I came across a copy of the Dresden Enterprise dated October 11, 1895. I plan on scanning it all and posting it over the next few weeks but for today I picked this advertisement for Charles W. Cottrell's Dry Goods store. While doing research I came across a biography for him and am including that as well.
At one point, Cottrell was in the dry goods and general merchandise business with several Moran relatives including Benjamin D. Irvine, Stephen Preston Scott and George Scott Boyd. According to the death announcement in the Dresden Enterprise he retired from that business and became the president of the Weakley County Bank. I'm sure he and J.W. Moran had much in common since J.W.Moran also started out in dry goods and branched out into banking with the Dresden Bank!
Biography of the Charles W. Cottrell family taken from The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed in 1887:
At one point, Cottrell was in the dry goods and general merchandise business with several Moran relatives including Benjamin D. Irvine, Stephen Preston Scott and George Scott Boyd. According to the death announcement in the Dresden Enterprise he retired from that business and became the president of the Weakley County Bank. I'm sure he and J.W. Moran had much in common since J.W.Moran also started out in dry goods and branched out into banking with the Dresden Bank!
Biography of the Charles W. Cottrell family taken from The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed in 1887:
"C.W. Cottrell, proprietor of a general merchandise store at Dresden, Tenn., was born in Granville County, N.C., December 4, 1840. His father, Samuel Cottrell, was born in the same county and State, August 7, 1820, and was a farmer by occupation. He immigrated to Tennessee in 1844, locating in Weakley County, and died in the Tenth District of that county, October 29, 1847. The mother, whose maiden name was Catherine Hicks, was born in the same State and county as her husband, February 8, 1819. After her husband's death she married C.E. Baxter, and after his death she united her fortunes with those of W.R. Ross, who is also deceased. For the past eight years she has been living with our subject. Mr. Cottrell was educated in the schools of Dresden and became a salesman in the general merchandise store of M.D. Cardwell, in Dresden, at the age of sixteen. In 1859 he began clerking for E.J. White, with whom he remained until 1865, when he became a partner in the business, the firm consisting of E.J. White (his son) J.M. White and Mr. Cottrell. In 1868 E.J. White died, and from that date until 1879 Mr. Cottrell and J.M. White continued as partners. In 1879 Mr. Cottrell disposed of his interest in the stock to his partner, and in 1880 formed a partnership with B.D. Irvine, S.P. Scott and G.S. Boyd, under the firm name of Cottrell, Irvine & Co., starting a large dry goods and general merchandise establishment, and building a fine flouring-mill, saw-mill, etc. In 1883 Mr. Cottrell sold his interest in the mills and bought the entire stock in the store, and from that date until the present, has successfully managed the business. April 25, 1866, he married Mary E. Johnson, who was born near Murfreesboro, February 14, 1841, daughter of Joseph M. Johnson, who was, at one time, sheriff of Rutherford County. They have no children. Mr. Cottrell is a Democrat and belongs to K. of H. Lodge, No. 312. His wife and mother are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South."
From the Dresden Enterprise, April 1, 1904:
"Sudden Death. The entire populace of Dresden was shocked on last Saturday night shortly after 7 o'clock to learn that Mr. C.W. Cottrell had very suddenly expired at his home. Mr. Cottrell had been at the bank all day and apparently in robust health, but was taken suddenly ill that evening and expired in ten minutes time. Dr. Baxter, his half brother, arrived a few minutes before he died and administered medical aid. Mr. Cottrell came to this county from North Carolina overland with his parents when he was six years of age, and has resided here ever since. for a number of years, he engaged in the mercantile business here and enjoyed a very extensive patronage, but retired in 1896 and devoted his entire time to the presidency of the Weakley County Bank, one of the strongest financial institutions in the county, to the time of his demise. He was a man of few words and slow to express an opinion on current questions; he attended strictly to his own affairs. He had gained what earthly possessions he had by hard toil and shrewd management, and was at the time of his death one of the wealthiest men of the county. A large number of prominent and influential men from this and many adjoining counties attended his funeral Sunday afternoon. He leaves, besides an aged wife, a sister, Mrs. Bettie Freeman, of Paris, and a half brother, Dr. G.I. Baxter of Dresden. There were no children. Funeral services were conducted Sunday at the residence by Rev. Russell. Interment took place at Dresden cemetery."
Charles Cottrell and his wife Mary E. Johnson Cottrell are interred at Sunset Cemetery. In addition, his mother Catherine Hicks Cottrell Baxter Ross and half brother George Isaac Baxter are there as well.
"Sudden Death. The entire populace of Dresden was shocked on last Saturday night shortly after 7 o'clock to learn that Mr. C.W. Cottrell had very suddenly expired at his home. Mr. Cottrell had been at the bank all day and apparently in robust health, but was taken suddenly ill that evening and expired in ten minutes time. Dr. Baxter, his half brother, arrived a few minutes before he died and administered medical aid. Mr. Cottrell came to this county from North Carolina overland with his parents when he was six years of age, and has resided here ever since. for a number of years, he engaged in the mercantile business here and enjoyed a very extensive patronage, but retired in 1896 and devoted his entire time to the presidency of the Weakley County Bank, one of the strongest financial institutions in the county, to the time of his demise. He was a man of few words and slow to express an opinion on current questions; he attended strictly to his own affairs. He had gained what earthly possessions he had by hard toil and shrewd management, and was at the time of his death one of the wealthiest men of the county. A large number of prominent and influential men from this and many adjoining counties attended his funeral Sunday afternoon. He leaves, besides an aged wife, a sister, Mrs. Bettie Freeman, of Paris, and a half brother, Dr. G.I. Baxter of Dresden. There were no children. Funeral services were conducted Sunday at the residence by Rev. Russell. Interment took place at Dresden cemetery."
Charles Cottrell and his wife Mary E. Johnson Cottrell are interred at Sunset Cemetery. In addition, his mother Catherine Hicks Cottrell Baxter Ross and half brother George Isaac Baxter are there as well.
