Two Cochran genealogies discuss the family of John and Susanna Cockrum of Jefferson County, Illinois. We seek evidence about the name of spouse Susanna. Her surname has been reported as Ray, but we have seen no evidence for this name.
Goforth's genealogy reports [1]:
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 [2]:
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 l8lO 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.
Charles Mills Cockrum has also been named as a child, although there are doubts about his relationship to this family [3].
[1] George T. Goforth, Cockerham Genealogy, (self-published), 6, [FHLBook].
[2] Emmett E. Cockrum, A History and Genealogy of the Cockrum Family in America, (1979), 15, [FHLBook].
[3] Emmett E. Cockrum, A History and Genealogy of the Cockrum Family in America, (1979), 267, [FHLBook].