Seth Cotten was born in Sussex County, Virginia on November 1, 1750. A resident of Chatham County, he served as a private in the combined Wake and Chatham County Regiment of the North Carolina Militia alongside Nathan Yarborough. After the Battle of Cowan's Ford in February 1781, Cotten retreated along with Yarborough all the way to their homes before they reorganized back into their militia regiment under captain Ethelred Jones. He died in Chatham County in about May 1815.