Hester Maria Cotton

Other Events and Attributes:

• Physical Description: "She was for all personal and mental Excellence the most accomplished female that ever my Eyes beheld. Her shape so accurate, her Carriage so graceful, her Eyes so brilliant, her Knowledge so extensive, & her manners so pleasing that it was no wonder She had such Choice of Lovers in her Youth, & admirers in her advanced Age: She died aged 66. leaving behind her no equal for Powers of delighting her Friends and Companions"
• Note: Hester Maria's brother (Sir Robert Salusbury Cotton) sought to protect his sister Hester Maria from her husband John Salusbury. John Salusbury had squandered his own money and was starting to dip into his sister's money. Sir Robert Salusbury Cotton offered his sister Hester Maria and daughter Hester Lynch the use of his London home in Albermarle Street if they would make a break from him. Sir Robert also intended to change his will leaving his estate to Hester Lynch, but he died before his Will was changed. Hester later wrote …

  "at which period we left Wales and came to my uncle's house in Albemarle Street, where he told my mother he should follow in less than 2 months; make a new will, and leave poor Fiddle 10,000. ... I fancy some rough words passed concerning this by my uncle certainly but ill-brooked my father's pride, and he still less willingly endured being informed that, if his quality friends would provide him some distant establishment, my mother and myself should share the old baronet's fortune."

• Property: Brynbella, Tremeirchion, Flintshire, Wales; Address:
  Lleweney Hall

Notes:

Her daughter Hester was the first surviving child. There were 2 or 3 earlier non-surviving babies. John Salusbury and Hester Maria were distant cousins.

Buried:
She was buried at St Leonard's Church, Streatham. This epitaph to Hester Maria Salusbury was written by Samuel Johnson, who like Hester Maria Salusbury, lived with the Thrale family for many years. The following commentary is Hester Thrale's from her journal Thraliana.

The epitaph engraved on my mother's monument shows how deserving she was of general applause. I asked Johnson why he named her person before her mind. He said it was "because everybody could judge of the one, and but few of the other."

Juxta sepulta est HESTERA MARIA Thomæ Cotton de Combermere Baronetti Cestriensis Filia, Johannis Salusbury Armigeri Flintiensis, uxor; Forma felix, felix ingenio: Omnibus jucunda, suorum amantissima. Linguis artibusque ita exculta Ut loquenti nunquam deessent Sermonis nitor, sententiarum flosculi, Sapientiae gravitas, leporum gratia: Modum servandi adeo perita, ut domestica inter negotia literis oblectaretur, Literarum inter delicias, rem familiarem sedulo curaret, Multis illi multos annos precantibus diri carcinomatis veneno contabuit, nexibusque vitae paulatim resolutis, e terris ? meliora sperans ? emigravit. Nata 1707. Nupta 1739. Obiit 1773.

Mr. Murphy (Henry Thrale's closest friend), who admired her talents and delighted in her company, did me the favour to paraphrase this elegant inscription in verses which I fancy have never yet been published. His fame has long been out of my power to increase as a poet: as a man of sensibility perhaps these lines may set him higher than he now stands. I remember with gratitude the friendly tears which prevented him from speaking as he put them into my hand. [From Anecdotes]

Murphy has been very kind to me, he has translated the Epitaph Johnson wrote upon my Mothers Monument; his kindness is more acceptable to me than his Verses?but the Verses are well enough too. [From Thraliana 14 January 1779]

Near this place Are deposited the remains of HESTER MARIA. The daughter of Sir Thomas Cotton of Combermere, in the County of Cheshire, Bart., the wife of John Salusbury Esqr of the county of Flint. She was born in the year 1707. Married 1739. died in 1773.

A pleasing form, where every grace combined, With genius blest, a pure enlightened mind; Benevolence on all that smiles bestowed, A heart that for her friends with love o'erflowed: In language skilled, by science formed to please, Her mirth was wit, her gravity was ease.

Graceful in all, the happy mien she knew, Which even to virtue gives the limits due; Whate'er employed her, that she seemed to choose, Her house, her friends, her business, or the muse. Admired and loved, the theme of general praise, All to such virtue wished a length of days.

But sad reverse! with slow-consuming pains, Th' envenomed cancer revelled in her veins; Preyed on her spirits?stole each power away; Gradual she sank, yet smiling in decay; She smiled in hope, by sore affliction tried, And in that hope the pious Christian died.

Died:
On her death bed, Samuel Johnson kissed her and said "God bless you dearest Madam! for Jesus Christ's sake, and receive your Soul to Salvation!".

Hester married John Salusbury in 1738. John (son of Thomas Salusbury and Lucy Salusbury) was born in 1710 in Bach-y-Craig, Denbighshire, Wales; died on 18 Dec 1762. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Francis? Salusbury and died.
2. Hester Lynch Salusbury was born on 16 Jan 1741 in Bodvel, Caernarvonshire, Wales; died on 2 May 1821 in Clifton, Gloucestershire, England; was buried on 16 May 1821 in Church of Corpus Christi, Tremeirchion, Flintshire, Wales.

Thomas married Philadelphia Lynch on 2 Nov 1689. Philadelphia (daughter of Sir Thomas Lynch) died in 1758 in Finchley, Middlesex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Philadelphia Lynch had seventeen children, the eleventh of which was Hester Maria Cotton (Hester Lynch Thrale's mother)

Other Events and Attributes:

• Note: 29 Mar 1677; Created first Baronet

Robert married Hester Salusbury. Hester (daughter of Sir Lleweni, 2nd baronet Thomas Salusbury and Hester Tyrrel) was born in 1631; died in Dec 1710; was buried in Whitchurch, Shropshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Hester had nineteen children

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Jamaica; British Govenor General

Thomas married Elizabeth Calvely. Elizabeth and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married Hester Tyrrel. Hester and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]