Publications
Songsters:
Ben Cotton. Ben. Cotton’s Old Uncle Snow Songster. San Francisco: D.E. Appleton, 1863. (Harvard University)
Ben Cotton. Ben. Cotton’s own songster, number 2: being his second series of melodies. San Francisco: D.E. Appleton & Co., 1864. (Library of Congress)
W. Henry Lewis, Ben Cotton, Joe Murphy, & William H. Smith. Cotton & Murphy's California Minstrel songs, as sung at their Opera House, Boston, W.H. Smith, Manager, no. 1. Boston: G.D. Russell and Co., 1865. (Brown University)
W. Henry Lewis, Ben Cotton, Joe Murphy, & William H. Smith. Songs and programme of Cotton & Murphy's California Minstrels, W. H. Smith, Manager. New York: W.H. Lewis, 1865. (University of Pittsburgh)
Ben Cotton, Sam Sharpley. Ben Cotton and Sam Sharpley’s New Songster, For the Season of 1867. New York, 1867.
Individual Works in Songsters or Song Books:
“Cum-Plung-Gum,” as sung by Ben Cotton, in: Billy Birch. Billy Birch’s Ethiopian Songster, New York: Dick & Fitzgerald, 1862. (Brown University; New York Historical Society)
“The Union Right or Wrong,” As Originally Sung by Ben Cotton, to immense applause, in: John Brown and “The Union right or wrong” songster: containing all the celebrated "John Brown" & "Union songs" which have become so immensely popular throughout the union. San Francisco: D.E. Appleton, 1863. (New York Public Library; New York Historical Society)
“Abraham’s Daughter,” As Sung by Ben. Cotton at Maguire’s Opera House, and encored to the echo, in: John Brown and “The Union right or wrong” songster: containing all the celebrated "John Brown" & "Union songs" which have become so immensely popular throughout the union. San Francisco: D.E. Appleton, 1863. (New York Public Library; New York Historical Society)
“Willie is Gone wid de Soldiers,” As Sung by Ben. Cotton, with immense applause, in: John Brown and “The Union right or wrong” songster : containing all the celebrated "John Brown" & "Union songs" which have become so immensely popular throughout the union. San Francisco: D.E. Appleton, 1863. (New York Public Library; New York Historical Society)
“We’ll Conquer as We Go,” As Sung by Ben. Cotton (New Version of “Glory Hallelujah”), in: John Brown and “The Union right orwrong” songster : containing all the celebrated "John Brown" & "Union songs" which have become so immensely popular throughout the union. San Francisco: D.E. Appleton, 1863. (New York Public Library; New York Historical Society)
“Paddy’s Secession,” As Sung by Ben. Cotton with unbounded applause, Words by R.W. McQuade, in: John Brown and “The Union right or wrong” songster : containing all the celebrated "John Brown" & "Union songs" which have become so immensely popular throughout the union. San Francisco: D.E. Appleton, 1863. (New York Public Library; New York Historical Society)
“Little Log Hut,” As Sung by Ben. Cotton, in: John Brown and “The Union right or wrong” songster: containing all the celebrated "John Brown" & "Union songs" which have become so immensely popular throughout the union. San Francisco: D.E. Appleton, 1863 (New York Public Library; New York Historical Society)
“Ben Cotton’s Clog Dance,” in Buckley’s Banjo Guide. Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co.,1868. (Boston Public Library)
Song Sheets:
Charles White, Ben Cotton, John H. Johnson, Alfred W. Auner. Old Bob Ridley, o!: Mr. Cotton’s popular and celebrated song, sung by him over 200 nights, at the late Cartee’s Lyceum. Philadelphia, 1855-57 (New York Historical Society)
Ben Cotton. Come plung gum: As sung by Ben Cotton. No. 818, New York: J. Wrigley,publisher, of songs, ballads, and toy books, conversation, age and small playing cards, alphabet wood blocks and cut motto paper, &c. No. 27 Chatham Street (opposite City Hall Park), 1860-1867. (New York Historical Society)
Ben Cotton. Old Uncle Snow. By Ben Cotton. No. 853, New York: J. Wrigley,publisher, of songs, ballads, and toy books, conversation, age and small playing cards, alphabet wood blocks and cut motto paper, &c. No. 27 Chatham Street (opposite City Hall Park), 1860-1867. (Library Company of Philadelphia)
Fred Wilson, Ben Cotton, Charles Magnus. The Jockey Hat and Feather: As Sung by Ben Cotton. New York: 500 illustrated ballads lithographed and printed by Charles Magnus, no. 12 Frankfort Street, New York. Branch Office, no. 520 7th St. Washington, D.C., 1863-64.
Ben Cotton. Ham-Fat: As sung by Ben Cotton. New York: J. Wrigley, publisher, of songs, ballads, and toy books, conversation, age and small playing cards, alphabet wood blocks and cut motto paper, &c. No. 27 Chatham Street (opposite City Hall Park), 1860-1867.(New York Historical Society)
Ben Cotton. It’s Funny When You Feel That Way, as sung by Ben. Cotton. San Francisco: Sherman & Hyde, Kearny St., San Francisco, 1874. (Original publication of this song sheet was reported in Daily Alta California, July 31, 1874, p. 1., col. 2; no known surviving copies.)
Sheet Music:
Septimus Winner, Ben Cotton, F. H. H. Oldfield, Nahl Bro’s., Bryan & Johnston. Abraham’s Daughter. San Francisco: M. Gray, 613 Clay St, San Francisco, 1863. (University of California, Berkeley; California Sheet Music Project)
George T. Evans, Ben Cotton. Our Union Right or Wrong. San Francisco: M. Gray, 613 Clay St, San Francisco, 1863. (San Francisco Public Library; California Sheet Music Project)
Ben Cotton: Comical Alphabet Song: introducing A. B. C., mother may I go out to swim, mary had a little lamb, etc., etc. San Francisco: M. Gray, 621 & 623 Clay St., San Francisco, 1869 (San Francisco Public Library; California Sheet Music Project)
Interview:
Frank Converse. “Banjo Reminiscences, Part VI,” The Cadenza. Kansas City: C. L. Partee, November, 1901. (New York Public Library)