Biography extracted from History of Sauk County, Wisconsin Chicago: Western Historical Company, published 1880.

Reedsburg:

Jesse Cottington, farmer and hop-grower, Sec. 26; P. O. Reedsburg; son of Robert and Sarah (Woodsell) Cottington; was born in Sussex Co., England, March 24, 1816. He was married in his native county, in 1834, to Rebecca Forward, daughter of Robert and Mary (Waters) Forward; Mrs. Cottington was born in Sussex Co.; they have eight children ; Agnes (died at Carthage, Mo., January, 1880, was the wife of O.F. Gregory), Amos (married to Elmina M. Fish, residence Winfield) Levi (married to Achsah Brown, both deceased); the three elder children were born in England, the others in the United States; Jeremiah (married to Lavina Stillick, and living in Barron Co., Wis.) Mary (died in infancy), Hannah (now Mrs. A.P. Ellinwood, of Reedsburg) Robert M.D. (married to Ida Barnhart, residing in Chippewa Co.) and Mary (now Mrs. Reuben Spaulding, living in Iowa) Mr. Cottington came to the United States in May, 1841, and settled in Madison Co., N.Y.; after three years, he moved to Waterville, Oneida Co.; was manager of the hop-yards of C.D. Palmer seven years; in 1851, moved to Wisconsin; remained a few months in Westfield, and, in February, 1852, located on Sec. 26, Winfield, Sauk Co., his present residence; he has 200 acres of land. Mr. Cottington planted the first hop-years in Sauk Co., in the spring of 1852. For particulars, see history of Winfield. Has at present 5 acres of hops. Mr. Cottington was Chairman of Winfield one year, and Treasurer two years. Politics, Republican. Levi C. was a member of Co. F, 3d W.V.C., and served two years; Jeremiah P. was a member of Co. D, 4th W.V.I., afterward transferred to cavalry; enlisted in April, 1861; re-enlisted as a veteran and served till the close of the war.

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