From the "The Village of Harlem: Its People, Homes and Business – 50th Anniversary Souvenir 1856 to 1906"
"Mr.
W. F. Cotton was born in Vineland, N. J., in 1880 and came to Oak Park and then
to Harlem with his parents in 1892. He received his early education in the
public schools of Oak Park and Harlem. He attended Bryant & Stratton's
business college for five years. After graduating there he was employed by
his father who owned the largest steam laundry on the west side. In 1900
he engaged in the real estate business, in which he has been wonderfully
successful, for though young in years, and the business, yet he has negotiated
some very large deals which seldom fall to the lot of much older and more
experienced men. Among some recent transactions, he sold 14 lots to the
school board of Harlem, two blocks of land for F. H. Green, three blocks for N.
J. Coleman, also one-half block of land for the State Bank of Chicago. His
straightforward business methods have inspired the land owners of Harlem, Oak
Park and River Forest to list a large amount of property with him. By his
prompt attention to business, it has made him one of the leading real estate men
west of Chicago boundary lines. With his well equipped office force, there
are no negotiations connected with the real estate business too large for him to
handle. Although Mr. Cotton is a young man, yet his aptitude for business
developed at quite an early age. When but twelve years old, he ran a
roller skating rink during the winter in Vineland, N. J., employing six workmen.
He was always busily engaged in helping his father in his many lines of
business, which were an iron foundry, machine shop, grist mill, flour and feed
store, cider and vinegar factory, and a cola and wood yard. After Coming
West at the age of 14 he established a newspaper route of his own in Oak Park,
and among his customers were many prominent citizens of the town, Judge Ball,
Col. E. S. Conway, C B. Flinn, S. R. Ainslee, A. F. Banks, Jesse Baldwin, H. A.
Taylor and Dwight Jackson are a few of the many. At the age of 16 he laid
out the base ball diamond for the Prairie Club which was afterwards occupied by
the Oak Park Base Ball Club. He ran the refreshment stand on the grounds
for three seasons, being very successful. These are among the few of the
achievements of his boyhood days, that have made him the thorough going business
man that he is now. He has undoubtedly had more business experience than
the average man of his age and a great many older men. He is a member and
an ardent supporter of the Independent Order of Foresters, the Royal Arcanum,
the Masonic Order, and the Oak Park Business Men's Association.
"Mr. Cotton was recently married to Miss Adelia Perley, a very talented young lady of Harlem, who has also good executive ability. They live in a beautiful home of their own in Oak Park. Mr. and Mrs. Cotton are active members of the Unitarian Church, the Village and Colonial Clubs, and other social organizations."