James R. COTTINGHAM, of Caldwell and St. Landry Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** JAMES R. COTTINGHAM, OPELOUSAS.--James R. Cottingham, planter and stock raiser, is a native of Louisiana, born in 1840. He is a son of Neal and Anne (Portham) Cottingham, both natives of South Carolina, reared and married there. Later, in 1844, they removed to Caldwell parish, Louisiana, where Neal Cottingham engaged in planting. Mrs. Cottingham died in 1856. Neal Cottingham is still living, and resides with his son, our subject. James R. Cottingham received his education in the schools of Caldwell parish, and began life as a planter. In this he was engaged in Caldwell parish until 1885, when he removed to St. Landry parish, where he has since had the control of an extensive cotton plantation in partnership with Captain Blanks, of Caldwell parish. Mr. Cottingham is considered one of the most methodical and successful planters of the parish. He also gives especial attention to the raising of a fine grade of stock. Mr. Cottingham has married three times; his first wife, Molly Neighbors, he married in 1867. She died four years after marriage, having become the mother of two children: Anna, wife of Frank Wilson, Birmingham, Alabama; Russell, Birmingham, Alabama. In 1875 he married Miss Laura Mafield, who died in 1887, the mother of two children; and in 1888 Mr. Cottingham married Mrs. Ritzell, a daughter of Rev. N. M. Davis. Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, Biographical Section, pp. 14-15. Edited by William Henry Perrin. Published in 1891, by The Gulf Publishing Company.