is Anna Cotter, aged 66. He is listed in the 1880 census of Clark County, Ohio. James Cotter was a member of The Champion City Guard, Company A, Seventh Infantry, Ohio National Guard, during the Civil War. He purchased land from William T. Haley in the city of Springfield, Ohio, on 13 July 1855, and from James T. Warder on 14 December 1870, in Springfield Township. Around 1881, the James Cotter family moved to Illinois, settling near Claremont in Richland County. James Cotter purchased land from Robert B. and Ellen Patrick in Richland County, on 27 November 1882. The property is described in the deed as the northwest fourth of the southeast quarter of Section 26, township 4, North Range (numbered 14 west), "containing 40 acres, more or less." The property was sold by his heirs to Mary Cotter Melrose, James's daughter, for $800 on 28 November 1902, following the death of James's second wife in August 1902. James is buried in Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield, Ohio, in Lot 242 of Section L. This plot was purchased by Ann Cotter on 18 April 1899.
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