Obituary Sunday - Mrs. Nina Gibbs Cotton

Nina King Ellingwood was my 2nd great-grandmother. Her daughter, my great-grandmother, Annie Florilla Gibbs married Ray Everett Cotton on July 21, 1909. In an interesting twist, Nina then married as her second husband, her son-in-law's father, Francis Llewellyn Cotton on November 25, 1926. She was Francis Llewellyn's third wife - his first two marriages ended in divorce.

Dolls made by Nina - Photo from Debbie (Cummings) Brown

Lewiston Evening Journal - Jun 27, 1936
MRS. FRANCIS L. COTTON OF NORTH PARIS DEAD
North Paris Jun 29 - Following a short illness, Mrs. Nina Gibbs Cotton, wife of Francis L. Cotton, died Sunday at Rumford Community hospital. She was well known as a home manufacturer of stuffed toys, which she had been making about 46 years. They were a special kind of toy made of wood, excelsior, cotton, flannel, and other materials to give them a natural appearance and were carefully finished in every detail. The Red Cross horse was one of her many famous products.

Mrs. Cotton was born at Dummer, N.H., the daughter of Asa F. and Florilla Ellingwood, November 4, 1863. Surviving are her husband, three sons by a previous marriage, James Gibbs of North Paris and Albert and Herbert Gibbs of South Paris; two daughters, Mrs. Ada Balentine of Bethel and Mrs. Annie Cotton, Mechanic Falls, two brothers I. H. Ellingwood and Joseph Ellingwood of North Paris.

Mrs. Cotton was a member of the West Paris grange and the North Paris United Baptist church.

The Lewiston Daily Sun - Jun 29, 1936
MRS. NINA GIBBS COTTON
North Paris, June 28 - Mrs Nina Gibbs Cotton, 72, wife of Francis L. Cotton of this town died Sunday at the Rumford Community hospital after about a week's illness.

Mrs. Cotton was born at Dummer, N.H., the daughter of Asa F. and Florilla Ellingwood, November 4, 1863. Surviving are her husband, three sons by a previous marriage, James Gibbs of North Paris, Albert and Herbert Gibbs of South Paris; two daughters, Mrs. Ada Balentine of Bethel and Mrs. Annie Cotton, Mechanic Falls; two brothers I. H. Ellingwood and Joseph Ellingwood of North Paris.

Mrs. Cotton was a member of the West Paris grange and the North Paris United Baptist church.

DIED
In Rumford, Mrs. Nina Gibbs Cotton, 72. Funeral services will be held from her late home in North Paris at two p.m., June 20, EDT. Interment at West Paris cemetery.

Her memorial on Findagrave includes these pictures of the headstone for Nina & her first husband, George Gibbs.

Used by permission of photographer DJ Larson

Used by permission of photographer DJ Larson