(1894-1974) Fred Rider Cotten was born to James Taylor and Sarah Ida (Rider) Cotten in Weatherford. In 1917, he completed a law degree at the Univ. of Texas. After returning to his hometown with his wife, Mary Virginia (Akard), and two children, Cotten ran the family furniture store, his swine farm, a funeral home, and Oakland Cemetery. In the 1930s, Cotten oversaw Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects such as the building of a new city hall and a major street renovation. He was, at one time or another, president of the Texas Swine Breeders, Texas Retail Furniture Dealers, Texas Funeral Directors, West Texas Historical, and Texas State Historical Associations, as well as the first president of the Parker County Historical Commission. 175 Years of Texas Independence * 1836-2011