Fonds consists of documents relating to the military career of Brigadier General W.H. Cotton (1848-1914), correspondence with his parents Henry and Eleanor Cotton, material on his wife Jessie Penner Cotton and the Penner family of Montreal. Material on his three sons who died in the South African and First World Wars and on his daughters Elsie and Dorothy (see MG30-E464).
Material on the military career of Col. Thomas Ross (1821-1901), the first commander of the Governor General's Foot Guards. Also the Lower Canadian judicial appointments of Arthur Davidson (1743-1807). Miscelleanous printed material principally related to Montreal celebrations.
Art material includes watercolours of places familiar to the Cotton family, rough sketches, ephemeral items such as Valentine's Day cards, a portrait, and invitations to military events. Medallic items relate to the military careers of W.H. Cotton, Charles Penner Cotton, and Gordon Ross Penner Cotton.
Photo material consists of portraits of William Henry Cotton, his wife Jessie Penner Cotton (d. 1942), his three sons Henry (Harry), (d. 1900), Charles Penner (1890-1916) and Ross Penner (1892-1916), his two daughters Mary Eleanor (1879-1950) and Elsie Knox (1884-1968); portraits of John Penner and of his two daughters Mary and Jessie Penner (d. 1942); a very rare salt paper print identified in Dorothy Cotton's hand as being "Granny Cotton", represents a woman in a bonnet which apparently date from the 1840s or 1850s; an albumin cabinet print of six men and a dog team, by James Penrose, Winnipeg, Man., 1877; six albumin prints of winter scenes, mounted in a disassembled album, all by Alexander Henderson. Two represent Grand Trunk Ry locos and snowplows; one is of the snow cone at Monmorency Falls, Que.; one of a log cabin; one of the St.Lawrence with the Victoria Bridge in the background, Montreal, Que.; and one of a man in a sleigh, taken in Kingston, Ont., 1878; two copies of a carte de visite of Jessie Penner (later Mrs. W.H. Cotton), by Alexander Henderson; four views of the residence of W.J. Knox on "The Lachine Rapids", Lower Lachine, Quebec, ca. 1860-1865 by Alexander Henderson; a number of signed portraits of various Governors General and their consorts such as Earl of Dufferin (ca. 1874), Marquess of and Maud Landsdowne, 1888, Louise Margaret, Duchess of Connaught (1912), Lady Mary and Earl of Minto (1904), Mrs. Drummond, wife of Colonel Drummond; a carte de visite of Sir John A. Macdonald (1873) by William Notman. Finally, one unidentified tintype of either Cotton or Penner family child.
Photos by Alexander Henderson, Archambault & McCorkindale, William Notman, Notman & Sons, Ashmead Ashworth, Montreal, Que; William James Topley, Ottawa, Ont.; Sheldon & Davis, Kingston, Ont.; Notman & Fraser, Toronto, Ont.; J.E. Livernois, Quebec; James Penrose, Winnipeg, Man.