Accesion consists of military commissions and warrants to various members of the Cotton and Ross families. Material on the career and social life of W.H. Cotton. Material on the death of his three sons in war. Material on his wife and daughters.
Art material includes amateur sketches and personal and military ephemera relating to the Cotton family. Medallic objects 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), 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; a very rare sallt paper print identified in Dorothy Cotton's hand as being "Granny Cotton", represents a woman in a bonnet which apparently date fron 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 dissembled album, all by Alexander Henderson. Two represent Grand Trunk Ry locos and snowplows; one is of the snow cone at Montmorency Falls, Que.; and 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 the 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.