Research Notes:
1805 Daughter Mary Cockerham, spinster sister of John, named the children of Candis Cockerham in her will dated June 20, 1803: David, Olive, Andrew, and Allen. Probate date September 19, 1803. [1]
We are researching the unknown parents of Nancy Cochran [2], wife of Isaiah Pickett. Other researchers have named several children of John Cockerham, as listed here. Several of those children's names appear on deeds in Rutherford County, at the same time and vicinity as when Micajah Pickett, the father of Isaiah, lived there. We are investigating the possibility that Nancy Cochran was a daughter of one of the children of John Cockerham or of one of the children of Philip Cockerham, son of John Cockerham. We seek evidence to support or refute this hypothesis.
Genealogical summaries relating to John Cockerham and his brothers, with many uncertainties and some conflicts, have been published by several authors. One major disagreement is whether Henry was a son of Matthew, as we show, or was a son of William Cockerham III and Mary Winn. The resolution of this difference perhaps does not greatly affect the goal of identifying the parents of Nancy Cochran. The published research that we have seen is consistent about the identities of the children of John Cockerham.
The Emmett Cockrum genealogy reports [3]:
John Cockerham of Lunenburg Co. Va. was akin to the Cockerhams of Dorset and of Surry Co., Va. While not documented, it seems certain that he descends from either the John Cockerham brought to Va. in 1666 by Capt. Wm (I) Cockerham, or from the tenant farmer, Matthew Cockuram of Norfolk Co., Va. As late as 1743 he and brother Henry were in King William Co., Va. He had six sons, Philip, John Jr., William, Moses, Benjamin, and Minor Young Cockerham, and daughters Letty and Mary. John is known to have been in Lunenburg in 1758, when he transferred land there to his son Philip (Sr.). Various documents and associations identify Philip's siblings. John's son Minor Young seems to have been a weakling or ne'er-do-well; at any rate the family appears to have looked after him. Father John deeded to Minor "only as much land as he can work himself", (150A) adjoining Philip Cockerham's land. Minor died young, and John Cockerham (presumably Sr.) deeded three cows to Minor's children, "Cuzzy", "Penelope", and "Candish", speaking of the "fond affection I have for my little cousins." Minor's wife was Mary or Maryan.
The genealogy by James E. Cockrum [much of which is derivative from the genealogy by Emmett Cockrum] reports [4]:
Matthew Cockerham, ca.1650 b. Prob. England d. Unknown Immigrated from England. Occupation: Tenant farmer.
Matthew Cockerham was cited in English Wills of Colonial Families, by Noel Currier-Bliggs, Polyanthus Inc.,, Cottonport, La. 1972. In the will of one John Bayspool filed at Norfolk, Virginia., on Dec. 2, 1669, he was listed as a tenant farmer. He is known to have been the father of John, Henry, and Joseph Cockerham, all of whom show up later as farmers in King William County, Virginia.John Cockerham, b. ca. 1690, Norfolk, Virginia, d. unknown occupation unknown. He was in King William County, Va., with brothers Henry and Joseph as late as 1743, and his eldest son, Phillip, and brother Henry were all three in Lunenburg County, Va., as early as 1758 on which date John transferred land to son Philip. Wife's name unknown. Known children were: sons Phillip, John Sr., William, Moses, Benjamin, and Minor Young Cockerham, and daughters Letetiy and Mary.
A genealogy of Fifty Families [5], which cites John Bennet Boddie [6][7], reports:
Captain William Cockerham and his wife, Ann, had two sons, William and Thomas. They were minors on May 13, 1669 when … were appointed to administer the estate of William Cockerham until the boys were of age. Young William was declared of age on November 2, 1680, as "Eldest son and Heir of Captain William Cockerham and Anne, his wife." … In his will, dated July 22, 1706, probated 1706-07, he left clothes to his brother, Thomas, the remainder of his estate to his wife, Mary, and made his son, William, his executor. His brother, Thomas, whose will was probated May 15, 1717 left his clothes to his son, Timothy; his cows and pewter to his grandson, Samuel Benson; one shilling to daughter, Elizabeth; one cow to daughter, Ann; and all the rest of his estate to his wife, Elizabeth. At her death, the estate was to be divided equally between his daughters, Ann and Priscilla. There is no proof that William Cockerham, [son of William and] grandson of Captain William Cockerhamm married Mary (Winn) Wynne, daughter of Colonel William Wynne. It is a family tradition. However, it is known that Colonel William Wynne moved from Surry County, Virginia to Lunenburg County, Virginia and that in his household at that time were two under-age boys, William and Henry Cockerham. …
The Goforth Cockerham genealogy reports [8]:
In 1666, a John Cockerham was brought to Virginia by Captain William Cockerham, along with Mary Cockerham. [See notes under Captain Cockerham for May 14, 1666].
Since John Cockerham is ignored in Captain Cockerham's will, and a son by Ann spencer, his 2nd wife, married in Virginia was declared "eldest son and heir", John is not Captain William's son, but more likely a nephew or cousin.
First Generation
1. John Cockerham was in Lunenburg County in 1758 when he transferred land there to his son Philip [Sr.]
While not documented it seems certain that the John Cockerham of Lunenburg County, Virginia descends from the above John Cockerham that was brought into Virginia by Captain William Cockerham.
As late as 1743 he and his brother Henry were in King William County, Virginia.
Children:
11. Philip Cockerham dates unknown.
12. William Cockerham dates unknown.
13. Moses Cockerham dates unknown.
14. Benjamin Cockerham dates unknown.
15. John Cockerham Jr. dates unknown.
16. Minor Young Cockerham dates unknown.
17. Letty Cockerham dates unknown.
18. Mary Cockerham dates unknown.
1743 Henry Cockerham of Goochland County, Va., sold land to John Cockerham and his son Philip Cockerham of the County of King William, Va. The 130 acre tract was on Deep Creek in Goochland County, being a part of a 400 acre tract granted to William Arrington in 1733, sold to John Biby, sold to Henry Cockerham. The tract was on Woodsons line. Deed dated June 18. Witnessed by Rob. Walton, Benj Mosby, Philip Jobson, and John Stolps. Deed recorded at Goochland June 21, 1743. Elizabeth, wife of Henry Cockerham, relinquished her right of dower. [9]
1758 John Cockerham of Lunenburg County made an agreement with son Philip Cockerham that Philip shall have his two negroes Anthony and Tommy during his life to maintain him as long as he lives. Dated October 9. Witnessed by Thomas Potter, Obidiah Hooper, and William Brang? [10]
Letty Cockerham was named in several documents. Perhaps she was the widow of John Cockerham, who had a daughter named Letitia. However, other reserachers report the date of her birth as 1746, so she would be too young to be the mother of any of the children shown here, including Letty.
1782 Lettice Cockerham was listed in Mecklenburg County, Virginia on the list of Jesse Sanders. John (son?), Matthew (father of John?), Henry (uncle of John), and Benjamin (son?) Cockerham were named on the same list. in "Heads of Families at the first U.S. census, V 31, p 33. [11] [12]
1785 George Crymes made a gift, dated November 8, to his 5 children: Sarah Poindexter, Thomas Crymes, Letty Cockerham, Elizabeth Lester, and George Crymes. "I desire Letty Cockerham may have part of my land after my death her lifetime 50 acres". [13] Other researchers have identified Letty, daughter (1746 - ?) of George Washington Crymes (October 12, 1710 - 1797) and Ann Dudley/Booker, as the spouse of John Cockerham.
1790 The estate of Letty Cockerham was appraised on January 22 and was returned on February 11 by Lodwick Farmer, Shadrick Clark, and William Tucker in Lunenburg County, agreeable to order of the court. [14]
Research Notes:
See Lunenburg County, Virginia Deeds: [15] [16]
[1] Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900, 6-125, image 534/676, [AncestryRecord].
[2] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for Cochran, father of Nancy Cochran Pickett, [JRWolfeGenealogy].
[3] Emmett E. Cockrum, A History and Genealogy of the Cockrum Family in America, (1979), 13, [FHLBook].
[4] James E. Cockrum, The Ancestral Lines of James Edwin Cockrum and Phyllis Beaumont-Mills, (Self-published, 1897), 3, image 18, [FHLBook].
[5] Nancy Chambers Underwood, Fifty Families A History (1977), 394, [FHL Library], [GoogleBooks].
[6] John Bennett Boddie, Historical Southern families, Vol. 3 (Pacific Coast Publishers, 1959), [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[7] John Bennett Boddie, Historical Southern families, Vol. 3 (Pacific Coast Publishers, 1959), 184.
[8] George T. Goforth, Cockerham Genealogy, (self-published), 2-5, [FHLBook].
[9] Goochland County, Virginia Deed, 4-194, [FamilySearchImage], [FSCatalog].
[10] Lunenburg County, Virginia Deed 5-402, [FamilySearchImage].
[11] American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI), [AncestryRecord].
[12] U.S. census publication, [URL].
[13] Lunenburg County, Virginia Deed 14-269, [FamilySearchImage].
[14] Lunenburg County, Virginia Will 3-360, [FHLCatalog].
[15] Cockerham grantor index, image 160, [URL].
[16] Cockerham grantee index, image 132, see prior page also, [URL].