We show this Matthew as a son of William (son of John), with little evidence other than the confusing genealogies which suggest his existence. Following those genealogies, we show Matthew as the father of John Cockrum who moved to Jefferson County, Kentucky. Emmett's genealogy suggests that this Mathew was a son of William. [1] We seek further evidence to clarify this possible lineage.
1790 Matthew Cochram lived in Edgefield County, South Carolina, in a household with 1 males age 16 and over, and 2 females. [2]
1819 John Cochran Senior sold 40 acres of land to John Cochran Junior, his son-in-law, on March 22. Both were of Greenville. The land was on the Pacolett River among the knobs of the Hogback Mountains. The land was originally surveyed for James Maxwell in 1788 and was the property of John Gowen deceased. [3] Perhaps these two John Cochran men were sons of Hezekiah and Matthew Cochran.
There are records for a different Matthew Cochran of Greenville District, South Carolina who was a son of John Cochran of Greenville. This Matthew sold his home and land in 1820 and may have moved away from Greenville. John was, perhaps, a son of Hezekiah, son of William.
1818 John Cochran sold 198 acres of land to his son Mathew Cochran for love and affection, both of Greenville, South Carolina. The tract was on both sides of Green Creek of South Pacolet River. John had purchased the lands from James Givens. [the deed was apparently recorded twice] [4] [5]
1820 Hezekiah Cochran sold land to John Cochran [Hezekiah's son?] on August 19. The tract was on the Reedy River and was part of a tract granted to James West on November 6, 1786 and was adjacent to land of Wm Cochran and Gilliland. Recorded in Greenville District, South Carolina. [6]
1820 Matthew Cockrum sold 198 acres of land to Silas Whitten. The tract included the plantation on which Matthew lived. The land had been granted by James Givens to Matthew's father John Cockrum. The land was on Green Creek of Pacolet River. Dated December 1. [7]
Research Notes:
There was more than one man named Mathew Cockran, whose notes might be difficult to distinguish. Both this Mathew Cochran, son of William, and Mathew Cochran, son of Philip and cousin of this Matthew [8], reportedly lived in Morgan County, Georgia at about the same time.
Goforth's genealogy reports [9]:
Mathew Cockerham … had a son, John Cockerham born in South Carolina about 1776 who married Susannah [Last name unknown] and had the following children: [1] Mathew Wesley Cockerham born 1797 in Kentucky; [2] William Cockerham who died in Franklin County, Illinois on January 1848; [3] Betsy Wiatt Cockerham born 1806; [4] Dolly Moore; [5] Malinda Canady; [6] Mahlday Canady; [7] Thomas Cockerham born 1809; [8] John Cockerham born 1815; [9] Henry Cockerham for 1819; and [10] Susannah Cockerham born 1825.
Emmett's genealogy reports [10]:
William's eldest son, Matthew, apparently arrived in the Pendleton Dist. of S.C. in the 70s, his son John being born there about 1776. He is known to have moved to Greeneville, S.C., and at the time of his father's death was living in Morgan Co., Ga. Living in the same places as his cousin of the same name has given him a very low profile and made him hard to trace. John Cockrum, son of Matthew, grandson of William of N.C., was born in Edgefield Co., S.C. circa l765-84 according to the 1790 census. Matthew did not go to S.C. until the early or mid-70s, and since John's eldest son was born in l797, an educated guess would put his birthday at about 1776. His wife, Susannah, in the same age-bracket, was also born in S.C. where they were probably married. Their eldest son, Matthew Wesley Cockrum, was born in Kentucky. Clift's Reconstructed Census of Ky. of 1800 does not show John, although his father's cousin, Matthew is shown. The l8l0 census shows John in Christian Co., Ky., with his father's cousins Philip Jr. and Andrew in Barren Co. In l8l6, Todd Co. was split from Christian Co., and included John's farm. On Jan. l8, l82l, John and Susannah sold 38 A. of land on the Elk Fork in Todd Co. to Elijah Hightower for $138. Son Thomas sold his land (l8OA) to Thompson M. Ewing for $125. John, already moved to Gallatin Co., Ill., named his son—in—law, Garland Moore, his attorney—in-fact to complete a land sale to John M.Henslow of 250A for $375, deal completed Oct. 2l, l829. On Dec. l, l829, John's teen—age son, John Jr. was indentured to Garland Moore, young John's brother, Matthew Wesley, and sister Malinda Cockrum approving the indenture. Eldest son Matthew Wesley, with wife, Sarah Gibson, led the family migration to Spring Garden, Ill., showing up there in the 1830 census. The rest of the family joined them there, apparently arriving 1831 and 1834. Father John died shortly after the migration, and Susannah sometime in the l840s. Their graves have not been located. There are several early cemeteries in the Spring Garden—Ina area. Children of John and Susannah were Matthew Wesley (b.l797); William (d.Franklin Co., Ill. Jan.l848); Betsy Wiatt (b,l806O8); Dolly (or Polly) Moore, Malinda Canady, Mahlday Canady, Thomas (b.1809); John (b.l8l5); Henry (b.l819); Susannah (or Susan) b. l825. Matthew, Betsy, Thomas and Dolly were married in Todd Co., Ky. Dolly and Garland Moore were granted a license to marry on May 9, l823, and were married May l5, l823 per Presbyterian Church Rites and by parental consent. Apparently both were quite young.
1927 lottery results:
https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/436620/?offset=0#page=53 Matthew Cochram in Gwinnett county
https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/436620/?offset=0#page=145 Matthew Cockerham in Franklin county
https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/436620/?offset=0#page=91 Miner Cochran in Hall county
https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/436620/?offset=0#page=158 Banister Cochran in Morgan county
https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/436620/?offset=0#page=239 Cochran index
[1] Emmett E. Cockrum, A History and Genealogy of the Cockrum Family in America, (1979), 15, [FHLBook].
[2] United States Federal Census, 1790, [AncestryRecord].
[3] Greenville. Deed L-361, image 498, [FamilySearchImage].
[4] Greenville County, South Carolina Deed, L-74, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[5] Greenville County, South Carolina Deed, K-248, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[6] Greenville County, South Carolina Deed, L-247, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[7] Greenville County, South Carolina Deed, L-248, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[8] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for cousin Matthew Cochran, son of Philip Cochran, [JRWolfeGenealogy].
[9] George T. Goforth, Cockerham Genealogy, (self-published), 6, [FHLBook].
[10] Emmett E. Cockrum, A History and Genealogy of the Cockrum Family in America, (1979), 15, [FHLBook].